Some Hopefully Not-Controversial Thoughts

[evilawyer]

I've seen some criticism of Amy and Rory because of their lack of grief over the loss of their baby. I have some thoughts about that (well, Amy only, at this point) over here, but I was curious about other people's reasons for being distraught/not giving a damn about this particular issue. Any thoughts?

Comments

[sara]

I think it's nice when people put spoilers under cut tags, personally.

[evilawyer]

Hah! I never know when something is a spoiler, myself, because I tend to be so far behind everyone else in Who-viewing (haven't seen past "Let's Kill Hitler", for instance) since I don't have cable. But I am duly chastened, and will get back in to put this entire post under a cut as soon as my crappy wireless connection lets me.

Sorry you were upset about the inadvertent spoiler, which is what I'm assuming you were upset about. (Regardless of the "ass", because I'm old enough to have made as ass of myself too many times to care at this point.)

[daxion]

I thought that she reacted in a perfectly natural way. After all, they know that she's not dead. That strikes traditional mourning off, and I see Amy and Rory more focussed on River/Melody's wellbeing than anything else. That doesn't leave much time for guilt or sorrow, especially not for the two of them. It's not in their characters to respond that way.

I'm not insinuating that either of them are heartless, just that they are more the type to react than to cry.

[evilawyer]

That's pretty much where I am, overall. Thanks for responding --- I get so curious about other people's reactions.

[lanjelin]

I have been wondering about that, actually. They do know what happened to her, of course, but that doesn't mean that it should be easy to let it go.

I think it could be that neither Amy nor Rory really experienced the pregnancy, so it could possibly feel a little unreal for them, maybe? But that doesn't explain why it hasn't even been mentioned for two episodes. Personally, I want to wait until this series' end in a couple of weeks, because I don't think it's impossible that Moffat simply hasn't told us what's really going on yet.

*goes to read your post*

[evilawyer]

I think it could be that neither Amy nor Rory really experienced the pregnancy, so it could possibly feel a little unreal for them, maybe?

I think that a huge part of it -- both the pregnancy and anything more than a severely truncated period of interaction with the baby after birth. Sadly, though, I don't think we're ever going to get back to explore this issues in canon. I think this is so because the entire storyline seems to have been thought of as a vehicle for some cool timey-wimeyness without any thought to how real-life viewers would broader implications and ramifications. Which isn't a horrible, horrible, necessarily, and it's certainly not something that hasn't ever happened before in New Who or other shows. Frustrating, though.

[lanjelin]

As the end of this series is apparently going to be about River, I think it's at least likely that it's brought up again, though. I think Moffat has been very good at keeping his storylines together so far, so I'd be surprised if this thread is simply dropped! I've never thought he's sacrificed story and psychological repercussions for cool effects, so I'm hoping he's not going to start now.

[evilawyer]

I think Moffat has been very good at keeping his storylines together so far...

Very true.

[shadowturquoise]

Thanks for the discussion! I've wanted to express my opinion every time people begin to complain about Amy and Rory's seeming "lack of concern" but I have felt my opinion is the minority and would be shot down. Also, I don't have or want kids so I have zero understanding of the "bond" parents have for their children.

My personal opinion is that 1) Neither Amy or Rory ever had the chance to develop that bond since they did not experience the pregnancy. 2) Any worry for her is dimmed by the certainty of who she eventually turns out to be. 3) They aren't dumb, surely both of them have realized that by asking the Doctor to go back and rewrite history to allow them to raise Melody, they are asking him to give up the River he knows - a River loves him and who has saved his life many times before. 4) We are not privy to every single conversation that takes place between team TARDIS. I prefer to assume this was addressed off-screen.

[evilawyer]

4) We are not privy to every single conversation that takes place between team TARDIS. I prefer to assume this was addressed off-screen.

This is a very good way of looking at it. And your three other points make infinite sense to me. Interesting on the third one --- I hadn't even thought about Amy and Rory being self-sacrificing in the way they'd be by putting the Doctor's well-being before their concerns, or at least putting them on even par. That brings up an interesting point in an of itself ---- the Doctor, Amy and Rory really make up their own family, don't they? That's really quite touching.