Signs and Wonders

I don't know how to feel about this one.

On one hand, it's a solid episode. Nothing crazy, but compelling enough to keep me engaged in the story throughout. Its character work is strong, and it serves, on paper, as a satisfying end to both Hex and Sally's stories.

On the other hand... well, I'm not actually satisfied am I? That's why I'm writing this.

Hex died. It was abrupt and tragic, but also perfectly built up to and executed. What followed was, for me, a profound exploration of grief, giving us both insight into how the Doctor compartmentalizes loss (until he can't) and how Ace can hold onto denial long past the point of it being healthy.

I loved the character of Hector Thomas (even if I wish his emotional state had been delved into with greater complexity). He was a ghost made flesh, a manifestation of Ace's inability to let go.

The culmination of this arc, to my mind, should have made good on all of that emotional buildup. Hector Thomas should have left, or died, and Ace should have had to finally confront the loss that she'd been denying for so long.

Instead, we get a sort of wish fulfilment. Ace learns nothing. Hex gets his happy ending, and his sacrifice means a little less. An arc about a very real exploration of loss and grief ends with a hand wave of elder god magic (who are nice now, actually). Punches were pulled, and it disappoints the lover of beautiful tragedies in me.

All that said, it was a fine episode. I enjoyed listening to it, and it was well written. I just wish it hadn't done what it did.