Again it was fine I didn’t really feel much really wanted more from this set

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“THE END IS THE BEGINNING IS THE END: A TIMEY-WIMEY FINALE THAT LACKS IMPACT”

This final story in the Ace & Tegan set picks up right where Castaways left off, with Ace and Tegan finally recalling their previous adventures with River Song. Meanwhile, a future version of River nudges her past self into stopping Ganley once and for all, much to River’s annoyance. As expected, this leads to a timey-wimey plot that steadily assembles the missing pieces, explaining how Ace and Tegan ended up in Castaways and how it all connects to the Vrexel colony ship and the colony world from the previous two stories.

GANLEY IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ganley finally takes centre stage, and his paranoia, egomania, and self-proclaimed intelligence are well conveyed through the performance. His ultimate weapon project is nearing completion when he decides to pursue Ace and Tegan, with the help of his dry but effective AI assistant. While he has been a looming presence throughout the series, this is where we truly understand his motivations and the danger he poses.

The addition of bounty hunter Zonathan brings an interesting dynamic, and while his character has potential, he doesn’t contribute much to the overall experience. His presence feels like an afterthought rather than a key player in the unfolding events.

ACE, TEGAN, AND RIVER – A FINAL TEST

One of the story’s strongest elements is the time dedicated to Ace and Tegan catching up, reflecting on their travels with the Doctor, and discussing River’s unique perspective on him. Their shared experiences allow them to bond in a way we don’t often see. They also make River promise not to kill anyone while they are together—a promise that is put to the test when she finally confronts Ganley.

However, despite the clever interweaving of past events and character arcs, the story lacks real tension. The intricate, time-bending narrative can be slightly confusing to follow, and the climax—where Ganley finally catches up with River and her friends—feels underwhelming rather than thrilling.

📝VERDICT: 5/10

While The End is the Beginning is the End neatly ties together the previous stories and provides some satisfying character moments, it falls short in delivering a truly gripping conclusion. The timey-wimey structure is clever but occasionally confusing, the tension never fully escalates, and the final showdown feels anticlimactic. However, the open-ended resolution for Ace and Tegan, hinting at their eventual appearance in The Power of the Doctor, is a nice touch of continuity. A fitting but somewhat flat conclusion to the set.

Quite enjoyed this, but ultimately I found the villain across all four stories to be quite weak.