Gallifrey falls into chaos, and Romana is left with only one option in the second series finale, Imperiatrix. But is it going too far?
What would make someone with strong liberal views want to become a tyrant? That’s a question that series two of Gallifrey has been subtlely asking across all five episodes, and the finale Imperiatrix answers that in a big way. More than that: it answers it in a satisfying way, too.
The previous four episodes have shown Romana’s situation becoming more and more desperate. She wants to remain President of Gallifrey, and she wants to continue making a difference in the best possible way.
But her leadership has been attacked on virtually every corner by Inquisitor Darkel; one of her closest allies Braxiatel has been forced into exile (who was plotting to betray her anyway), and even Leela’s becoming more distant from her. She’s desperate for a way to fight back, at any cost. But will the cost be too high?
I really love how this episode portrays Romana as someone forced into a very desperate situation by her own people. This episode like no other shows exactly how good intentions can become corrupted.
And it’s particiularly satisfying to hear after a huge amount of foreshadowing. Not just since Lies, or even the beginning of Gallifrey. But since the Eighth Doctor story Neverland, in which the Doctor saw a vision of Romana as Imperiatrix rather than President. He even gave her some very harsh words to her in the following story Zagreus:
"Is that what a sniff of power on your pathetic planet does? Enjoy your corruption, Romana. I don’t want to see or hear anything of Gallifrey ever again."
An explosive finale
Along with such great character drama, Imperiatrix is explosive. Both figuratively and literally. From the very beginning, Gallifrey is shaken to the very core when the terrorist organization Free Time attacks in a big way.
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Many secrets are revealed, and major friendships are shaken to their core. There are some emotional extremes in this episode, especially when it comes to Leela. Oh, Leela. You didn’t deserve what happened to you in this story.
It all builds up to a fantastic climax that pulls twist after twist. Romana isn’t going down without a fight. But then, she isn’t the only one. Especially when a very familiar face makes a shock return.
Imperiatrix is everything you could want in a finale. It takes the threads that had been building up all series, resolves a few of those threads in a satisfying way, but also pushes the series into a bold and scary direction. By the end, Gallifrey is divided, and things will never be the same again…
Have you listened to Imperiatrix? What’s your views on the story, and on the second series of Gallifrey as a whole? Or have these reviews made you more curious about checking out the Doctor Who spin-off? Let us know in the comments below.