The Zygon Invasion

Dear Gary—

Osgood lives! The Zygon Invasion is worthwhile for this if nothing else; however The Zygon Invasion has so much more to offer. I would argue that this story is the first truly effective use of UNIT since its introduction into New Who. Previously UNIT was used for its nostalgia power or its wow factor or its utilitarian aspects. The Zygon Invasion has the feel of those Pertwee adventures of old; never my favorite but successful when used sparingly and when done right. The Zygon Invasion is done right.

And it starts with Osgood. Osgood has strength of character that is sorely missing in many a New Who companion, most notably the present one. She is a fan of the Doctor without being a fawning sycophant. She has not fallen sway to the charisma and pleasing face of any one incarnation. She wears symbols of the Doctor’s many past manifestations; she admires and embodies what he stands for; she respects him as a whole entity encompassing all of his multiple personas. She is in awe of the Doctor but she converses with him on an equal footing, remaining true to her convictions and standing firm against his request that she reveal if she is Zygon Osgood or Human Osgood. She has a selfless devotion to the peace that has been established between Zygons and Humans and will not betray it.

“I’m proud to know you, Osgood,” the Doctor says. The Doctor recognizes and respects Osgood’s integrity.

Osgood is the embodiment of the concord achieved at the end of The Day of the Doctor, and this tale effectively picks up from that plot thread. Rogue Zygons are rebelling against the established arrangement that had successfully and secretively merged them into human culture. Osgood (the remaining Osgood who was not killed during Death in Heaven) is kidnapped by this Zygon faction and the Doctor, Clara, and UNIT must work to find Osgood and squelch the uprising.

The story takes us in three directions. Kate Lethbridge-Stewart travels to Truth or Consequences to investigate the disappearance of Osgood. The Doctor travels to Turmesizstan to work with the UNIT forces there to locate Osgood. And Clara remains in London with Kate’s assistant Jac. Each branch of the tale is entertaining and suspenseful and propels the plot.

The eerily empty town of Truth or Consequences set in the arid desert of New Mexico is the perfect atmosphere as Kate wanders the streets looking for answers, helped along the way by the sole remaining inhabitant, Sheriff Norlander. From Norlander Kate learns that one young Zygon broke form, panicking the human townsfolk. Massacre ensued. As I write this I start to wonder why no one has noticed the desertion of Truth or Consequences. Wouldn’t it have been more prudent of the Zygons to take on the forms of the humans they have killed and keep the town going so no one would ask any questions? But apparently aside from Osgood (who has been kidnapped as a result) and Kate, seemingly nobody has noticed these goings on. I’ll let it pass. Presumably this instance was the spark that prodded the rogue faction of Zygons to decide enough is enough. They are tired of leading lives of secrecy and lies. They want to be free of the stifling humanity they are forced to don.

I have to say that I have some sympathy for this sentiment, although not with their actions. And I have to wonder why the Doctor never considered resettling the homeless Zygons on a planet somewhere in the vast universe where they could be free to be themselves. But again I’ll let it pass because he didn’t and if he did we wouldn’t have a story.

Meanwhile, in Turmesizstan, the Doctor learns of the suspected Zygon training base from UNIT Commander Walsh. Desperately trying to keep Walsh from obliterating the village, the Doctor is aided by the Zygon ability to take on the form of the soldiers’ loved ones. Looking into the faces of one’s husband and son would make it hard for any soldier to order the command to drop the bombs; and confronting one’s own mother makes it impossible to pull the trigger. These are compelling scenes; although I feel Walsh’s frustration as she watches her troops waver and fall prey to the Zygon deceit.  These are trained soldiers after all, who have been drilled in the Zygon methods of shape-shifting. They really should be more on guard when they drop their weapons to their sides and follow meekly along to their deaths. What this does, though, is give the Doctor the time he needs to locate the captive Osgood.

With Kate and the Doctor at the far corners, Clara is free to wreak havoc in London. Because, as we come to learn, Clara is not Clara but Zygon Clara. Rogue Zygon Clara, aka Bonnie, at that. I haven’t liked Clara as much as this in a long time. At least she has clarity of vision and firm convictions, even if misguided and malevolent. I do feel sorry for Jac. She loyally, albeit warily, follows along, having the look of a spare part UNIT drone until she cleverly works out the Clara disguise, at which point she becomes expendable to the plot.

The plot comes to a head with Kate seemingly killed by Norlander (who as it turns out is a Zygon) and the Doctor and Osgood about to be blown out of the sky by Bonnie/Clara. A thrilling cliffhanger for this first of a two part story.

The Zygon Invasion works on many levels, not the least of which is a suspenseful and gripping narrative. In addition we have the hotly political issue of immigrant aliens trying to acclimate into society and the prejudice they face. Then there is the aspect of rebellion and terrorism and the debate as to how to respond. I especially love the Doctor’s observation, “You start bombing them, you’ll radicalize the lot. That’s exactly what the splinter group wants.”  This is counterbalanced by Walsh’s legitimate concerns regarding the danger of the rogue faction holed up in Turmesizstan. “Any living thing in this world, including my family and friends,” she states, “could turn into a Zygon and kill me any second now.” Then she delivers the clincher: “It’s not paranoia when it’s real.” Of course there isn’t much room to accommodate an in depth discussion. The action, as always, takes over.

That’s OK, Gary. The action is compelling, and there is much human emotion as well as humor to keep things rolling. And I come back to Osgood. Her calm, steadfast, and resolute presence is at the heart of it all.

Osgood 1: “Any race is capable of the best and the worst.”

Osgood 2: “Every race is peaceful and warlike.”

Osgood 1: “Good and evil.”

Osgood 2: “My race is no exception.”

Osgood 1: “And neither is mine.”

Osgood embodies the peace. She is the amalgam; Zygon and Human. But she says it best: “My sister and I were the living embodiment of the peace we made. I will give all the lives that I have to protect it. You want to know who I am, Doctor? I am the peace. I am Human and Zygon.”

Her sorrow shown in flashback at the loss of her sister is palpable; her dedication to the cause is stalwart; her strength of character is evident. It is only right that the Doctor is proud to know her. She represents the best in any race and any race would be proud to count her among their own.

I leave you with this, Gary, as we stand at the brink of a new year. We are at our own cliffhanger in history, staring into an abyss that holds the best or the worst; peace or war; good or evil. Let us hope that there is more Osgood in us than we dare to hope . . .