I agree with you that River learns the Doctors name when he dies.
And he did die, with her at his side.
I beleive that the Doctor tells River his name in the "Let's Kill Hitler" episode. It's what triggers her decision to revive him. It also fits with the theme of the last episode. The whole, silence will fall when the question is answered. Well, he answers the question by telling her his name. He does die, and silence does fall. It just doesn't last very long. After all, who more than the Doctor is *always* working on a way out of a sticky situation.
I believe that the idea of a Time Lord passing on his name at a final death is like passing on all of your history. River isn't a real Time Lord, so in her case she doesn't learn *all* that the Doctor was, like a real Time Lord would have, but she does *see* him more clearly than ever. Hence her ability to, and understanding of how to transfer all that she may be in the future into the Doctor. (And from a strictly practial perspective, it gives the BBC the perfect out should they want to continue the series after the 13th actor plays the Doctor. He'd have extra regenerations now because River may not have had to use as many as she did. It does kind of open the door beyond mere suggestion that one of the future Doctors could be played by a woman.)
This would also cover my one pet peeve with the moment she sees him in SinL when she runs into an obviously younger Doctor and is surprised he doesn't reconize her.
What if knowing his name gives her, over time, the ability to see all incarnations of the Doctor at once. Or more accurately, the other incarnations are overlaid on the current one. If Time Lords see all of what could be, is, and has been then it would stand to reason that should they know the key (their name,) to another Time Lord, then when they see that now dead Time Lord at a point in that person's past they would be able to see *all* about them.
Ya a little timey whimey but what the heck. I have a feeling that Moffat kind of digs that kind of circular reasoning when it comes to the Doctor.
Er.... hope you don't mind the rambling post. But I was just rewatching bits of Series 6 and needed to get this off my chest.
When did he tell her his name?
And he did die, with her at his side.
I beleive that the Doctor tells River his name in the "Let's Kill Hitler" episode. It's what triggers her decision to revive him.
It also fits with the theme of the last episode. The whole, silence will fall when the question is answered. Well, he answers the question by telling her his name. He does die, and silence does fall. It just doesn't last very long. After all, who more than the Doctor is *always* working on a way out of a sticky situation.
I believe that the idea of a Time Lord passing on his name at a final death is like passing on all of your history. River isn't a real Time Lord, so in her case she doesn't learn *all* that the Doctor was, like a real Time Lord would have, but she does *see* him more clearly than ever. Hence her ability to, and understanding of how to transfer all that she may be in the future into the Doctor. (And from a strictly practial perspective, it gives the BBC the perfect out should they want to continue the series after the 13th actor plays the Doctor. He'd have extra regenerations now because River may not have had to use as many as she did. It does kind of open the door beyond mere suggestion that one of the future Doctors could be played by a woman.)
This would also cover my one pet peeve with the moment she sees him in SinL when she runs into an obviously younger Doctor and is surprised he doesn't reconize her.
What if knowing his name gives her, over time, the ability to see all incarnations of the Doctor at once. Or more accurately, the other incarnations are overlaid on the current one. If Time Lords see all of what could be, is, and has been then it would stand to reason that should they know the key (their name,) to another Time Lord, then when they see that now dead Time Lord at a point in that person's past they would be able to see *all* about them.
Ya a little timey whimey but what the heck. I have a feeling that Moffat kind of digs that kind of circular reasoning when it comes to the Doctor.
Er.... hope you don't mind the rambling post. But I was just rewatching bits of Series 6 and needed to get this off my chest.
Dave