The Tragic Pursuit of Peace: The Doctor's Past and the Day of the Doctor

The historical events leading up to the Day of the Doctor in the Doctor Who series are complex and filled with regret. As we delve into the past of the Sixth Doctor, known as the War Doctor, we are faced with a figure who, driven by the horrors of the Time War, took drastic actions to achieve peace.

Understanding the Time War

The Time War, as portrayed in various media such as "The Day of the Doctor," "Night," and "Engines of War," remains a significant chapter in the Doctor Who timeline, marked by extensive destruction and mutual fear between two sides: the Daleks and the Time Lords. This war is characterized by the use of advanced weaponry that can erase life from existence, making it a time of despair and unspeakable atrocity.

According to the transcript provided, the Time War was a very strange game, with the War Doctor representing a side that was more willing to play any role, even acting as one of the greatest villains, in pursuit of peace.

The Doctor's Motivation

The Doctor, in his past incarnation as the War Doctor, was confronted with the escalating ambitions of the Daleks and the desperation of the Time Lords. He witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by these conflicts and understood the necessity of a drastic solution.

The War Doctor decided to use a device, possibly The Moment, to not only destroy Gallifrey and the Dalek fleets but also to end the war. This action, however, carries a heavy burden, as both sides were too reliant on their destructive capabilities to simply surrender or stop.

The Daleks, as the transcript mentions, would only stop killing when they were stopped or could exterminate every non-Dalek lifeform. This desire for absolute dominance meant that the Daleks did not have the capacity to negotiate or halt the conflict.

In a similar fashion, the Time Lords, driven by desperation and the threats of self-destruction posed by their own technology, were also predisposed to continue the war until the universe was irreparably damaged.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Both combatants in the Time War had advanced weaponry capable of planetary-scale destruction. The Daleks had the ability to physically destroy planets, while Time Lord temporal weapons could erase life and reality itself. The Time Lords, needing to maintain their defenses, replicated the levels of protection exponentially, showcasing their fears and distaste for having their defenses breached.

Given the history of the War Doctor's previous incarnation, this led to the conclusion that the escalation of weapons usage was at a point where both sides were willing to risk the demolition of their own planets to gain an advantage. The defence lines around Arcadia, while initially thought impenetrable, became a mere fraction of the defensive fortifications around Gallifrey, illustrating the sheer extent of the Time War's brutal nature.

Global Apathy and Fear

The transcript also mentions that the fear of both the Daleks and Time Lords was pervasive among the general populace. In a world where both species were destructive and unrelenting, people developed an intense disdain for both, suggesting a deep sense of apathy and fear that permeated society.

The untempered schism and Thetan Sigma illustrate the profound impact of these events on both the physical and metaphysical aspects of time. The Time Lords felt the universe changing, and this in itself became an additional factor in their desperation to end the war.

As the War Doctor, the Doctor pursued a path of peace through extreme means, understanding that both sides were in a state of mutual destruction. The Day of the Doctor is a momentous event that denotes a shift in his mindset, marking the end of a successive series of troubling actions and the beginning of a new chapter.

Conclusion

The pursuit of peace in the Time War was fraught with intense conflict and severe consequences. The transcript provides a clear portrayal of the complexities involved and the determination of the Doctor, in all his incarnations, to bring an end to the cataclysmic events that shook the universe. The Day of the Doctor stands as a testament to his evolving approach to handling such unprecedented crises.