History Recap / DoctorWhoS30E9ForestOfTheDead

** The Vashta Nerada were not defeated at all, and were able to kill almost all of River's screw (though River still died in the end). They only retreated temporarily, in fear of the Doctor's reputation and threats, and still fester the library after everyone else in the library has left.

'''Original air date:''' June 7, 2008

'''Production code:''' 4.10

Written by Creator/StevenMoffat.

** River Song, the woman who claims to know so much about the Doctor whilst he himself has no idea who she truly is, dies right in front of her to save the day. On the plus side, she is able to have her echo stored in the library alongside her friends to "live" forever. And River said he will see her again very soon, but it'll be the past version of her.
** Donna's kids were never actually real and she had to leave them and her husband in that virtual reality. And her husband turned out to be one of the "missing" people from the library, who recognized Donna when she saw in real life. But his stutter stopped him from calling her out properly as he was teleported away shortly after.
** The Vashta Nerada were not defeated at all, and were able to kill almost all of River's screw. They only retreated temporarily, in fear of the Doctor's reputation, and still fester the library after everyone else in the library has left.

->'''River:''' Sweet dreams, everyone.

* AIIsACrapshoot: Played with. The computer systems for the Library isn't working very well, not because of an inherent design flaw, but due to incredibly unusual circumstances. It's designed to run a simulated world for a single individual, and when trying to rescue over 4,000 people from death, the computer "saves" them to that simulated world. The modern equivalent would be to try and run a few thousand copies of a high-end video game off of the same set of servers at your local library.

--->'''The Doctor:''' I'd have a chance! You don't have any!\\
'''River:''' You wouldn't have a chance and neither [[ExactWords do]] I!

* DaylightHorror: Continuing on from last episode, but by this episode the sun is beginning to set, and then there will be nothing but shadow.

* VictoryThroughIntimidation: The Doctor has no way to physically stop the Vashta Nerada, so he gets them to back off by threatening them with his reputation.
-->"I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

[[caption-width-right:350:''[[BrokenRecord "Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"]]'']]

The one with [[Film/TheElephantMan the Elephant Woman]]. Also the one where we see an end long before a beginning.

* ParentInducedExtendedChildhood: Played with; the library's central computer CAL is actually a little girl named Charlotte Abigail Lux. Her father [[BrainUploading incorporated her into the system]] in order to save her from a terminal illness, allowing her eternal youth and all the books in the universe to read. For good measure, her family kept her existence a secret in order to prevent her from becoming a freakshow to the rest of the galaxy. As benevolent as this move was, it's implied that CAL isn't happy with it, as her LotusEaterMachine features her living [[NightmareOfNormality an ordinary life on Earth]] with her father (who has been dead for decades in the real world). [[spoiler: In the finale, River Song is uploaded to the system after her HeroicSacrifice, allowing her to become a surrogate mother of sorts to CAL.]]

* RetroactivePreparation: Used by the Doctor [[spoiler:to save River Song]].

* ChekhovsGun:
** The screwdriver. ''He gave her a screwdriver.''
** ''She told the Doctor his own name.''

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Lux ''appears'' to be one of these, [[SubvertedTrope until it's revealed what's really been guiding him this entire time]].

* HiddenHeartOfGold: Strackman Lux, set up as a paranoid, uncooperative type obsessed with patents and IP, but it's all a front to keep CAL safe, who is his child-like aunt. He's actually quite nice.

* NightmareOfNormality: As a result, of trying to rescue all four thousand visitors by saving them to her database, CAL has accidentally inflicted this trope on herself, living out her fantasies of being an ordinary little girl in a virtual reality environment.

* NoSympathy: The Vashta Nerada don't really care that Anita was scared, Doctor.

* ShipTease:
** The Doctor and River.
--->'''The Doctor:''' Oh, I ''like'' you.\\
'''River:''' Yeah, you do.
** Even the fact that River is going to die in a few moments doesn't stop her from dropping one last DoubleEntendre.
--->'''The Doctor:''' Why am I handcuffed... [[KinkyCuffs why do you even have handcuffs?!]]\\
'''River:''' ''[smirking]'' Spoilers...
** Watching Donna's virtual husband try to call out to her at the end, but he can't articulate or yell due to his stutter.

* TooDumbToLive: You can't blame poor Lee [=McAvoy=] for his stutter, but you'd expect him to ''get off the freakin' teleporter'' and run to Donna. He's got several seconds, that's more than enough time to think of the obvious Plan B and execute it. But no, he just stands there still trying what's already failed until he gets teleported off the planet, never to see her again.

** "You know what? I really liked Anita."

* BadassBoast: Indirectly, and the more badass for it: "Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I liked, that is not a safe place to stand! I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the universe. ''([[{{Beat}} pause]])'' ''Look me up.''"

* BadassBoast: Indirectly, and the more badass for it: "I'm the Doctor, and you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

** Lux, upon being told that in twenty minutes, the Library will crack like an egg. [[TemptingFate He then says the Doctor Moon will stop it.]]

* AdultFear: Donna experiences a huge slice of it when she's tucking Josh and Ella into bed and then they just disappear. And earlier than that, a downplayed example with Ella falling and hurting her knee.

'''Lux:''' [[WhamLine Because she's]] ''[[WhamLine family]]''! CAL: ''Charlotte Abigail Lux''. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time. Any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything, and he gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show. \\
'''Doctor:''' [[SubvertedTrope So you weren't protecting a patent, you were protecting her]]...

* OrpheanRescue: Getting Donna back out of the computer requires some help from someone who knows the truth of the matter.

* MeaningfullBackgroundEvent: Right as the Doctor is learning where the Vashta Nerada came from, Other Dave starts looking upward in the background before the camera pans slightly to the left, removing him from the shot. He isn't seen again for a couple minutes, [[YouAreAlreadyDead but can be heard saying the same thing four times in a row.]]

** The Doctor's so busy thinking that he stops paying attention to Other Dave, who has suddenly started repeating himself a lot. It's not until he says the same thing four times that the Doctor catches on.

** The Doctor, when he finally realises Other Dave's been eaten, gets more nervous.

--->'''The Doctor''': Look, you said there are five people still alive in this room.

--->'''The Doctor''': [[SpotTheThread So, why are there six?]]