The Hyperion Empire Part 3

"I still say we need more rounded in here - new takes on old classics..."

Writer: Robbie Morrison 

Format: Comic Strip

Released: 25th February 2016

Printed in: DWC 2.06

Featuring: Twelfth Doctor, Clara

Synopsis 

With London ravaged and the entire world in turmoil thanks to the Hyperion invasion, the entire solar system is in danger of plunging into darkness as the Hyperions plan to drain the sun of all its energy for themselves. Can the Doctor do anything to stop them?

Verdict 

The Hyperion Empire continued in excellent style with this terrific third part! It really was a superb advancement of the already very strong story and that was really nice to see. I'm just glad that it seems the Twelfth Doctor segment of Doctor Who Comic is going to finish its first year just as highly with the Tenth Doctor's The Fountains of Forever/Spiral Staircase/Sins of the Father and the Eleventh Doctor's The Comfort of the Good. I was very intrigued by Sam's placement in this part of the story and it really does look as though he could become companion for the second year of adventures with the Twelfth Doctor and Clara. I think that would be a good direction to go as it would offer the comic strips some deviation from the televised series if they had a companion join the TARDIS team that we see every week on our screens. He looks to be a good character and he's already hit it off with Clara as they've immediately become the best of friends. Perhaps they'll lead to more, it sure looks likely I must say. There was more than one subtle hint about Sam's future but in typical fashion he just couldn't find the right moment to blurt out what he wanted to say about becoming companion. I'm sure he'll get there in part four - or go out dying in heroic fashion. That's my assumption anyway - we'll either never see him again or he'll become companion as I just can't see Clara leaving him and going off and continuing her adventures. I really liked Clara in this part of the story and I thought her characterisation was superb. It definitely had a feel of Series 9 which I thought was good as Clara was certainly abiding by her daredevil lifestyle. Ever since Danny's death in Dark Water/Death in Heaven, which got nicely referenced along with another mention of that story, she just doesn't seem to care too much about living or dying. I think that much was evident in Face the Raven but it shone through here as well. Peter Calaldi's Twelfth Doctor was characterised pretty well again here which is usually the case so I can't say I was surprised but I was glad to see the trend continue. The bluntness of the Twelfth Doctor is just magnificent and it was in abundance here. Clara was trying to prevent from causing a lack of hope amongst the survivors but she was fighting a lost cause by all accounts. Kate Lethbridge-Stewart was great in her brief appearance in this part and I quite liked her criticism of the Doctor just running off and leaving them in the dark about what was going on. The interaction between the Doctor and the Hyperions was excellent and I thought the conclusion of Terrorformer with the Hyperions on Neptune coming full circle was sublime. I really loved that moment I must say. The description of the Great Inferno in which the Hyperions were all but defeated was very good but now it was they who outnumbered the Time Lords and because of there only being one survivor, they would make the Doctor's death a special occasion. The last of the Time Lords would die at their hands - or so they planned. The Doctor had plans to extinguish though and he set his sights on the Sussex area that the Hyperions had shielded. The Fusion Angels were interesting and the concept was great but I especially loved how the Doctor reverted the mind of Jane to that of her human self, even if her appearance showed different. The only slight problem I had was the cliffhanger going into the finale as I think it was pretty much exactly the same as part one and it actually seemed to come out of nowhere, something I'm convinced I mentioned in my blog entry of part one itself. Overall though, a very good continuation and I now look forward to the finale!