The Eye of Ashaya

"Since you refused to take me with you, I had to take matters into my own hands."

Writer: Andy Diggle
Format: Comic Strip
Released: February 2013
Printed in: DW12 #5-6

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Amy, Rory

Synopsis

Majorca, Spain: After a series of stressful adventures, Amy Pond and Rory Williams are dropped off by the Doctor on the island for a relaxing vacation. It doesn't go as planned. Airport delays are followed by Lady Christina de Souza and they meet her again on board a special starliner...

Verdict

The Eye of Ashaya was an excellent return to my reading of IDW's Eleventh Doctor Archives! I seem to have been doing a considerable amount of prose now as my time living near the excellent Bristol Central Library is coming to an end so I'm trying to get through all of the collections but it's going to be a task! These comics have been very enjoyable though so I thought I would return and I did so in quite a way! The return of Lady Christina de Souza alongside the Eleventh Doctor was a fantastic treat and not something I ever thought would happen. I thought it was brilliant though and I liked how dastardly she seemed to be being whilst actually doing good. The Doctor admitted he may have misjudged her but I too was guilty of thinking she was after the diamond that was the Eye of Ashaya. Its significance was good as the power behind the ship and the reactions of the Ashayan would be mutineers was great. I thought the Ashayans were very good and they had just the right amount of exposure and inclusion in the comic strip. Amy and Rory were pretty comical in this adventure and their frustration, or rather Amy's, following their delay at Majorca Airport was something I could appreciate as I had a recent delay coming back from Budapest and there doesn't seem to be anything possibly worse at the moment it is announced. The mixed reactions when the Doctor arrived and offered them a trip to the starliner whilst asking how their holiday was brought some terrific humour. I thought their characterisation was very good throughout, along with the Eleventh Doctor, which made for very good reading. The meeting between the Doctor and Christina could have been a little earlier but it was still very good! The Doctor referencing Planet of the Dead to explain how he knew her along with the flashback panels was excellent and I also loved the use of Dalek and the vault in Utah in explaining how Christina came to be travelling the stars. That was a great thought and actually quite nice given the fact she was denied a position in the TARDIS last time we saw her. The Doctor realising that Christina wasn't actually after the diamond here was good and I liked how guilty he seemed for assuming that was all she was up to. It earned her an offer to travel with him now Amy and Rory just wanted to go home, but she kindly declined. She certainly didn't seem like someone who would enjoy just being a passenger. She was absolutely the captain of anywhere she went! Her relationship with Neko was intriguing and I'd have liked that explained a little further, but I do hope she may return at some time. The little cat's role in exposing the Ashayans and their plan was good and Christina taking advantage of things was fantastic. She was certainly an opportunist! I liked that being on display here. The worshipping of the Goddess and its return was a nice moment to end on for the Ashayans too. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 9/10