I suspected it was an allusion to the end of His Dark Materials, in which [spoiler] the lovers realise that only one portal can remain, and someone else needs it more than they do.
It might have been better if they'd established a second device, in addition to the bracelet, but if its different function had been spelled out it would have been obvious where they were going with it. And recycling the bracelet did have the advantage that it was an artefact Clara could wear, in Danny's memory, and the Doctor could recognise. Since the Doctor never knew about the boy, it was entirely reasonable for the Doctor to conclude that the bracelet proved Danny had returned to her.
I would have liked to know whether Clara did manage to get the boy home, though. It would have been a difficult call, even if the parents were alive and she could trace them; suppose they said "We think he's safer in London with you"?
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branchandroot
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Date: 2014-11-10 07:27 pm (UTC)It might have been better if they'd established a second device, in addition to the bracelet, but if its different function had been spelled out it would have been obvious where they were going with it. And recycling the bracelet did have the advantage that it was an artefact Clara could wear, in Danny's memory, and the Doctor could recognise. Since the Doctor never knew about the boy, it was entirely reasonable for the Doctor to conclude that the bracelet proved Danny had returned to her.
I would have liked to know whether Clara did manage to get the boy home, though. It would have been a difficult call, even if the parents were alive and she could trace them; suppose they said "We think he's safer in London with you"?