Moffat has proved, again and again, that he is an inventive, manic creator who makes a constant stream of cool ideas and clever dialogue seem nearly effortless. But with this season’s arc, he’s managed to unite those strengths with a clear, consistent theme — and we’re all better off for it.

If you’ve been holding off watching Doctor Who season six until you found out whether it had a satisfying ending, go ahead and watch the whole thing — in fact, BBC America has a handy marathon all day on Saturday. It does all pay off, mostly with greatness.