So by leaving the Doctor he just went back to being normal. Hmm, I don't think that was what happened. That sun was fucking angry, it was walking around killing people for no reason other than revenge. I don't think it would have fixed the damage before leaving the host.
Healing is just recreating the 'same' cells again (DNA wise), while regeneration is rewriting the code of the DNA. That's a very valid point. I actually hadn't considered that. I still think he can do both, though, because he does it. And we already established that he must have some sort of ability to modify his cells and cellular structure. Maybe he can modify working cells and adapt them to his needs, but when they're dead, he cannot revive them. He can only write new ones. That would make sense, because in 42, his organism was changed to work on hydrogen, but it was still a working organism with functioning cells. When the Master was shot, all the bullet did was rip a big old hole into his intestines, so there was nothing left there to modify. The only option was to write new cells, and since it's not exactly healthy to have cells of two different sets of DNA in one body, he'd have had to regenerate completely.
Well, yeah, obviously he needs the machine because he's not only writing a new set of DNA of his own species, but a completely different one. I meant, though, that we need to consider that Time Lords apparently have the ability to intentionally remove their consciousness from their bodies - but they seem to need a storage place for it. That's another interesting aspect of his physiology.
no subject
Hmm, I don't think that was what happened. That sun was fucking angry, it was walking around killing people for no reason other than revenge. I don't think it would have fixed the damage before leaving the host.
Healing is just recreating the 'same' cells again (DNA wise), while regeneration is rewriting the code of the DNA.
That's a very valid point. I actually hadn't considered that. I still think he can do both, though, because he does it. And we already established that he must have some sort of ability to modify his cells and cellular structure. Maybe he can modify working cells and adapt them to his needs, but when they're dead, he cannot revive them. He can only write new ones. That would make sense, because in 42, his organism was changed to work on hydrogen, but it was still a working organism with functioning cells. When the Master was shot, all the bullet did was rip a big old hole into his intestines, so there was nothing left there to modify. The only option was to write new cells, and since it's not exactly healthy to have cells of two different sets of DNA in one body, he'd have had to regenerate completely.
Well, yeah, obviously he needs the machine because he's not only writing a new set of DNA of his own species, but a completely different one. I meant, though, that we need to consider that Time Lords apparently have the ability to intentionally remove their consciousness from their bodies - but they seem to need a storage place for it. That's another interesting aspect of his physiology.