The Magician’s Apprentice and the Witch’s Familiar are phenomenal opening episodes, but I didn’t realize how great the parallels to the season finale were.
The Doctor proceeds to unleash hell on the Daleks and Davros because he thinks Clara is dead.
10 weeks later, and he’s doing the same thing, reigning hell over the Time Lords because Clara is dead.
Season 9 has been all about the Doctor’s devotion to Clara, and it was done so subtly I didn’t get it til now.