Benito Mussolini January 1945 by Madeleine Mollier, a few months before he was captured and executed by Italian anti-fascist partisans, he stated flatly: "Seven years ago, I was an interesting person. Now, I am little more than a corpse." He continued: On 25 April 1945, allied troops were advancing into northern Italy, and the collapse of the Salò Republic was imminent. Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci set out for Switzerland, intending to board a plane and escape to Spain. Two days later on 27 April, they were stopped near the village of Dongo (Lake Como) by communist partisans Valerio and Bellini
The Woman Who Lived with many critics labeling it the best of the current series. On Rotten Tomatoes the episode has a score of 85% based on reviews from 20 critics, with an average score of 9.0, being beaten by Heaven Sent. The site's consensus reads: "The Woman Who Lived" concludes a Doctor Who story for the ages, with a performance by Maisie Williams that is both fun and thought-provoking". Elements of the episode especially praised by critics included the performances of Capaldi and Williams, the episode's dark visual tone and the dialogue between the Doctor and Me. Catherine Gee of "The Daily Telegraph"