The Doctor. The Man With No Name. the Destroyer Of Worlds. The Man With 12 Faces (technically 13... Or 14.... Yeah it gets kind of complicated). The Doctor is an enigma to most. His face (or at least one of them) has popped up in places and times spanning the Earth's existence. He is our protector. He is our friend. He is also a raging lunatic (hate to just abruptly get silly, but I assure you, that is the nature of the Doctor [well again depending on what incarnation he is in at the time.... Confusing]).
The Doctor is actually an alien of the Species the Time Lords. Their home planet was/is Gallifrey. Now Time Lords are born with 2 hearts and the ability to when die "regenerate" into another form. It is still them: same memories, but it's also different: new physical features (sometimes even a new gender, but not for our Doctor). Time Lords also acquire what is known as a T.A.R.D.I.S.: Time And Relative D immersion In Space. It's a device that can literally transport you to any time or point in space. Not kidding. They're also known for being bigger on the inside. The TARDIS will take on a camouflage disguise itself. The Doctor's TARDIS is in the shape of an old timey police box on the outside. Most Time Lords also possess a sonic screwdriver: a device that is small and handheld, somewhat resembling a screwdriver, that is used to somehow altar settings and whatnot on machinery and technology in general. It's also very handy at opening doors.
The Doctor has currently been alive for over 2,000 years old. He has traveled to the destruction Earth and has had, and lost, hundreds of friends and allies. From men and women to alien life forms, and even a robot dog, the Doctor must always surround himself with "companions". From Susan Foreman, the very first Doctor's very first companion, all the way to Clara Oswald, the twelfth Doctor's current companion, the Time Lord has personally affected many, many lives..... And almost all of these instances end in tragedy.
The few instances that I am going to be elaborating on come from the ninth through eleventh "versions" of the Doctor spanning from 2005 to 2013 on the show. I'll try to choose just one calamity from each Doctor's "life" (but to be honest, their is SO MUCH that happens, I may just have a post dedicated to the Uh-Oh's and Mis-Haps of the Doctor and their resulting Tragedy).
The Ninth Doctor. Played by Christopher Eccelseton, The Ninth Doctor was probably my favorite Doctor. No, he wasn't the best, but he introduced me to the show, and left tremendous shoes to fill. This Doctor was angrier than the others. He wasn't nearly as "playful", or at least not until the end of his "cycle". Though we only had him for one short season, The Ninth Doctor did give us many emotional scenes during his reign. From the Destruction of Earth, to having a front row seat to the most traumatic thing his companion, Rose Tyler could go through: the death of her own father. Yes, the Ninth Doctor had many heart wrenching moments. But, the saddest has GOT to be his regeneration scene. Not only was it tragic because we were saying goodbye to the Doctor, but we had to sit and watch, helpless, and see his goodbye to Rose. Now granted, every regeneration is sad, don't get me wrong (I've balled at everyone). But this particular regeneration hit me in the feels, like no other regeneration has. This Doctor was the one the introduced me to the series. Not only that, but this Doctor reintroduced EVERYONE to the series. After the Eighth Doctor, there was a Nine year hiatus. Christopher Eccelston's Doctor was revolutionary for the show. He isn't everyone's favorite Doctor, but everyone was shocked when he left. Beyond just the fact that he was leaving, Rose's reaction made it that much more mournful. Rose has grown very fond of the Ninth Doctor. Some would argue that she's already fallen in love. This was the "man" that took for on a journey, and made her life one full of adventure. He's risked his life more than once for her. He gave her something that no one else could give her: the chance to meet her father. Now he's just going to leave? Or maybe not leave, but change? It's not going to be him anymore. When she cried, let's face it: we all cried. We all hurt. We ached. Regardless of your feelings towards Eccleston's portrayal of the Doctor, when he was "dying", I think everyone can agree with him. He was "Fantastic".
The Tenth Doctor. Arguably the very best of the Doctor's 2005 from and up, the Tenth Doctor was played by the One-of-a-Kind Treasure David Tennant. Tennant has a way of making you fall in love with his characters, no matter the show or film. The Tenth Doctor immediately picked up right where the Ninth Doctor left off; he was even in the same clothes and everything. To many viewers this was a shock, and was left feeling rather unsatisfied with Eccelston's final scene. But honestly, that's just what happens; when one Doctor's life span is ended, another immediately takes his place. It's his cycle. Tennant stepped onto the scene and really made the show. He really began the show's plot lines (again from 2005 up). With Eccleston you were introduced to certain key character's and races, like the Daleks. and we also met Captain Jack Harkness, but honestly Eccleston was just the means of easing us into the Whoniverse. Tennant really drove us deeper and deeper, making us become more and more invested in his reign as the Doctor. But the saddest thing about this particular Doctor was that, despite everything, He was always left alone. I know that that's kind of vague and it stretches over his whole time as the Doctor, so let me pick one instance: The Gas Chamber. In the season 4 finale The Doctor is still alive, and then he hears it: the four knocks. Wilfred, Donna's Grandfather, was the man who would knock four times. Wilfred is trapped inside the ventilation room, and the Doctor can only save him by getting in himself. This is what causes the Doctor to have to regenerate. In that moment, we see just how the Doctor feels, which isn't something that he shows too often. He's upset. He tries to fight it. He's angry. He could do So. Much. More. But then, he makes the decision. The decision that makes him The Doctor. He sacrifices himself for the betterment of mankind. As he's regenerating, he shares one final line, "I don't want to go." We didn't want you to go either David, you made the Doctor who he was.
The Eleventh Doctor. Let me set the scene: The world is bleak after losing one of the greatest men to helm the title of "The Doctor" of all time. We're anxious, and scared, and upset, and really feeling way too many emotions is that split second during the Tenth Doctor's regeneration. In steps......... Matt Smith, a rather goofy looking teen. Matt Smith, to me, wasn't the Doctor that we think that we deserved, but the one that we needed. He was young and goofy and unpredictable. He was very different from his predecessors. Eccleston was rather blunt and sarcastic, while Tennant was a weird combination of charming and nerdy. Smith was, ..... uhm, ...... well, ...... Smith! He's a dork, and he's zany, and full of life. His youth really worked well for him. He was still passionate about human life, and preferred to avoid physical confrontation just the Doctor always has, but this particular Doctor was very dependent upon his companions. Without them, he really couldn't function as the Doctor. Eccleston was anti-companion until Rose came along, and Tennant went through several different ladies, each one more smitten with him than the next. But with Smith, they aren't just a want or a preference, they're a necessary. So arguably, the most heartbreaking moment for The Eleventh Doctor was when his companions left him, during the episode entitled, "The Angels Take Manhattan". The weeping angels are defeated, or so the Doctor and his rag-tag gang of time travelers think. In an instant, Rory disappears, and an angel is seen behind where Rory was standing with an out-stretched hand. There's a tombstone with Rory's name on it, literally. There's a panic, and the Amelia, the very first companion of this Doctor's cycle, makes the decision to try and be with her now deceased husband. The Doctor is going crazy trying to convince her to stay, but her mind is made up. She's going. She turns her back to say goodbye, knowing that angel will touch here, and just like that she's gone. It devastates the Doctor.
Those are my choices for the most traumatic events that the Doctor has had to encounter for these particular cycle's of his life. That's the thing about the Doctor, he endures. He suffers. He deals with so much death, and gives up so much for OUR benefit. No other planet or race has been guarded with such devotion from the Doctor as we the human race on planet earth. That's what the Doctor wants us to understand: we are important, and we matter. We care. We love. We build, and when we have to we rebuild. That's what the Doctor has died so many times proving. We owe it to the Doctor to love and to live. To laugh and to cry. To make our lives matter, and not just give up when the going gets tough. He wants us to Run.
These are my thoughts on the Doctor. No, he isn't real, and yes, this is just a TV Show, but it's one that I love and that I become invested in, because this show goes beyond just entertainment. This show achieves at giving it's watchers one thing: hope. Hope for a better life. Hope for a future. Hope of love and adventure.
What do you guys think? What're your picks for the Doctor's most traumatic moments? Who play's your favorite Doctor? Let me know in the comments below. And as always, let your Geekery be what helps save the human race from a Dalek Invasion.
The few instances that I am going to be elaborating on come from the ninth through eleventh "versions" of the Doctor spanning from 2005 to 2013 on the show. I'll try to choose just one calamity from each Doctor's "life" (but to be honest, their is SO MUCH that happens, I may just have a post dedicated to the Uh-Oh's and Mis-Haps of the Doctor and their resulting Tragedy).
The Ninth Doctor. Played by Christopher Eccelseton, The Ninth Doctor was probably my favorite Doctor. No, he wasn't the best, but he introduced me to the show, and left tremendous shoes to fill. This Doctor was angrier than the others. He wasn't nearly as "playful", or at least not until the end of his "cycle". Though we only had him for one short season, The Ninth Doctor did give us many emotional scenes during his reign. From the Destruction of Earth, to having a front row seat to the most traumatic thing his companion, Rose Tyler could go through: the death of her own father. Yes, the Ninth Doctor had many heart wrenching moments. But, the saddest has GOT to be his regeneration scene. Not only was it tragic because we were saying goodbye to the Doctor, but we had to sit and watch, helpless, and see his goodbye to Rose. Now granted, every regeneration is sad, don't get me wrong (I've balled at everyone). But this particular regeneration hit me in the feels, like no other regeneration has. This Doctor was the one the introduced me to the series. Not only that, but this Doctor reintroduced EVERYONE to the series. After the Eighth Doctor, there was a Nine year hiatus. Christopher Eccelston's Doctor was revolutionary for the show. He isn't everyone's favorite Doctor, but everyone was shocked when he left. Beyond just the fact that he was leaving, Rose's reaction made it that much more mournful. Rose has grown very fond of the Ninth Doctor. Some would argue that she's already fallen in love. This was the "man" that took for on a journey, and made her life one full of adventure. He's risked his life more than once for her. He gave her something that no one else could give her: the chance to meet her father. Now he's just going to leave? Or maybe not leave, but change? It's not going to be him anymore. When she cried, let's face it: we all cried. We all hurt. We ached. Regardless of your feelings towards Eccleston's portrayal of the Doctor, when he was "dying", I think everyone can agree with him. He was "Fantastic".
The Tenth Doctor. Arguably the very best of the Doctor's 2005 from and up, the Tenth Doctor was played by the One-of-a-Kind Treasure David Tennant. Tennant has a way of making you fall in love with his characters, no matter the show or film. The Tenth Doctor immediately picked up right where the Ninth Doctor left off; he was even in the same clothes and everything. To many viewers this was a shock, and was left feeling rather unsatisfied with Eccelston's final scene. But honestly, that's just what happens; when one Doctor's life span is ended, another immediately takes his place. It's his cycle. Tennant stepped onto the scene and really made the show. He really began the show's plot lines (again from 2005 up). With Eccleston you were introduced to certain key character's and races, like the Daleks. and we also met Captain Jack Harkness, but honestly Eccleston was just the means of easing us into the Whoniverse. Tennant really drove us deeper and deeper, making us become more and more invested in his reign as the Doctor. But the saddest thing about this particular Doctor was that, despite everything, He was always left alone. I know that that's kind of vague and it stretches over his whole time as the Doctor, so let me pick one instance: The Gas Chamber. In the season 4 finale The Doctor is still alive, and then he hears it: the four knocks. Wilfred, Donna's Grandfather, was the man who would knock four times. Wilfred is trapped inside the ventilation room, and the Doctor can only save him by getting in himself. This is what causes the Doctor to have to regenerate. In that moment, we see just how the Doctor feels, which isn't something that he shows too often. He's upset. He tries to fight it. He's angry. He could do So. Much. More. But then, he makes the decision. The decision that makes him The Doctor. He sacrifices himself for the betterment of mankind. As he's regenerating, he shares one final line, "I don't want to go." We didn't want you to go either David, you made the Doctor who he was.
The Eleventh Doctor. Let me set the scene: The world is bleak after losing one of the greatest men to helm the title of "The Doctor" of all time. We're anxious, and scared, and upset, and really feeling way too many emotions is that split second during the Tenth Doctor's regeneration. In steps......... Matt Smith, a rather goofy looking teen. Matt Smith, to me, wasn't the Doctor that we think that we deserved, but the one that we needed. He was young and goofy and unpredictable. He was very different from his predecessors. Eccleston was rather blunt and sarcastic, while Tennant was a weird combination of charming and nerdy. Smith was, ..... uhm, ...... well, ...... Smith! He's a dork, and he's zany, and full of life. His youth really worked well for him. He was still passionate about human life, and preferred to avoid physical confrontation just the Doctor always has, but this particular Doctor was very dependent upon his companions. Without them, he really couldn't function as the Doctor. Eccleston was anti-companion until Rose came along, and Tennant went through several different ladies, each one more smitten with him than the next. But with Smith, they aren't just a want or a preference, they're a necessary. So arguably, the most heartbreaking moment for The Eleventh Doctor was when his companions left him, during the episode entitled, "The Angels Take Manhattan". The weeping angels are defeated, or so the Doctor and his rag-tag gang of time travelers think. In an instant, Rory disappears, and an angel is seen behind where Rory was standing with an out-stretched hand. There's a tombstone with Rory's name on it, literally. There's a panic, and the Amelia, the very first companion of this Doctor's cycle, makes the decision to try and be with her now deceased husband. The Doctor is going crazy trying to convince her to stay, but her mind is made up. She's going. She turns her back to say goodbye, knowing that angel will touch here, and just like that she's gone. It devastates the Doctor.
Those are my choices for the most traumatic events that the Doctor has had to encounter for these particular cycle's of his life. That's the thing about the Doctor, he endures. He suffers. He deals with so much death, and gives up so much for OUR benefit. No other planet or race has been guarded with such devotion from the Doctor as we the human race on planet earth. That's what the Doctor wants us to understand: we are important, and we matter. We care. We love. We build, and when we have to we rebuild. That's what the Doctor has died so many times proving. We owe it to the Doctor to love and to live. To laugh and to cry. To make our lives matter, and not just give up when the going gets tough. He wants us to Run.
These are my thoughts on the Doctor. No, he isn't real, and yes, this is just a TV Show, but it's one that I love and that I become invested in, because this show goes beyond just entertainment. This show achieves at giving it's watchers one thing: hope. Hope for a better life. Hope for a future. Hope of love and adventure.
What do you guys think? What're your picks for the Doctor's most traumatic moments? Who play's your favorite Doctor? Let me know in the comments below. And as always, let your Geekery be what helps save the human race from a Dalek Invasion.
