Can you imagine how difficult this must have been for the Doctor?
Susan’s not just a Companion, she’s family. And he didn’t have to come to terms with losing her because of something he couldn’t control. No, he had to willingly let go so she could be happy.
Can you imagine how difficult this must have been for Susan?
To have your grandfather, clearly the person you loved more than anything and likely (given that they’re not concerned about what her parents will say if she never comes back) your only living family member, decide that you’d be happier on a planet that’s not yours with a man that you’ve only known for a couple of weeks at most (I don’t know the timeline for that serial). Sure, maybe she ended up truly loving him and having a family and a good life with him, but at the time, she barely KNEW David.
And then her grandfather decided that clearly she’d be happier with him and left her behind, giving her no choice in the matter.
Yeah. I have absolutely no sympathy for the Doctor in this scene because he chose to make that decision for her, and I don’t care how hard it felt to choose that, he could have taken into account the idea that she’s an adult and, y’know, actually capable of making choices for herself. Even if maybe she was only staying because he was family and she didn’t want to leave him alone/without her/whatever, she is still an adult and capable of choosing that instead of staying with David. And he can’t even use the “I’m a Time Lord, I know better than you humans” excuse because she’s one too.
“One day, I shall come back”, he said.
He never did.
Eight visits Susan. Eight meets his great grandson Alex. Eight offers to take Alex back to Gallifrey and have him educated as a Time Lord. Eight wants to leave his TARDIS to Alex.
More reasons why the audio dramas are the best ever.
…But yeah, no, I sympathise way more with Susan than with the Doctor. People robbing others of their choices because they think they know what’s best for them is… yeah. It’s not admirable.
I was thinking about this too. How he made a choice for Susan. I actually like the doctor sometimes because he is such a troubled character.
I know he is suppose to be this amazing person, but sometimes I just see a being who is wrapped in his own sadness, mistakes and grief. When he is running away, he runs away not just from problems, but happiness. There are a few times I notice he gives up things because he thinks he isn’t good enough, he doesn’t deserve it or he thinks the other person would be happier without him. Then other times he is hurting someone so bad by wanting them more than he should. When I relate to the doctor, I am not talking about seeing myself as a person saving worlds, but maybe a troubled person making mistakes, but trying to do good.
To literally sum up The Name of The Doctor without spoiling I shall use one gif:
