Doctor Who: The Greatest Regeneration Ever

Doctor 9: "Rose I'm about to regenerate" Rose: "Ok take care" Doctor: Regenerates Rose: "WTF"

I don't blame 10 for being sad. If I only existed canonically for 3 years I'd be sad too

In defense of 11's regeneration and in favor of the Amy Pond appearance... I thought it was actually a really sweet idea to bring her back even as a figment of 11's imagination. Matt Smith's Doctor started out as Amelia Pond's imaginary friend, I think it was fantastic that his Doctor ended with Amy Pond playing an analogous role.

"I don't want to go" actually makes perfect sense when you consider the fact that 10 is the most selfish doctor. That being said, the most selfish doctor is still more selfless than most of humanity. He by far is the most human when it comes to his perception of himself. He doesn't want the responsibility of holding himself to a higher standard, he does it out of bitter acceptance. He vocalizes his self loathing through discontentment with the time lords actions and what he did during the time war. He wants to be human, he doesn't just appreciate humans and love them, he envies the simplicity. John Smith was a direct representation of how 10 would have acted if he was human. It's in his nature to despise his identity being overridden. Not only that, 10 had seen so many people sacrifice themselves to help him. He carrys the weight of knowing those people saved HIM. Not the next guy who's going to do the same. They wont recognize that strangers face. 10s first interaction with someone else was rejection because of the change. Personally, I think it was a perfect end to that character. The most human time lord we know. The lonely god, just wanting to be more human.

I love "I don't wanna go" for the single reason that it's the inverse of 10's catchphrase "allons-y", which is French for "Let's go."

There’s a more in universe reason for “I don’t want to go” I think. 10’s regeneration canonically would be the Doctors last ever regeneration so his fear of essentially becoming a mortal is pretty understandable.

I think you missed the point of the 12ths speech and exit. He's speaking to the Doctor who is coming...and considering how "off" 12th was when he first regenerated and how much he grew over the course of his 3 series into such a well balanced man...it makes sense he'd say those things to himself so that that progress was not lost.

The "I don't wanna go" is a great example of a timelord getting too attached to who they are right now and I think it serves as a way to express the doctors love for what happened through his adventures as David Tennant by expressing a sentimental connection to a certain body because of what he's done in it

I think de-aging Smith for his regeneration is partly due to wanting the quick change to Capaldi to be more jarring.

I actually quite like 12's big speech because it feels like he's reminding his next incarnation of the elements of being the Doctor that he had sort of forgotten and then rediscovered over his tenure.

I personally love the 10th doctor's regeneration, because of the themes of it. throughout his run, 10 had become arrogant over time, his explosion about how he could achieve "so much more" isn't far off from where he was mentally at the time. After he lost Rose, something changed in him, he wasn't the same. That being said, the speech he gave on Mars about how he's the last time lord, and that time was his to control shows that he had started moving away from the idea that he's simply earth's loyal protector, and that he was a god, the infamy and his own race fed an ego inside him that convinced him that he was the best there was, and was ever gonna be. He grew contempt at his inevitable change because he thought that he was the best that The Doctor was ever gonna be, someone inferior to him, and he didn't want his life taken away from him at what her perceived to be his prime. The choice to make him alone during his death is one that I can respect, it's thematic. In the video it's stated he's the most human Doctor, and that's correct. He's the most compassionate and caring, and he's never let anyone die alone, not even his enemies. He held everyone in his arms in their final moments, and gave them compassion, empathy, and forgiveness so that they might rest peacefully. He did everything he could for everyone he encountered, and in his dying moments, instead of being repaid for the billions he'd saved, the countless people he held in their final moments, all the people who rest easier knowing that he was there when they needed him most, and the ones who died knowing that despite their shortcomings and mistakes that they were loved and forgiven, he had to die alone, with no one there to hold him as he died, no one to give him the same kindness that he gave to everyone. It's sad, and it hits me every time The 11th doctor's acceptance and embrace of his end is the perfect juxtaposition to 10's. When 11 regenerated, it was a bittersweet moment. He remembered everything he went through with fondness, not sadness, the took off his bow tie and dropped it to the floor, signifying that it was his end, and he knew and accepted that. He gave a speech, about it being okay to change, as long as you remembered who you used to be, and I'd like to think it's because he remembered his resentment of his death as 10, and how utterly alone he felt when he did die, again, compared to Clara being there to give him company in his final moments before transforming again.

I actually really love Capaldi’s regeneration. He is probably the doctor who was the biggest fan of the show. It is really fitting that the doctor who truly loved the show exits by laying out all of the hallmarks of the character. And then, his last words aren’t spoken as 12 but as Capaldi leaving the role he always wanted.

Nah, making Smith younger again was the right call, seeing someone that doesn’t really look like Smith regenerating wouldn’t have it the same, no way.

12’s speech wasn’t that weird. He talked to him self all the time.

There's something ironic about you saying that the Tenth Doctor's regeneration shouldn't hate the idea of change when you also admit he's the most human. I think the way he responds to the idea of change is perfectly fitting for the character. (Plus, there's the tidbit that his adventures were all in real-time so he literally lived hundreds of years less than the other Doctors). Fair play if it's not your favourite, but I think it absolutely reflects who that incarnation is.

It is incredible how John Hurt cemented himself as one of the best doctors in just a single episode.

The Amy cameo was because he was her imaginary friend, and then she was his.

11th doctor: gives an emotional speech about change also 11: immediately regenerates into 12 and death stares Clara

The Twelfth’s speech always felt like a grandfather trying to help his grandchild on their way. He wanted to send them off with a better grasp of what being the Doctor meant. Eleven trusted Twelve to make his own decisions, Twelve wants to make sure Thirteen gets it right. “Never ever eat pears!” Is like being told “don’t take any wooden nickels” or something like that. Its a quick joke from a madman in a box. And the ultimate hoy of it is him saying “Doctor, I let you go”. Because it once again feels like the grandfather letting the grandchild out in the world with the wisdom he had to get from experience. It also turns the TARDIS dialogue into a double meaning. He knows that the new Doctor will get it wrong without this piece of advice just as the TARDIS said everyone would do it wrong without a Doctor. And more than that he could never let the one lesson he learned in his tenure: Just be kind.

"I'm impressed that they never undid Donnas Storys End" 😬 Well, that didn't age quite so well