History Characters / DoctorWhoTwelfthDoctor

[[Characters/DoctorWhoFirstDoctor 1]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSecondDoctor 2]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor 3]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor 4]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFifthDoctor 5]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSixthDoctor 6]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSeventhDoctor 7]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoEighthDoctor 8]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoWarDoctor War]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoNinthDoctor 9]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoTenthDoctor 10]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor 11]] | '''12''' | [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirteenthDoctor 13]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourteenthDoctor 14]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFifteenthDoctor 15]]\\

*** On a deeper level, he contrasts with reboot Doctors in general. For the most part, they're all young and friendly and approachable (possible exception for Nine), but have a KnightTemplar streak underneath. Twelve is old and dark and scary and an unapologetic ruthless pragmatist, but also merciful; he ''is'' a man who believes in second chances. Also, Nine-through-Eleven were defined by hiding from MyGreatestFailure, while Twelve patterned himself on one of his smallest but most significant successes.
** The Fourth Doctor of the classic era, while outwardly an ByronicHero, was an laid-back and outright outlandish figure who became more and more DarkerAndEdgier towards the end of his time. As the fourth incarnation introduced in the revive era of the show, while Twelve is just as much otherworldly and against authority, his byronic traits were much more pronounced and traditional which reflected in his personality and outlook but becomes LighterAndSofter as time goes on until the end.

*** Even the way they treat their companions are markedly similarly yet different. Both Four and Twelve were known for their implied ShipTease with their first human companion (Sarah Jane Smith for Four, Clara Oswald for Twelve) as well as their Time Lord companion (Romana for Four, River Song and arguably Missy for Twelve), and then some sort of tension with Leela. But Four, while superficially and humanly charming (as humanly charming the Doctor could be anyways), always held a (set of) rather distant alien heart(s) and found it rather easy to really keep his distance with Sarah Jane and both version of Romanas. When Sarah Jane wanted to leave, Four let her leave, albiet without understanding the context as to why she wanted to leave. When Romana left for E-Space to pursue her own adventure, Four let her leave (while also giving her a K9 unit as a farewell gift!!). And when Leela left the Doctor for Andred, the Doctor let her puruse her relationship with him (while her K9 unit opted to leave with Leela). Contrast that with Twelve, who spent 4.5 billion years in an eternal torture to save his best friend Clara Oswald from her death. Or Twelve spending a night on Darilium with River Song before her journey to the library, where a single night lasts as long as 24 Earth years. Or Twelve spending 70 years guarding The Vault on Earth and rehabilitating his chronic rival and old friend The Missy Master. Twelve, despite having a rather superficial alien charm (as alien-y charming the Doctor could be anyways), always held a (set of) rather human heart(s) and valued his companions deeply. This is further reflected with their later companions. Four treated Adric, Nyssa, and Tegan as stowaways and lacked the emotional capacity to really care for them, a level on par with One's treatment of Ben and Polly. Twelve treated Bill and Nardole with the same amounts of respect and care as with his other companions(but perhaps not as intensity with that with Clara, River Song, or Missy).

** The Fourth Doctor of the Classic era, while outwardly an ByronicHero, was an laid-back and outright outlandish figure who became more and more DarkerAndEdgier towards the end of his time. As the fourth incarnation to have an era in the revive show, while Twelve is just as much otherworldly and against authority, his byronic traits were much more pronounced and traditional which reflected in his personality and outlook but becomes LighterAndSofter as time goes on until the end.

The [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior aging]], [[BrutalHonesty acerbic]] [[AbsentMindedProfessor professor]] with the dress sense of a [[StageMagician street magician]] and the anti-authority attitude (and guitar skills!) of a {{Punk Rock}}er. Although still lovably dorky, Twelve is [[DarkerAndEdgier less goofy and affable]] compared to the [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor Eleventh Doctor]] and values a pragmatic approach; he exploits the full breadth of his age and experience as a [[Characters/DoctorWhoTimeLords Time Lord]] rather than hiding from it, and can be dangerous and difficult to deal with as a result. Because he is a bit blunt and insensitive at times, he occasionally outdoes his predecessor's [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} alien mannerisms]]. Unlike some past incarnations, he HatesBeingTouched and has little interest in flirting with anyone; even a simple hug makes him squeamish at first. Despite all of this, he remains capable of incredible compassion towards even the least likely souls, still determined to be the man who saves people - Earth, as he often warns enemies, is definitely under his protection and, if you hurt it (or things he cares about), he's coming for you. And God help you when he does. A mix of his [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor Third]] and [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor Fourth]] incarnations, he could either show you mercy when you don’t deserve it, kill you or, on the occasions he chooses not to kill you, [[FateWorseThanDeath make you wish he]] ''[[FateWorseThanDeath had]].''

This Doctor sees rich CharacterDevelopment over the course of his adventures and overtime is shown to be capable of a deep love of many kinds; you can, in fact, tell where he is in his character development - just look at how his hair grows! For his first companion [[Characters/DoctorWhoClaraOswald Clara Oswald]], he endured 4.5 ''billion'' years'[[note]]via GroundhogDayLoop[[/note]]worth of torture for her, and afterwards he risked space, time, and his whole identity to save her from the grave... and he ''almost'' succeeded. He was the Doctor who truly returned the love of his most infamous wife, [[Characters/DoctorWhoRiverSong River Song]], and had the growth to move on from her death. He met Nardole, rescued him from life as a head on a robot, and facilitated his reconstruction with various body parts all because [[LivingEmotionalCrutch he needed someone to keep him company]] -- though Nardole quickly grew annoyed with the Doctor's attitude. With Bill Potts, a teacher-pupil relationship grew into familial love reciprocated in its own ways. Finally, his relationship with his ArchEnemy [[Characters/DoctorWhoMasters the Master]] -- regenerated into a [[GenderBender woman]], [[Characters/DoctorWhoMissy Missy]], since he last saw them -- and their mutual longing for the friendship they once knew is the story that weaves throughout all of his adventures...

The first incarnation in the Doctor's second regeneration cycle.

An [[BrutalHonesty acerbic]], aging, AbsentMindedProfessor with a dash of [[StageMagician street magician]], and he's also a {{Punk Rock}}er who kills it with a guitar. Although still lovably dorky, he is [[DarkerAndEdgier less goofy and affable]] compared to the [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor Eleventh Doctor]] and values a pragmatic approach. Twelve [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior exploits the full breadth of his age and experience]] as a [[Characters/DoctorWhoTimeLords Time Lord]] rather than hiding from it, and can be dangerous and difficult to deal with as a result. Because he is a bit blunt and insensitive at times, he occasionally outdoes his predecessor's [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} alien mannerisms]]. Unlike some past incarnations, he HatesBeingTouched and has little interest in flirting with anyone; even a simple hug makes him squeamish at first. Despite all of this, he remains capable of incredible compassion towards even the least likely souls, still determined to be the man who saves people - Earth, as he often warns enemies, is definitely under his protection and, if you hurt it (or things he cares about), he's coming for you. And God help you when he does. A mix of his [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor Third]] and [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor Fourth]] incarnations, he could either show you mercy when you don’t deserve it, kill you or, on the occasions he chooses not to kill you, [[FateWorseThanDeath make you wish he]] ''[[FateWorseThanDeath had]].''

* {{Polyamory}}: Much of Series 8 and 9 deals with his deepening relationship with Clara, and the fact that they love each other wholeheartedly was unambiguous in the trilogy of episodes that ends Series 9. While he had said a tearful goodbye to his wife, River Song, during his previous incarnation, and didn't seem to expect to see her again, in a marriage as time-tangled as theirs, where she died long before their wedding, "til death do you part" doesn't really apply; when River shows up in his life again, it is clear that he still loves her deeply as well, and he went on to show his devotion to River more openly than ever before.

[[Characters/DoctorWhoFirstDoctor 1]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSecondDoctor 2]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor 3]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor 4]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFifthDoctor 5]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSixthDoctor 6]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSeventhDoctor 7]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoEighthDoctor 8]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoWarDoctor War]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoNinthDoctor 9]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoTenthDoctor 10]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor 11]] | '''12''' | [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirteenthDoctor 13]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourteenthDoctor 14]]\\

** In The Zygon Inversion, the Doctor acts like an American gameshow host (based around the fact that a town called Truth or Consequences was involved, which was named after a radioshow and television show.)

* ParentalSubstitute: In Series 10 for Bill Potts since she has very frosty relations with her foster mom, and he gives her the parental pride and affection that she lacks in her home life.

** The Fourth Doctor of the Classic era, while outwardly an ByronicHero, was an laid-back and outright outlandish figure who became more and more DarkerAndEdgier towards the end of his time. As the fourth incarnation to appear in the revival era of the show, while Twelve is just as much otherworldly and against authority, his byronic traits were much more pronounced and traditional which reflected in his personality and outlook but becomes LighterAndSofter as time goes on until the end.

->'''Regeneration Story:''' "[[Recap/DoctorWho2017CSTwiceUponATime Twice Upon A Time]]" (2017)

This Doctor sees rich CharacterDevelopment over the course of his adventures and overtime is shown to be capable of a deep love of many kinds; you can, in fact, tell where he is in his character development - just look at how his hair grows! For his first companion [[Characters/DoctorWhoClaraOswald Clara Oswald]], he endured 4.5 ''billion'' years'[[note]]via GroundhogDayLoop[[/note]]worth of torture for her, and afterwards he risked space, time, and his whole identity to save her from the grave... and he ''almost'' succeeded. He was the Doctor who truly returned the love of his most infamous wife, [[Characters/DoctorWhoRiverSong River Song]], and had the growth to move on from her death. He met Nardole, rescued him from life as a head on a robot, and facilitated his reconstruction with various body parts all because he needed someone to keep him company- though Nardole quickly grew annoyed with the Doctor's attitude. With Bill Potts, a teacher-pupil relationship grew into familial love reciprocated in its own ways. Finally, his relationship with his ArchEnemy [[Characters/DoctorWhoMasters the Master]] -- regenerated into a [[GenderBender woman]], [[Characters/DoctorWhoMissy Missy]], since he last saw them -- and their mutual longing for the friendship they once knew is the story that weaves throughout all of his adventures...

[[Characters/DoctorWhoFirstDoctor 1]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSecondDoctor 2]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor 3]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor 4]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoFifthDoctor 5]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSixthDoctor 6]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoSeventhDoctor 7]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoEighthDoctor 8]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoWarDoctor War]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoNinthDoctor 9]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoTenthDoctor 10]] | [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor 11]] | '''12''' | [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirteenthDoctor 13]]\\

An [[BrutalHonesty acerbic]], aging, AbsentMindedProfessor with a dash of [[StageMagician street magician]], and he's also a {{Punk Rock}}er who kills it with a guitar. Although still lovably dorky, he is [[DarkerAndEdgier less goofy and affable]] compared to the [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor Eleventh Doctor]] and values a pragmatic approach. Twelve [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior exploits the full breadth of his age and experience]] as a [[Characters/DoctorWhoTimeLords Time Lord]] rather than hiding from it, and can be dangerous and difficult to deal with as a result. Because he is a bit blunt and insensitive at times, he occasionally outdoes his predecessor's [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} alien mannerisms]]. Unlike some past incarnations, he HatesBeingTouched and has little interest in flirting with anyone; even a simple hug makes him squeamish at first. Despite all of this, he remains capable of incredible compassion towards even the least likely souls, still determined to be the man who saves people - Earth, as he often warns enemies, is definitely under his protection and, if you hurt it (or things he cares about), he's coming for you. And God help you when he does. A mix of his [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor Third]] and [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor Fourth]] incarnations, he could either show you mercy when you don’t deserve it, kill you or, on the occasions he chooses not to kill you, make you wish he ''had''.

An [[BrutalHonesty acerbic]], aging, AbsentMindedProfessor with a dash of [[StageMagician street magician]], and he's also a {{Punk Rock}}er who kills it with a guitar. Although still lovably dorky, he is [[DarkerAndEdgier less goofy and affable]] compared to the [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor Eleventh Doctor]] and values a pragmatic approach. Twelve [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior exploits the full breadth of his age and experience]] as a [[Characters/DoctorWhoTimeLords Time Lord]] rather than hiding from it, and can be dangerous and difficult to deal with as a result. Because he is a bit blunt and insensitive at times, he occasionally outdoes his predecessor's [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} alien mannerisms]]. Unlike some past incarnations, he HatesBeingTouched and has little interest in flirting with anyone; even a simple hug makes him squeamish at first. Despite all of this, he remains capable of incredible compassion towards even the least likely souls, still determined to be the man who saves people - Earth, as he often warns enemies, is definitely under his protection and, if you hurt it (or things he cares about), he's coming for you. And God help you when he does. A mix of his [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor Third]] and [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor Fourth incarnations]], he could either show you mercy when you don’t deserve it, kill you or, on the occasions he chooses not to kill you, make you wish he ''had''.

This Doctor sees rich CharacterDevelopment over the course of his adventures and overtime is shown to be capable of a deep love of many kinds; you can, in fact, tell where he is in his character development - just look at how his hair grows! For his first companion [[Characters/DoctorWhoClaraOswald Clara Oswald]], he endured 4.5 ''billion'' years[[note]]via GroundhogDayLoop[[/note]]worth of torture for her, and afterwards he risked space, time, and his whole identity to save her from the grave... and he ''almost'' succeeded. He was the Doctor who truly returned the love of his most infamous wife, [[Characters/DoctorWhoRiverSong River Song]], and had the growth to move on from her death. He met Nardole, rescued him from life as a head on a robot, and facilitated his reconstruction with various body parts all because he needed someone to keep him company- though Nardole quickly grew annoyed with the Doctor's attitude. With Bill Potts, a teacher-pupil relationship grew into familial love reciprocated in its own ways. Finally, his relationship with his ArchEnemy [[Characters/DoctorWhoMasters the Master]] -- regenerated into a [[GenderBender woman]], [[Characters/DoctorWhoMissy Missy]], since he last saw them -- and their mutual longing for the friendship they once knew is the story that weaves throughout all of his adventures...

This Doctor sees rich CharacterDevelopment over the course of his adventures and overtime is shown to be capable of a deep love of many kinds; you can, in fact, tell where he is in his character development - just look at how his hair grows! For his first companion [[Characters/DoctorWhoClaraOswald Clara Oswald]], he endured 4 1/2 ''billion'' years [[note]]Via GroundhogDayLoop[[/note]]worth of torture for her, and afterwards he risked space, time, and his whole identity to save her from the grave... and he ''almost'' succeeded. He was the Doctor who truly returned the love of his most infamous wife, [[Characters/DoctorWhoRiverSong River Song]], and had the growth to move on from her death. He met Nardole, rescued him from life as a head on a robot, and facilitated his reconstruction with various body parts all because he needed someone to keep him company- though Nardole quickly grew annoyed with the Doctor's attitude. With Bill Potts, a teacher-pupil relationship grew into familial love reciprocated in its own ways. Finally, his relationship with his ArchEnemy [[Characters/DoctorWhoMasters the Master]] -- regenerated into a [[GenderBender woman]], [[Characters/DoctorWhoMissy Missy]], since he last saw them -- and their mutual longing for the friendship they once knew is the story that weaves throughout all of his adventures...

It is a tribute to the longevity of this show that, in 1974, a [[JustForFun/OneOfUs 15-year-old Peter Capaldi wrote a letter]] to the ''Radio Times'' praising ''Doctor Who'''s [[Recap/DoctorWhoS10E1TheThreeDoctors tenth anniversary serial]]. His very first appearance as the Doctor (as opposed to his first story) is in the climax of "[[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor The Day of the Doctor]]", the ''50th'' anniversary special.

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: A sardonic curmudgeon, the Twelfth Doctor was often grumpy and pragmatic, displaying a more guarded, no-nonsense attitude when compared to his predecessors. However, beneath his cynical and abrasive exterior, he was a deeply compassionate individual with a strong moral compass. Throughout his tenure, the Twelfth Doctor showcased significant personal growth, enabling him to embrace his role as a hero and reveal a softer, wittier and happier side beneath his seemingly unyielding personality.

* CloningBlues:

* CatchPhrase: Although Capaldi himself has said numerous times that his Doctor doesn't have a catchphrase, that's not entirely accurate:
** "Question!", [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin followed by a question.]]
** Telling people who often aren't saying anything to "shut up!" when he's coming to a conclusion.
** Asking whether random things, or ''people'', have developed a fault.
** Calling people "pudding brains."
** "Clara": At least during Series 8 and 9, the Doctor uses Clara's name so frequently (even in sentences where there is no reason to repeat her given name) that this is widely considered among fans to be a catchphrase. Fans have even done [[http://aprilmaclean.tumblr.com/post/158859981633/why-did-i-spend-time-on-this-a-word-cloud-of word cloud analyses]] examining the Twelfth Doctor's dialogue in Series 8 and 9 to prove that the word carries a ''lot'' of weight with him.

** Also, a relatively young incarnation enters a brutal, devastating centuries-long war which ages him into an old man. He regenerates after the war into a middle-aged incarnation who is rather rude and bitter, but still a very good person at heart. After a life that sees him soften through the influence of his companions, the Doctor dies fulfilled, accepting, and at peace, regenerating into a new young body with bright brown eyes, a winning smile, and a world of hope ahead of them. [[CatchPhrase Question]]: Are we talking about the War and Ninth Doctors or the Eleventh and Twelfth? Or both?

->'''First appearance:''' "[[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor The Day of the Doctor]]" (2013)[[note]][[TheCameo Cameo]] before his official first appearance in "The Time of the Doctor"[[/note]]

It is a tribute to the longevity of this show that, in 1974, a [[JustForFun/OneOfUs 15-year-old Peter Capaldi wrote a letter]] to the ''Radio Times'' praising ''Doctor Who'''s tenth anniversary serial. His very first appearance as the Doctor (as opposed to his first story) is in the climax of "The Day of the Doctor", the ''50th'' anniversary special.

...save his very last, "Twice Upon a Time". The final acts of the Doctor who learns and knows more than any other the values of kindness and love are to 1) inspire [[Characters/DoctorWhoFirstDoctor his]] ''[[Characters/DoctorWhoFirstDoctor first]]'' [[Characters/DoctorWhoFirstDoctor incarnation]] to regenerate despite all the terrors that lie ahead and 2) to let go of his present self and allow [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirteenthDoctor Thirteen]] to exist.

* IntelligenceEqualsIsolation: Initially this Doctor is basically not nice to anyone at all unless their name is Clara Oswald, which is in part due to seeing everyone's intelligence as inferior to his own. He makes an effort to be warm, but impertinence and ignorance severely test his temper in the heat of the moment. When the dust settles, he's a [[HumbleHero humble]], HurtingHero deep down.

* NoHuggingNoKissing: Tries to take a step back from the ChickMagnet nature of Ten and Eleven. He ends up being hugged by Clara and snogged by Missy despite his protests, and a sign of his CharacterDevelopment and HurtingHero nature as Series 9 begins is that he actually hugs Clara upon his reunion with her in "The Magician's Apprentice" and again in "The Girl Who Died" (this after accepting, with evident pleasure, a kiss on the cheek from her in "Last Christmas") and no longer objects to being hugged by Clara - in "The Woman Who Lived" he clearly enjoys a spontaneous mini-[[TheGlomp glomp]] Clara gives him. Finally, after one last hug, he kisses her hand before she heads off to her death in "Face the Raven". (AllThereInTheManual: The original shooting script for "Hell Bent" had the Doctor wrap Clara into a hug as he told her about her heartbeat; this was never filmed and instead Clara rebuffs his attempt at hugging her in the final episode.) He seems to have gotten over the aversion to hugging in Series 10; as his companion is the wrong orientation, the kissing part never really comes up.

An [[BrutalHonesty acerbic]], aging, AbsentMindedProfessor with a dash of [[StageMagician street magician]], and he's also a {{Punk Rock}}er who kills it with a guitar. Although still lovably dorky, he is [[DarkerAndEdgier less goofy and affable]] compared to the [[Characters/DoctorWhoEleventhDoctor Eleventh Doctor]] and values a pragmatic approach. Twelve [[ScrewPolitenessImASenior exploits the full breadth of his age and experience]] as a [[Characters/DoctorWhoTimeLords Time Lord]] rather than hiding from it, and can be dangerous and difficult to deal with as a result. Because he is a bit blunt and insensitive at times, he occasionally outdoes his predecessor's [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} alien mannerisms]]. Unlike some past incarnations, he HatesBeingTouched and has little interest in flirting with anyone; even a simple hug makes him squeamish at first. Despite all of this, he remains a HurtingHero capable of incredible compassion towards even the least likely souls, still determined to be the man who saves people - Earth, as he often warns enemies, is definitely under his protection and, if you hurt it (or things he cares about), he's coming for you. And God help you when he does. A mix of his [[Characters/DoctorWhoThirdDoctor Third]] and [[Characters/DoctorWhoFourthDoctor Fourth incarnations]], he could either show you mercy when you don’t deserve it, kill you or, on the occasions he chooses not to kill you, make you wish he ''had''.

* HurtingHero:
** Twelve grimly accepts the constant death that surrounds his adventures and that there are some people he just ''can't'' save, and instead focuses on the people that he does have a chance of saving. This however gives the people he encounters in his adventures the impression he's heartless. Much of Series 9 (episode examples below) examines just how much he's hurting over a variety of issues, and how it sometimes leads him to rash decisions -- and ultimately the DespairEventHorizon, whereupon he decides he ''can'' save Clara if he gives up his principles...In the meantime, consider this dialogue from "Mummy on the Orient Express":
---> '''The Doctor:''' We can’t mourn. People with guns to their heads, they cannot mourn. We do not have time to mourn.
** In "The Magician's Apprentice" / "The Witch's Familiar", he near-immediately regrets his choice to abandon rather than save (or kill) the young Davros; he knows he could have done so much better for himself and the universe and is willing to die to atone. In the end, not only does he come out of his ordeal on Skaro alive, he ''does'' manage to do better.
** In "The Girl Who Died", he admits he can't stand eventually losing everyone he cares about, citing it as what keeps him running through space and time -- he's ''trying to'' flee the pain. This and the "constant deaths around him" issue both factor into his rash, tragic decision to revive Ashildr in a way that makes her immortal. He wants to, exists to, '''save people!'''
** He reveals in "The Zygon Inversion" that he's actively '''tormented''' by his memories of the many atrocities he committed as the War Doctor, far more than Doctors Nine, Ten, and Eleven ever were.
** In "Face the Raven", Clara dies. As they make their final goodbyes, he is awash in tears, confessing that he will suffer without her. His pain makes him a danger to anyone who dares cross him. Ultimately, while he saves her from death's door he again goes too far in doing so and realizes that he ''must'' lose her ''and his memories of her'' to atone. The good news is that excising the emotional cancer of his grief and rage means he can move on and be his best self again.
** "The Return of Doctor Mysterio", set shortly after the 24-year TimeSkip that followed "The Husbands of River Song", reveals that having made his final goodbye (from his perspective) to River at last, he is quite lonesome and melancholy. But rather than going without a companion altogether (Donna), withdrawing from the world (Amy and Rory), or risking the universe to undo a loved one's death (Clara), the Doctor now has Nardole (who understands his situation) as a companion, and he's throwing himself into new adventures with gusto. While he is bottling up his sorrow more than he should, he also knows he has no choice but to move on, because as sad as endings are, they open up new beginnings and chances for him to be happy. Series 10 fills in more details: Nardole was assigned to be with the Doctor by River before she died because she knew he would need a MoralityChain at least, and the Doctor has had to commit himself to only working on Earth in order to hold to the obligation of guarding Missy in the Vault, which he chose to do rather than execute her outright because, as River's diary reminded him, it is the right thing to do.
** By the end of "The Doctor Falls" he is utterly alone save for the TARDIS, believes his efforts to redeem Missy and protect his companions were AllForNothing, and simply wants to die rather than change and go through experiences like his yet again. But "Twice Upon a Time"'s events eventually turn his thinking around and he becomes Thirteen.

->''[[Recap/DoctorWho2017CSTwiceUponATime "Doctor, I let you go."]]''

** Joins the other 12 Doctors to save Gallifrey in "[[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor The Day of the Doctor"]].