The Doctor

"Hes like fire and ice and rage, hes like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun. Hes ancient and forever, he burns at the centre of time, and can see the turn of the universe. And ... hes wonderful."

"I met this man, a very special man, called the Doctor. And years ago, we travelled together. … Space and time. Then it came to an end. Suddenly, I was back to a normal life. Electric bills, burst pipes, bus tickets... and rain. … For years I tried to forget! And then I met him again, the Doctor ... but we had both changed, but it was funny because we were still both, the same. I learned that I could carry on here on Earth, doing what we always did."

"The Doctor. The man who keeps running, never looking back because he dare not, out of shame."

"Theres one thing I always wanted to ask Jack. Back in the old days. I wanted to know about that Doctor of his. The man who appears out of nowhere and saves the world; except sometimes he doesnt. All those times in history where there was no sign of him... I wanted to know why not. But I dont need to ask any more. I know the answer now: Sometimes, the Doctor must look at this planet and turn away in shame."

"According to Kanpo Rinpoche, each time the Doctor regenerates his cells are replaced and his brain structure is rearranged. Consequently, each Doctor has been quite unique. First was a crotchedy old man-a white-haired grandfather giving those young whipper-snappers "what for." By contrast, the Tenth was an exuberant young man-a great-haired lover, brash and impetuous. In between, hes been a clown (Sixth), a pleasant uncle (Third), a cricket player (Fifth), a scatterbrained jelly-baby-offering comedian (Fourth), and Moe from the Three Stooges (Second). But does regeneration make the Doctor, literally, a different person? Kanpo Rinpoche suggests the difference is merely metaphorical. Hell behave and look different, sure, but he wont be literally a different person-like twins are literally different persons. The Doctor still is the Doctor, regeneration after regeneration. If we saw the First and Tenth Doctor together, however, thered be nothing to make us think they are, literally, the same person. Theyre more different than theyre the same-more different then you and the person across the room. You and he or she arent the same person, right? So how could each regeneration of the Doctor be, literally, the same person?"

"When you run with the Doctor, it feels like itll never end. But however hard you try you cant run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies and nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark if he ever, for one moment, accepts it. Everybody knows that everybody dies. But not every day. Not today. Some days are special. Some days are so, so blessed. Some days, nobody dies at all. Now and then, every once in a very long while, every day in a million days, when the wind stands fair and the Doctor comes to call, everybody lives."

"When I was a little girl I had an imaginary friend, and when I grew up, he came back. Hes called the Doctor. He comes from somewhere else. Hes got a box called the TARDIS thats bigger on the inside and can travel anywhere in time and space. I ran away with him. And weve been running ever since."

"You make them so afraid. When you began, all those years ago, sailing off to see the universe, did you ever think you’d become this? The man who can turn an army around at the mention of his name? Doctor – the word for healer, and wise man, throughout the universe. We get that word from you, you know. But if you carry on the way you are, what might that word come to mean? To the people of the Gamma Forests, the word "doctor" means "mighty warrior". How far you’ve come. And now they’ve taken a child. The child of your best friends. And they’re going to turn her into a weapon, just to bring you down. And all this, my love...in fear of you."

"One day you meet the Doctor. And of course, it’s the best day ever. It’s just the best day of your life. Because...because, he’s brilliant, and he’s funny, and mad, and best of all...really needs you. The trick is – don’t fall in love. I do that trick quite a lot, sometimes twice a day. And once you start running, you start to forget; slowly, after a while, you just stopping asking. Who are you? Where are you from? What set you on your way and where are you going? Oh...and what is your name? You get used to not knowing. I thought I never would. I was wrong. I know who he is. I know how he began and I know where he’s going. I learnt the truth about the Doctor and his greatest secret the day we went to Trenzalore."

"A lot of our heroes depress me. But you know, when they made this particular hero, they didnt give him a gun, they gave him a screwdriver to fix things. They didnt give him a tank or a warship or an X-wing fighter, they gave him a call box from which you can call for help. And they didnt give him a superpower or pointy ears or a heat ray...they gave him two hearts. And thats an extraordinary thing. There will never come a time when we dont need a hero like the Doctor."

"At a later stage, Dr Who would be metamorphosed into a woman. This requires some considerable thought – mainly because I want to avoid a flashy Hollywood ‘Wonder Woman’ because this kind of hero(ine) has no flaws – and a character with no flaws is a bore."

"Never ignore coincidence. Unless of course youre busy, then always ignore coincidence. -The Pandorica Opens 5.12 (17 June 2010)"