Is Series 9 the End for Clara, And Should It Be?
Guest contributor Ethan McDonald takes a look.
With Series 9 around the corner we all have many questions about what is going to happen next. A lot however are still wondering about Clara’s inevitable fate. Will she be staying longer then once thought? Since last year’s Christmas special it was revealed Jenna Coleman would be returning for another series after having a ‘change of heart.’ In total Jenna has been in 25 episodes so far, and by episode 8 of Series 9 Clara will become the longest-serving companion in New Who, beating Karen Gillan (Amy) who reached a total of 33 episodes. But has Clara reached her time for the show, or should she stick around for Series 10?
So Far…
The question of whether she should stay makes us first ask what more can happen with Clara? Series 7 saw her surprise introduction in Asylum of the Daleks, before joining fully in the second half of the run. It was exciting, but at the same time didn’t really see the hugest character development from her with the whole mystery of the ‘Impossible Girl’ being the main focus.
Fast forward to Series 8, Clara not only gets a new Doctor but also has significant character development in that we see her living her normal life and also getting her very own boyfriend in Danny Pink. This causes friction between her relationships and sees her struggling to decide on the two things she both loves. Even though some people criticised the series revolving around her, I believe it was a good move because now we have a much better sense of who she is as a person.
By the end of Series 8 people were already speculating whether it was the end for Clara, which to me didn’t sit right. After the Doctor and Clara lied to each other in Death in Heaven it kind of felt empty, as if their story wasn’t complete. The end of Last Christmas however showed that the both of them are ready to go on more adventures, Clara not needing to worry about balancing her life.
In Peter Capaldi’s latest interview for Series 9 he revealed that the Doctor and Clara have ‘realised that they are the most fortunate people in all of time and space and are hellbent on adventure.’
When asked if Series 9 are Jenna’s last shows Capaldi said: ‘I hope not’ which may be a hint. It seems that Jenna could once again be unsure about her future and is 50/50 on if she should stay longer or leave by the finale/Christmas special.
So with the Doctor and Clara back on the same page again and ready for more action, surely we would want to see her to stick around after Series 9 so the Twelfth Doctor and her could develop their relationship even further?
How could it end?
On the other hand, Jenna could be leaving by the end of the upcoming series, but how would she leave? Last Christmas nearly tricked us into thinking she was dying from old age before we found out it was a dream. Since this was originally going to be her exit do you think she will still die? I hope not. A possibility could be that she lives on and does something else. The Doctor could get a new companion and she could easily return every once and a while.
With Gallifrey possibly returning could this be a clue as to how she’s leaving? Does the Doctor have to choose between Gallifrey and Clara? If the finale is going to be as big as Moffat says and it’s not based around Clara’s exit it would seem unfair to take her away when the action is just getting started. Since this is all speculation all we can hope is that Moffat will make the best decision possible based on what will happen to her character if Jenna decides to stay or leave.
So readers, do you think this is Clara’s last series, or do you think she will return for another series? And if so, what could happen with her and the Doctor’s relationship in the future? Please discuss in the comments.
