Top 12 Tear-Jerking Moments of the Revival (6-1)
Guest contributor Garrett Castello concludes the countdown.
6. The Tenth Doctor’s Farewell Tour (The End of Time)
Many people have complained about this segment of the Tenth Doctor’s final outing dragging out for too long. Personally, it’s my favorite part of the episode and I love every second of it. Saving Martha and Mickey. Saving Luke and bidding farewell to Sarah Jane. Hooking up Jack at an alien bar. Checking up on Joan Redfern’s granddaughter. Sending Donna a winning lottery ticket paid for by her late father. Seeing Rose one last time. It all comes together into a beautiful farewell to the era of the Tenth Doctor and Russell T. Davies overall.
5. I Just Wanted to Say Hello (The Doctor’s Wife)
The Doctor’s Wife is a truly amazing episode which, for the first time in the show’s history, allowed the Doctor and the TARDIS to verbally communicate with each other. In the end, it turned out that the thing the TARDIS wanted to tell the Doctor the most was “Hello”. She had never gotten to say hello to him before but, now, she finally did. The Doctor and the TARDIS got to talk. The TARDIS got to be alive, which makes it only that much sadder when it had to end.
4. The Singing Towers of Darillium (The Husbands of River Song)
I’m glad I decided to wait until after Christmas to write this article. If I hadn’t then I would have missed listing this incredible scene. Everything about the final scene between the Doctor and River in the shadows of the Singing Towers was simply beautiful. Giving a satisfying follow-up to/set-up for Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead and bringing River’s story completely full circle. The music is also spectacular in this moment and fits the mood perfectly. The Singing Towers were definitely worth the wait and I’m glad to see the Doctor and River Song’s time together come to an emotional, satisfying close.
3. Vincent Witnesses His Legacy (Vincent and the Doctor)
My favorite scene from Vincent and the Doctor is when the Doctor and Amy take Vincent into the future to show him that both he and his art will be remembered and adored. This scene always makes me cry and this has a lot to do with Tony Curran’s spectacular performance as Vincent van Gogh. You see the perfect mixture of sadness and joy on his face. I really get a sense of what this character is experiencing. Throughout most of his life, he’s been mocked and his artwork has been considered rubbish and worthless. But then he’s shown that, in the end, he will be remembered and people will grow to love his artwork for centuries to come. I’m sure any artist of any sort can relate with what Vincent was experiencing in this moment and would react in a similar manner if they were in the same situation. This moment definitely added to Vincent’s pile of good things.
2. The Eleventh Doctor’s Regeneration (The Time of the Doctor)
I’ve already gone into detail in a previous article about as to why I consider the Eleventh Doctor’s regeneration to be one of the best regenerations thus far, if not the best. The powerful final speech, Amy’s cameo, Matt and Jenna’s performances, and the wonderful piece of music that plays over this scene, “Infinite Potential”, all come together to form one excellent and heartbreaking farewell for the Eleventh Doctor.
1. The Fate of Donna Noble (Journey’s End)
Donna’s departure remains to be the only moment in Doctor Who to make me feel physical sadness and outright depression. I didn’t get over Donna’s fate until I was well into Matt Smith’s first season. Memory loss is the worst kind of companion departure as far as I’m personally concerned. Donna can’t remember a single thing about the Doctor or else she’ll burn up and die. I’m sure some will argue that the “fail-safe” introduced in The End of Time takes away from this scene but not for me. This departure still makes me sad whenever I revisit it.
So those were my personal top tear-jerking moments. I’m interested in hearing what moments the rest of you find cry-worthy.
