The 12 Best Written Moffat Characters

6. Clara

Clara is on her way to becoming my favourite companion, due to her development in Series 8. She’s in this spot because I feel she wasn’t greatly written in Series 7 by contrast. I love how Clara often challenges the 12^th Doctor, and how their competition for control has ended by them gaining mutual respect for each other. Her relationship with the 12^th Doctor may be the most endearing pairing ever, as they slowly realise that they need each other which Moffat has cleverly built up through the series by giving them both battle scars. Clara also has many sides to her character and in Series 8 we got a flavour of her fury, morals, controlling nature and anger. I hope this continues.

5. River Song

River began as a flirtatious, crazy-haired professor, and I felt she would stay this way forever. However, during Series 6 we got to see her more emotional side which made us feel more sympathetic toward the character, and consider her to be a person, not just a mystery. This was apparent in ‘The Impossible Astronaut,’ and ‘Day of the Moon’ As well as this, River is feisty and funny, making her character fun and enjoyable to watch. I liked her and the Doctor’s goodbye in ‘The Name of the Doctor,’ and I felt it was a good end to the character, which allowed us to see her flirtatious and emotional side simultaneously. This is a great example of how Moffat can give emotional pain to one of the most flirtatious characters ever.

4. The 11^th Doctor

The Doctor is one character, but as each incarnation has a different personality I decided to split them up. The 11^th Doctor was written in a way that made him funny and enjoyable to watch. We knew he had a small side of anger, which was well explored, and we understood how this anger was triggered (‘The Beast Below.’) Number 11 also had many touching moments between his companions, such as Amy and Clara, which I felt 10 lacked a bit. In particular, ‘The Power of Three,’ featured of many of these moments, one of which consisted of Amy and the Doctor at the Tower of London overlooking the Thames. This told us that the he cared greatly for his friends, and others too. He also bought joy to the darkest times, and is firmly set in the nations heart.

3. Amy Pond

When looking into Pond, I found that she is one of the most layered characters ever. We see her lacking maturity, then loving Rory. We see her enter motherhood and become family to the Doctor. She subtlety evolves over these events, and shapes as a person, proving the Doctor can affect someone’s life in positive and negative ways. We see Amy’s milestones which Moffat has crafted beneath the story of an episode, and her personal growth. In her last episode it is set in stone that she loves Rory, and this was crucial to show her development. We also see how she affects the Doctor’s judgement, and that she will always be a very important person to him.

2. The War Doctor

Here, Moffat crafted a strong, emotional, funny and selfless character. His speeches about men forged in fire were eloquently written, and his greatest moment is when he gives up his life to allow 10 and 11 to live theirs freely. This demonstrates his utter selflessness, which is massively touching. I wouldn’t say we see the War Doctor develop, but we see him learn and appreciate his future, which pushes him to make his sacrifice. It is conveyed well that he is in conflict with himself and it pains him to do what he has to, but his strength at the beginning is soon broken down to show his selflessness and emotional sides making us empathise with a layered and great man.

1. The 12^th Doctor

Moffat took a great risk changing the Doctor so dramatically. Twelve is frosty but has a twinkle in his eye, and this Doctor is written extremely well. I don’t find this Doctor vicious, but more serious and straight to the point. He adds a unique atmosphere to the series and his unpredictability remained constant throughout Series 8. We see his emotions in episode 12, and his joyous side in ‘Last Christmas,’ concerning Clara. His development with the ‘Am I a Good Man’ arc has also served him well and made him realise who he is in a clever and subtle style. This different Doctor has been handled well, and Moffat has adapted his writing to suit him, proving Moffat can write many layered and complex characters.

So there we have it! Agree/Disagree? Talk about your own faves in the comments below.