Doctor Who: Clara is Like a Disney Character

A popular observation amongst Whovians is that Mary Poppins has many characteristics of a Time Lady. (Most notable is her bigger-on-the-inside traveling bag.) This trend began long before Missy was introduced to the viewers. She is now regarded as the demented Mary Poppins of Doctor Who. Before this, however, Clara was presented as a Disneyesque governess.

It is the beginning of the end for Clara’s run on Doctor Who — a time to reflect on her character. When I first heard ‘The Impossible Girl (Clara’s Theme),’ it began a prolonged nagging within my brain. It seemed rather familiar.

As I was listening to it recently, it suddenly came to me. The piece has elements of various songs from other movies that I’ve seen. Speaking of Mary Poppins, one of the songs that came to mind was ‘Let’s Go Fly a Kite’ from Mary Poppins. The ascending notes during “send it soaring” are what particularly stood out for me.

This comparison is appropriate, considering just how very many similarities there are between Clara in the episode in ‘The Snowmen and Mary Poppins. Like Mary, Clara is a governess with a prim and proper, yet mischievous and adventurous demeanor, a traveling bag, a smart hat, and an umbrella. They both care for two children – an elder sister and a younger brother – in London, Clara in 1892 and Mary in 1910. The converse of the two characters is that Mary is a nanny for a wealthy family while hanging out with chimney sweeps on the side, while Clara is a barmaid who nannies for a wealthy family.

Clara also held a similar position for a while in contemporary times, but has since moved on to teaching English. With this in mind, and Missy having since filled the Poppins position (with even more similar attire), what other Disney character could we deem Clara to be like? Well, I will introduce my proposal by suggesting that ‘Clara’s Theme’ also sounds quite like ‘Something There’ from Beauty and the Beast.

There is more to this comparison than the musical arrangement. The lyrics of ‘Something There’ also partially apply to Clara and the Doctor. It took Clara to reignite the spark of the brooding and despondent Eleventh Doctor, the difference with Belle and the Beast being that the former relationship remained largely platonic. We also saw this general dynamic play out between Clara and the Twelfth Doctor. She laboriously helped the gruff Time Lord to rediscover his sense of wonder and joy, as well as taught him good manners. And, like Belle, Clara is studious with a love of fiction.

Thinking back to ‘The Snowmen,’ one could also picture Clara singing to a reclusive Doctor through the door of the TARDIS in the manner of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” Quite a few fan-made videos have been made with a Doctor Who/Frozen crossover theme. And, once again, it is a bit reminiscent of ‘Clara’s Theme.’ (As are many Disney songs, really.)

In the episode ‘Last Christmas,’ Clara was in an induced sleep and awoke upon kissing Danny in a dream. This is somewhat like Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. In the Zygon two-parter of Series 9, Clara was in a similar state, this time caused by Bonnie (who was like Maleficent), but this time did not need a prince (or the Doctor) to wake her.

As a tangential (non-Disney related) note, ‘Clara’s Theme’ also reminds me of ‘Feather Theme’ from Forrest Gump. Clara’s leaf is reminiscent of the floating feather, as well. That is where the comparisons end, though. Nothing to note about the characters, unless you consider tragic death, in general.

I have posted all of the songs below for your consideration.

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