Doctor Who classic moments: “You can’t fight Time Lords, Romana” (Full Circle)
By James Aggas
We take a look at a small but great moment from the classic Doctor Who story Full Circle, in which the Doctor warns Romana how fighting their race doesn’t end well.
One classic Doctor Who moment that’s always stood out to me – in an admittedly low-key way – was a moment shared between the Fourth Doctor and Romana in Full Circle. At the very start of the story, they’re heading back to Gallifrey, to bring Romana home. Not that she actually wants to return, but the Time Lords want her back.
The scene sticks out for two key reasons. One is that it’s rare for a companion to be put in a situation where it’s not their choice to leave. There’s Susan in The Dalek Invasion of Earth, where the Doctor abandons her so that she can start a new and happy life. There’s Sarah Jane in The Hand of Fear, which was commented on when she returned in School Reunion. And of course, there’s Donna, where it was necessary for her survival in Journey’s End.
Romana doesn’t leave in Full Circle – her departure is still a couple of stories away, at this point. But it’s interesting having a discussion of a companion leaving the Doctor when it’s not their choice. Especially when it’s a companion who’s grown very close to the Doctor and has changed a great deal.
Fighting the Time Lords – past and future
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Another reason the moment sticks out is how it both references Doctor Who history, while unintentionally foreshadowing later stories. Particularly with the following quote:
"Doctor: You can’t fight Time Lords, Romana.Romana: You did. Once.Doctor. Mmm. And lost."
It’s a nice reference to The War Games – and indeed the first six seasons of the show – when the Doctor had ran away from his own people for as long as he could before they finally caught up with him. The Time Lords put him on trial, sentenced him to exile and essentially executed his second incarnation. So it’s nice to see such an important moment acknowledged, and to see the Doctor still very mindful of it.
But what’s also interesting is looking at the line in retrospect. Because we know that the Doctor did fight the Time Lords again eventually. And, in some cases, won.
Moments that particularly stand out is how the Doctor took on Rassilon and the High Council in The End of Time; stealing the Moment and coming close to using it in The Day of the Doctor, and facing down Rassilon in Hell Bent. Even just a few years after Full Circle, the Doctor condemned the High Council while they had placed him on trial as part of a cover up in The Trial of a Time Lord.
Like I said, this is a very short scene, but it is a fascinating one to watch in retrospect.
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What are your favorite classic moments from Doctor Who? Which moments stand out to you, big or small? Let us know in the comments below.