by Tony Ortega

Recently, I have been reading comments on how people are over Clara. They don’t like her attitude, they don’t like how she responded to the most recent regeneration, as well as a whole litany of things wrong with the character. Well, to quote Chris Crocker, “LEAVE CLARA ALONE.” As far as this blogger is concerned, she is the most important companion in Doctor Who history: this coming from a die hard Sarah Jane Smith (R.I.P. Lis Sladen) and Amy/Rory Pond fan. Let me discuss the ways in which Clara Oswin Oswald is the most important companion in Doctor Who history.

Since the moment Clara was introduced in Asylum of the Daleks, a mystery ensued as to who she really was. Unfortunately, Soufflé Girl died before we could find out. She popped up again in The Snowmen and once again, she died. Now, in The Bells of St. John, we see her in her current incarnation: not as soufflé girl or a Victorian governess. We keep shaking our fists at Moffat wondering just who the hell is Clara Oswald. Then, in The Name of the Doctor we find out. Clara sacrifices herself by entering the Doctor’s time stream and save and/or influence him in his various regenerations. She even influenced the first doctor to pick the “right” TARDIS for his adventures. Therefore, saving millions in the process. Which companion has done that before?

In Day of the Doctor, she convinces The War Doctor (barf) to change his own history. Where the War Doctor initially destroyed Gallifrey during the Time War, Clara convinces him, through a very empowering speech, to not destroy his planet (and subsequently his mortal enemies – The Daleks) and instead sealing Gallifrey in a pocket universe. Gallifrey remains lost as we speak but it’s still around. Which companion has done that before?

In The Time of the Doctor, Clara confronted the Time Lords (through a very strategically located crack in time) and asked them to grant the Doctor a new lease on life. Her empathic cry for help (kind of sounded more like a demand) did not fall on deaf ears and the Time Lords granted the Doctor a new regeneration cycle. Which companion has done that before?

For anyone who may have read my review of Deep Breath, you already know how I feel about Clara’s reaction to the Doctor’s recent regeneration. For me, what this did was actually humanize her and showed us the emotional impact that a regeneration has on a companion, something that has not been done before in Doctor Who history. I felt with her as she struggled to deal with this new Doctor. It mirrored my own emotional response to previous regenerations as well as the current one. Which companion has done that before?

Lastly, in Into The Dalek, she literally slapped some sense into the Doctor and saved the day once again. Come on folks, no companion has done that before.

So for all you Clara haters out there, “LEAVE CLARA ALONE.” She almost single handedly saved the Doctor in all of his incarnations, saved the universe, saved Gallifrey, showed us how a regeneration takes an emotional toll on someone, and slapped the crap out of the Doctor. Despite my deep love for Ms. Smith and the Ponds, for this Whovian, Clara Oswin Oswald is the most important companion in Doctor Who history.