The damsel in distress is a well-known figure in medieval folklore. She excels at getting herself captured and waiting around to be rescued. Clara is having none of it. She plays the sheriff like an old fiddle. She figures out his insecurities and faults in the first 10 seconds and spends the rest of her time manipulating him for information. This is a Clara who knows who she is and isnt afraid to use her power to get what she wants. Clara is not a passive figure. She is a participant in whatever situation she finds herself in and not a victim of circumstance. She is unimpressed by ego. Clara is someone who needed to learn to trust her own ability to save herself. That doesnt mean she wont need or accept help from others, but that she is stronger than she gave herself credit for. The Doctor is not her rescuer he is her teacher and that is worth a million vainglorious princes.