10 Most Profound Doctor Who Quotes
4. Eleven’s Goodbye - Time Of The Doctor
We jump to another valiant final stand now - this time on Trenzalore, as Eleven bids an emotional farewell having spent the best part of three hundred years defending the town of Christmas. Clara has returned to his side at the very end, and the two are enjoying some final moments together aboard the TARDIS before the Doctor regenerates.
Unlike his previous incarnation, who lived for a tragic seven years, Eleven has been wearing this face for well over a thousand years and has spent much of that facing his inevitable death on Trenzalore (not to mention he has just been given a further regeneration cycle), so when the moment comes for him to pass the torch, he welcomes the change with open arms. In stark contrast to Ten’s goodbye, Eleven’s is perhaps the most optimistic regeneration of all.
“We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this, not one day, I swear. I will always remember when The Doctor was me.”
Seeing the Doctor embrace change like this is such an important piece of character development - there’s a real sense that one thing is ending and another beginning, with the Doctor entering his second regeneration cycle without the weight of the Time War on his conscience for the first time in many years. The quote itself shares a very relatable sentiment as well - we are all capable of change, but we should never lose ourselves along the way. We learn from our mistakes, and treasure our memories. It’s about self-respect, at least to me, and like many fans I will not forget one line of it, not one day, I swear.