10 Saddest Doctor Who Companion Exits
8. Tegan in Resurrection of the Daleks
Tegan Jovanka endures a great deal of torment in her time with the Doctor. Her Aunt Vanessa is murdered by the Master. She has her mind invaded by an evil psychic serpent. Her friend Adric is blown up. She gets fired from her job as an air hostess. And yet she still decides to get back on board the TARDIS at the end of Arc of Infinity!
She finally decides that she's had enough a year later in Resurrection of the Daleks. Tegan doesn't get much to do in the story other than get a bump on the head and witness a whole host of people die horribly. It's no surprise that she decides her adventures with the Doctor have stopped being fun. It's more surprising that their adventures were ever fun in the first place.
Tegan's criticism of the Doctor draws attention to the amount of horror and violence in the 1980s era, something that will only increase over the next year. The Doctor's resolve to change his ways clearly doesn't last into his sixth incarnation. What's sad about Tegan's farewell is that she leaves on bad terms, rashly running out of the warehouse. By the time she returns, the Doctor and Turlough have left.