20 Things Doctor Who Wants You To Forget
14. The Gentle Art Of Fisticuffs
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He might like us to all think that he abhors violence, but the Doctor harbours a secret love of hand to hand combat, even if he rarely gets to use it. After fending off an assassin in The Romans the First Doctor describes such combat as a delight and a satisfaction. Both the Fourth and Seventh Doctors chose companions who wouldn’t be afraid to kill their opponents, whether with a Janus thorn (Leela) or some nitro-nine explosives (Ace). He might show disapproval of their methods, but when needs must he is prepared to let them break his rules.
On occasion the Doctor’s claim that he only uses violence in self-defence is tenuous. Whether it be cracking the skull of an already injured caveman (An Unearthly Child), paralysing Stahlman for life and boasting about it (Inferno), shooting an Ogron (Day of the Daleks), poisoning Shockeye with chloroform (The Two Doctors), causing two guards to fall into an acid pit (Vengeance on Varos), or forcing a Time Lord general to regenerate (Hell Bent), the Doctor can take things too far.