The Idea: The Empress of the Racnoss screams in horror, as the Doctor mercilessly drowns all her children. We all the Doctor has a mean streak; in the second episode of the revival he let Cassandra explode, and even last series, he ensured the Indian Space Agency would blow Solomon up with missiles. We forgive him because they're villains, and of course, in 'The Runaway Bride', the Racnoss was a villain too. But what about her offspring? Even at his darkest, the Doctor has recognised that children are innocent, from the heart of the TARDIS turning Margaret Blaine back into an egg, to the War Doctor, counting the children that he was about to kill on Gallifrey. The Racnoss screaming as the Tenth Doctor killed her children is one of the most theatrical villain performances to date, but it's more than justified; it's one of the more horrifying acts committed by Ten, it's hugely out of character, and it's all because of Rose's loss. It's no wonder Donna didn't want to join him in the TARDIS. Luckily, when she returned, he spared the Adipose children. That's more like him.
