Doctor Who: 10 Times The Doctor Shouldn't Have Bothered With Mercy

3. The Last Mercy For A Time Lord

The Master returns to this list and so does the Tenth Doctor. From the same series as the previous two entries (quite a merciful series of episodes!), The Doctor's nemesis conquers Earth in a way only The Master could - using hypnosis via a mobile phone network. Pretty neat! He uses the Toclafane to murder one tenth of the population before taking the rest as his slaves to prepare Earth to be a giant warship on the rest of the universe. The renegade Time Lord also has a wife, Lucy Saxon, who shows signs of physical abuse in the second part of the story. Martha is able to spread the message of The Doctor and he is victorious once again. Time is reset, like nothing has happened - unless you're the President of the United States, who is still dead. A decision must be made with what to do with the fallen enemy. The Jones family, imprisoned and put into slavery on The Valiant, want him dead, as does Captain Jack. The Doctor instead forgives The Master and plans to imprison him on the TARDIS. Lucy shoots The Master who then refuses to regenerate and enjoys a victory in watching The Doctor cry over him. His mercy for The Master is furthered by his tears, and you're left wondering how one so wise can be left so upset at the loss of someone who has caused so much pain to those around him. Sure, he's the only other Time Lord, but when he's committing this much murder, perhaps crying isn't a good idea.