Part of what makes regeneration stories so interesting is that they offer an opportunity for the audience to see what the Doctor is willing to die for. As it turns out, as we saw in "Time of the Doctor," the eleventh had no qualms with sacrificing himself to protect a small community, as he nearly did on Akhaten. His offering himself and his memories to the Old God certainly foreshadows his ultimate death. One if not the single over-arching theme of the eleventh Doctor's tenure was the power of storytelling. "The Rings of Akhaten" comes midway through veteran Matt Smith's final season. At this point, his character had learned from and taught companions all about the importance of living life if only for the sake of telling a good story. This episode seems an appropriate and climactic conclusion, as the Doctor prepares to offer all of his stories to save the small planet. The episode aired before anyone knew anything about the War Doctor, so having the eleventh regenerate midway through Series 7 would even save us the headache of the ensuing "Continuity errors of the Doctor." Admittedly, it may be the use of "Wake Up," otherwise known as "The song from 'The Rings of Akhaten,'" in Matt Smith's final moments that forces the comparison. But this episode has all of the qualities of a perfect regeneration story right down to the Doctor's moving speech. What do you think of these suggestions? Which other Doctor Who episodes could have worked as regeneration episodes? Share your picks below.
