8. The Child
The cries of the young resonate throughout "The Day of the Doctor". The lost children of Gallifrey haunt the Doctor's footsteps. They are the ones he failed. Consequently, his incarnations after the War Doctor the one who destroyed Gallifrey become younger and younger as he uses childlike behavior to shield his fragile psyche from the burden of his actions. "Doctor Who" is usually presented from the companion's point of view. We follow the arc of their lives from the day they first meet the Doctor, watching as they shift and change from his influence. "Day of the Doctor", however, is the Doctor's story his journey from child-like resistance to adult responsibility. Osgood, the sweet and asthmatic Unit scientist, represents childish wonder and faith. When she's threatened she calls out to the Doctor to save her. But she does not rely on him. She figures out where the Zygons are hiding and she saves herself and rescues her colleagues. Osgood's journey parallels the Doctor's she initially reacts like a child crying out for a parent but ultimately takes responsibility for her own safety.