Doctor Who: 10 Defining Traits Of The Fifth Doctor

5. Turned Down Power

In the serial The Five Doctors, all previous versions (minus Tom Baker, of course, who famously refused to participate) of the Doctor returned with Richard Hurndall taking over the role of the First Doctor after the passing of William Hartnell. Towards the end of the episode, after the previous president had been taken by the spirit of Rassilon, the Time Lord council appoints the current Doctor, the Fifth, as the new Lord President of Gallifrey. Instead of taking and using this new-found power to his advantage, however, he instead appoints a Minister as President in his absence until he returns, then promptly steps back into the TARDIS and runs away from Gallifrey once more. Classic. While every Doctor would probably do the same, the fact that it was the Fifth Doctor who did so shows that this incarnation was not one for power. He would rather have the freedom to do what he chooses and to help the people of the universe. Who would choose politics over that?