Doctor Who: 10 Moments In NuWho That Made Us Cry
6. Clara Destroys The TARDIS Keys
In Dark Water, Clara's boyfriend Danny dies in a freak accident and she spirals into a grief-stricken state.
When the Doctor picks Clara up, she demands he take her to a volcano. She keeps him talking while she collects the spare TARDIS keys from around the console room. She puts a sleep patch on his neck, and when he wakes, they’re on a volcanic planet. Clara explains about Danny, demanding that they go back to save him. The Doctor refuses, claiming it would cause a paradox. Clara reveals she holds all the spare TARDIS keys and threatens that every time the Doctor refuses, she will throw one into the lava.
Through this whole scene, Clara is pushed to an emotional breaking point. While her betrayal is shocking, we can completely understand her motives. Seeing Clara in such agony and watching how far she will go to force the Doctor’s hand makes for some truly uncomfortable viewing. It’s one of those moments, expertly written by Steven Moffat, that makes us question what we would do in that situation.
This episode went on to explore death and concepts of afterlife in even more grim detail. It was so shocking and depressing that it became one of the most complained about episodes ever.