Doctor Who: 10 Things We Actually Know About The Doctor's Family

Long before Time Wars and Death Particles, Doctor Who asserted that our hero was on his own.

In one of the best scenes from Tomb of the Cybermen, the Second Doctor and Victoria discuss grief and loss. As Victoria mourns the death of her father, she suggests that the Doctor probably can't remember his own parents or family given how old he is.

However, the Doctor has a beautiful response that has to go down as one of Patrick Troughton's finest moments:

"Oh yes, I can when I want to. And that's the point, really. I have to really want to, to bring them back in front of my eyes. The rest of the time they sleep in my mind, and I forget. And so will you."

It's interesting to compare this speech from the one in The Doctor's Daughter. In Tomb of the Cybermen, memories of his family comfort the Second Doctor, while in The Doctor's Daughter they're a source of pain.

What hasn't changed though is the assertion that the Doctor's family was lost long ago. The Time War looms so large over the show that we often forget about the Second Doctor's comments here, but practically since Doctor Who started, the Doctor has believed that they're the only one left.

Now, whether or not that's true is a whole other matter entirely. There's no definitive proof that any of the relatives mentioned by the Doctor have died, and as is the case with Susan, even the Doctor can't be certain. But with all the talk of family lately, it does feel like we're closer than ever to answers.