2. The Doctor Saying Goodbye In 'The Name of the Doctor'
This scene is, again in my opinion, the best scene in the episode. Throughout the episode, River (an echo of the real River dead in the Library) has been there, talking to Clara, trying to help her, thinking that the Doctor can't see or hear her. The Doctor is about to jump in his time stream to save Clara and River is shouting at him to stop, to not be an idiot, to find another way, as this could kill him. I have to stress that Murray Gold's music here is sublime, so haunting and romantic it's insane. River goes to slap the Doctor but he catches it, River asks how he can do that as she's not really here. The Doctor says "You are always here to me, and I always listen, and I can always see you". The Doctor says that the reason he didn't talk back was because he thought it would hurt too much, for him, and he was right. This is the Doctor who loves River, and regrets everything that happened to her. They have one final kiss (in reality he is kissing thin air with his other companions watching). He says that River should have left by now, with River retorting that it's hard to leave when you haven't said goodbye. So the Doctor says goodbye, in the only way that River would accept; "say it like you're going to come back." So he does, "See you around Professor River Song." This is where we expect River to go until she says one more thing. Another ace up her sleeve. Dhe was mentally linked to Clara, so if River is still there, then it means Clara is still alive. The Doctor asks how, but River's last line (possibly ever?) before fading, back to the Library is "Spoilers! Goodbye Sweetie." River still getting the best of the Doctor, still knowing more. This scene is so romantic, and so completely sweet. I'm not sure there has ever been a farewell to a character quite like that. Then again, I hope very much that this isn't her goodbye!