10 Doctor Who Characters More Important Than You Realised

Lorna Bucket is responsible for giving Melody Pond her badass alter-ego River Song. While it's a literal translation of Melody's name in the language of Lorna's people, it's that language that ultimately started all this trouble in the first place.

When the Doctor saved young Lorna (and her fellow inhabitants of the Gamma Forests) from a terrifying monster, the term "Doctor" became a word for a great warrior. It's this warrior, this mythical force, that Madame Kovarian was training the young Melody Pond to destroy once and for all.

Lorna realised that the nuances of language are important a bit too late, and was tragically killed trying to help the Doctor and his friends at the Battle of Demons Run. In a heartbreaking moment while Lorna is dying, the Doctor thanks her for helping him, and promises that he remembers their earlier adventure in the Gamma Forests.

Which is a bit of a lie because he has no idea who she was. Sure, the complexities of time travel mean they might not have met yet, but he does infer to Madame Vastra that he may well have already met Lorna, and forgotten her.

How on Earth do you forget a name like Lorna Bucket? She gave your wife her name too, show her some respect for crying out loud!