(no subject)

[dreamer_easy]

I'm trying to think of instances of the Tenth Doctor deferring to someone else. He's almost always the source of authority - the one who says what's happening and what's going to happen. I've thought of three instances where he looks to another: to Martha, asking if there's hope for Jenny; to Martha again, in extremis in 42; and to Mrs Moore in The Age of Steel, when he asks her: "Can we do that?" Anybody got any others?

Comments

[murasaki-1966.livejournal.com]

how are you feeling after the big night last night?

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

I think that's just about it. The only other times when he's even remotely playing second fiddle he's not "himself" - taking part in the chain of command in HN/FOB as John Smith, or in the latter half of "Midnight" when he's been 'got' by the monster and therefore everyone else has to flounder about without him.

[erinbow.livejournal.com]

He lets River Song order him about in early scenes of *Silence in the Library* a bit. And Madame du Pompadour takes the upper hand from him once or twice.

But neither of those things is exactly turning to another -- just getting caught off guard.

[alawston.livejournal.com]

By all accounts the Christmas Special will add to the list - or is this what prompted the thought?

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

What put it in my head was someone posting a heartbreaking cap from The Doctor's Daughter. I see what you mean about The Next Doctor, tho. I strongly suspect that story's going to be lolarious - DM looks like the Doctor from a fan video. :)

[elisi]

Nurse Redfern at the end of 'Human Nature':

JOAN: Answer me this, just one question. That's all. If the Doctor had never visited us, if he'd never chosen this place on a whim...would anyone here have died? (the THE DOCTOR doesn't answer) You can go.

She literally *dismisses* him, and he just leaves without a word. (Of course, the mayhem has been of his own make, however unintended.)

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's spot on - he's pwnt.

[azriona.livejournal.com]

I agree with the poster about River Song - pretty sure he defers to her, but I think it rankles. The only other time I can think of is a Ninth Doctor instance during Boom Town, when Jack has a plan all laid out to catch Blon, and despite his complaints, the Doctor lets his plan stand because it's a pretty good one.

[sue-denimme.livejournal.com]

There was the scene in "Doomsday" when the Doctor, Pete, Rose, and Mickey met up with Jackie in the corridor, and the Doctor starts explaining to Jackie about the parallel world. Jackie tells him, "You can shut up", and the Doctor immediately zips it, steps back, and lets her and Pete have their "reunion". I thought that was brilliant.

[nightbeast.livejournal.com]

In Love & Monters, Ten steps out of the TARDIS to face Elton, then turns around and defers to Rose while she lays into him about upsetting her mum.

He also defers to Rose in Journey's End, because she has greater knowledge of what's happening with her parallel universe being ahead of ours.

[ibishtar.livejournal.com]

Here's some, mostly minor ones. The major ones are in Rise of the Cybermen, The Lazarus Experiment, The Runaway Bride, The Fires of Pompeii, Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead
Rise of the Cybermen:Doctor wants to stay put whilst the TARDIS recharges, but Rose and Mickey won't have any of it.
The Idiot's Lantern: Rose reckons they should make house calls and they do.
Love & Monsters Tracks down Elton so Rose can confront him.
Fear Her: He sticks his finger in jam jar, desists when Rose signals him not to.
Doomsday: The second time Rose says she's staying with him he accepts it.
The Runaway Bride: Follows Donna's order to take her to the church (or tries) and then goes takes her to the reception. Stops tormenting the Racnoss when Donna told him to. Asks her to come with him and she refuses.
Smith and Jones: Martha tells him to wait for a moment as she closes the dead Mr. Stoker's eyes.
Gridlock: Martha: I'm not getting off this chair till you stop bullshitting me.
The Lazarus Experiment: Martha: Full-time-companionship now, or get lost!
Human Nature/Family of Blood: He is rubbish as a human.
Blink: Tries to explain the nature of time when Sally tells him to, despite initially not wanting to.
The Sound of Drums: Martha calls her family even though the Doctor tells her not to with an angry: 'I'll do what I like!'
Last of the Timelords: Doctor: Stay with me, plz? Master, Jack, Martha: Nah!
Partners in Crime: Donna convinces him to let her travel with him.
Fires of Pompeii: He goes back to save the family 'cause Donna told him to.
Planet of the Ood: Donna is the one who decides to go see where the rocket landed.
The Sontaran Strategm: He lets Donna pilot the TARDIS. He's disapproving of Martha's job at UNIT and backs down when she explains her reasoning. Asks Donna to come with him to Rattigan Academy and accepts when she decides to go home instead.
The Doctor's Daughter: He listens to Jenny's hearts through the stethoscope 'cause Donna told him to.
The Unicorn and the Wasp: Agatha Christie shuts him down
Silence in the Library: Doctor: Everyone! Leave! Now!
River: No, 'cause we've come here to investigate, actually.
Forest of the Dead: Doctor: I'll die to save the people of the Library! River: No, you're going to be handcuffed to this pipe.
Midnight: If Donna doesn't want to come she's not gonna.

But mostly, yeah, listens to no one, does what he likes and makes everyone's decisions for them. Wouldn't be the Doctor otherwise.

[kateorman.livejournal.com]

Blimey, you're thorough! :)

Those instances aren't quite what I'm thinking of, though - more when the Doctor *reliquinshes* his authority, rather than agreeing to go along with someone else's idea. When he looks to someone else to be told what's going on or what he should do.

[scarfman]

In Army of Ghosts he does it to Yvonne Hartman, even though he's obviously only doing to to fake her out, with the last ghost shift. It works though. My favorite scene from that one.