Susan’s Impossible Choice
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Ian questions David about his plans to work the land and his background, but Barbara interrupts, sensing something amiss, and pulls Ian away before David can fully answer.
David implores Susan to stay with him, professing his love and offering her a settled life with a place, time, and identity, leading Susan to admit her love while torn between him and her grandfather.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Deeply conflicted and emotionally shattered. She is torn between her love for David and her loyalty to the Doctor, and the Doctor’s abandonment leaves her feeling abandoned and adrift. Her tears and cries reveal the depth of her pain and the weight of the choice she must make.
Susan is emotionally torn between her loyalty to the Doctor and her love for David. She attempts to engage in conversation with the Doctor, but he deflects her with a focus on her worn shoe, leaving her feeling dismissed and vulnerable. When David declares his love and proposes marriage, Susan is overwhelmed by the weight of her choice. Her emotional state is one of heartbreak and conflict, as she cries out her love for David while grappling with the loss of her grandfather. The Doctor’s abandonment—symbolized by the locking of the TARDIS doors—leaves her standing alone, her future uncertain and her heart divided.
- • To reconcile her love for David with her loyalty to the Doctor, though she feels unable to do so.
- • To find a way to honor both her past and her future, even as the Doctor’s actions force her to choose.
- • That she cannot betray the Doctor, who has been her family and her guide for so long.
- • That a life with David offers her the stability and love she has always longed for, but at a terrible cost.
- • That the Doctor’s abandonment is a sign that he, too, believes she must choose her own path.
Feigned concern masking deep emotional conflict—he is torn between his love for Susan and his belief that she must choose her own future, even if it means causing her pain. His actions are driven by a mix of paternal instinct and a reluctant acceptance of her need for independence.
The Doctor deflects Susan’s emotional vulnerability by fixating on her worn shoe, using it as a pretext to avoid deeper conversation. His feigned concern for the shoe masks his true intent: to prepare for her abandonment. He subtly distances himself from Susan, emphasizing her disorganization and the need for him to ‘check up on the ship.’ His actions are calculated and deliberate, culminating in his silent departure into the TARDIS and the locking of its doors, which symbolically and literally severs his bond with Susan. His emotional state is masked by a veneer of paternal concern, but his actions reveal a deeper, more complex motivation: to force Susan to choose her own path, even if it means breaking her heart.
- • To subtly distance himself from Susan, making it easier for her to stay on Earth with David.
- • To force Susan to confront her own desires and make a choice between her past (the TARDIS) and her future (a life on Earth).
- • That Susan’s happiness lies in a stable life on Earth, not in the nomadic existence of the TARDIS.
- • That love sometimes requires sacrifice, and that he must let her go to ensure her well-being.
- • That his role as her grandfather is to guide her, even if it means making difficult decisions for her.
Deeply emotional and vulnerable, pouring his heart out in a moment of raw honesty. He is hopeful but also acutely aware of the stakes—Susan’s choice could define their future together or tear them apart forever.
David seizes the moment to declare his love for Susan, offering her a stable life on Earth and proposing marriage. His plea is earnest and heartfelt, but it forces Susan to confront the irreconcilable conflict between her loyalty to the Doctor and her longing for a settled existence. His emotional state is vulnerable yet hopeful, as he lays bare his desires and the future he envisions for them. His proposal hangs in the air, unanswered, as the Doctor’s abandonment of Susan leaves her emotionally shattered and unable to respond.
- • To convince Susan to stay on Earth with him, offering her the stability and love she has longed for.
- • To make Susan see that her future could be happy and fulfilling, even if it means leaving the TARDIS behind.
- • That Susan’s happiness lies in a life rooted in one place and time, with him by her side.
- • That love and security are more important than the unknown adventures of the TARDIS.
- • That Susan’s conflict is not just about the Doctor, but about her own desires and fears.
Resigned but supportive, acknowledging the emotional weight of the moment without intruding on it.
Barbara pulls Ian away from his conversation with David, her action serving as a subtle but firm reminder of the group’s impending separation. She does not speak or engage in the central conflict, instead acting as a quiet facilitator of the scene’s emotional undercurrents. Her presence is brief but purposeful, reinforcing the theme of inevitable parting.
- • To ensure the group remains focused on their immediate tasks, even as personal goodbyes unfold.
- • To provide a sense of continuity and stability amid the emotional upheaval.
- • That the group’s mission is more important than individual emotions, though she respects them.
- • That transitions, like this one, are necessary for growth and new beginnings.
Mildly curious but emotionally detached from the central conflict, serving as a grounding presence amid the emotional turmoil of others.
Ian briefly engages in a conversation with David about his future plans to work the land, expressing mild interest in David’s background. He is pulled away by Barbara before the conversation can deepen, leaving him as a peripheral but supportive presence in the scene. His interaction is brief and neutral, serving as a subtle reminder of the group’s impending dispersal.
- • To understand David’s intentions and plans for the future, ensuring the group’s cohesion.
- • To remain available for any last-minute coordination or support before the group disperses.
- • That the group’s efforts must continue even after the immediate crisis is resolved.
- • That personal connections, like David and Susan’s, are important but secondary to the larger mission of rebuilding.
Optimistic and resolute, focusing on the future rather than dwelling on the past or the emotional conflicts unfolding around him.
Tyler expresses optimism about the future of Earth’s rebuilding efforts, briefly engaging David in conversation about his plans before departing. His dialogue with David is hopeful and forward-looking, serving as a contrast to the emotional turmoil between Susan and the Doctor. Tyler’s departure marks the beginning of the group’s dispersal, emphasizing the theme of moving forward despite loss.
- • To encourage David and others to remain committed to rebuilding Earth, even as personal goodbyes are said.
- • To transition smoothly into the next phase of the resistance, ensuring continuity in the group’s efforts.
- • That the future of Earth depends on the collective effort of its people, regardless of personal sacrifices.
- • That hope and resilience are essential for overcoming adversity.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The TARDIS serves as the ultimate symbol of the Doctor’s authority and Susan’s past life. The Doctor uses it as a means of escape, subtly distancing himself from Susan by stepping inside and locking the doors behind him. The TARDIS’s dematerialization is not just a physical departure but a symbolic severing of Susan’s tie to her time-traveling existence. Its presence looms over the scene, a silent witness to the emotional rupture between the Doctor and Susan. The locking of its doors is a deliberate and irreversible act, underscoring the finality of the Doctor’s decision to abandon Susan on Earth.
Susan’s worn shoe becomes a powerful symbolic object in this event, serving as a distraction and a metaphor for the emotional wear and tear of her journey. The Doctor fixates on the shoe, using it as a pretext to avoid deeper conversation with Susan about her feelings and future. The shoe’s condition—worn out from her travels—mirrors Susan’s own emotional state: exhausted, conflicted, and in need of repair. When Susan cries out, ‘I’ve lost my shoe,’ it is not just a literal statement but an emotional confession, symbolizing her loss of stability, identity, and connection to her past. The shoe’s role in the scene is to highlight the fragility of Susan’s position and the irreparable damage caused by the Doctor’s abandonment.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Riverside Bridge Underpass serves as the emotional and physical epicenter of this event, a transitional space where the fates of the characters are decided. The battered concrete and war debris create a mood of quiet devastation, reflecting the emotional weight of the moment. The underpass is a liminal space—neither fully part of the past (the TARDIS and the Doctor’s world) nor entirely of the future (a life on Earth with David). It is here that Susan loses her shoe, symbolizing her loss of footing in both her past and her future. The Doctor’s departure from this space is irreversible, marking the end of an era and the beginning of a new, uncertain chapter for Susan. The underpass’s atmosphere is one of poignant farewell, where the echoes of ruin and the lap of the river underscore the themes of loss and new beginnings.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Group That Works the Land is indirectly but meaningfully involved in this event, as David’s declaration of his intention to join them serves as a counterpoint to the Doctor’s abandonment of Susan. While the group itself is not physically present, its representation through David’s words underscores the theme of rebuilding and moving forward. David’s proposal to Susan is tied to his vision of a future where he contributes to the reconstruction of Earth, offering her a place within that vision. The group’s goals of agricultural reconstruction and societal renewal contrast with the Doctor’s nomadic existence, highlighting the fundamental difference between the two paths Susan must choose between.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor's distraction and feigned concern over Susan's shoe is directly followed by the Doctor locking the TARDIS. The conversation was the Doctor's means of getting Susan away from everyone else to lock the doors."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor's distraction and feigned concern over Susan's shoe is directly followed by the Doctor locking the TARDIS. The conversation was the Doctor's means of getting Susan away from everyone else to lock the doors."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"David confessing his love for Susan and the offer of a stable life directly opposes her grandfather's action of locking her out of the Tardis to give her that stable life."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"David confessing his love for Susan and the offer of a stable life directly opposes her grandfather's action of locking her out of the Tardis to give her that stable life."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"The Doctor hints at his imminent departure, leaving Susan alone, foreshadowing the difficult decision he's about to make about Susan's future."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor hints at his imminent departure, leaving Susan alone, foreshadowing the difficult decision he's about to make about Susan's future."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"Barbara sensing something amiss happens immediately before David starts professing his love, these beats closely follow each other."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"Barbara sensing something amiss happens immediately before David starts professing his love, these beats closely follow each other."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"After the complete annihilation of the Daleks, humanity begins to rebuild and is directly stated to follow the previous beat."
Daleks annihilated—Tyler’s disbelief surfaces"The Doctor distracts Susan setting up a thematic parallel between the Doctor's intentional manipulation and David's earnest desire for Susan to embrace a settled life with him, forcing her to choose between the two."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"The Doctor distracts Susan setting up a thematic parallel between the Doctor's intentional manipulation and David's earnest desire for Susan to embrace a settled life with him, forcing her to choose between the two."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor's distraction and feigned concern over Susan's shoe is directly followed by the Doctor locking the TARDIS. The conversation was the Doctor's means of getting Susan away from everyone else to lock the doors."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor's distraction and feigned concern over Susan's shoe is directly followed by the Doctor locking the TARDIS. The conversation was the Doctor's means of getting Susan away from everyone else to lock the doors."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"The Doctor's action of locking Susan out is then followed by his explanation of the reasoning behind it."
The Doctor Releases Susan"David confessing his love for Susan and the offer of a stable life directly opposes her grandfather's action of locking her out of the Tardis to give her that stable life."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"David confessing his love for Susan and the offer of a stable life directly opposes her grandfather's action of locking her out of the Tardis to give her that stable life."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor hints at his imminent departure, leaving Susan alone, foreshadowing the difficult decision he's about to make about Susan's future."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor hints at his imminent departure, leaving Susan alone, foreshadowing the difficult decision he's about to make about Susan's future."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"Barbara sensing something amiss happens immediately before David starts professing his love, these beats closely follow each other."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"Barbara sensing something amiss happens immediately before David starts professing his love, these beats closely follow each other."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDIS"The Doctor distracts Susan setting up a thematic parallel between the Doctor's intentional manipulation and David's earnest desire for Susan to embrace a settled life with him, forcing her to choose between the two."
The Doctor locks Susan out of the TARDIS"The Doctor distracts Susan setting up a thematic parallel between the Doctor's intentional manipulation and David's earnest desire for Susan to embrace a settled life with him, forcing her to choose between the two."
Doctor manipulates Susan’s distraction to lock the TARDISThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"DOCTOR: Oh, dear, dear, dear. I shall have to mend this, shan't I now? SUSAN: Really, it's not worth it. I've got dozens of other pairs. DOCTOR: Yes. Hmm."
"DAVID: Please stay. Please stay here with me. SUSAN: I can't stay, David. I don't belong to this time. DAVID: But I love you, Susan, and I want you to marry me."
"SUSAN: (crying) No, David! I've lost my shoe. Oh David, I do love you! I do, I do, I do!"