So let’s be real here for a second: for a long time, I really disliked Martha Jones. I thought she was a needy, unrealistic, cliche character who was an altogether terrible match for the doctor. I was kind of a bitch about it. I really hated Martha a lot.
But was it Martha herself I hated, or did I hate the fact that she wasn’t Rose? Was it Martha I hated, or did I hate her crush on the Doctor? Her love fest only added to her becoming one of the least-liked companions of the Doctor’s bunch: it seemed forced and out of character for someone like her, who was literally the epitome of “I’m an independent woman who doesn’t need a man.” (Do you even remember when she walked all around the world by herself?) So what if she hadn’t come right after such a tough act to follow? What if she wasn’t written with an eye rolling, cliche theme of unrequited love? She would- without a doubt- be at the top of every fan’s list of favorite companions (she is for me, now that I’ve see the error of my ways). I want to begin with my most solid point: Miss Martha Jones’ utter badassery. Do you even remember the very first episode? She was in a hospital. On the moon. Yeah, sounds cool at the moment, but if you were actually there, I think you would be way less chill about it than Martha was. And remember the other time when there was a raging sun demon who was burning everyone’s brains out on some spaceship, and she was doing everything she could to protect people on the ship, including freezing the doctor’s head so that he wouldn’t die just to protect him? And how, during that same episode, while she and another passenger were escaping, they were cornered into an escape pod... that just happened to be aimed at the sun. However, during this time of terror, all Martha could think of was her family. Throughout her season, we see that nothing means more to Martha than her family. Every time she or the world is in danger, her first thought isn’t to protect herself like most people would, but rather to protect the people who raised her-- who she doesn’t always get along with. Martha’s combination of selflessness and badassness really contributes to a realistic, awesome character. I don’t think any of us could even dream to amount to Martha’s status. But not only was she badass and super, crazy loyal to her semi-dysfunctional family, but she also was able to recognize when she was in an unhealthy relationship with the Doctor... and end it. Well, not completely. But when she realized her crush on the Doctor wouldn’t ever go anywhere, she decided to stay on earth and work with UNIT acting as an awesome doctor for them. Martha is vastly different from the other companions in one huge way; she has a life outside of the doctor. Are the other companions smart? Definitely- Rory was training to be a nurse, Donna was quick thinking and witty, Clara is a teacher. However, each of them had lives that were too ‘incomplete’ or ‘mundane’ before that lovely blue police box came her way. Martha was already established: we see in the first episode in residency as a doctor at the Royal Hope Hospital. Later, we find out this was a childhood dream of hers- she’s studied all her life (remember when she read a 32 book series when she was 8?) to achieve one pretty fantastic goal. The Doctor didn’t create her or change her drastically; she was smart and driven, able and devoted before she met him. Even after leaving the Doctor, Martha continues to kick some serious alien ass. We see her cameo both on later seasons of Torchwood (The Doctor Who spinoff) and Doctor Who as a top-ranking member (and super awesome secret spy!) in UNIT. Remember Project Indigo and the Osterhagen Project? When Martha- without the Tardis or Doctor- helped defend her country? Think of it like this; even Sarah Jane Smith, one of the most popular companions ever, confessed how difficult it was to move on, yet Martha is able to do this seamlessly. Moving on from her crush on the Doctor, she even ends up marrying Mickey and the two freelance (aka save the world a ton) together. The Doctor tends to outshine everyone- that’s pretty much why the show’s named after him. However, there are a few notable points during Martha’s run where the Doctor left her to clean up his messes. And yes, they’re more than in Blink when she mentions while they’re “stuck [in time, she]... got a job… I've got to support him!” During her very first appearance, she literally uses her last breaths to resuscitate the Doctor as oxygen in the hospital runs out. In another memorable and rather depressing experience, she takes care of him for a year when he removes his memories and places them into 1913 England, where she becomes a maid. Still, she perseveres and saves him regardless. Her biggest accomplishment is when facing the Master. Her family is imprisoned and enslaved. The Doctor is held captive and helpless. She is alone. And what does she do? She travels the world for an entire year, spreading her plan, which ends up saving both the Doctor, the universe, and her family. Pretty impressive.
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