Since the revival of Clara just to name a few.
Question is, which companion do you believe changed the most? Do you think it was for the better or the worst? From Mickey Smith to Jackie Tyler, keep reading to discover which 5 companions grew a lot and the 5 companions that didn't.
Did: Mickey
One character who went through the biggest transformation on the show was Mickey. When fans first met Mickey, he was portrayed as Rose's lovable but cowardly boyfriend. He didn't contribute much on missions either unless it involved him hacking into a system.
However, after Mickey decided to stay in the parallel universe, the former mechanic had changed. Mickey became a lot more confident and brave, helping the Doctor in the fight against the Cybermen and Daleks. Mickey also went on to become a freelance alien fighter with Martha. A completely different character compared to who we saw at the beginning.
Didn't: Rose
Although Rose Tyler is one of the more popular companions, she was one character who didn't grow as much as the others. When fans first met Rose, she was quite innocent and naïve about the dangers she could face on her travels with the Doctor. She was also a little reckless and broke the Doctor's rules many times to suit her desires.
Did she change by the end of her journey? Other than maturing a little, not really. The fact that Rose was prepared to cause a rip in the fabric of time just to be with the Doctor proves she was just as selfish as before. She didn't even care about the consequences of jumping the different dimensions, as long as she could be with Ten.
Did: Rory
Rory was another companion who has a huge character growth in the two and a half years he was on the show. When Rory was first introduced to the show, he was like Mickey. He was portrayed as Amy's lovable and harmless boyfriend, who could be very clumsy at times.
However, his time with the Doctor helped him to grow - especially after he was erased from the timeline. When Rory came back in "The Pandorica Opens," he was changed. He was a lot braver and became the protector of the Pandorica. He also fought valiantly in the fight against the headless monks, defending Amy and their friends. Another huge character growth.
Didn't: Amy
While Amy Pond was another exceptional companion, she too, lacked (positive) character growth in the two and a half years she was on the show. Amy was the first companion of the Eleventh reincarnation, who met the Doctor when she was eight and began traveling with the Doctor when she was twenty.
While Amy proved to be a moral com for the Doctor in his darkest moments, she didn't exactly grow positively. If anything, she became a lot darker. She left Madame Kovarian to die in revenge for taking her child, almost let time collapse in on itself, and shot a child because she wanted to save the Doctor.
Did: Martha
Out of all the companions on Doctor Who, Martha Jones has to be one of the most underrated of all. When Martha first came to the show, she had big shoes to fill since there was a Rose-shaped void everyone was grieving. However, Martha was able to do just that as Agyeman and Tennant had natural chemistry.
Despite Martha being in one season, she went through tremendous character growth. She faced-off with the Daleks, fought against the Family of Blood, and managed to defeat the Toclafane. Let's also not forget how she was one of the few people to outsmart the Master. Although Martha decided to stop traveling, she never fully quit investigating the supernatural and dedicated herself to protecting Earth from alien invasions.
Didn't: Graham, Yaz, Ryan
As fans know, Graham, Yaz and Ryan are the Doctor's most recent time-traveling companions, who have bravely helped the Time Lord save the world from the likes of the Judoon, Cybermen and The Master. However, the problem is that these three haven't been as fleshed out as the previous companions because there are too many of them.
In the two years they have been on the show, fans have watched as the Doctor's friends have just asked questions and obeyed orders. Other than the odd episode or two, they haven't challenged the Doctor's philosophy or broke any of her rules. It would be nice to see them make a big scientific-break through that even the Doctor didn't figure out because it would add a bit more depth to their characters.
Did: Jackie
Fans may not have realized it but Jackie Tyler went through a huge character growth during her time on the show. When Jackie was first introduced as Rose’s overbearing mother, she was meant to be the comedy relief. Fans thought her whimsical and fickle nature was quite endearing, especially since her character was the beacon in the darkest of times.
Although Jackie never really traveled with the Doctor, she was changed by the end, too. She became a lot more mature and motherly the longer Rose was gone. Jackie also became a lot braver, crossing multiple dimensions to ensure Rose was safe from the Daleks. There will never be a character who is as iconic as her.
Didn't: Bill
Bill was another character who didn’t really have enough time to fully grow into a fleshed-out character - but maybe this is because Moffat was building up to Twelve’s goodbye. When Bill was introduced to the show, she was seen to be a dinner lady at the university Twelve worked at. She proved to be very intelligent, particularly in the subject of science.
However, after several episodes, the writers didn’t really develop her character’s background. The writers seemed to just focus on her bond with Twelve. It also makes it even sadder that she was converted into a Cyberman and nobody would have noticed. Maybe if she stayed on board for another season or so, the writers could have developed her character by giving her more integral storylines.
Did: Donna
When Donna was first introduced to the show in the Christmas special, no one would have believed the temp from Chiswick would play a significant role in saving the universe. She was loud, hot-headed, and a little bit ditzy. However, her time in the TARDIS was not only the best thing that happened to her but for the Doctor too.
Donna was like a breath of fresh air for the show because she was one of the few people who weren't attracted to the Time Lord. Her comionate nature also humanized Ten more as she refused to let him fall into a dark path. Most importantly, fans got to see Donna become her best self as she became more confident and happy as the series went on. A brilliant story arc.
Didn't: Clara
Clara Oswald's origin story was a stroke of genius as fans were invested in the identity of this so-called Impossible Girl. They first saw met her when she was Oswin (a hacker) and then as Clara Oswin Oswald (a Victorian barmaid-Governess). It turned out that Clara was like the Doctor's very own guardian angel, who saved the Time Lord in every lifetime.
However, after this arc, there wasn't much story left to develop for Clara's character. If anything, she was still portrayed as the Doctor's guardian angel, trying to guide him back on the right track when he went through regeneration for the 'twelfth' time. The writers should have at least let us see what hobbies she enjoyed because this is the only thing fans can about her.