Ethical dilemma

[shivver]

Here's a question to think about.

Let's change "The End of Time" in the following way: While the Doctor is talking to Wilf in the cafe, Wilf asks him to come back and fix Donna, to give her back her memories and her life with the Doctor. We know that the Doctor can't do that, but let's change it so that at that moment, he realizes that he knows how to do it - he can use his current biodata to filter from Donna what's actually him and remove it, leaving just her behind as a perfectly normal human, with intact memories of her life up through traveling with the Doctor.

With that knowledge, he and Wilf go off to find Donna to fix her, but the other events of the episode begin to happen, and they proceed as we saw on screen. After the Doctor defeats Rassilon and Gallifrey retreats back into the Time War, Wilf knocks four times. The Doctor then must choose: if he saves Wilf, he not only dies, but the regeneration rewrites his biodata and he can no longer fix Donna; but to save Donna, he must let Wilf die.

So, the question is, what do you think the Doctor would choose? And also, what would you want him to choose, since they are not necessarily the same thing? (Note: Meta is not within reach, so you can't choose "Save Wilf, then go get Meta to fix Donna." ;) )

Comments

[dtstrainers.livejournal.com]

Emo Time Boy would save Wilf and feel extra guilty for not saving Donna sooner and simply derail faster. The only way I see anything different happening is if Wilf pushes a button and floods the chamber with radiation himself, figuring that it would force Ten’s hand and he’d fix Donna once he was gone. But then that great big outer space dunce would be afraid to bring Donna’s memories back for fear that she’d hate him for not saving Wilf. Honestly, Ten would be screwed either way.

( Are you going to the Fanfic Pannel at Gally?)

[shivver13.livejournal.com]

There's a fanfic panel at Gally???? I've always wanted fanfic to be recognized at Gally. (Goes to check discussion panel list.) Oh, looks like it's preparing to be adult-oriented. Why does fanfic discussion always have to focus on the erotic? Ah well. Yes, I'll be going, but I'm not going to expect much out of it.

Anyway, I agree with you that the Doctor would choose to save Wilf. I think he would either choose to save the person right in front of him or keep as many people alive as possible, and both lines of reasoning lead to saving Wilf. But oh man, yes, if Wilf takes the choice from him... In our house, we say that Ten gets punched in the kidneys every time. Well, this entire situation would be yet another kidney-punch.