Doctor Who: The art of love, as lived by River Song
There is no question that River Song loves as fearlessly as she fights in Doctor Who. But what are the maxims which guide her mastery?
The lessons of Doctor Who are as numerous as the stars. From among these, I personally think that the Twelfth Doctor’s proclamation in Twice Upon a Time is among the simplest and most profound truths:
"Never be cruel, never be cowardly. Remember, hate is always foolish, love is always wise."
However, it is important to remember that there is more than one Doctor in the timeline. And no, I am not referring to the many faces and regenerations of the Doctor. I am referring to one, Doctor River Song, wife to our beloved Time Lord.
While the origin story of River Song, aka Melody Pond, aka Mels Zucker, aka Melody Malone, aka Sister Cantica, code name Mrs. Robinson, is as complex as it is impressive, her superpowers extend beyond her cleverness, her quite nice hair, and her irresistible nose. Over the hundreds of years of her lifetime, she manages to crisscross and confound every Doctor, always leaving him both equally baffled and beguiled by her brilliance.
In the original script of The Name of the Doctor, the Doctor himself describes River as, “clever and brave, and kind and funny, and [having] had more love in one heart than [he] could ever have in two.” I must admit that like the Doctor, among the expansive list of reasons that I admire River Song, is how she loves.
The Diary of River Song: Series 2. featuring the Sixth and Seventh Doctors. Photo credit: The Diary of River Song/Doctor Who/Big Finish Productions. Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.
Leaps of faith
As the Doctor runs, River leaps. Love is not a weakness, and no one knows this more than River. She loves like she lives, as a warrior. There may very well be actions and choices in life which are worthy of regret, but offering love should never be one of them.
Many times we see River literally jumping off of buildings and out of spaceships, always completely sure that the Doctor will be there to catch her. Of course, fair play to him for always rising to the occasion.
Love loudly
By her own admission in The Husbands of River Song, River is the woman who loves the Doctor, and she’s never denied it. When a considerable amount of the romantic assignations are back to front, it could be understandably difficult to find time or opportunity to express love. River though never has this problem. She knows only too well that tomorrow may never come, so it’s worth making the most of today while she still has it. Even her salutations, which cross time and space, always express her amorous intent. “Hello Sweetie!” Even in casual conversation, she never misses the opportunity to continuously address the Doctor as her love.
Laugh and lust
Rule number 27: never knowingly be serious (Let’s Kill Hitler). Picnics at Asgard, parties with a goldfish, karaoke with Jim the Fish, not reading underneath magnificent starlight, and especially spending a night together that lasts 24 years. You can say many things about River Song and the Doctor, but you can’t say that they don’t know how to keep things fresh and enjoy themselves. Frankly even in the midst of an adventure, tangled in a web of danger, they usually still find time to flirt with one another. #lifegoals.
Love loyally
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River trusts the Doctor completely. She loves every age, every face, across all of time and space, as he himself loves her: misguided youth, prisoner, Doctor, and Professor. She sees every side of him, the madman in a box, and the lonely crusader in extremis. It is in part out of loyalty that she carries on his missions, and can stand toe to toe with him on adventures. Furthermore, there is no doubt in my mind that River would happily accept the Thirteenth Doctor as her wife, and Ruth as well. River loves the Doctor. Full stop, end of story.
River Song is a powerful character: she is a proto-Time Lord, and the daughter of the Tardis. She is smart and sexy and sassy and brilliant in her own right. In fact, because of her augmented lifespan and mental acuity, she often sees and understands the Doctor better than anyone (and as observers, we in turn appreciate the Doctor more through her eyes). So it is no surprise that she continues to be popular with the fandom in audios, comics, and books. But for myself, how she lives her love for the Doctor, is an important facet of her awesomeness.
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What do you think about the Doctor and River’s relationship? What are the best aspects of River’s character overall? What are you looking for in upcoming River stories? Let us know below!