Unlike many other sci-fi shows, Doctor Who doesn’t really focus on violence. This may be because of the show’s mostly young demographic or the fact that The Doctor is the ultimate pacifist. Regardless, it’s evident that The Doctor would rather use his words rather than his fists to solve a crisis.
That being said, the show does indulge in the occasional fight scene to help ramp up the tension even more. Though The Doctor doesn’t use guns, he is known for using the art of sword fighting and often has a water pistol hiding somewhere in his jacket. Thus, it seems that modern-era Doctor Who isn’t afraid to show a more passionate and unrefined side to the world’s greatest time traveler.
10The Doctor Forms an Alliance With Robin Hood
Season 8, Episode 3, “Robot of Sherwood”
After The Doctor allows Clara to pick their next destination, the pair come face-to-face with the famous Robin Hood. Yet, The Doctor realizes that something is afoot and uncovers that the notorious Sheriff of Nottingham is keen to destroy the area with the help of his robot knights. Though the men plan to work together to foil this plot, they start off as arch enemies.
This episode includes a picture of the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton, who was also the first person to play Robin Hood on television.
In this episode, Robin Hood challenges the Time Lord to a sword fight, but The Doctor only has a spoon to hand. Nevertheless, the Twelfth Doctor manages to battle this legend, proving that he doesn’t need a conventional weapon to see success on the battlefield. This is a fantastic scene and works to add a touch of light-hearted humor to Peter Capaldi’s dark arc.
11’s Friends Engage in a Mighty Battle
Season 6, Episode 7, “A Good Man Goes to War”
“A Good Man Goes to War” is one of the most significant episodes in Season 6 as it reveals the true identity of River Song and reintroduces a handful of The Doctor’s most iconic accomplice. After giving birth to her daughter, Melody Pond, Amy must protect her from the blood-curdling Madame Kovarian as well as the rest of The Silence. As she waits for Rory to return, The Paternoster Gang is figuring out a way to bring the Ponds back to earth and save The Doctor.
Steven Moffat wanted to include Captain Jack Harkness in The Doctor’s army, but John Barrowman had to decline after scheduling conflicts.
This episode features a unique slow-motion montage, presenting The Doctor and his allies preparing for war against the Monks. As all of this action plays out, River Song provides a chilling voice-over that describes what really happens when a good man goes to war. Though some audiences find this segment a tad cheesy, it certainly works to break up the dramatic bombshells that are scattered throughout this episode.
8The Thirteenth Doctor and Fam Become Pirates for the Day
“Legend of the Sea Devils”
Not only does this episode welcome back The Sea Devils, but it also sees The Doctor and her companions embark on a fantastic swashbuckling adventure. Set in 1807, the Time Lord and her team must work alongside Zheng Yi Sa to stop the Sea Devils from taking control of her ship and subsequently flooding the earth.
This was the final episode to air during the lifetime of Queen Elizabeth II, who was also a huge fan of the show.
Since this episode is substantially longer than its predecessors, it comes as no surprise that it’s packed full of swordfights and other crazy antics. From swinging around a vast pirate ship to defeating one of her most fearsome foes, this episode proves that The Doctor can defend herself when she needs to. After all that fighting, The Doctor and Yaz have a very intimate chat, with the pair subtly expressing their feelings for one another.
7The Doctor Encounters a Scottish Secret
Season 2, Episode 2, “Tooth and Claw”
Rose and The Doctor’s trip to Scotland is quickly interrupted by a massive werewolf. “Tooth and Claw” is undoubtedly one of the best episodes of Season 2 and gives audiences the chance to learn more about Torchwood’s origins as well as Queen Victoria’s scandalous secrets. Even though The Doctor doesn’t agree with harming the werewolf with silver bullets, there’s another group of fighters he should be scared of.
Billie Piper’s hair caught on fire during the filming of this episode.
At the very beginning of this episode, there’s a martial arts montage which is carried out by a series of monks.Here, the camera captures their movements from every angle, providing the audience with a stunning display of art. Not to mention, the monk’s orange outfits expertly contrast the grey skies of Scotland, making it a very striking scene.
6Rory Takes a Hit at the World’s Biggest Dictators
Season 6, Episode 8, “Let’s Kill Hitler”
At first glance, Rory Williams appears to be the universe’s weakest man, yet when the moment strikes, he can easily draw from his physical strengths. In “Let’s Kill Hitler,” the team arrives in 1939 Berlin and confidently strolls into Hitler’s office. They then meet Teslecta, a human-ship hybrid that arrived a year early to kill Hitler. So, when the dictator tries to fire at the ship, Rory punches him in the face and knocks him out cold.
BBC America released an extra scene when this episode was first broadcast. It was essentially an extension of the motorcycle chase scene but depicted in a comic style.
This scene is both shocking and hilarious. Not only was this episode bold enough to create a depiction of a notorious killer, but it also allowed him to be hit by an ordinary human male. Alongside Hitler, Rory also attacks a handful of other Nazis and even steals an officer’s motorbike. So, although this may not be a standard fight, it’s quite funny to see Hitler get attacked by the ever-faithful and terrified Rory Williams.
Dan Lewis Saves the Day With His Favorite Kitchen Utensil
Season 13, Episode 2, “War of the Sontarans”
As soon as Dan Lewis was introduced back in Season 13, fans immediately fell in love with him. Not only does he volunteer at his local food bank, but he’s always eager to hand out lots of sweets to his local trick-or-treaters. So, when he had the courage to embark on a Sontaran ship in “War of the Sontarans,” fans assumed that he would be left for dead.
Though Mary Seacole makes an appearance in this episode, she was first introduced to the Whoniverse in an audio drama with the Twelfth Doctor.
Yet, he proved fans wrong and swiftly knocked out one of these potato-like monsters with a household wok. This is a favored moment among fans because it’s one of the best examples of Dan’s true power. Though he often comes across as shy and overly emotional, these traits are actually a blessing because they encourage him to be passionate and help him think on his feet. Thus, this moment sits at the halfway point on this list because it seems that the Sontarans didn’t stand a chance against Dan’s favorite pan.
4The Doctor Pulls Out His Secret Weapon
Season 4, Episode 2, “The Fires of Pompeii”
It appears that every time The Doctor and his companion try to take a nice break, an untimely crisis occurs. As such, “The Fires of Pompeii” proves that the duo can’t even catch a few rays before the world starts to fall apart again. In this episode, the Tenth Doctor and Donna arrive in Italy the day before Mount Vesuvius is set to erupt. Even though The Doctor states that this event is a fixed point in time and they must not interfere, they still manage to get caught up with a group of lava monsters known as Pyroviles.
This episode is considered to be the first major shoot outside the UK since the 1996 Doctor Who movie.
The Tenth Doctor is strongly against violence of any kind, but he’s certainly not going to deny himself having fun. So, when he’s faced with a giant monster filled to the brim with lava, he decides to shoot at it with a toy water pistol.This is a very silly moment, but somehow it works, and The Doctor and Donna get to escape another brush with death. As such, it’s clear that the Time Lord has a lot more gadgets than his signature sonic screwdriver.
3The Doctor Puts a 19th Century Businessman in His Place
Season 10, Episode 3, “Thin Ice”
Since the 2005 reboot, Doctor Who has been determined to introduce more racially diverse characters, proving that neither history nor space is just led by white people. But, the show still does a good job of highlighting the amount of racial bias that has been seen throughout the ages. As such, “Thin Ice” introduces us to the ultimate antagonist, Lord Sutcliffe, a vile gentleman who was raised with a silver spoon in his mouth.
The elephant at the very beginning of “Thin Ice” toots the same tune that the TARDIS does.
Immediately after catching eyes with Bill Potts, he hurls a tirade of abuse at her, suggesting that she’s a lower-class citizen because of the color of her skin. Though Bill immediately burns with anger, The Doctor decides it’s best to take things into his own hands. So, he taps the Lord on the shoulder and effortlessly punches him in the face.For many fans, this is a delightfully satisfying scene as Lord Sutcliffe finally got what he deserved.
2The Doctor’s Biggest Enemies Spawn a Major Conflict
Season 2, Episode 13, “Doomsday”
“Doomsday” is often associated with Rose’s tragic descent into a parallel universe, so fans often overlook the episode’s monumental conflict. This was the first time that the Cybermen and the Daleks were seen on-screen, resulting in an intergalactic war like none other. So, as these warriors are battling it out, the surviving percentage of the human race is forced to fend for themselves.
In order to celebrate this episode as well as the 2006 World Cup, Radio Times created covers that depicted both the Cybermen and Daleks on football pitches.
Admittedly, this fight seems a bit silly nowadays, especially considering how far Doctor Who has come since 2006. But for many contemporary viewers, this episode allowed all of their childhood dreams to come true, placing the show’s most iconic monsters in the same room.Therefore, while some fans focus on the loss of Rose, others would agree that the Battle of Canary Wharf is what makes this episode so powerful.
1The Doctor Gets a Fighting Hand
“The Christmas Invasion”
