Easily Steven’s departure. Really great departure for him.
I would love to vote for Mike in the second one but I am sticking by my policy of not voting in rounds where I haven’t seen one of the departures.
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Anyone who votes for Joy’s departure over that of best boy Steven will incur my extreme displeasure - consider yourselves warned 
/hj
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Oh, those are two easy choices - Joy and Mi…I’m kidding. It’s Steven and Romana/K9.
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Mike Yeats? Mike yeets.
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I voted for Steven’s mainly because I desperately want to forget Joy’s
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I’ll assume that’s Mike Yates. Either way, going for Romana/K9, even if it was a bit abrupt. Other one is easy, Steven is a companion.
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Romana, obvious, Steven, I had to think about. Joy’s transformation left an impression, but in hindsight, it was shallow, one I won’t easily remember. Meanwhile, I’ve listened to an excellent trilogy set after Steven is overthrown,[1] and a wry reference in “A Forest of All Seasons” to him becoming a leader made me smile. Maybe we need a Big Finish spinoff featuring Joy the Star of Bethlehem, Jackie Tyler, and River Song.
I think it helps that Steven was a long-running companion for the era, whereas Joy was a one-and-done who even then, didn’t get much time with the Doctor, and who, for once and thankfully, stayed “dead”. One of my most hated Moffatisms.
”The War to End All Wars”, “The Founding Fathers”, and “The Locked Room” ↩︎
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Admittedly, Joy’s departure is the more memorable one but due to the fact that I’d really rather not remember it, I’ll go ahead and vote for Steven
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Also doesn’t help that Joy ends up having the odd departure and according to some podcasts IIRC led to the cringe Joy to the World! Line. BUT the fact that Joy was the one there to witness I’d say one of if not the most controversial regeneration - due to IRL factors not anything (as much) in universe things.
So Joy might be more memorable - which is the question (and why I almost voted for it) but memorable as a negative way and lack of an impression being left or a resentment of feelings the what ifs if you think of the end of 15 AND being a one story companion who
* we really hardly ever see
* interact with
* We don’t really get to know (apart from Christmas/authority sucks for their handling of COVID and people’s end of life)
* Felt sidelined in their own special for Anita
EDIT: oh I forgot to mention she’s also possessed and not herself for probably 1/3(?) 1/2(?) of her screentime
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The blowouts continue as Steven defeats Joy, 21-0, while Romana and K-9 defeat Mike Yates, 17-1. I think one of the next two matches will be closer:
Grace Holloway and Chang Lee (The Movie)
the TARDIS returns to San Francisco and both leave the Doctor
Nardole (The Doctor Falls)
Nardole leaves at the Doctor’s demand
and then waits for the Doctor
- Grace Holloway and Chang Lee
- Nardole
0
voters
Ruby Sunday (Empire of Death)
Ruby leaves the Doctor to be with her family
Adelaide Brooke (The Waters of Mars)
Adelaide commits suicide to preserve the timeline
- Ruby Sunday
- Adelaide Brooke
0
voters
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Neither Grace nor Nardole’s exit are particularly memorable for me, but Nardole’s felt so much more like the episode tying up a loose end rather than giving him a proper ending.
As for the second option, obviously I’m going to pick one of the most haunting and brilliant moments in the show’s history over the Doctor practically kicking his companion out of the TARDIS for no good reason.
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While Grace’s departure is cute, it’s pretty standard for its era[1], so I chose Nardole’s. The more memorable exit for him is at the end of “Twice Upon a Time”, when his replica sincerely hugs the Doctor with the replica of Bill. Never fails to warm my heart.
Hallmark movie, is the best way I can explain it ↩︎
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Nardole gets a bit of a waffle ending. I feel like he’s just suddenly paired off with some random woman. It just feels a bit weak for him, I think.
I voted for Grace and Chang Lee, and Adelaide.
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I simply have more connection with Nardole and therefore I think his exit was great. I think it’s a great example of how the Doctor gives his companions new outlooks on life and seeing this comic relief character leave the Tardis in order to care for a bunch of people is really wholesome. On the complete other end of the spectrum, Adelaides departure is grim and horrifying, leading it to be one of the most memorable at least to me. Ruby’s just seemed like one of the most stock standard departures in all of the show.
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Two more where I vote for the ones who are companions. Though I’d have picked Nardole’s anyway. He doesn’t just get paired off like someone says above, he stays because he feels a duty to try to save those people, he’s come to care about them. He leaves as a hero, even though he’s likely fighting a losing battle. Without hope, etc. It’s a great ending for him.
Adelaide has a better character ending than Ruby Sunday, but Ruby is a companion, so gets my vote.
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It’s kind of insane when you look at lists of companions. That it seems like virtually anyone who 10 interacted with for an episode is considered a companion: Jackson Lake and Rosita, Lady Christina, Adelaide, Astrid
Are some of the characters great help the Doctor in the story etc yes but to be considered a companion is insane
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They’re all Companions, but it isn’t my intention to derail this thread, so I’ll simply say that I voted for Grace and Chang Lee and Adelaide Brooke.
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And don’t we know it 
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Nardole’s departure is genuinely one of the saddest in the show’s history. It makes me weep every time. Grace and Chang Lee are barely companions, and their departure is nothing special.
Adelaide isn’t a companion, but her final scene is brilliant, so it gets my vote
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I voted for Brooke too because it was more memorable/impactful than Ruby. Even though I don’t tend to think of her as a companion
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