Can I say all of them? Every companion exit has something that makes me love it.
Except for Leela’s. Leela deserved better.
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I had avoided saying Adric because I thought this was New Who but as people are giving classic examples too then…
Adric - a proper death exit (unlike the modern series penchant for killing companions off but then resurrecting them so they can travel the universe with their gf). I still think the ending of Earthshock is more powerful than it’s sometimes given credit for.
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Sitting there with his broken badge and no end music really drove it home. It was an impactful ending.
(Though probably more if you didn’t go into it knowing what was going to happen to him…)
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It’s the reactions of the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan which always get me. It’s a shame the style of classic Who meant that never really extended beyond a little but of Time-Flight.
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@BillFiler yeah but I really liked Dan. And the selfish bastard
And here we are. 
@deltaandthebannermen it’s cool this thread started out with nu who and you guys can expand. In Classic, I liked Romana’s exit and Susan’s
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If we’re going to get into classic…
I always have liked the way Tegan left. “It’s stopped being fun.” is a very valid reason to leave.
And on paper, Jo Grant getting married off is a pretty typical classic who companion departure, but it was sold so well…
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I love Dan. He is one of my favourite 2005 Who company:slightly_smiling_face: And I am going to say less is more and just wait for the inevitable flood of The Adventures of Dan and his Dog Box-sets from Big Finish 
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I hope so, I will sign off on listing or reading, watching, more Dan adventures.
. 
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Rose’s exit broke my heart, absolutely destroyed me for ages.
Martha’s was nice because it gave her agency and she could leave but come back again.
Donna’s exit broke my heart and destroyed me for even longer than Rose’s. Her agency was stripped away (although to be fair what else was the Doctor going to do?). The 60th anniversary fixed it for me though and her second exit was so beautiful.
Amy and Rory had too many exits, frankly (especially Rory lol). I liked their first exit in The God Complex. The other exit in Angels Take Manhattan was sad but didn’t destroy me like the others.
Clara also had too many near exits. But it lead to the greatest episode of Who ever. Then she left with her space girlfriend.
Bill’s exit destroyed her and me, and then she left with her space girlfriend.
Ryan and Graham’s exits bored me honestly, it was just nothing.
Dan had a pretty normal reaction to a life threatening situation but also a really boring exit.
Yaz exited without any real pushback and didn’t even get a kiss, what the heck? No space girlfriend for Yaz!!
But you’re all missing the best exit.
River Song.
First, when we first meet her. Then, the last time she meets the Doctor, before the Library. Both beautiful. Both heartbreaking.
I freaking love this show.
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That’s because this is companion exits. River doesn’t count 
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I think she counts as a companion…
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And now we can have the ‘who counts as a companion debate?’!!
Katarina’s death is actually really affecting and we’re lucky the clip exists. Peter Purves really sells it and it must have been shocking back in the day with Katarina clearly spending those few episodes as the new regular companion.
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Well technically, River is a Doctor and the Daughter of a companion so she’s part of the Tardis
Other than that, totaly dug her exit.
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Honestly, Ruby’s surprised me by making me more emotional than really any other–even though it sounds like she’s pretty much going to be back next season, so maybe it doesn’t count as an exit. Otherwise, Doomsday gets me every time… and Clara’s exit is also pretty masterful.
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Now that you mention it, Ruby’s non-exit kind of feels like Clara’s multiple possible exit stories like Last Christmas and Death in Heaven…
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I don’t think I really think it is the best exit, but certainly Susan’s exit really does move me. I just finished Dalek Invasion of Earth and I know a lot of people think marrying her off is silly and comes out of nowhere, but I don’t think it does, and I think her conflict about looking after the Doctor and feeling a stability she’s never known before is a lot more compelling than people want to give it credit for
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Coincidentally I watched Dalek Invasion of Earth a few days ago as well. (For the first time) And I totally agree. I understand the complaint against the trope of companions leaving, because they are getting married, but like you said, it totally makes sense for her. Also, unlike with other companions who left for this reason, I think Susan and David actually have chemistry together.
The context of the current season made her ending even more heartbreaking to me.
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The thing for me about Dalek Invasion of Earth is that there is a real sense that the events take place over time.
Most stories feel like the TARDIS crew shows up is around for a couple of hours, maybe a day or two, and then leaves. This one really feels like they’re there for months, like they really have time to get to know each other and develop feelings.
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Watching Susan’s departure slowly approach via the EU content has really enhanced her exit for me this time around. As for the point that those early adventures masterfully convey a sense of time passing, I wholeheartedly agree. It’s something I wish would occur more often in 21st century Who. Sure, we get things like a montage of Amy/Rory experiencing life away from the TARDIS now and then, but rarely do I feel as though modern Companions have travelled with the Doctor for the length of time they tell me has passed. In many of the Classic stories, you feel it.
Now as for favourite Companion exits from the revival, let’s go with Martha, Donna (the first one), and Clara for my first Group of Three, with Amy/Rory, River, and Bill in the second group, and Rose, Yaz, and oh, I don’t know, Astrid Peth in the third group.
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From another thread
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