From Time Lord to Time Lord: How the First Doctor Would React to the Tenth Doctor

In the vast expanse of time and space, the Doctors of the long-lived and timeless Time Lords navigate the boundless universe, each with their own unique traits, quirks, and personalities. Steven Moffat once famously stated, "The first Doctor would be shocked and probably a bit disgusted. He would look at his tenth incarnation and ask, 'What in God's name have I become.'" We can only imagine what the First Doctor's reaction would be if he appeared before the Tenth Doctor, striding with confidence and rebellion, complete with a rebel without a cause attitude famously called "heroic badness."

Dismissing and Sarcastic Remarks

Based on the first Doctor's past experiences, he would likely make dismissive and sarcastic remarks. When the first Doctor met the second and third Doctors, he famously said, "Oh, so you're my replacements. A dandy and a clown." If the first Doctor met the tenth, his response might be something along the lines of, "Damn. I'm going to be REALLY good-looking in around 800 years! And who's that blonde chick with him? I wonder what happens between us..."

Disdain and Lack of Respect

It's highly probable that the first Doctor would outwardly show disdain and a marked lack of respect for the tenth Doctor's appearance, specifically the bow-tie. While the first Doctor appeared older, he was much younger in spirit, treating his later incarnations somewhat like fools who were invariably wrong while he was inherently right. The first Doctor refers to his younger counterparts as "clown" and "dandy," indicating a clear disdain and a hard time getting along with them. This suggests that each newer incarnation perceives themselves as correct and their elders as flawed and foolish, a deep-seated misconception of youth that is challenging to overcome.

Patronization and Compassion

While the first Doctor might see the tenth Doctor as a younger, more stubborn and less capable version of himself, he would likely be slightly confused by his energy and demeanor. However, the first Doctor might also see the compassion and wisdom within the tenth Doctor. Similar to how he treated the second Doctor in "The Three Doctors" and "The Five Doctors," the first Doctor would likely treat the tenth with a mixture of patronizing condescension and approval, acknowledging the tenth Doctor's potential while implying his younger self was better.

Interaction with Later Doctors

The eleventh Doctor, portrayed by Matt Smith, is probably most similar to the second Doctor in outlook, and Matt Smith explicitly drew inspiration from Patrick Troughton's portrayal. The first Doctor would likely treat the eleventh Doctor much like he treats the second in "The Three Doctors" and "The Five Doctors, " but with a more patronizing attitude due to Eleven's apparent youth. On the other hand, the twelfth Doctor, played by Peter Capaldi, is much more temperamentally close to the first Doctor. Capaldi even mimicked one of Hartnell's characteristic gestures when he was announced, suggesting a deep kinship. The first Doctor and the twelfth Doctor would likely hate each other on sight until faced with a problem where they would simultaneously offer the same solution, bickering about who thought of it first, much like two old rivals.