User:SOTO/Forum Archive/Tales from the Tardis/@comment-188432-20140327234318/@comment-188.102.246.124-20140403200833

I think we should all accept that the Doctor did love both - Rose and River. There's no point in arguing about that or starting a ship war. Both romances are part of the show, they are canon, whether we like it or not.

Of course, both women were so very different as characters and thus, naturally, was the relationship they had with the Time Lord. As a consequence there is hardly anyone who truly adores both possible pairings and that itself is okay. We're all entitled to our opinions and may find one of the two to be more convincing and to our liking than the other. I, too, must confess that while I have come to like the Doctor's and River's story to some extent, I prefer his and Rose's romance over it. But that's just a personal preference, nothing more than that. It doesn't change the fact that he loved both women. And it also doesn't change the fact that he might fall in love again - or maybe even did already, depending on whether one interprets his feelings and behaviour towards Clara to be love of the romantic kind.

He is a being that can live thousands of years, a creature that changes character and attitude with each regeneration. Nine and Ten loved Rose; Eleven loved River and maybe Clara. Four might have loved Sarah Jane. Most likely there will never be the One True partner for him (unless the BBC and the writers decided to wrap the show up once and for all and present an eternal soulmate Time Lady to us... which, quite frankly I hope won't ever happen) and I would be much happier if we, as the watchers and fans, could get to terms with that and thus end the ship wars that tear a crack through the fandom.

Who the Doctor liked best should never be a question as there cannot be an answer. Same goes btw. for this poll, if you ask me. Because there isn't just The One Most Important Companion of all times, no matter how much Clara was presented as being the one. The show will go on, others will come and just like his past companions they all will play their part in helping the Doctor. :)