User:SOTO/Forum Archive/Tales from the Tardis/@comment-188432-20140327234318/@comment-4028641-20140527001547

One of my least favorite arguments that I hear about Clara goes something like "she just doesn't have enough character development." The argument is often used and I dislike for both the reasons that it isn't true and it doesn't matter.

When Clara first met the Doctor, he was a stranger that she didn't know in any way, and she was forced (in a way) into traveling with him. This is a contrast to past companions in that the Doctor specifically was seeking her, and that she didn't have much of a reason to trust him. Throughout the season, we saw multiple instances where Clara questioned the Doctor's motives, as well as what kind of person he was. It wasn't until she learned the truth and she saw him dying before her own eyes that she learned to trust him. This is a huge character change that was both fantastically done and subtle enough to be realistic.

Compare her to Rose, where writers essentially just changed her character from "we're having an adventure" to "gee, I'm in love" in two episodes because they were tired of competent writing and because Billie was leaving. By contrast, Clara's interest (of a girl who never brings up her emotions because of the fear that she holds over what they might do) is a much more interesting relationship. In fact, I would argue that every companion past Rose has had better writing and characterization than her... With the exception of Astrid. Clara is by far superior in this range, and every, particularly compared to Rose...