Clara Oswald is one of the most unique companions ever seen in Doctor Who. Her first encounter with the Doctor came in the form of one of her many echoes scattered throughout time. Fans were left in the dark for nearly a year as to how this was possible, before her identity as the Impossible Girl was finally revealed.
The fact that Clara is the first companion to have technically met every Doctor – combined with her status as the show's longest-running companion since its 2005 revival – gave her plenty of compelling episodes. Whether it was with the Eleventh or Twelfth Doctor (or even the Tenth and War Doctor), these are her most popular.
10 The Zygon Inversion – 8.5
The second of a two-parter, "The Zygon Inversion" sees Bonnie – the leader of a group of the classic Who monsters, the Zygons – take the form of Clara as she tries to use the Osgood Box to launch a war between the 20 million Zygons on earth and the human race.
Even though Clara spends most of the episode out of action, she still plays an important role by communicating with the Doctor through her telepathic communication with Bonnie. It's a testimony to her sheer strength of will – one of Clara's greatest qualities. The core of the episode, however, is definitely more to do with the Doctor's impassioned speech about the weight he's had to carry since the Time War, a moment that truly solidifies the Twelfth Doctor as one of the greats.
9 Face The Raven – 8.5
A companion's death usually comes in the season finale, but "Face The Raven" – like much of Doctor Who's highly-rated ninth season – bucks the show's usual trend. Upon discovering that her friend Rigsy has a tattoo condemning him for a murder he didn't commit, Clara willingly takes on the mark herself – and ultimately dies for her bravery.
The Doctor is a man who can usually finesse his way out of any situation, and it's rare to see him so completely helpless. Clara's death is both frustrating and devastating. She dies not because of a cruel twist of fate, or an overpowered villain. Her death is her own brave, selfless choice, which is exactly what makes this episode so powerful.
8 Mummy On The Orient Express – 8.5
Poor Danny. Clara repeatedly (and often inadvertently) chooses the Doctor over her boyfriend during their time together, but never quite as emphatically as in "Mummy On The Orient Express".
Clara has pledged to give him up for good after one final adventure. Their trip to the Orient Express (in space, because why not?) goes awry when a mummy only seen by those about to die appears. It's a unique blend of horror and murder mystery that only Doctor Who could pull off, but it's the final scenes – in which Clara lies to both Danny and the Doctor in order to stay with the latter – that give it its heart.
7 Dark Water – 8.6
Despite all the monsters, aliens, and timey-wimey twists, it's humanity that defines Doctor Who. "Dark Water" features some of the rawest, maturest human emotions in the show. Devastated by Danny's death, Clara reaches her lowest point and betrays the Doctor in order to manipulate him to bring him back to life.
Her desperation is palpable, and all too relatable. This is the extent any resident of the TARDIS would be tempted to go to in the real world. Of course, this is exactly what makes the episode's twist that the dead are being converted into Cybermen so gut-wrenching. Sci-fi rarely gets so real about grief – especially a show that reaches such a young audience.
6 Hell Bent – 8.6
Clara's departure from Doctor Who serves a double punch. Having already died several episodes earlier, she's brought back to life by a Doctor drunk on grief and armed with Time Lord technology – only for her to have to walk away from him for good as together they are too dangerous a force for the universe to handle.
Companions rarely leave the Doctor willingly, so for Clara – arguably the companion he trusts and relates to most – to do so is a big deal and one of the saddest things about her character. There's a lot to love about the complex, frenzied emotions in this episode. The pinnacle is Clara's wistful goodbye to someone who can't even remember she was once the person he threatened to burn down the world to save.
5 Asylum Of The Daleks – 8.6
In her Doctor Who debut, Clara isn't even technically Clara. Instead, she is Oswin Oswald – the survivor of a crashed starliner whose brain refuses to accept the fact she was converted into a Dalek.
Oswin is later revealed to be one of Clara's many shadow selves throughout history, all dropped into timelines by Clara herself to keep the Doctor safe. If anything, this makes this episode's twist even more upsetting. Clara sacrifices a lot for the Doctor, more than even his most loyal companions. It's impossible to imagine the full scope of those choices – but if this episode is anything to go by, they were all pretty heartbreaking.
4 Listen – 8.9
Like all great episodes penned by Steven Moffat, "Listen" is simple yet terrifying. While the Doctor attempts to track down his idea of a monster tied to the universal childhood fear of a hand grabbing you from beneath the bed, Clara tries to juggle a bad date with her coworker, Danny.
The two storylines interweave perfectly, culminating in a moment that subtly but powerfully shifts Doctor Who lore. Transported to the Doctor's childhood on Gallifrey, Clara is revealed as the source of both his fear and the First Doctor's iconic line that "fear makes companions of us all." It's just another way Clara's relationship with the Doctor has defined his entire life, and pulls off the impressive feat of making a 2000-year-old alien seem so human.
3 The Name Of The Doctor – 9.0
The Doctor's real name has been a mystery since day one, but "The Name of the Doctor" is the closest the show's ever come to revealing the truth. His name is uttered to open the TARDIS and reveal his time stream, which the Great Intelligence plan to manipulate in revenge for the many defeats he has dealt them.
One thing they don't count on is Clara recklessly scattering herself through the Doctor's timeline to keep him safe. The Doctor pulls the original Clara out in time to save her, but they stumble upon another surprise: a previously unknown iteration, the War Doctor. It's twist after twist, but ties up several loose ends while unpicking others. This is Doctor Who drama at its grandest.
2 The Day Of The Doctor – 9.4
With half a century of historically fanatic prestige on its shoulders, there was a lot riding on the 50th anniversary special. "Day of the Doctor" smashed all expectations, uniting the Eleventh and Tenth Doctors with the freshly-unveiled War Doctor.
A line-up like that could have left Clara no room to shine. Instead, she acts as the conscience for three Doctors, convincing them to not detonate the Moment and destroy the Time Lords, and instead freeze Gallifrey in a pocket universe. Retconning is a risky business, but this move pays off. This episode treads the fine line of honoring the show's history while looking to its future and positioning Clara as a critical figure in the Doctor's life.
1 Heaven Sent – 9.6
"Heaven Sent" is very much a one-man-show, but Clara is still pivotal as it deals with the Doctor's struggle to process the emotional consequences of her death. Imprisoned in a confession dial for 4.5 billion years, he's stalked through an empty castle by a creature that eats truths and gradually solves the puzzles that trap him there.
What this episode really explores is the Doctor's immortality. Although this comes up a lot in Doctor Who, it's rarely addressed as explicitly – or as movingly – as this episode. The Doctor has lived through the deaths of numerous people he has cared for as deeply as Clara. Hers is the most recent, and definitely one of the hardest, but it won't be the last.
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