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The Doctor

Character » The Doctor appears in 1540 issues.

A Time Lord who travels through time and space, adventuring and righting wrongs.

Is the Doctor a superhero?

#1 Posted by delijoe79 (5 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

Hardcore Doctor Who fans refuse to call the Doctor a superhero, but it's obvious... I always think of him as essentially the British Superman, and considering what they did in the new series (destroying his home planet), he's becoming even more like superman...

#2 Posted by xerox_kitty (15758 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

He sure is super.  And he id definitely a hero.  But he is not a superhero.  He doesn't fly or travel through time without means of gadgets or the TARDIS.  And he doesn't wear his underwear on the outside. 

 

But he is definitely super :)

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#3 Posted by Full_Spectrum (1539 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

he can heal himself at will, and is over 900 years old. and he's got a sonic screwdriver. yep, he's a superhero.

#4 Posted by xerox_kitty (15758 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@Full_Spectrum said:
"he can heal himself at will, and is over 900 years old."
And he has two hearts, but that just proves that he's a Time Lord.  Besides, he can't 'heal himself'.  He regenerates his entire body instead of dying.
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#5 Posted by delijoe79 (5 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@xerox-kitty:  
 
Actually he has superhuman healing abilities besides his ability to regenerate.  Also, is wearing tights somehow required to be a superhero?  And so what if he relies on gadgets, so does batman...
#6 Posted by Doctor!!!!! (2053 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

The Doctor is no mere super hero.................Hes a Lonely God!
#7 Posted by PrinceIMC (5340 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

I don't think he's a superhero. He doesn't go around specifically looking to right wrongs and fight villains. He's just travelling and happens to find situations that need his help. He does inspire people to be heroes though.
#8 Posted by iLLituracy (13522 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

He could be seen as such, but seeing as how he doesn't wear tights or really have a secret identity [unless you count his real name] then no.

#9 Edited by Kamen Rider Kajiki (1388 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@delijoe79 said:

" @xerox-kitty:     Actually he has superhuman healing abilities besides his ability to regenerate.  Also, is wearing tights somehow required to be a superhero?  And so what if he relies on gadgets, so does batman... "

His healing abilities are part of his regeneration ability so how is that any different from what Xerox said?. These so-called ''super powers'' you guys attribute to him is normal for his species which beats the purpose of it being super. This is the same reason why I refuse to say that Superman has Super powers because he isn't a human and every Kryptonian exposed to the yellow sun could get those powers.
#10 Posted by Emperor Gonzo Noir (19681 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

He's more of an adventurer 

#11 Posted by joshmightbe (19466 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@Kamen Rider Kajiki: by that logic superman wouldn't be a super hero given that all his abilities are natural to all kryptonians under a yellow sun
#12 Posted by War Killer (17688 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

He's cool, The Doctor's cool. And that's good enough for me :P

#13 Posted by darth_brendroid (1717 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@Emperor Gonzo Noir:
Yeah, he's more of an adventurer. That's the key difference I think; his main objective in life is to pretty much travel the cosmos. If he finds evil there, he deals with it because it's the right thing to do. Superman on the other hand, and Batman, have made their main objectives to fight crime/evil/be lights for the human race. They set out to be heroes fighting for what's right, the Doctor just does that on the side.
#14 Posted by Kamen Rider Kajiki (1388 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@joshmightbe said:
" @Kamen Rider Kajiki: by that logic superman wouldn't be a super hero given that all his abilities are natural to all kryptonians under a yellow sun "
If you consider Batman a Superhero and not just a vigilant, you could still consider Superman a Superhero too. Since he has a secret Identity and a costume.
#15 Posted by Agent9149 (2841 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

i think hes just a doctor

#16 Posted by delijoe79 (5 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

Really what's the definition of a superhero anyway.... IMO, there's only 2...
 
You have to be SUPER... either have superhuman abilities or have access to tech or magic that gives you those abilities...
You have to be a HERO... being actively involved in helping/saving innocent people...
 
The Doctor definitely qualifies in my book.  Just because he's a traveler doesn't make a difference.  He's probably saved the universe, the earth, and countless other planets more then Superman did.

#17 Posted by darth_brendroid (1717 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@delijoe79:
Wait. The Doctor has superhuman abilities, yes? Or at least tech that gives him those abilities? Could you please detail exactly what abilities you're thinking of, and as a matter of personal interest how exposed are you to the Doctor Who universe?
#18 Posted by darth_brendroid (1717 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

Also, a Google search offers these definitions: 
 
A superhero is a type of stock character possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers" and dedicated to protecting the public. 
Any kind of fantasy fiction crime-fighting character, often with supernatural powers or equipment 
 
The rest were for rock bands and movies and stuff. 
#19 Posted by delijoe79 (5 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio

Do you really want me to list all of the Doctor's abilities? I've seen every episode since 1963 btw so my exposure to the universe is pretty darn good.... lets see... 
 
Ability to cheat death by regenerating body into a different form 
rapid healing ability 
ability to go long periods without breathing 
superhuman intelligence 
mastery of all aspects of time and temporal mechanics 
mind control powers 
 
and thats just his innate abilities... his sonic screwdriver can: 
 
open any lock except wooden or deadlocked  
remotely control or disrupt nearly any mechanical or electronic device 
can be used as a sensor to pretty much detect anything 
 
The TARDIS can: 
 
Travel to any point in space and time 
Tow whole planets across the universe 
Travel to parallel universes 
Nearly indestructible shielding 
and countless other abilities as the plot requires.. 
 
The Doctor is actually more like a god then anything else... but regardless hes definitely a super hero

#20 Posted by darth_brendroid (1717 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@delijoe79:
Ability to cheat death; granted. 
Rapid healing ability; is that really so much an ability or more a part of his biology? Same with the breathing thing. Superman's powers are ability's because he's able to do them under the yellow sun, therefore he is able to perform them. These seem more like how blood coagulates for humans; a normal process that just happens. 
Uh, I'd probably put that down more to good IQ + coming from a highly advanced civilisation. 
I wouldn't really say that, I'd say he's just got a good grasp of it. 
Where did you get that? He's used hypnosis on occasion, which is something humans do, and he has limited telepathy but nothing beyond that. 
 
His sonic screwdriver does do that. My torch turns on and off. Does that make me a superhero; I can see in the dark? 
 
The TARDIS is a ship. A Time-Space ship that I presume would be capable of limited manipulation of the time and space around it (allowing it to enter and leave the Time Vortex), but a ship nonetheless. 
 
My verdict is that he's as much a superhero as Sherlock Holmes or Spock (however my exposure to Star Trek is far more limited than my exposure to Doctor Who).
 
Sources: Almost all extant Doctor Who episodes from 1963-2010, plus photonovel recreations of some lost Hartnell+Troughton episodes. Research into the history of the Doctor Who series both on screen and behind as well.
#21 Posted by Constantine (15840 posts) - 2 years, 3 months ago - Show Bio
@delijoe79 said:
" @xerox-kitty:     Actually he has superhuman healing abilities besides his ability to regenerate.  "
where did you get that from?
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