The Fires of Pompeii marked Donna Noble’s first adventure in
the Tardis as the Doctor’s new companion and is really revealing for anyone
trying to work out what kind of companion Donna will be. The Doctor takes Donna
to ancient Italy with the intention of showing her Rome and filling her mind
with the wonders of time travel, however the Tardis lands in Pompeii instead on
the day of Vesuvius’ eruption.
We’re once again reminded in this episode of the horrible
events of the Doctor’s past when Donna presents him with the task of trying to
evacuate the people of Pompeii who they both know will die within a day. Donna
is outraged when the Doctor tells her that they can’t save the people and
exclaims “But that's what you do, you're the Doctor, you save people!” Which
leads the Doctor to explain that he just can’t.
