So, I just finished The Ends of Time! Such a great ending! I was glad that he got to go back to save/improve the lives of each of his companions, even though he did see them not too many episodes before that all together. It shows you that his ‘reward’ was to help his ‘family’ and see the people he loved just one more time before his regeneration. Also, for him, the time between seeing his companions was a much longer timeline as he put off seeing the Ood Sigma for a while even after he was summoned.
I agree that the TARDIS was damaged because he held off his regeneration. It would also explain how he regenerated so quickly and didn’t have the ‘healing and burping’ time that the regeneration from 9 to 10 took where he was out for a good bit of the episode before he could function properly, and this time he pretty much turned around and was good to go. All of the energy would have blasted him and what’s done is done (or regenerated).
Well, here’s to me hoping to meet the 11th Doctor before the new series comes out end of April. I was sold on the 9th Doctor right away, 10 had to earn it, but still stole my heart so I’ll be interested to see how I like the next Doctor.