The Doctor vs. Gandalf

GWC Community Geek Deathmatch
#1

It may seem like its an odd paring but they are both very similar.

Both are really smart. Both have fought against overwhelming odds. Both are truly loved by their companions. Both also tend to leave behind their companions often and are at times willing to sacrifice them for the greater good. Both have died and been resurrected.

Now this is just a one on one battle. No bringing in companions. But they have full use of all their abilities. Gandalf is at the height of his magical powers and the Doctor has full use of all his toys psychic paper/Sonic Screwdriver/TARDIS etc. And lets say for the sake of it its the 10th Doctor.

Who wins.

Let the battle begin.

#2

The 10th Doctor wins all battles end of story.

#3

Oh this is hard… because I love them both! The 10th Doctor has had a lot of weak moments, though… and Gandalf the White was mostly just awesome. Hm. So even though the 10th Doctor is my Doctor, I’ll go for Gandalf.

#4

I’m reminded when the 10th doctor fought the carrionites in “The Shakespear Code” and said “You might call that magic I call it a DNA replication module.”

I think he could recognize whatever Gandalf threw at him as some form of science he could counter :). So my vote goes to The Doctor.

#5

Realistically (?!?!) Gandalf should walk this, anyone who can face down a Balrog should pulp the Doctor.

However, the Doctor has an inate abbillty (provided by the writters) to win any situation no matter how unlikely and bizare the odds against him. So while all logic suggests Gandalf, experience says the Doctor will find a way.

#6

When in doubt, go with the god.

#7

The Doctor did fight what is essentially Satan…and tossed him into a black hole

#8

This battle just made me sad. Pitting these two great characters against each other in some bad-“Heroes”-episode scenario seems so unrealistic. Both should be smart enough to find a way not to fight each other. So, following the rules of the game, I couldn’t see either fighting the other to the death. Draw.

That being said, this got me to thinking what might actually place these two wise protagonists on opposing sides, and all I could come up with was… Time.

Remember, in Gandalf’s world, magic is in decline and the age of man is dawning. No real reason is given. It just seems an inevitability.

From this, we know that the age of magic is finite, while the following age of science is theoretically infinite.

So using the infinite monkeys and typewriters model, I dispersed an infinite number of Gandalfs and Doctors battling throughout time and surmised that The Good Doctor would win all but those during the age of magic. (he might even win a few of those) So I had to give my vote it to The Doctor in the end. Even though I was breaking the rules, it was the only way I could see to arrive at an answer.

#9

Looking at the evidence I’m going to have to go with the Doctor even though I like Gand better.

#10

Whereas The Doctor strikes me as at a breaking point (I still haven’t seen End of Time) - Gandalf is more able to overcome failure (I mean, he comes back as the White! which is the version we’re talking about).

And in terms of The Doctor throwing Satan down… well, Gandalf threw down the Balrog, too. And was instrumental in the downfall of Sauron, who sucks big time.

#11

I think your reasoning is flawed.

If we’re talking about comebacks, The Doctor ouranks more or less everyone else in Sci Fi and fantasy at 10 resurections and counting. To say nothing of numerous near death close shaves that didn’t result in regeneration.

I think he’s defeated Satan on several occasions now (The Daemons comes immediately to mind and I’m pretty sure there are others)

He’s also overthrown a metric sh**load of varying dictators, evil geniuses, demi-gods, emperors, warlords, monsters, armies and more generally bad people than you can shake any number of sticks at.

On the other hand Gandalf smokes a pipe, which gives him some gravitas.

:smiley:

#12

You keep using that word. I don’t think it means what you think it means.

#13

Only time I can think of is when they were on that ship orbiting the black hole…and that demon “claimed” to be satan.

#14

Inconceivable!

#15

Well you have to factor in that within the Dr Who universe nearly any supernatural/religious thing ends up just being advanced science or an alien species, i.e. the Arthur C Clarke gambit.

The Satan Pit is the episode you’re thinking about.

In The Daemons the Third Doctor defeated Azal, who was a/the Devil (or rather an alien that humans saw as the Devil)

I’m pretty sure there are others too. e.g. The Fourth Doctor defeated Sutekh who was a powerful and evil alien that was the influence for humans creating the Egyptian gods (specifically Set). Scaroth in City of Death had a similar story.

A lot of this sort of thing goes on in Dr Who.

ETA: Having just checked, The Doctor specifically says that Sutekh, the destroyer of worlds, was another image of Satan (Set and Satan apparently being the same thing), in fact there are a lot of parallels between Sutekh and the Beast in Satan pit, not least of which being the same actor providing thier voices!

There was also Abbadon in Torchwood, although it was Captain Jack who got that one, and Sarah Jane Smith did for Horath who again was a very similar creature. They would appear to be all over the place! :slight_smile:

#16

While I did vote for the Doctor most of youse are missing one of the Doctors biggest flaws against Gandalf. His Soinc Screwdriver does not work on wood for some reason. But he does still have the Tardis and 9 previous lives of experience to back him up. And I personally think the Daleks and Weeping Angels are far scarier than the Balrog. And really The Master is up there with Sauron in terms of evil deeds and power…but on a universal scale.

#17

Also I would have to say that the Doctor is much smarter than Gandalf - mostly because he’s much smarter that just about everyone (the one exception being The Master and possibly DoctorDonna). That’s got to be a bonus.

#18

Perhaps I didn’t articulate this, but I guess I feel like the Doctor’s situation is rigged - he’s always written in such a way that no matter what he faces, he wins (except for when he regenerates… but we all know why that happens :p). The fact that Gandalf can fall and return, basically from the dead, works better for me. I guess it’s a preference of story-telling style.

#19

After reading the debate, I just voted Gandalf. Regeneration based on RL casting loses to story-based resurrection.

But, honestly I haven’t seen enuf Dr. to know his true level of awesomeness. I’ve just seen the last few episodes of the DoctorDonna arc and I’m guessing people will tell me not to base my assumptions on just that. d:

Nevertheless, it is done. d:

#20

As much as I like both these people here. First we have not seen too much of what a White can do. Granted he pulled the King out of the spell he was in. Also the blinding light charge was fun to. Now as for the Doctor he was already the greatest Earth Wizard cough MERLIN cough. So I still say the edge goes to the Doctor. Now would there really be a fight to the death, i doubt that. More then likely they would meet and while regaling each other with stories. The competitiveness would come out. And the challenge is on.