I Suddenly Remembered My Charlemagne

Elisabeth Sladen, Sarah Jane Smith has died of cancer.

I've been thinking about what to say. I've only really seen her in New Who (so, three episodes), and a bit of the Sarah Jane Adventures. But I loved her, oh, how I loved her. She's pretty much the entire reason why I think to myself on occasion "I should go back and watch Old!Who."

When a "real" person dies, you're sad because you knew them and now they're gone from your life. When a famous person dies, you're sad as a group, because she brought you all together, in one way or another. I don't really know much about Elisabeth Sladen. But I love Sarah Jane Smith.

Sarah Jane Smith managed to make a lasting first impression on me in an episode that also featured Anthony Stewart Head and talking robot dog.

Sarah Jane Smith helped me figure out how I felt about Rose.

Sarah Jane Smith cried when she heard the Daleks coming and, so help me, I thought it was The End.

One of my first impressions of Helen Magnus was "She reminds me of Sarah Jane Smith." And we all know how I feel about Helen Magnus.

She saved the world(s). A lot.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
We will remember them