IN CHARACTER

River prides herself on being brave, a product of how her life is filled with adventures. She portrays herself with a wild persona, someone that runs towards danger rather than away from it. Whilst some would see that as foolish River has enough faith in herself and her abilities to know that she will be able to get herself out of danger, being able to save those that are in trouble, rather than letting everyone die. River has learned not to show fear, something that the Doctor taught her, knowing that even if she feels afraid that showing such fear only helps their enemy rather than herself. She has become highly resourceful, having to use only the items on her or in the near vicinity in order to get herself out of danger. It has lead to her being creative both with resources and information, having to know when the best time to run or fight is, and how to disseminate relevant information to those that are around her. She is known as being very clever, a rare individual that is able to keep up with the Doctor's wild thoughts where few others can, helped by her knowledge of advanced science and temporal theory. She is very skilled, holding a doctorate in archaeology, five separate masters degrees as well as being an incredibly sharpshooter (even without looking at her target). Her vast knowledge of time and space travel, alien cultures and mechanics has assisted River in her survival.

Whilst River doesn't get attached to many people, a result of her upbringing and the life that she leads. Being a time traveller means that River doesn't stay in one place for very long, going to places that interest her or she's hired to dig up. That being said there are some people that have managed to worm their way into her life, most notably her parents and her husband. For them River has shown to be fiercely protective, trusting that they will help her if she's in trouble just as she will equally come to their rescue when they call. River would run into danger for those that she loves, even kill for them, though she hopes that no one sees some of her darker acts even if it is in their name. As well as protecting those that she loves River will also listen to them above anyone else, trusting their opinions about a situation even if she disagrees. River has held back on some of her actions if the Doctor has disapproved or believes there is a better way, trusting him above her own beliefs. When River was younger and 'wilder' she enjoyed the act of exploring more than getting involved, though her time with the Doctor, learning who she is and 'growing up' has helped River to develop into a more responsible person, someone that will put others first in order to help, sacrificing her adventure as she does.

Though River occasionally travels with the Doctor, sharing adventures and parts of their life together, she has spent much more of it alone. Whilst she makes acquaintances, even building herself a life at times, she doesn't often stick around for too long -- River has more that she wants to see or 'dig up'. She has had to learn to rely on her skills, knowing how to react in a situation and how to get herself out of trouble, particularly when she's usually gotten herself into it. Though River may sometimes have a team with her it is more than likely that she hasn't told them much, either of herself or the job, and whilst she may use them for their skills, equipment or a little bit of back up she doesn't trust them in a way that would have them save her life. River will protect them but she won't expect that they can save her. Though a lonely life it has helped River to become stronger, more skilled and more certain of who she is and what she can feasibly do, though sometimes she will overestimate her own capabilities.

Though River is very confident in her abilities some of this is a front. She is good at what she does, a skilled archaeologist that is sought out for her skills, having made substantial progress in the field. Someone with a big personality, very flirty and bold, much of this is a cover of her insecurities. Raised with one purpose, a hand-crafted psychopath made to kill the Doctor, River feels guilty about some of what she has done in her younger years. Many people have died and whilst she seeks atonement River doesn't believe herself worthy of positive affection. She grew up without knowing love and whilst she has found it now, having an intense love for the Doctor, River doesn't believe that he loves her. Some of that she deflects onto the fact that he is an "ageless god", almost placing him on a pedestal with her belief of him, she also doesn't know what it is like to be loved. As such, and perhaps in a way to compensate for what she is, River projects herself as bigger than life to protect herself from pain. She doesn't shy from what she is, a psychopath, someone to be feared, and has slowly come to accept it but it also doesn't stop herself from trying to change, to repent and to be someone else.

River lies. When River is with the Doctor and her parents she lies out of necessity, doing so to prevent them from finding out about events in their future (her past) before they are supposed to know them. Though River may wish that some things in her life were different she refuses to have one line of her life changed, knowing that the results would be unexpected -- if she gave herself back her childhood perhaps she wouldn't end up marrying the Doctor. It is something that River isn't willing to risk and thus lies to protect her life. It isn't the only time that River lies. As a time traveller, she can't tell the truth about who she is or why she's really there, lying again out of necessity. It's something that has become so familiar to her, a natural part of her existence that even when River can be truthful it has become harder to do. Lies are another cover, protecting people from seeing the truth about her, protecting herself from being hurt.

She has an incredibly strong will, something that has been present since River was a child. Raised by the Silence River was very afraid of what they wanted her to do, and what they did to her, and tried to run away from them, calling out for help before managing to flee. From here River kept running though the Silence caught up to her and forced her to carry out her mission -- to kill the Doctor. Given that River had fallen in love with him she tried to prevent this from happening. It should have been impossible, the suit she was in acting on its own, the moment being a fixed point in time that couldn't be changed, but River did. She overpowered the suit, stopping it from killing the Doctor and changing that event, though it resulted in time being broken. Even knowing that the universe was collapsing in on itself, all of time happening at once, River was determined not to undo the event -- it would mean killing the Doctor and whilst he was integral to the universe she also couldn't live without him being there or live with that action. It was only with the Doctor showing that he had another way that convinced River to undo that moment.

River is someone that is feared. As an associate of the Doctor, someone who prefers to give chances and reason rather than take action, it is assumed that River will be the same, as all of his companions follow his methods. After a Dalek shoots and is assumed to have killed the Doctor River begins to take aim at it, threatening to kill it. When it claims that she will show mercy she tells it "I'm River Song, check your records again" causing the Dalek to beg her to show mercy, knowing that her threat of death is not a threat but a certainty. River is particularly ruthless, very quick to act and equally quick to shoot and kill. She will kill without hesitation if it will protect those that she loves, or herself, and whilst she prefers the Doctor not to see her do this, knowing he disapproves, it doesn't stop her from still doing so. Though she was flirting with the Doctor, upping his estimate of how many Silents she would kill from 3 to 7, maybe 8, River proved that this was not just flirting but something that she was absolutely capable of doing, killing all of those in the room to allow the Doctor to rescue her mother.

At her core, she is a very cheeky person with a lot of pride in herself, her appearance, and knowing how to use it to her advantage. She will flirt to turn someone to her side, or play a 'weakened' version of herself to garner sympathy (or a misjudged appearance of herself), knowing how to skillfully play people's strengths and weaknesses to try and gain the upper hand in a situation wherever she can. With those that River feels comfortable around she is calm, kind and playful, easily engaging in banter with the Doctor and her parents, particularly if it is at the Doctor's expense. She knows when the moment is appropriate, quick to turn serious and more practical when the situation requires it and not afraid to tell someone to shut up. River relies on her experiences and skill to see her through knowing that, unless the Doctor is around, that she is usually someone's best hope of survival.

Despite all that River has learned throughout her life, despite trying to be more than what she was raised, River is a psychopath. Though she is personable and shows affection she also has little remorse, able to kill someone without a second thought and quickly moves on in a situation after someone has died, rather than showing sadness or upset over their death. It would be too easy to look at that and think that River was limited just by her upbringing and moulding into a psychopath. Though she can easily kill someone she only does so when tactically advantageous, in revenge or when someone is in danger. Though River doesn't show sadness when someone has died it's a compartmentalisation -- they're likely still in danger and she wants to save everybody else. After her parents died and the Doctor tried to comfort her she brushed him off, saying that it didn't matter even though it did, even though it hurt her deeply. River never had a proper childhood with them, instead spending a different childhood as their best friend, but grew to love them. Though she didn't show her sadness at that moment of their death it could have been in shock or the fact that River refuses to let the Doctor see her when she's hurt, having earlier told her mother that she never lets him see the damage, whether that is a physical or emotional pain. Though she is a psychopath she has built herself to be so much more than that -- finding love, feeling hurt from loss, working to become more than just an assassin. There are still a lot of flaws to her character, parts of herself that River does not like or isn't proud of, but she is more comfortable with who she is.