Mind-Blowing Doctor Who Plot Twist: Iconic Villain Resurfaces After 4 Decades & Teases Epic Season 14 Storyline!
Doctor Who resurrects a long-lost foe after four decades in a gripping short story, unraveling the haunting truth behind Tegan's tragic companion journey Could this unexpected return set the stage for an electrifying Season 14?
A classic villain from the Doctor Who series, who hasn't appeared for 40 years, is making a comeback in season 14. While the 60th anniversary specials won't be airing until November, a new webisode called "The Passenger" has been released online. This mini episode, written by Pete McTighe, takes place after the events of "The Power of the Doctor" and brings Tegan and Nyssa back together after a strange invitation leads them to a spooky fairground and a familiar blue box.
"The Passenger," a Doctor Who webisode, has been released to announce the inclusion of season 20 in the Doctor Who: The Collection Bluray range in 2023. This season includes a remastered version of the show's 20th anniversary special, "The Five Doctors," and the highly acclaimed episode "Snakedance." Serving as a sequel to an episode from season 19, "Kinda," the storyline reveals that the ancient evil called the Mara is still haunting Tegan's mind, causing chaos on its original home world, Manussa. The Fifth Doctor seemingly defeated the Mara in the end, but "The Passenger" suggests that this isn't the end of the story, hinting at a possible rematch with Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor.
"The Passenger" Reveals Doctor Who's Mara Never Left Tegan
The Mara is a malevolent entity that resides in the sinister realms known as the "Dark Places of the Inside" and possesses the ability to infiltrate the dreams of potential hosts. This is how it managed to infiltrate Tegan's mind when she visited the beautiful sanctuary of Deva Loka in the episode "Kinda". Despite the Doctor and his companions vanquishing the Mara twice before, "The Passenger" confirms that although its physical manifestations have been eradicated, it remains alive within Tegan's psyche. The Mara cunningly deceives Tegan by assuming the guise of the real Nyssa and the true TARDIS, luring her into reuniting with it and obtaining the corporeal form it so desperately craves.
Clues to this revelation were previously alluded to in Tegan's Doctor Who adventures outside the television series, particularly in a series of audio adventures featuring the Fifth Doctor, Tegan, Turlough, and a matured Nyssa who joined them after her departure in the episode "Terminus". In "The Passenger", Tegan confirms that she has not seen Nyssa since the events of "Terminus", solidifying the on-screen canon's affirmation of the Mara's enduring influence on her. Additionally, the episode unveils Tegan's ability to exert some control over this malevolent presence, providing it with a cautionary message upon awakening from her dream. This revelation showcases Tegan's significant triumphs while utilizing the Mara as a poignant metaphor for the struggles of depression.
Doctor Who Just Made Tegan's Entire Companion Story More Tragic
In the dream, Tegan sadly realizes that she didn't appreciate her time in the TARDIS enough. Throughout the Fifth Doctor era, it was a recurring joke that Tegan just wanted to go back to her job as an air hostess at Heathrow Airport. Even in Doctor Who season 7's "The Crimson Horror," the Eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith, referred to her as a "gobby Australian" and mentioned Heathrow. However, Tegan shouldn't be too hard on herself considering the challenges she faced, including her Aunt Vanessa's murder, a Dalek massacre, possession by the Mara, and the death of Adric. There wasn't much to appreciate in those circumstances.
What is truly tragic is that "The Passenger" reveals that Tegan hasn't been able to escape the Mara's influence. Despite her resilience and success in keeping it at bay, it serves as a reminder that the Doctor failed to protect her from this ancient evil. As the Fourteenth Doctor, played by David Tennant, reenters Donna Noble's life and hopefully repairs her tragic fate, perhaps the Fifteenth Doctor could finally rid Tegan of the Mara once and for all.
Will The Mara Return In Doctor Who Season 14?
Since encountering the three Doctors - one wearing a scarf, one with celery, and a woman - Tegan's appearance in "The Power of the Doctor" indicates that "The Passenger" takes place after this event. In Jodie Whittaker's final expedition, Tegan was unveiled as a UNIT operative, working under Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave). Towards the end of the episode, Kate hinted at the possibility of hiring more of the Doctor's past companions. With the return of Mel, a companion from the 1980s, for season 14, it wouldn't be surprising if Russell T Davies was considering bringing back other companions as well.
After "The Passenger" was posted on YouTube, Janet Fielding tweeted a somewhat playful response to a fan who asked if this meant Tegan would return for Doctor Who season 14.
The return of the Mara in "The Passenger" indicates that there is more to Tegan's story in Doctor Who. With the Mara still residing in her subconscious, there is a possibility for it to materialize in the future. Tegan may eventually succumb to temptation or the Mara's reappearance could be instigated by a religious extremist with a hidden agenda. They may abduct Tegan with the intent of unleashing the destructive spirit. In this scenario, Tegan would join forces with the Fifteenth Doctor to expel the Mara from her mind permanently, confining it back to the depths of her psyche known as the "Dark Places of the Inside."
