The Shocking Revelation: Doctor Who's Timeless Child Can Be Effortlessly Rewritten
Discovering a new narrative twist, Christopher Eccleston's latest story challenges the concept of the Timeless Child in Doctor Who, suggesting that alternate universe Doctors can meet and Jo Martin may represent a distinct Doctor rather than an earlier regeneration This article explores why Season 14 would benefit from a retcon of the Timeless Child
Summary
The Timeless Child storyline in Doctor Who was unpopular among audiences due to its disregard for established canon and beloved lore.
The Unbound Doctor from a parallel universe has revealed the existence of alternate versions of the Doctor, suggesting the Timeless Child could potentially be from a different universe.
In the upcoming 60th anniversary special, showrunner Russell T. Davies might have the chance to revise the Timeless Child storyline, which would be highly appreciated by numerous viewers.
The Timeless Child storyline completely disrupted the established backstory of The Doctor in Doctor Who. However, one of Christopher Eccleston's storylines can easily dismiss this. In the finale of Doctor Who season 12, it was revealed to the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and the viewers that the Time Lord race actually originated from The Doctor themselves. This revelation completely flipped the previous Doctor Who lore. The Doctor discovered that their lives had begun several regenerations before they could recall, and they were found as a child hidden beneath a wormhole. The show did not provide any explanation about the Timeless Child's home planet, so they were taken to Gallifrey to extract their biological template in order to create the Time Lord race.
Eccleston's portrayal as the Ninth Doctor lasted for one 13-episode season, and one story from this season can easily ignore The Timeless Child storyline. If this happens, Doctor Who will be retconning and erasing one of the most controversial and poorly conceived storylines in the modern era of the show. While Chris Chibnall, the previous showrunner, should be praised for his boldness, the Timeless Child storyline was widely disliked by audiences because it disregarded established canon and beloved lore. If the returning showrunner, Russell T. Davies, uses a new Ninth Doctor audio story from Big Finish to resolve the mess created by The Timeless Child story, it would be a promising start.
The Unbound Doctor Shows How Doctor Who Season 14 Can Retcon The Timeless Child
The Unbound universe originated through Doctor Who novels and audio stories produced by Big Finish, branching off from a deviation in the Third Doctor's timeline. In the televised series, the Doctor was exiled to Earth in the 1980s, but in an alternate reality, he was exiled to Hong Kong in 1997. This seemingly inconsequential change led to the creation of the Unbound Doctor and a whole new universe. The Unbound Doctor frequently traverses between parallel realities in an effort to save his dying universe, which is a consequence of the Time War. Unlike the original Doctor, the Unbound Doctor did not play a central role in the war and did not annihilate Gallifrey to protect the rest of the universe.
Through various audio and novelized stories, the Unbound Doctor has demonstrated that a hero can follow different paths in their mission to rescue the universe. In "The True Saviour of the Universe," the Doctor departs from his own universe to explore the universe of Bernice Summerfield, his companion. These stories depict the Unbound Doctor engaging in thrilling adventures alongside other versions of himself. For example, in one adventure, the Unbound Doctor aids the Sixth Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and his companion in preventing an individual from infecting the United Nations. The Unbound Doctor then supports the Sixth Doctor in his return to his own universe by providing TARDIS components. The Doctor's ability to travel between parallel universes suggests that The Timeless Child could potentially represent another version of the Doctor existing in a universe unrelated to Gallifrey and the Time Lords. It is also plausible that the Doctor is, in fact, The Timeless Child, who managed to escape to the prime universe after enduring mistreatment during their childhood, ultimately becoming the Doctor.
Jo Martin May Be A Completely Different Doctor (Not An Earlier Regeneration)
The Fugitive Doctor, portrayed by Jo Martin, stands out due to her distinct personality that sets her apart from previous iterations of the Doctor. She possesses a more aggressive and trigger-happy nature, evident in her modification of a stolen gun for protection, which inadvertently led to Gat's demise while holding her and the Thirteenth Doctor hostage. Unlike the "real" Doctor, who has always held a deep affection for humanity and Earth, the Fugitive Doctor displays less attachment to them. This Doctor exhibits a greater propensity for violence, as demonstrated by her confrontation with a Judoon platoon. Although she expresses disgust at her own actions, she was once an enforcer for Gallifrey.
Considering that neither the Doctor nor the Fugitive Doctor recall their experiences as each other, it strongly suggests that they may exist in separate timelines rather than being the same individual at different points. In due course, the Thirteenth Doctor acquires the biodata containing the missing memories of the Fugitive Doctor but deliberately chooses not to delve into them, thereby leaving the audience uncertain about the Fugitive Doctor's place within the Doctor's timeline. Furthermore, the episode "The Timeless Children" presents multiple versions of the Doctor, hinting that these incarnations preceded the Doctor's assumption of that title. However, the chronological order of these versions and the universe in which they originate are never explicitly confirmed. It is worth noting that all these memories are entrusted to the Thirteenth Doctor by the Master, a character known for manipulating the truth to deceive the Doctor.
Christopher Eccleston's New Story Proves Alternate Universe Doctors Can Meet
In the upcoming Big Finish audio story Once and Future: Time Lord Immemorial, the Ninth Doctor, injured and stranded at a Time Lord hospital, finds himself shifting between different incarnations. The display art for this Big Finish Doctor Who audiobook features the Unbound Doctor (David Warner), indicating that this will be a multi-Doctor adventure. This adventure establishes that Doctors from different universes can meet, suggesting the possibility of future encounters. As the Tenth Doctor once noted, during the era when the Time Lords closely monitored everything, one could easily navigate between realities and return in time for tea.
The audiobook's description also hints at the existence of the mythical Hall of the Time Lord Immemorial, where the sands of time from various universes are stored. This implies a connection to multiple universes and raises the potential for multiple versions of the Doctor interacting in future stories. Considering the upcoming 60th anniversary special, which will see the return of Donna Noble (Catherine Tate), it is even possible for the Meta-Crisis Doctor (David Tennant) to make an appearance. Once and Future: Time Lord Immemorial is set to be released in October, with this intriguing lore detail being unveiled just a month before the highly anticipated special.
Why Doctor Who Season 14 Would Be Better Off Retconning The Timeless Child
Russell T. Davies, the previous showrunner, will return to take over from Chris Chibnall for the 60th Anniversary special scheduled for November 2023. With Davies back at the helm, he might choose to disregard or challenge The Timeless Child storyline. Doctor Who has a history of altering significant lore, as evidenced by Davies rebooting the show in 2005 and killing off the Time Lord race in Eccleston's debut episode. Davies' successor, Steven Moffat, also made his own changes to the lore, saving the Time Lords from death in the 50th anniversary special.
In Doctor Who season 2, Davies introduced parallel universes, where characters like Rose Tyler and The Meta-Crisis Doctor existed. The show has demonstrated that multiple versions of individuals, not just the Doctor, can exist in these parallel universes. For example, Rose encountered a parallel version of her father, Pete. It has also been revealed that not every incarnation of the Doctor identifies as "the Doctor," as seen with The War Doctor (played by John Hurt). In an infinite universe, it is plausible that the ultimate hero can take on countless forms and variations. With numerous storylines to follow, it can sometimes be challenging for audiences to choose their favorite version of the Doctor.
The Doctor's fundamental character, irrespective of their different forms, stems from their upbringing on Gallifrey and their membership in Time Lord society. Acknowledging their role as the original Time Lord could profoundly impact the Doctor's perception of the universe. A defining aspect of the Doctor has always been their identity as a transient wanderer, aiding those in need along the way. By now being essentially the progenitor of an entire species in Doctor Who, it further emphasizes the notion that the Doctor is akin to a "deity," a label the character has always vehemently rejected. In order to maintain simplicity and preserve the essence of the Doctor, it is advisable to completely revise the Timeless Child narrative.
