The Doctor is fond of stating that he is the “Last of the Time Lords.” While we know this is not exactly true, one has to wonder how he would react to meeting another Time Lord on Doctor Who.
The Doctor, as he would have you believe, has quite the sad story. He is the Last of the Time Lords, or so he says, the only one of his kind left in the Universe. He had previously stated this based on the supposition that Gallifrey had been destroyed in the Time War, with all inhabitants being sent to a terrible death at his hands. As we learned, however, he managed to save Gallifrey, sending his home and the inhabitants somewhere, even if he is not certain where that would be.
What this means for the Doctor is that he may no longer be alone as the last Time Lord. Even though Missy certainly would count as a Time Lord, the Doctor seems to conveniently forget about her presence until she makes herself known once again. Still, Last of the Time Lords, right?
It has also seemed odd that, in his travels through time and space since the Time War (the Rani was around before this, and it is unclear what actually happened to her), he has yet to encounter another Time Lord besides the Master/Missy (other than in the pocket universe, of course). In the new incarnation of Doctor Who, this concept is something that is avoided like the plague. Why should the Doctor, our resident Time Lord, have to deal with another being who has the same abilities, unless it involves his frenemy?
More from Doctor Who
- Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who Christmas special is a “complete reinvention”
- Ncuti Gatwa is “so nervous” to take on Doctor Who role
- The Doctor and Donna are better than ever in “Wild Blue Yonder”
- Take the Black: House of the Dragon season 2 trailer hints, the Fallout show, and more
- Jodie Whittaker didn’t pick up on any of the hate for her version of the Doctor
It feels as though there is a major opportunity missing here on Doctor Who. With the Twelfth Doctor being the more cutting and sarcastic person that he is with humanity, seeing how he would interact with other members of his race would be interesting to see. Would the same level of snark be there if the Doctor was faced with another Time Lord? It somewhat has been with Missy, but would that attitude be reserved for her alone?
Even with Gallifrey being misplaced, the idea that every Time Lord disappeared along with the planet is quite bizarre. Quite simply, there has to be others out there, travelling among the stars and through the passages of time. Even if they do not want to be bothered, at some point, after all of these years, the Doctor would have likely run into one accidentally.
Next: The Chase: The Death of Doctor Who Revisted
Obviously, this does not mean that the Whoniverse needs to be bombarded with new Time Lords. However, in the Doctor’s travels, it has always seemed strange that he has not met one or two along the way. Bringing in a new Time Lord on Doctor Who would certainly add a different element, and one that may be worth exploring.