There have been many theories flying around regarding Doctor Who’s biggest twist yet. But showrunner Chris Chibnall has shot one of them down already.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of Sunday’s episode of Doctor Who – and indeed, the whole of Series 12 so far – was the revelation of a new Doctor. While Jo Martin was initially playing the character of Ruth, a seemingly ordinary woman from 21st century Gloucester, it was revealed that she was actually a previously unknown incarnation of the Doctor in disguise. Unknown even to the Thirteenth Doctor, as played by Jodie Whittaker.
Fugitive of the Judoon seemed to rule out that she was from our Doctor’s future. So is she from an alternative universe? Apparently not, according to showrunner Chris Chibnall, as he revealed to The Mirror.
"The important thing to say is – she is definitively the Doctor. There’s not a sort of parallel universe going on, there’s no tricks. Jo Martin is the Doctor, that’s why we gave her the credit at the end which all new Doctors have the first time you see them. John Hurt got that credit."
A forgotten incarnation?
Chibnall is of course referring to the shock cliffhanger at the end of The Name of the Doctor back in 2013. While we had believed that Christopher Eccleston was the ninth incarnation of the Time Lord, it was revealed that there was one incarnation – played by John Hurt – that we didn’t know about. One that the Doctor had kept secret about due to their role in ending the Time War.
But the new incarnation played by Jo Martin is even bigger. Because if she isn’t from a parallel universe, then she’s a past incarnation that even the Doctor doesn’t remember. But how? And why? Chris Chibnall is promising that the answers are coming, though perhaps not all at once.
"There will be answers to some of these mysteries this series. But as ever with Doctor Who, answers often reveal new questions. It’s all very deliberate."
More from Winter is Coming
- For All Mankind finally gives us information in Episode 405, “Goldilocks”
- Watch a stunning VFX breakdown of The Wheel of Time season 2
- Of course Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon) thinks Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen) should rule Westeros
- Confirmed: The Last of Us season 2 will air in 2025
- Final season of Star Trek: Discovery will have “a lot of action, a lot of adventure, a lot of fun”
However, he also lets the fans know that he is aware of the show’s mythology, and while this new twist is set to shake things up, he has no plans of ignoring it.
"I’m very aware of the history and very aware of the continuity. It’s a delightful thing. But stories are ongoing pieces of fiction. They develop and evolve. My job is to be bold with the storytelling and have fun."
Let’s hope that this bold new twist works well and does respect the show’s legacy, as he’s promising. Regardless, along with Captain Jack’s return in the very same episode, this is definitely one of the most talked about surprises of the show in years. We’re definitely eager to see how this story unfolds over Series 12’s remaining episodes.
What are your theories on Jo Martin’s Doctor? Do you believe Chris Chibnall’s claim that she isn’t from another universe? Is there another explanation that we haven’t thought of? Let us know in the comments below.