While some Doctor Who theories eventually became fact or were confirmed as true, many were likewise debunked by the iconic TV show. Doctor Who‘s audiences have always been enthusiastic, and many are keen to create their own ideas for the show’s future based on canonical events. Although some Doctor Who theories haven’t been confirmed or denied, many are shut down when certain details come to light that prove these concepts to be incorrect.
However, several of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time were so engaging that they made audiences wish for the next plot twist or massive reveal to play out in a certain way. From time to time, a few wild Doctor Who theories end up being true, which only fuels viewers to keep theorizing about their favorite characters and storylines. From the secret identities of the Master to the hidden parentage of particular companions, these Doctor Who theories were sadly disproven.
10
Rory Williams Is The Master
Audiences Often Thought New Characters Were The Doctor Who Villain
There have been many theories about characters being a new incarnation of the Master in Doctor Who, but one of the most ludicrous was the possibility of Rory Williams being the villainous Time Lord. While the show never explicitly stated that Amy’s husband wasn’t the Master, it has also been over 13 years since the Ponds bowed out in “The Angels Take Manhattan,” and no other version of the Master ever mentioned traveling in the TARDIS as Rory. Several other story arcs tied to Rory disprove this as well.
If Rory was the Master, it’d be very strange that there wasn’t any mention of Doctor Who‘s River Song being the Time Lord’s daughter. River may have Time Lord DNA, but this is because she was conceived while the TARDIS was in the Time Vortex, not because of her parentage. Additionally, it would be baffling if Rory spent years traveling with Amy in the TARDIS and did not attempt to ruin the Doctor’s life; it would be ridiculously out of character for the Master. While this was an inventive theory, there isn’t enough evidence to support it.
9
Susan Twist Is The Doctor’s Granddaughter
The Mysterious Doctor Who Season 14 Character Wasn’t Susan Foreman, Despite The Shared Name
Audiences have been desperate to see the return of the Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan Foreman, since her departure way back during Doctor Who‘s classic era. So, when the name Susan Twist was spotted in the credits, many picked up on this detail. This theory grew exponentially as Twist made cameos in several episodes, strangely crossing paths with the Doctor and Ruby across time and space. “There’s always a twist at the end” became the motto for season 14, and considering the name, it was logical viewers thought Susan was coming back.
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However, when the Doctor meets the original version of this character, Susan Triad, the Time Lord doesn’t think she is his granddaughter. Even Doctor Who‘s UNIT theorizes that Triad is possibly Susan Foreman, but the Doctor ends up being correct. Different versions of Triad were dispersed across time by Sutekh, and the unknowing woman was ultimately used as a servant to the God of Death in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday.” Although it wasn’t made clear why Triad’s name or appearance was chosen, the Doctor’s confirmation that she isn’t his granddaughter was enough to shut this theory down.
8
Donna Noble Picked Up The Master’s Ring
The Reality Was Rather Disappointing For Doctor Who Fans
The idea that Donna Noble is the one to pick up the Saxon Master’s ring at the end of the season 3 episode “Last of the Time Lords” is hilarious looking back, but at the time, many believed this could be the case. The main issue with this theory, while it was an intriguing one, was that it was difficult for those who believed it to explain why Donna would suddenly work with the Master. Some thought that the Master had tracked her down after arriving on Earth in “The Sound of Drums” and coerced her.
While this wasn’t impossible, Donna is stubborn and wouldn’t just fall for the Master’s tricks, regardless of his hypnotic qualities. It made some sense that viewers thought it was Donna, considering she was a one-off Doctor Who companion before Martha joined Team TARDIS. It was also announced that Catherine Tate was returning as Donna just one month after “Last of the Time Lords” aired. Unfortunately, the true identity of who picked up the ring was rather anticlimactic.
7
Clara Is The Doctor & River’s Daughter
The Parents Of Jenna Coleman’s Character Are Not The Time Lord & His Wife
The theory that Clara Oswald was the Doctor and River’s child was also a wild one, and despite the companion’s parents appearing in a flashback scene in “The Rings of Akhaten,” it’s a theory many are still trying to push today. Many believed this theory after the Pond era ended, and the Eleventh Doctor met Clara properly for the first time in season 7, but it was even more widespread after viewers thought that the relationship between her and the Twelfth Doctor resembled a father-daughter bond.
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Steven Moffat’s Doctor Who episodes and storylines are often convoluted, and even if Clara wasn’t aware of her parentage, there’s no way the showrunner would have established the companion’s very obvious crush on the Eleventh Doctor if that was his plan. The theory was understandable, though, considering the Melody Pond reveal in season 6. However, it would have been even more baffling for Moffat to pull the same plot twist twice.
6
Ashildr Is Romana
Maisie Williams’ Mysterious Character Wasn’t The Doctor’s Old Friend
Ashildr, also known as Me, in Doctor Who‘s season 9 arc was an interesting addition to the show. It wasn’t unusual for viewers to start theorizing that a new personality was somehow connected to a past character, especially a Time Lord. While the Rani was often the go-to choice for these theories, many believed that Ashildr was actually Romana. This was mainly because Ashildr was seen with lion-like creatures in season 9’s trailer, and many thought they were the Tharils with a Doctor Who monster redesign.
Romana famously stayed behind to help the Tharils rebuild in the Doctor Who classic-era serial “Warriors’ Gate,” so this connection made sense. However, these creatures ended up being Leonians, a completely different species. This theory is debunked throughout Ashildr’s arc, and even though she is Doctor Who‘s Hybrid and works with the Time Lords to trap the Doctor, she isn’t Romana. Ashildr was a human brought back to life and made immortal, and even if she had been Romana in disguise, unaware of her own identity, the Doctor would’ve clocked her Time Lord DNA while reviving her.
5
Omega Is Behind The Silence
Many Thought Gallifrey’s Engineer Orchestrated The Doctor’s Murder
The Silence in Doctor Who are the main overarching villains throughout Matt Smith’s era as the Doctor, and some viewers believed that the classic era Time Lord Omega was actually behind them. The Omega symbol appears several times throughout the Eleventh Doctor’s seasons, like on Melody Pond’s cot in “A Good Man Goes to War,” for example. Even though the Doctor killed Omega with the matter conversion gun, Doctor Who continuously proves it is possible for Time Lords to come back. So it was theorized that as revenge, Omega organized Melody’s kidnapping and brainwashing.
There was a lot of speculation as to who and what the Silence exactly were, especially as audiences didn’t see them physically until season 6’s premiere episode. It wasn’t until the Ponds were long gone that viewers finally got an answer to this theory; in “The Name of the Doctor,” it is revealed that the Silence was actually a religious group who are trying to stop the titular Time Lord from revealing his name. The group was formed by Tasha Lem, Mother Superious of the Papal Mainframe, which proved Omega wasn’t the true mastermind.
4
The Monks Are Actually Cybermen
Fans Thought The Monks Were An Early Incarnation Of The Famous Doctor Villains
In the lead-up to the release of Doctor Who season 10, it was relatively common knowledge that the Mondasian Cybermen were making a comeback. While the Cybermen’s origins in Doctor Who are often rewritten, viewers of the show’s classic era remembered this version as the original, so their return was a hugely exciting moment for many. Season 10 also introduced the enigmatic Monks, which sparked speculation in the fandom that the new monsters were the Mondasian Cybermen.
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While some believed the Monks were simply the Cybers in disguise, and their dried-out appearance was what lay underneath the white face covering, most thought that they were pre-conversions. However, “The Pyramid at the End of the World” establishes that the Monks are actually shapeshifting humanoids who created a virtual simulation to plot out a heinous Doctor Who invasion of Earth. While this theory was definitely intriguing, and one that had some traction, it was unfortunately also incorrect.
3
Maestro Is The Master
Jinkx Monsoon’s Character Was Actually A Part Of The Pantheon
The excitement for a new era of Doctor Who was like no other, and not just because of Ncuti Gatwa’s first full season as the titular Doctor. The announcement that RuPaul’s Drag Race two-time winner was joining the cast of season 14 was fantastic, and when the show confirmed that Jinkx Monsoon’s Doctor Who character was named Maestro, theories were quickly formed. Naturally, audiences thought Monsoon was the Master, especially as “The Giggle” set up the Time Lord’s return to Doctor Who via the Toymaker’s gold tooth.
While it made sense that Maestro was connected to music, the word is also used to refer to a master of something. When Monsoon debuted in “The Devil’s Chord,” however, it was shockingly revealed that Maestro was actually one of the gods of Doctor Who‘s Pantheon. Considering the Toymaker’s return shortly beforehand, it was truly unexpected to see yet another Pantheon god so quickly. This wasn’t a bad thing, although many were disappointed that the Master wasn’t coming back as soon as was hoped for.
2
Adam Mitchell Is Davros
Adam’s Forehead Alterations Resembled The Creator Of The Daleks
Adam Mitchell’s short-lived run as a companion during the Ninth Doctor’s era results in him being kicked out of the TARDIS in the season 1 episode “The Long Game.” During his visit to Satellite Five, Adam has a computer interface inserted, which leaves his brain exposed. This looks eerily similar to the original design of the creator of Doctor Who‘s Daleks, Davros. Out of many Doctor Who theories, this one was more logical than most, but was ultimately disproved by the show’s canon and additional media.
The Twelfth Doctor encounters Davros as a child in the two-parter “The Magician’s Apprentice,” which confirms the villain isn’t Adam. In fact, Adam became his own antagonist. Several Doctor Who stories that weren’t on TV, like the Big Finish audio dramas, prose stories, and comics, established a new narrative for Adam, who is hell-bent on getting revenge on the Doctor for leaving him on Earth. Because of the technology he possesses, Adam essentially lives in the shadows and becomes a recluse, having to keep to himself to avoid being found out.
1
The Eleventh Doctor Is Melody Pond’s Father
Viewers Were Convinced Amy Cheated On Rory
While it’s hard now to imagine River as anyone other than the Doctor’s wife and Amy and Rory’s daughter, many thought for a long time that the Eleventh Doctor was actually Melody Pond’s biological father, elevating it to one of the biggest Doctor Who theories if not the best story-wise. No installment of Doctor Who had crazier theories than season 6, but this one was definitely the standout. Although Amy kissed the Doctor in season 5, Rory’s death and revival helped her appreciate him a lot more, and it was strange anyone else was considered to be Melody’s father.
The potential love triangle between the three is often hinted at but always used to reestablish the strength of Rory’s love for Amy more than anything else. Even though the Doctor was the only other person in the TARDIS when Melody was conceived, this theory was still odd. Considering River knows the Doctor’s future, it would have been utterly baffling for her to kiss the Time Lord if she knew he was her father. Yet it was “A Good Man Goes to War” that finally shut this Doctor Who theory down by explaining Melody’s Time Lord DNA.
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Doctor Who (1963) is a British sci-fi television show that follows the adventures of the Time Lord known as the Doctor, who travels through time and space in the TARDIS, a time-traveling ship disguised as a British police box. The Doctor, played by various actors over the years, encounters numerous foes and allies while striving to right wrongs and save civilizations.
- Release Date
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November 23, 1963
- Cast
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William Hartnell
, Patrick Troughton
, Jon Pertwee
, Tom Baker
, Frazer Hines
, Nicholas Courtney
, Pat Gorman
, Elisabeth Sladen - Seasons
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26
- Writers
-
Sydney Newman
- Creator(s)
-
Donald Wilson
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An alien from the planet Gallifrey travels through time and space to explore, solve problems and fight injustice while also making friends with human beings. His spaceship, called TARDIS, resembles a police box, but it is much more than it appears to be.
- Release Date
-
March 26, 2005
- Cast
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Jodie Whittaker
, Christopher Eccleston
, David Tennant
, Matt Smith
, Peter Capaldi
, Billie Piper
, Karen Gillan
, Catherine Tate
, Jenna Coleman
, Alex Kingston
, John Barrowman
, Tosin Cole
, Arthur Darvill - Seasons
-
13
- Writers
-
Steven Moffat
, Russell T. Davies - Creator(s)
-
Donald Wilson
, Sydney Newman
-
The latest season of Doctor Who introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday. Their first adventure begins with “The Church on Ruby Road,” where they face powerful new foes and unravel the mystery surrounding Ruby’s origins. The Doctor grapples with the aftermath of a unique regeneration event and battles enemies more formidable than ever before.
- Release Date
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December 25, 2023
- Cast
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Ncuti Gatwa
, Millie Gibson
, Susan Twist
, Michelle Greenidge
, Angela Wynter
, Jemma Redgrave
, Yasmin Finney
, Anita Dobson - Seasons
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1
- Writers
-
Russell T. Davies
, Dave Gibbons
, Kate Herron
, Steven Moffat - Creator(s)
-
Donald Wilson
, Sydney Newman
