10 Great Doctor Who Theories That Still Haven’t Been Confirmed Or Denied

There are loads of amazing Doctor Who theories that haven’t been confirmed or denied that are well worth considering. Many of the greatest Doctor Who stories of all time feature plotlines or characters that leave audiences scratching their heads for long after, and several of the theories that form are yet to get a satisfying conclusion. Fans of the hit sci-fi show continue to come up with their own ideas to these stories, which helps further engage viewers with Doctor Who’s narrative.

Every incarnation of the Doctor faces some sort of strange mystery that the titular Time Lord doesn’t even understand, but most of the time, these story arcs are eventually wrapped up. From the Master’s timeline to the true identity of mysterious characters, there are plenty of unsolved Doctor Who theories. With Doctor Who season 15 on the way, hopefully the show will finally acknowledge these theories and provide some answers.

10

Doctor Who’s Meddling Monk Was Actually The Master

Does The Master Have More Than Two Names?

Doctor Who’s Meddling Monk is a very strange and enigmatic figure, arguably more than the Master, but what if that is because the pair are the same person? The Monk makes his first appearance in the classic Doctor Who serial “The Time Meddler,” and he only returns to screens once, in “The Daleks’ Master Plan.” Although the Monk never identifies himself as the Master, nor the other way around, there is plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.

Several Doctor Who audios and prose establish the Monk as another Time Lord, and the Meddling part of his name comes from his incessant need to interfere, a very Master quality. There are also Big Finish productions that see the Monk work alongside other incarnations of himself. Although the prose “Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon” states the Master and the Doctor are the only two Renegade Time Lords to ever leave Gallifrey, this doesn’t disprove the Monk being the Master, either.

9

Tenth Doctor Enemy The Beast Was A Member Of Doctor Who’s Pantheon

Could Sutekh Be Split Into Two Forms?

There are a few details that suggest the Beast from the season 2 two-part adventure “The Impossible Beast” and “The Satan Pit” is a member of Doctor Who’s Pantheon of the Gods. The figures who make up the group of Doctor Who villains are godlike beings with powers that transcend realities, and although the Beast is chained up underground during this adventure, its ability to possess the Ood implies that its abilities are other-worldly. Plus, the shock return of Gabriel Woolf in Doctor Who as the voice of Sutekh provides further evidence that the two are connected.

Many believe that the Beast isn’t necessarily a separate member of the Pantheon, but rather a different form of Sutekh. While Sutekh is clearly the brains, some viewers think that the Beast is the physical form of the God of Death, which explains its Devil-like physical appearance. In theory, this also explains why the Beast’s power suddenly reignites in the lead-up to the Doctor’s arrival, as both parts of the creature were within touching distance of one another. The Beast never appears in any audio dramas or prose, and the character is relatively untouched in the Doctor Who universe.

8

Sacha Dhawan’s Master Came Before Michelle Gomez’s Missy

Is The Master Hiding The Past From The Doctor?

There are, so far, 8 versions of the Master in Doctor Who. Although the Master’s timeline is relatively straightforward for most of their incarnations, things get a little blurry around the arrival of Michelle Gomez’s Missy. This theory varies, as there is a lot of discussion over where in the chronology of the Master Missy fits in, but many viewers believe that Sacha Dhawan’s interpretation comes before Michelle Gomez’s.

Missy is notably more chaotic and more cryptic than other Masters, and she often acts as if she already knows what is about to happen, which suggests that her timeline is out of sync with the Doctor’s. Although it can be argued that Missy knows about Doctor Who’s Timeless Child, it’s possible that she doesn’t say anything so the timeline isn’t altered. However, it’s more likely she does this purely so that the Doctor still experiences the harrowing pain of discovering the truth. Doctor Who never explains exactly where Dhawan’s Master fits in the canon, so it’s not impossible.

7

Missy Is The Last Incarnation Of The Master

Could The First Female Master Also Be The Final One?

Another timeline-related Master theory is that Missy is actually the last incarnation of the Time Lord. Missy’s timeline in Doctor Who is rather complicated. While the Master frequently meets themself in prose and audio dramas, Missy and John Simm’s Saxon Master are the only two versions of the character to cross paths with one another on-screen. Missy and the Saxon Master killing one another at the end of “The Doctor Falls” is a shocking moment, and her fate is left unclear as her counterpart makes a sudden escape just before regenerating.

It’s implied Missy doesn’t regenerate because she regrets betraying the Doctor again. While this seems a bit out of character, there’s no doubt that this incarnation has a stronger relationship with the Doctor than the other Masters. Even Steven Moffat is unsure, although he encourages viewers to create their own theories (via Radio Times.) The audio drama “The Lumiat” establishes Missy’s body is destroyed upon regeneration and a copy of her consciousness remains, and perhaps this is inside the Toymaker’s gold tooth in Doctor Who’s “The Giggle.” Hopefully, future seasons can shed some light on this.

6

The Timeless Child Is The Pantheon’s God Of Life

Is The Doctor’s Clock Really Running Out?

Doctor Who’s Timeless Child storyline may be controversial, and retconned to a certain degree, but this doesn’t mean that this theory couldn’t still be confirmed or denied at some point. The Pantheon Gods come from beyond the universe and reality, just like the Timeless Child, and many believe that this makes the Doctor the God of Life in Doctor Who. While most Time Lords only regenerate 12 times, with some exceptions, the Timeless Child has so many incarnations that it isn’t completely known how many there actually are.

Regardless of the Timeless Child, audiences know the true number of times the Doctor regenerates is complex. The existence of the War Doctor adds another incarnation to the canon, the creation of the meta-crisis requires the Tenth Doctor to start the process, and River uses the rest of her regenerations to save him in “Let’s Kill Hitler,” so it’s unclear just how many opportunities are actually left. The Doctor is essentially a god anyway because of his reputation traveling through time and space, but this can only explain so much, but hopefully the upcoming season will delve further into this.

5

Mrs. Flood Is A Past Companion

Has The Doctor Met Ruby’s Mysterious Neighbor Before?

There are dozens of Doctor Who theories about the identity of Mrs. Flood, and most of them point toward the unusual woman being a past member of Team TARDIS. Flood frequently sports outfits that past companions famously wear, like Romana’s iconic white coat or the sweater and shirt combination Clara Oswald notably dies in. She also refers to the Doctor as a “clever boy,” which is a staple line of dialogue from Clara, too. One Doctor Who theory suggests Mrs. Flood is Anita Benn, whereas others say she’s the Rani, Clara, or even a new form of a Pantheon God.

There’s no doubt Mrs. Flood is already familiar with the Doctor. The enigmatic character doesn’t star in any Doctor Who prose stories or audio dramas, so while this theory hasn’t been confirmed, there isn’t anything to suggest denial, either. In fact, the details about Mrs. Flood’s identity in Doctor Who so far are so vague that no theory can officially be ruled out yet. The upcoming season of Doctor Who should delve further into the mystery of Mrs. Flood, hopefully, and audiences are keen to discover who Ruby’s neighbor really is.

4

The Time Lords Weaponized Regeneration During The Time War

Do The Doctor’s People Turn Their Greatest Gift Into An Even Bigger Threat?

Doctor Who’s First Time War changes the Doctor’s brain chemistry in a way that impacts the character forever. While the memories of the pain and suffering are an integral part of Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor, and the incarnations that follow, one theory suggests that the Time War has a more physical effect on him, too. This theory implies that at a moment of desperation during the Time War, the Time Lords alter the regeneration process to use as a weapon, which explains why the Doctor is surrounded by a bright golden light while changing bodies after the post-2005 reboot.

Classic Doctors often regenerate with their companions close by, whereas Modern era Doctors ensure they’re far away. The Doctor’s post-reboot regenerations damage the TARDIS several times, which implies the Time Lords utilized the energy as a weapon. While the short story “Doctor Who and the Time War” states this is due to the Restoration, it doesn’t officially count as canon as the Eighth Doctor regenerates into the Ninth, retconning the War Doctor. Plus, the Restoration doesn’t explain the General’s regeneration in “Hell Bent.” It’s unlikely Doctor Who will cover this anytime soon, but it’s not impossible.

3

CAL From The Library Is A Version Of Clara Oswald

Did A Young Clara Help The Doctor Against The Vashda Nerada?

Every version of Clara Oswald in Doctor Who is directly connected to one or another incarnation of the Doctor. One theory suggests that out of the endless number of Claras that appear throughout the Doctor’s time stream in “The Name of the Doctor,” the youngest is actually Charlotte Abigail Lux, or CAL, from the season 4 two-parter “Silence in the Library” and “Forest of the Dead.” Although most versions of Clara are still called Clara, the Oswin variant proves that there are possibly others out there with different names.

Considering Clara meets Doctor Who’s River Song for the first time in “The Name of the Doctor,” and sees her grave, it would make sense that the companion might find herself caught up in the events of the Professor’s death. Plus, Clara’s early episodes establish her as a book lover and extremely clever, especially when it comes to computers, just like CAL. CAL’s last words are also “Aren’t I a clever girl?” which could be a nod to Clara’s “clever boy.” Unfortunately, Moffat probably won’t ever confirm or deny this theory, though.

2

The Dream Lord Becomes The Valeyard

What If The Evil Manifestations Of The Doctor Are The Same Person?

The Valeyard in Doctor Who is an enigmatic figure, and audiences never really get a direct answer as to who he is. It is always suggested that he is a part of the Doctor, but it’s unknown whether he is another incarnation or just an emanation of the titular character. However, one theory looks at whether the Dream Lord from season 5’s “Amy’s Choice” could be the Valeyard’s origin story. The Dream Lord is an evil psychic manifestation of the Doctor, who comes to life because of psychic pollen getting stuck in the TARDIS’ time rotor.

The end of “Amy’s Choice” implies that the Dream Lord’s defeat is up to interpretation, but what if that psychic pollen later attaches itself to someone else? In theory, the pollen could consume another person and take over their body, which makes the Valeyard’s motivation to steal the Sixth Doctor’s regenerations in “Trial of a Time Lord” logical, as he has no physical ability to cheat death at this point. Both villainous figures have a sharp tongue and are extremely dark personalities, and it’s hoped that Doctor Who will acknowledge this decades-long Valeyard mystery soon.

1

Roger Ap Gwilliam Is Ruby Sunday’s Brother

Did Ruby Face The Villainous Future Prime Minister In “73 Yards” For A Reason?

While there are theories that Doctor Who season 14’s evil Prime Minister isn’t human, others believe he may actually be Ruby Sunday’s brother. In fact, both of these theories could still be true. “Empire of Death” establishes the identity of Ruby Sunday’s mother, but this is only achieved thanks to Roger ap Gwilliam’s DNA database. “Ap” in Welsh translates as “son of,” which implies that Ap Gwilliam really means son of William, the same name as Ruby’s father. While this is a stretch, there are other details that back this argument up.

Gwilliam’s decision to make DNA testing compulsory could be for all manner of villainous reasons, but perhaps he does this to seek out his biological family if he’s adopted, or because he knows about Ruby and is trying to find her. The world of Doctor Who is very timey-wimey, but things don’t tend to happen without reason, and so this theory would explain why Ruby crosses paths with him and causes his resignation as Prime Minister in “73 Yards.” Doctor Who should hopefully tackle Ruby’s parentage in more detail, but for now, this theory is still unanswered.

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