Why Isn't David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor in the Doctor Who Season 14 Finale?
Warning: There will be spoilers for Doctor Who season 14, episode 8.
David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor has a very solid reason for not participating in the battle against Sutekh in the Doctor Who season 14 finale. The existence of several Doctors has never presented significant complications for Doctor Who. It is widely recognized that the rules of time prevent multiple incarnations of the Doctor from meeting, and regenerations usually only happen by chance, when time is interrupted, or on an anniversary. Doctor Who's bi-generation twist in "The Giggle" altered this by letting David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor and Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor to cohabit - one relaxing with the Nobles, the other exploring time and space. Bi-generation immediately created a plot hole in Doctor Who. Because the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors exist on separate timelines, there is no reason why they cannot collaborate. Fourteen may be officially retired, but that won't stop him from saving the world if a big threat comes, and Sutekh is nothing short of a major threat. This raises the question of why Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor receives no assistance from his predecessor in the Doctor Who season 14 finale, "Empire of Death."
In the season 14 finale of Doctor Who, the fourteenth doctor is killed by Sutekh's Wave of Death.
The Fourteenth Doctor would undoubtedly have helped destroy Sutekh, but Tennant's later incarnation of the Time Lord is slain during the God of Death's cosmic massacre. Sutekh appears at the end of Doctor Who Season 14's "The Legend of Ruby Sunday," and begins wiping out life across the cosmos when "Empire of Death" begins. The Fifteenth Doctor is astounded that he and Ruby are still alive, and he ultimately discovers that Sutekh is so intrigued by the identity of Ruby's mother that he is refraining from cleaning them until the mystery is solved.
Fifteen says, "No wonder he's keeping us alive - to figure out the answer: who is she?" By the time the ultimate fight comes, the possessed Mel has confirmed Fifteen and Ruby as "the last two creatures in existence." This demonstrates that Sutekh, along with everyone else in "Empire of Death," kills David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor offscreen during the episode. Sutekh only requires fifteen Doctors to be alive, which means that fourteen and all other Doctor incarnations must perish.
Future Doctor Who stories must explain the Fourteenth Doctor's absence.
In this case, David Tennant's absence from Doctor Who makes perfect sense; nonetheless, the fundamental issue produced by bi-generation persists and will certainly resurface in future episodes. By the end of Doctor Who Season 14, everyone slain by Sutekh has been restored, which means the Fourteenth Doctor is back in Donna's garden, sipping Prosecco and bragging about how he "snogged Madame de Pompadour" (most likely).
According to Doctor Who history, it won't be long before another evil villain seeks to wipe out all life on Earth, and when that happens, the "why isn't the Fourteenth Doctor helping?" question will resurface. Doctor Who's difficulty in season 15 and beyond will be to continue explaining the Fourteenth Doctor's absence in these situations, and there are only so many reasons that can be provided before the cliché becomes tiresome. Doctor Who gets away with it in "Empire of Death," but will eventually require a more permanent solution to its Fourteenth Doctor predicament.
Doctor Who Season 14: Understanding the Bi-generation
Doctor Who's "bi-generation" is an intriguing notion that adds a new dimension to the Time Lords' regenerations. Multiple Doctors had previously coexisted, although their interactions were often limited to specific occasions or time travel oddities. Season 14's bi-generation twist allows for more permanent coexistence, with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors functioning in their own timelines. This raises intriguing considerations regarding their prospective interactions, collaboration, and the difficulties of managing their respective lives and fates.
The Bi-generation twist not only adds intricacy to the Doctor Who universe, but it also opens up previously unexplored storytelling possibilities. It raises concerns about the Doctor's changing responsibilities, their relationships with their past selves, and the effects of their actions on their personal timelines. The bi-generation concept has the ability to reimagine the Doctor Who story and create a new dynamic within the series, blurring the barriers between past and present and resulting in unexpected encounters between different incarnations of the Doctor.
Doctor Who: A Look at the Timeless Series.
Doctor Who, which started in 1963, is a science-fiction series about a powerful entity known as a Time Lord, or the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with many companions, solving multiple issues and nearly causing catastrophe. Though the Doctor remains the same character throughout the series, they undergo regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a fresh immortal being with new personalities.
Doctor Who is one of the world's longest-running science fiction television programs, having captivated audiences for decades with its inventive plots, diverse characters, and iconic themes of exploration, adventure, and the enduring power of hope. The series has had a diverse cast of Doctors, each with their own personalities and methods to time travel, resulting in a show that continues to evolve and surprise with each new generation. Doctor Who has been a cultural phenomenon, inspiring generations of fans with its timeless stories and optimistic outlook. It is a series that continues to entertain, inspire, and remind us that even in the worst of times, there is always hope for a better tomorrow.
