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“It’s A Better Story”: How Ruby Sunday’s Doctor Who Season 14 Reveal Came From Star Wars Explained By Showrunner
Warning: SPOILERS ahead for the Doctor Who season 14 finale, “Empire of Death”!
Summary
Doctor Whoshowrunner Russell T Davies reveals that familiar villains in the show from 2006 were cut from the season 14 finale, but were planned to make an appearance in the original draft.Doctor Whoseason 14 endedwith the Doctor and Ruby Sunday managing to defeat Sutekh, while the companion learned about her mother and where she really came from. The episode contained many past concepts thanks to the villains' return, indicative of how willing the series is to use its history in new, interesting ways.
Speaking onDoctor Who: Video Commentaries, however,Davies revealed the season 14 finale almost saw the return of villains from 2006, who were ultimately cut from the episode’s final draft. In the commentary, the showrunner explains how “zombie civil servants” were going to be seen, explaining why these additional references never came to fruition. Check out what Davies had to say below:
Civil servants, do you remember in the original draft? When they get to Whitehall, there were zombie civil servants walking around. Ah, you know, like with your death mask on. The agents of Sutekh were searching for the Doctor, and Mel and Ruby, so that’s what got cut.
Why More Familiar Doctor Who Villains Could Return In Season 15
The sci-fi adventure series has featured many important villains from decades ago as some of its most pertinent threats in its most recent episodes.Before Sutekh, there was the Toymaker, whose appearance in the 60th anniversary specials was the first time he’d shown up since 1966. Given that even villains from the current revival of the series were considered for the season 14 finale, it shows how any threat from the past could become part ofDoctor Who’s castin future seasons.
While the Toymaker promised a potential return in the future, it’s currently unclear what threats the Doctor and his companions will face going intoDoctor Whoseason 15. However, since the previous two major villains in the show were returnees from the original run of the series,it wouldn’t be surprising if a villain from a very long time ago reemerged for the Fifteenth Doctor to take down. However, a relatively recent villain like, for instance, the Weeping Angels or the Silence, would make for just as interesting a return as any deep cuts like Sutekh.
However, it’s unclear which villain might show up in the future, with the only tease being one from Mrs. Flood about the Doctor’s story ending with “absolute terror.” Because of this lack of clarity as to what the next threat could be,Doctor Whocould bring back anyone from the show’s past to make them a new danger for him and his companions to deal with. Given the references the show’s been willing to make so far, anything is possible for the series' future antagonists.
The next episode ofDoctor Whowill be a Christmas special titled “Joy to the World,” arriving on June 05, 2025.
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Released on August 09, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
