Doctor Who’s Latest Companions Share Unusual Baby Connection for First Time in 60 Years

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Heed this notice: Revealed plot points for the premiere episode of Doctor Who Season 15, titled “The Robot Revolution.” In the new season, actress Varada Sethu takes over the role of Belinda Chandra as the main companion to the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa), following Millie Gibson’s departure at the end of Doctor Who Season 14. Notably, showrunner Russell T. Davies has crafted a significant similarity between their initial backstories.

In a previous storyline from 2023, named “The Church on Ruby Road,” we were introduced to Ruby, who subsequently appeared in every episode of Doctor Who Season 14. Yet, it was her inaugural canonical meeting with the Fifteenth Doctor that’s most pertinent here.

In the series, Belinda is the second persona portrayed by Sethu, with her first role being Mundy Flynn during Doctor Who season 14, specifically in episode 3 titled “Boom.” Alongside Gatwa and Gibson, she made an appearance then. Although the connection between Belinda and Mundy is hinted at in “The Robot Revolution,” it remains somewhat unresolved. However, a peculiar event involving Sethu’s character in that same episode seems strikingly similar to something experienced by another character named Ruby.

The Fifteenth Doctor Held Both Ruby & Belinda When They Were Babies

Gatwa’s character travels into Belinda’s past in “The Robot Revolution”

In the final episode of Doctor Who season 15, when Fifteen rescues Belinda by taking on the paradox energy, one significant consequence arises: Nardole’s character becomes visible across various points in Belinda’s timeline. This is verified by a scene where Fifteen holds Belinda as a baby, something he had done with Ruby earlier. After being found abandoned at a church on Christmas Eve in the 2023 special, Fifteen is compelled to intervene and safeguard Baby Ruby from the Goblins.

In simpler terms, the first time Ruby met the Doctor, she was so young that she doesn’t recall it at all. This also applies to the Doctor’s companion from season 15. Given that this event has never occurred in either the classic or post-2005 versions of ‘Doctor Who’, it’s quite peculiar that two companions in a row have experienced such a specific situation. It’s unclear whether this is just a coincidence, or if Russell T. Davies intends to emphasize these instances and potentially link them together.

Is Belinda’s Mysterious Role In Doctor Who Season 15 Too Similar To Ruby’s In Season 14?

It could be too soon after the let-down of Ruby’s disappointing exit

Similar to how there are numerous unanswered aspects concerning Belinda’s past, just as with Ruby, there are some lingering questions. Both characters deviate from the norm of typical companions due to their mysterious natures, often drawing attention away from the Doctor. When executed effectively, these storylines can be captivating; however, Belinda’s narrative may encounter two potential pitfalls. Firstly, introducing another enigmatic companion so soon after Ruby might not sit well with audiences, and secondly, the revelation of Ruby’s mother’s identity turned out to be surprisingly anticlimactic.

Davies is allowing himself flexibility to surpass the flaws in Gibson’s season 14 arc by presenting Belinda differently from the mysteries surrounding Ruby, thus creating a more intricate narrative for the character in Doctor Who, which previously had a tendency to use the same actor for multiple characters.

Doctor Who Season 15’s Release Schedule On Disney+
Episode Title Release Date (2025)
1 “The Robot Revolution” April 12
2 “Lux” April 19
3 “The Well” April 26
4 “Lucky Day” May 3
5 “The Story and the Engine” May 10
6 “The Interstellar Song Contest” May 17
7 “Wish World” May 24
8 “The Reality War” May 31

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2025-04-18 19:17