Doctor Who: Joy to the World’s ending sets up Season 15 perfectly

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As a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, I have to say that ‘Joy to the World’ was an absolute delight! After the emotional rollercoaster of previous seasons, it was refreshing to see the Doctor in a more light-hearted adventure, albeit with a potentially catastrophic outcome. The premise of an evil briefcase seeking to create a new star and destroy Earth was both absurd and intriguing, reminding me of the classic Doctor Who humor we all know and love.

Previously, the Doctor appeared rather melancholic. However, the uplifting finale of ‘Joy to the World’ has noticeably improved his spirits. Beware, spoiler alert!

Written by the renowned Steven Moffat, ‘Joy to the World’ sees the Doctor (played by Ncuti Gatwa) locked in a battle against an ominous briefcase. The twist? This seemingly ordinary item aims to generate a new star! However, the creation of such a star would lead to Earth’s devastation, which spells disaster for mankind, as it’s our home and storage space for all our worldly possessions.

Fortunately, the Doctor won’t have to deal with that bothersome baggage on his own. He has Joy Almondo (Nicola Coughlan) standing beside him. Will the Doctor and Joy be able to turn things around?

Indeed, it’s undeniably Doctor Who, a series where the good prevails in the end. Yet, the crux of our discussion lies not just in the fact that they triumph, but rather, the intriguing manner in which they save the day and the implications for Season 15.

How Joy to the World’s ending sets up Season 15

Previously, the good Doctor found himself in a challenging situation. He had recently bid farewell to yet another cherished traveler, and while Ruby’s departure from the TARDIS wasn’t as dramatic as that of past companions (unlike getting transported to another dimension or transformed into a Cyberman), it was evident that the Doctor was sorrowful at finding himself alone yet again.

Initially, it appears that the Doctor hasn’t fully retired, but there’s an unmistakable sense of lethargy about him, hinting at a lack of his typical zest and energy.

He chooses to check-in at the Time Hotel, an establishment with rooms situated across various time eras, solely due to his search for milk. It’s not the kind of action one would typically associate with this individual (at present, that is), who goes by the name given by the Daleks as the Oncoming Storm.

The phrase ‘Joy to the World’ symbolizes something for the Doctor, and meeting his future self – in a Doctor Who context, you know – acts as a reminder of the significance he places on his companions and relationships.

In summary, when he departs from the Time Hotel, it’s clear that although he’ll be alone once more, he’s not heading out to buy milk at some distant corner shop in the cosmos; instead, he’s setting off on a quest to discover new realms to protect and, above all, make new acquaintances.

Joy to the World’s ending explained

Delighting to share, I found myself, after spending a whole year amidst the hustle and bustle of the 21st-century Earth (where I was confined to a hotel room thanks to an unexpected doppelganger), reconnecting once more with Joy at the Time Hotel.

In a turn of events, it’s Joy, now under AI control from the mysterious briefcase, who is on a quest to find a specific hotel room. Accompanying her is a puzzled Doctor, trying to keep up with her movements. As he talks aloud, he derides the briefcase, stating that it would take 65 million years for the star seed inside to mature and bloom, a timespan far beyond human history’s scope. This, in his view, renders the whole storyline meaningless.

It turns out that the room the briefcase had been searching for didn’t belong to our known human history. Instead, it was a suite from the Cretaceous period, which dates back approximately 65 million years.

Before Joy and the Doctor could retrieve the briefcase from the room, surprisingly a dinosaur gobbled it up. Consequently, they had no choice but to swiftly return to the Time Hotel, avoiding the prospect that the dinosaur, now having consumed the briefcase, might decide their next meal should be them.

After misplacing the briefcase, it appeared that everything was hopeless, but then the Doctor’s sonic screwdriver started to emit sounds. The discovery was made that the briefcase’s power to control people had a reciprocal effect. It turned out that Trev, the porter who had previously befriended the Doctor in the episode, continued to exist within the briefcase’s memory banks, having been killed by it earlier.

Trev informs both the Doctor and Joy about where he found the mysterious briefcase, prompting them to rush there swiftly. Eventually, they discover the antiquated bag, miraculously preserved through the ages, nestled within a chamber that looks like an ancient temple.

Unfortunately, it’s hidden behind a stone slab. In a flash of genius, the Doctor employs the Time Hotel’s link to various timelines to amass the tools needed to prise open the slab (which includes the Orient Express, and it’s quite spectacular).

First, Joy manages to grab the star seed from its container before he can reach it. Interestingly, it appears that her past association with the case has established some sort of link between them. Leveraging this connection, she swiftly transports the seed to a secure location, ensuring its safety prior to the star’s emergence.

Instead of a tragic finale, let me clarify, this situation is more accurately described as an evolution rather than an end. As Joy takes flight, a fresh star emerges in the dark expanse above, symbolizing renewal and hope.

As the Doctor weeps at the breathtaking sight before him, it dawns on him that he overlooked something. If the Star Seed took 65 million years to mature, then logically, it’s the year 1 AD, and indeed, he finds himself in Bethlehem. The star guiding the wise men and shepherds was none other than Joy, leading them to the manger of baby Jesus… yes, astonishingly so.

Joy’s radiance doesn’t just extend to our time. Over countless millennia, it illuminates the galaxy, capturing everyone’s attention. Of particular interest is that Joy’s mother, who passed away from Covid and left behind a heavy sadness, reportedly saw this star on her deathbed. It’s believed that the subtle influence of the Star Seed may have saved her from dying alone, transforming her into pure energy (even though it’s Christmas, we’ll let Moffat off for wanting a joyful conclusion).

What’s next for the Doctor?

In the year 2025, Doctor Who’s Season 15 will see the Doctor make another appearance. While specific details are scant, we do know that a new character named Belinda Chandra, portrayed by Varada Sethu, will join the Doctor as a companion. Additionally, Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson, is confirmed to reappear for at least one exciting journey together.

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2024-12-26 19:22