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Warning: SPOILERS for the Doctor Who episode “The Interstellar Song Contest” are ahead!

The enigma surrounding Mrs. Flood dates back to the Doctor Who Christmas special “The Church on Ruby Road,” specifically Ncuti Gatwa’s initial full journey as the Fifteenth Doctor post his debut in “The Giggle.” From the instant she addressed the audience and revealed her knowledge of a TARDIS, fans have been intrigued about her real identity. Matters became more puzzling with her appearances in Doctor Who Season 2, as Mrs. Flood has been portrayed by Dobson in every episode slated for the 2025 TV schedule. However, we’ve recently uncovered her true persona: The Rani, a recurring villain from the world of Doctor Who, played by Kate O’Mara in the Sixth Doctor story “The Mark of the Rani,” the Seventh Doctor story “Time and the Rani,” and the 30th anniversary charity special, “Dimensions in Time.”

Although I’m not overly familiar with Doctor Who’s past seasons, I had previously come across The Rani character. Therefore, when I recognized her in “The Interstellar Song Contest” through my Disney+ membership, I was intrigued to see her mentioned. It was even more interesting to learn that there are now two Ranis present due to the concept of bi-generation. However, with only two Doctor Who episodes remaining in Season 2, I have three questions about this plot twist that I’m hoping will be addressed or clarified in the next few weeks.

Is Bi-Generation Just A Common Thing Now?

In “The Giggle,” which was the third special of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary series, the concept of Bi-generation was introduced. When David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor was hit by Neil Patrick Harris’ Toymaker with a Galvanic beam, he thought it would lead to a regular regeneration. Instead, he split into two, allowing him to interact with his future self for the first time. Together, 14 and 15 managed to eliminate the Toymaker and also bi-generate the TARIDS. This enabled 15 to carry on with his journeys, while 14 could finally have a well-earned rest.

The mystery behind The Doctor’s dual-age remains unsolved, initially believed to be a myth by some. However, it seems that the appearance of Toymaker in our universe may have played a role in this anomaly. This is suggested because it was within Toymaker’s domain that the TARDIS started getting duplicated. Even after Toymaker’s defeat, his influence lingered, allowing 15 to replicate the TARDIS as a reward for defeating him.

Is it not expected for things to have returned to their original state by now in Season 2, given the presumed dissipation of the “state of play” long ago? Why does bi-generation persist if this is the case? When 14 invoked the superstition at the end of the universe in “Wild Blue Yonder,” which allowed Toymaker and others to enter our universe, did this also cause bi-generation to become a regular event? Or is this just a transient situation that The Rani happened to encounter?

I have concerns that the term “bi-generational” might lose its impact and become a cliché if it continues to be used extensively in the future. However, at this moment, I’m merely seeking more information about its current status.

Why Is Mrs. Flood So Subservient All Of A Sudden?

Before “The Interstellar Song Contest” on Doctor Who, Mrs. Flood sometimes appeared threatening rather than mysterious. For instance, in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” her attitude towards Cherry Sunday was clearly disdainful, and in “Lucky Day,” she freed Conrad Clark from prison, which didn’t seem like something a good character would do. It was evident that she wasn’t portrayed as a positive character.

However, in the process of regeneration, Archie Panjabi’s portrayal of The Rani contrasts starkly with Mrs. Flood’s version. The former Rani now addresses her younger self as “Ma’am” and expresses excessive remorse, while Panjabi’s Rani appears annoyed by the persistence of her older self. She even goes so far as to refer to herself as simply “The Rani” (the definitive one, if you will), and addresses Mrs. Flood as merely “a” Rani.

It’s clear that The Rani is infamous for her haughtiness, treating those around her as inferior, but it seems strange that Mrs. Flood tolerates this mistreatment. Even though the Fourteenth Doctor transformed into the Fifteenth, they were still considered peers, with the Fifteenth gaining additional wisdom that the Fourteenth would later acquire. I’m not suggesting that The Rani should be best friends with each other like the Doctors, but it’s odd to see one acting as a subordinate to the other. I expected something more along the lines of how Michelle Gomez’s and John Simm’s versions of The Master interacted.

Is The Rani Connected To Susan Foreman?

In “The Interstellar Song Contest,” another surprising event occurred when Susan Foreman, The Doctor’s granddaughter, made a comeback. This role was taken up once more by Carole Ann Ford. Originally introduced in the series debut back in 1963, Susan was one of the first companions for the First Doctor. However, he said goodbye to her in the storyline “The Dalek Invasion of Earth,” believing she needed a life free from him. Ford had previously reappeared as this character in the special episode “The Five Doctors” on our 20th anniversary, and then again a decade later in “Dimensions in Time.

In Nucti Gatwa’s debut season as Doctor Who, Susan was frequently mentioned. At first, it appeared that the character portrayed by actress Susan Twist could be a regenerated form of The Doctor’s granddaughter. However, it was later revealed that she was a creation of Suktekh instead. Now, after many years, the original Susan has reappeared in a sequence of visions during “The Interstellar Song Contest.” The question remains: how are these visions occurring? Where is she? What has she been doing for all this time? And perhaps most intriguingly for this article, is she linked to The Rani?

As a movie enthusiast, I must admit that the intricate web of connections in this latest episode left me wondering if Susan’s role isn’t more integral to The Rani’s schemes than we initially thought. However, it’s also plausible that her appearance is merely a clever plot device by showrunner Russell T. Davies to build up Susan’s character for a more substantial role in the upcoming season of Doctor Who.

The future of this beloved series on Disney+ may be uncertain, but rumors suggest it will continue for at least two more seasons. The question remains whether we’ll see Susan cross paths with the Fifteenth Doctor, as the news about Gatwa’s return for another season is yet to be confirmed.

I’m really hoping that all my key questions will be resolved as Doctor Who’s current season concludes in about two weeks’ time. As usual with Doctor Who, resolving one mystery has led to even more mysteries, and I can’t wait to discover what they mean for Mrs. Flood and the latest incarnation of the Rani.

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2025-05-21 05:18