What Will David Tennant’s 14th Doctor Face When Ncuti Gatwa Takes Over?

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Heed this advisory: Retrace your steps to steer clear of significant spoilers regarding the fifteenth season, episode eight of Doctor Who, titled “The Reality War.” Since David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor materialized in the 2023 special of Doctor Who, “The Giggle,” fans have been intrigued about his fate with Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor set to regenerate. However, Billie Piper’s surprising reappearance on the show as the Sixteenth Doctor now makes Gatwa’s departure as the main actor of Doctor Who more pertinent. The question remains whether we might see Fourteen again, but his exit adds uncertainty to that possibility.

The Disney period of Doctor Who has made numerous adjustments to the regeneration process, enabling Tennant’s return and allowing him to maintain independence even with Gatwa joining in 2023. This concept of bi-generationality also impacted Anita Dobson’s character within the Doctor Who season 15 ensemble, as her Rani character split into two versions – one portrayed by Archie Panjabi before being absorbed by Omega shortly after Panjabi’s debut in “The Interstellar Song Contest.” Although Tennant is absent from the season 15 finale, his influence lingers subtly.

The Fourteenth Doctor Most Likely Continues To Exist When Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor Regenerates

“The Reality War” probably isn’t the end of Fourteen

In the intriguing storyline of “The Giggle”, it was vaguely suggested that the Fourteenth Doctor split into two, with the other being played by Gatwa as the Fifteenth. Even though Gatwa’s Doctor has a distinct origin, it appears they might stem from the same timeline. So, if this is true, it seems likely that Fourteen will eventually transform into Fifteen, but as of now, Tennant’s portrayal of the Doctor is contentedly living with Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and her family, a situation that has persisted since 2023.

After Jodie Whittaker’s departure as the Thirteenth Doctor, Fourteen emerged, as this Time Lord needed time to recuperate following centuries of protecting the universe. It is uncertain how long Fourteen will continue in his new domestic setting, but it seems likely that he will resume his adventures at some stage. This would allow Fifteen to uphold the Doctor’s tradition of heroics during seasons 14 and 15.

During the span of Fourteen’s life, there’s plenty for him to experience before regenerating again, allowing Tennant’s Doctor some downtime. So, the regeneration scene at the end of “The Reality War” wouldn’t immediately affect Tennant’s character. However, if somehow Fourteen ceased to exist due to Fifteen’s regeneration into Sixteen, it would create a significant plot inconsistency in Doctor Who. Regardless of his current autonomy, it seems unlikely that Fourteen could die or disappear without influencing future incarnations of the Doctor.

Why Doesn’t David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor Help In “The Reality War?”

Fourteen was surplus to requirements (& probably trapped in the Wish)

In this scenario, Fifteen carries a significant responsibility, needing to defeat the two Ranis, halt Omega’s comeback, and restore Earth to its original condition following the “Wish World” events. Essentially, the Fourteenth Doctor could have eased some of the burden since both incarnations are seasoned in similar predicaments. However, Fifteen essentially serves as the ringleader for the operation aiming to save the day, and having multiple commanders might have muddied the lines of authority. In the world of Doctor Who, UNIT team members would likely find it challenging to decide on a leader.

To clarify, it appears that Number Fourteen was likely ensnared in the Wish much like Number Fifteen. The Doctor, whom I believe was also known as John Smith during this time, was living a life that Conrad Clark found perfect. Therefore, he might have been trapped, similar to Fifteen until the Rani decided it was time to free Nardole’s Doctor from the Dream by the youngest deity in the Doctor Who pantheon. However, there’s no indication that the Rani is even aware of Number Fourteen’s existence. If she did, she would likely have exploited his doubts as well.

Adding Tennant back to join forces with Gatwa could have potentially overshadowed Thirteen’s ability to single-handedly save the day as the Doctor, given that Gatwa had already shared his farewell scene with Jodie Whittaker (due to her surprise cameo) and Billie Piper’s stunning return. It would have been an excessive move, especially considering Gatwa’s final moments in ‘Doctor Who’.

Why David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor Could Die When Gatwa Regenerates

Bi-generation’s ambiguity means Fourteen could now be gone

The intricacies of bi-regeneration remain largely mysterious. Most of what we know about this puzzling phenomenon is attributed to the Doctor himself, who has acknowledged that it was previously thought to be mere folklore. Hence, it’s plausible that Fourteen ceased to exist when Fifteen regenerated in “The Reality War.” I can’t help but hope that there’s more to Fourteen’s story than just vanishing without a proper send-off onscreen, but perhaps writer Russell T. Davies has other plans.

It appears that there’s no definitive proof that Doctor Fourteen’s existence is contingent on Doctor Fifteen’s. So far, we know that Doctor Fifteen is among the Doctors who will succeed Doctor Fourteen, but this information has not been definitively confirmed yet. Assuming that this is true, it’s possible that Piper’s new version of the Doctor could encounter Doctor Fourteen, making for an intriguing plotline. Here’s hoping that “Doctor Who” eventually clarifies Doctor Fourteen’s destiny and his relationship with his future selves.

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2025-06-01 02:07