Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for the Doctor Who finale.
The big picture
- Ruby Sunday origin and abilities
Doctor Who
remain unexplained, leading to speculation about his return and possible departure. - Millie Gibson will reprise her role as Ruby Sunday next season, but a new sidekick will replace her.
- The show may address Ruby's mysterious abilities and background before her departure, possibly in the Christmas special.
The season finale of Doctor Who led to the fight between the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf) to the end, but there's one big concern left to deal with once the series returns. Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and the Doctor split up at the end of the episode. How could this happen when there are still many questions surrounding the companion that need to be answered? Will the character return so audiences can learn more about her? Ruby Sunday's journey shouldn't be over yet, even if the Doctor established that she can no longer travel with him.
Doctor Who
The show follows the adventures of a Time Lord, “The Doctor”, who is able to regenerate himself, and the Doctor's human friends. The Doctor and his companions travel through time and space in the TARDIS, a time-traveling ship shaped like a police box, saving the universe with a combination of wit, bravery and kindness.
- Publication date
- March 17, 2006
- Main genre
- Science fiction
- seasons
- 14
- study
- BBC America
- Streaming service(s).
- Disney+
The Doctor and Ruby Sunday say goodbye
The last season of Doctor Who was always directed to reveal that Sutekh had been traveling outside the TARDIS all along after the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) banished him to the Time Vortex. But another mystery kept viewers tuning in week after week. No one knew where Ruby Sunday came from or who her mother was. The Doctor's latest companion could make it snow out of thin air depending on her emotional state, and the Time Lord was so confused about her origin that he had her scanned to confirm if she was truly human. However, the duo managed to find out that Ruby's mother was actually a normal person who had to give her away. But that can't be, can it?
At the end of his battle against Sutekh, the Doctor tells Ruby that she cannot join him for further adventures, which makes Gibson's character very sad. After leaving Ruby with her family, the Time Lord prepares to fly off to whatever the future holds. But this may not be the last time viewers get to see the two characters together. Even if the identity of Ruby's mother has been revealed, a mere human cannot make her suddenly snow. And when the master (Jinx Monsoon) was trying to kill Ruby, they firmly stated that there was a hidden song within the girl.
It doesn't matter if Ruby was so focused on the mystery behind her mother's identity that she allowed it to lead to her emotions. Clearly, this person isn't just an average person, and the show should address what's wrong with him before moving on to the next villain. Russell T. Davies is notorious for not fully explaining the truth behind it Doctor Who mysteries, but this must be the exception. Fortunately, the public might still get an answer about the unusual events surrounding Ruby Sunday.
Millie Gibson is back
The next season of Doctor Who filming is over. While the premise of the next chapter is safely stored inside the TARDIS, some details have already been revealed about where the Time Lord might be going. Millie Gibson has been confirmed to reprise her role as Ruby Sunday in the show's next season, but with a catch. The character will not stay long and a new companion will play Stranded Sethu will take his place on the ship. However, the details of how Ruby Sunday is to be released Doctor Who have not yet been revealed.
It's comforting to know that Millie Gibson isn't done Doctor Who still, considering how his character still has a lot to offer. The season finale established that Ruby Sunday's mother was only important because Ruby gave her so much importance in her life. It wasn't necessary for Ruby's mother to be a character everyone knew or someone who could change the fate of the universe. The revelation is powerful, it explains how the things that matter in life only matter because people find meaning in them. But the girl makes it snow around her. What does this have to do with a positive message?
This wouldn't be the first time a teammate leaves mid-season Doctor Who. When Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) were getting to know the universe with the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), the couple fell victim to the Weeping Angels. After his devastating departure, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) took their place with the Time Lord. Could something similar happen with Ruby Sunday and the new character played by Varada Sethu?
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What could happen to Ruby Sunday?
Doctor Who has always made it clear that traveling with the titular hero is dangerous. Countless companions over the years have suffered dire consequences when they got to see the universe thanks to the madman piloting the TARDIS. Such was the case of Clara Oswald. After meeting the Eleventh Doctor, Clara was present when the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) showed her beautiful face for the first time. But his journey led to a moment in time that he had to freeze to preserve his life. The Doctor put the last second of Clara's life on a loop because he felt guilty for sending her to her death in the first place.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Ruby Sunday has to die, but audiences should be very open to the possibility of it happening. And not everything has to be so pessimistic. Before crossing paths with the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant), Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) had his memory erased. The character grew up happily surrounded by people who loved him. If Ruby Sunday is forced to leave the Doctor for good next season, it would be best if she struck a deal with the Time Lord rather than suffering a painful departure.
Whatever happens to Ruby Sunday next time she appears in Doctor Who, hopefully it can happen after the series takes a while to explain where Ruby comes from and why the entire universe seemed to be fascinated by the young woman's existence. With a Christmas special on the horizon, we could get some answers, given the snow and the Ruby-related “Carol of the Bells,” before new episodes of Doctor Who premiere in 2025. Meanwhile, the viewers can keep looking for clues that could indicate what lies ahead for the baby who was left in Ruby Road Church on Christmas Eve two decades ago.
The new season of Doctor Who is currently available to stream on Disney+.
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