Could the (younger) War Doctor make another appearance in Doctor Who? And if so what could he be up to? Christopher Morley presents a few theories for you to ponder on...
With John Hurt reportedly saying that in his opinion there's no good reason to bring back the War Doctor for future returns to Who, there is at least a glimmer of hope for those who'd kill to see him at least one last time. Of course, we've seen his 'birth'...
With John Hurt reportedly saying that in his opinion there's no good reason to bring back the War Doctor for future returns to Who, there is at least a glimmer of hope for those who'd kill to see him at least one last time. Of course, we've seen his 'birth'...
...and his 'death'...
...but not his younger years. Surely the opportunity to actually see his Time War service for ourselves is one we absolutely cannot pass up? Cue debate as to who could actually portray him.
...but not his younger years. Surely the opportunity to actually see his Time War service for ourselves is one we absolutely cannot pass up? Cue debate as to who could actually portray him.
Perhaps we should
start with a name familiar to Game Of Thrones
fans. In that universe he's known as Theon Greyjoy. In reality, he's
Alfie Allen- & his stint in Westeros ( if for some reason you've
been living under a rock & not seen Thrones
yet, do so) should prove his credentials for taking on the War
mantle. Let's
take this as just part of why he might be the man to portray unarguably
Gallifrey's greatest soldier...
He can be intense, & he's undoubtedly a warrior when its called for. Two ticks in the 'yes' box for 'Allen as War Doctor' then? But also, he's supremely arrogant. Which could work! A little research also reveals him to be capable of betrayal...
And
what if the 'Doctor no more' were to have risen to the rank of
commander ( at least) in the armies of the Time Lords, only to betray
or be framed for betraying his own race, having grown dissatisfied
with the interminable politics of the higher-ups? He'd be forced to
flee once more, & the question of where he could end up &
what he could find himself doing or having to do adds another coat of
intrigue to proceedings.
He
might not be averse to operating as a lone ranger or hired gun of
sorts- a thought which could justifiably have the rest of the
universe quaking in its boots! ' Be quick or be dead' is an
intriguing/quite rightly startling possible addition to the Doctor's
rulebook, as well.
A massive departure from his other selves, but a
gamble worth taking given his rejection of the very title/promise
he's said to have taken a long time & a good few bodies ago. Of
course, he could still have an underlying sense of honour/duty to
help out those who stand to lose the most from the conflict between
his own race & the Daleks.
Which could mean visits to
planets/species thought long dead in the aftermath of the War as the
Doctor makes some attempt to help them fight. Where previous &
indeed future selves have tended to run from conflict, the
battlefield might be where we see the best of the one 'forged in
fire'.
And
indeed its not inconceivable that he was there at arguably
Gallifrey's greatest pre-Time War battle. A cursory glance into the
pre-Rassilon Era history books reveals that the man who would become
Lord President, along with Omega & 'The Other' (heavily implied
to be the man who would later become the First Doctor) managed to
wrest control from the Pythia, & ensure the triumph of logic &
science over magic & mysticism. Rassilon would after all have
needed a lieutenant on the ground- which is where the War Doctor
comes in.
Remember
his Seventh incarnation's bond with the Hand Of Omega (Remembrance
Of The Daleks)? He might have used the stellar manipulator before landing once
more at Totters Lane! It would also explain his hasty cover-up in
changing ' we' to ' they' when discussing the early phase of its
construction..though of course the Pythia was never completely dead.
Remnants
of her power survived in the forms of the Sisterhood Of Karn (The
Brain Of Morbius
as well as Night
Of The Doctor),
who are later explained to be descendants of the last of her
followers after they are told to flee there following her loss of
power, & Lady Peinforte ( Silver
Nemesis),
the sorceress & archery whizz. Might explain why Seven & Ace
were so keen to find that bow...
After all, it is made of validium..the living metal from which the Nemesis statue was sculpted by the Lady herself! Indeed, there's also a lot to be said for looking back at a pre-Rassilon Age Gallifrey, before it was glossed over as 'The Dark Times' following the triumvirate's triumph.
After all, it is made of validium..the living metal from which the Nemesis statue was sculpted by the Lady herself! Indeed, there's also a lot to be said for looking back at a pre-Rassilon Age Gallifrey, before it was glossed over as 'The Dark Times' following the triumvirate's triumph.
Speaking
of Peinforte, what if the War Doctor were somehow to find himself in
the 17th
century? Perhaps such a temporal stopover could've served as their
first meeting, maybe during the English Civil War.
Throw
in the possibility of the two either being on the same side as
Cavaliers or the Doctor joining the Roundheads & opposing her (
as well as by extension King Charles I) & you've got quite
something, both sequel & prequel in a sense! We could apply
similar logic if we were to revisit one of his Seventh incarnation's
other stopovers in a similar period.
Battlefield
heavily hints that the Doctor- at some point in his past or future-
was or will become Merlin. Ancelyn, one of King Arthur's knights,
recognises him on sight despite never having seen the Time Lord's
then-current body in the flesh- which raises the poser of whether the
War Doctor could have taken up arms & fought alongside the
knights of Arthurian legend.
If
so, the experience might well help his Twelfth & newest self out
of more than a few holes in Robots Of Sherwood.....&
give the man who plays the War veteran (if indeed it is Mr Allen)
chance to show off his fighting chops as demonstrated in the battle
for the Iron Throne.
There's also a more than tantalising piece of
knowledge imparted by old Ancelyn- Merlin did indeed have a ship like
a TARDIS & was at one point imprisoned by Morgaine, the sorceress
desperate to overthrow Arthur.
The
Doctor also recognises a note left for him by the famous wizard as
being by his own hand...surely the clincher for any further
exploration of the whole ' Merlin was a Time Lord, & a very
special one at that' theory?
But if you have any further theories, or
indeed candidates to play the younger War Doctor, the War Council of
Warped Factor is listening.......
