Doctor Who Season 13 dropped new footage recently, and while we only know a bit more than we did when before it was revealed, there is a bit of fun for fans to theorize about. The latest Flux-ified trailer offered some teases for what’s ahead, and as is often the case in these timey-wimey situations, I have questions.
Jodie Whittaker’s final season as The Doctor will play out over one big adventure and will seemingly tackle one big threat, which has only been referred to thus far as “the Flux.” Let’s dig into that subtitle, as well as some of the other questions the latest trailer left me with ahead of Season 13’s Halloween premiere.
Who Is That Alien That Looks Like A Mix Of A Dog And Chewbacca, And Why Do I Love It Already?
I wouldn’t go so far as to say Doctor Who intentionally creates lovable alien species in transparent attempts to delight its fandom, but there have been a few instances where I believe a species exists merely for that reason. Specifically, I have a sneaking suspicion that Doctor Who intentionally created and showcased a Wookiee-like creature with the cuddle-friendly face of a dog specifically because they want the fandom to embrace it with their whole heart. Even if that wasn't the intented purpose, all I can say is, mission accomplished.
I know next to nothing about this creature, yet I already know I’ll be furious if it dies before I can hug it. Even if it’s the vilest of vile villains, I support this Chewbacca-esque creature's right to be cute and do whatever it must to stay that way. In all seriousness, I do hope this creature is an ally of The Doctor rather than an enemy, and I also hope it's a future recurring character, since it’s probably the most enjoyable little beast I’ve seen in Doctor Who in several seasons.
Why Is That Sontaran Dressed Like A Knight?
Sontarans like violence, but it’s been a hot minute since they’ve been bold enough to enter a direct confrontation with The Doctor. Now they’re apparently back, and they’re looking like something out of Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel with that armor. The look feels intentional, given the Sontaran is on a horse, but why exactly is it dressed like a knight?
The answer could come from Doctor Who: Flux’s overhead shot of a battle scene, in which a group of Sontarans seems to be rushing a bunch of Victorian-era soldiers. The human side has guns and a good deal of cannons, while the Sontarans fire lasers from their end. The lasers, paried with the outfit, almost resembles the classic armor of the species from the pre-reboot days of Doctor Who, which is certainly interesting, though could just be a slight nod rather than something tied to the story. Either way, I’m intrigued and can’t wait to see more!
Is The Ood’s Presence A Good Or Bad Thing?
The Ood are back in Doctor Who, but is that a good or bad thing? Members of the typically peaceful species of the BBC series have served as friends of The Doctor, but they’ve also played foes as well. Granted, most times the Ood are evil it’s the result of outside corruption, but that doesn’t make them any less formidable. Could there be some psychic force at play controlling the Ood yet again?
I’m not sure about that, but I do know that a telepathic Ood would be handy for a Doctor in more situations than not. If The Doctor is in search of information, it’s likely an Ood can help draw that out or share what its learned about this upcoming Flux threat or where The Doctor, Yaz, and Dan can head next. I feel like this Ood appearance won’t be too substantial, but it is nice to see a beloved Doctor Who species once again back in the fold.
Who Exactly Knows About The Flux?
Doctor Who: Flux is centered around one giant adventure, and based on what we learned in the latest trailer, The Doctor isn’t the only one in the know about it. The Flux is seemingly something that a few people are following, though for what and why is something we’ve yet to figure out. The good news is that, as usual, there’s some mysterious alien race that seems to know exactly what’s happening, which guarantees The Doctor won’t be searching for answers for very long.
Beyond the glam-looking alien species, though, it looks like there are others in the know who are aware that all is not right with the world, and could join The Doctor in setting the world right. My money is on Vinder, a new character played by former Game of Thrones actor Jacob Anderson, being one of the characters who is aware of the issues created by The Flux, as well as him maybe being an ally of The Doctor that can help bring it to an end. I’m sure others will join, I'm looking out for Vinder to be the most key player down the stretch.
Will We See Another Face-Off Between Two Major Enemies Of The Doctor?
One thing that seems evident from the Doctor Who: Flux trailer is that a massive battle is coming. A line is drawn, and people take sides, so I have to wonder what everyone is fighting about. Is this so much about a battle of good vs. evil, or is this some kind of multiversal battle for supremacy? If it’s the latter, this can always create an opportunity for enemies to align with heroes, or even enemies to turn on each other.
It’s been a long time since we’ve seen two species of Doctor Who enemies go toe-to-toe, and I’m hoping Doctor Who: Flux breaks that streak. As for who could throw down, I think it’d be a shame to not include the Weeping Angels, given this is the most we’ve seen in a single scene in quite a while. I’d love to see a scenario play out in which some Weeping Angels went up against Cybermen or even some Sontarans. Look, there’s a lot of crazy stuff happening in this trailer, I don’t think it’s too unrealistic to dream for something like this!
Where Are Jo Martin's Doctor And The Master?
Doctor Who: Flux showed a lot of familiar characters in its trailer, but there were a few key faces from Season 12 that mysteriously aren’t shown in our first look at Season 13. Most notably, we don’t see Jo Martin’s Doctor or Sacha Dhawan’s Master. The latter played a huge part in most of Season 12’s mystery, so to have him missing from the trailer is baffling, to put it mildly. This guy was so upset to find out his regeneration cycle is a result of The Doctor’s genetics he destroyed Gallifrey, and now he’s nowhere to be found?
It’s possible that both Jo Martin’s Doctor and Sacha Dhawan’s Master are involved in Doctor Who: Flux, and neither were in the trailer, of course. But why? Fans surely expected to see both along for the long haul, given there are still plenty of questions to be answered about both. For example, we still aren’t sure how either exists, though perhaps that’s exactly what Doctor Who: Flux will answer. That’s my hope anyway, as I can’t have yet another Doctor Who showrunner leaves the show without tying off loose ends.
Doctor Who: Flux kicks off on BBC America on Sunday, October 31st, the sp-Who-kiest day of the year. Get ready for Jodie Whittaker’s final adventures as The Doctor, and get excited about what’s to come with the main reason I’m beyond excited to see Russell T. Davies return as showrunner.
