Among the guest stars that are dropping by for Doctor Who Season 9 (called Series 9 in the U.K.) is Maisie Williams, who is best known as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones. Despite being announced months ago, the BBC has been staying tight-lipped on the identity of her character. Now showrunner Steven Moffat has provided additional details on what we can expect from her, and right away he’s confirming one thing—she isn’t someone fans have already met.
Moffat told EW that although Williams’ role will be a significant one in Season 9, she isn’t playing someone that fans are familiar with from the classic series or the revival. Moffat said:
Once you see what she’s up to you’ll appreciate what a clever idea [the role] was. It’s a significant role, we’re not just throwing her away. It’s a great part and she’s terrific in it. One thing I think is worth saying, because it keeps coming up as an issue, is that she is not playing a returning character. She’s a new character, she’s not a character from the Doctor’s past.
Ever since Williams’ was announced to appear on Doctor Who back in March, some wondered whether her character was a regenerated/disguised version of someone from his past, like his granddaughter Susan or his daughter Jenny from the 10th Doctor episode “The Doctor’s Daughter.” However, now fans should toss those theories aside in favor of wracking their brains around how she’ll get involved with the Twelfth Doctor.
Williams’ mystery character was seen in the final seconds of the Doctor Who Season 9 trailer released during San Diego Comic-Con. After pulling off the mask and hat she was wearing, Peter Capaldi’s Doctor immediately recognized her. This prompted her to respond “What took you so long, old man?”, implying that these two have familiarity with each other. Williams will guest star in Episodes 5 and 6, titled “The Girl Who Died” and “The Woman Who Lived,” respectively. Moffat previously said that her character would “challenge the Doctor in very unexpected ways,” so whatever their relationship is, she’ll be giving him a run for his money.
Aside from his companion Clara Oswald, other recurring characters that will appear during Season 9 include Missy, Kate Stewart and Osgood. We will also see old monsters and adversaries return, like the Daleks and the Zygons. When the new batch of adventures kicks off, the Twelfth Doctor will make a mistake that has “cataclysmic repercussions” not just for the two-part premiere, but possibly the rest of the season as well.
Doctor Who Season 9 will premiere on September 21 on BCC America in the United States and BBC One in the United Kingdom.
