Doctor Who has been running off and on for more than half a century now, and it's sometimes hard to keep track of all the zany time travel shenanigans over the years. Luckily, even when the plots get a bit confusing, there are always quality characters definitely worth following along. One of the best characters to be introduced to Doctor Who during Peter Capaldi's tenure as the Doctor has been Ashildr in Season 9. Ashildr was played to perfection by none other than Game of Thrones actress Maisie Williams, and she's been rumored to be joining the cast of Who as the Doctor's next companion. In a recent interview, Williams gave an answer about whether or not she will be returning to the series.
I’m not going to be working on Doctor Who again. Everyone’s hyping about it, which is very exciting, but I guess that’s more of a publicity thing. But no, I’m not going to return, I have a lot of other really exciting projects lined up instead.
Maisie Williams' comments to Bang Showbiz, which set the record straight about a return to the TARDIS, is undoubtedly a disappointment for Doctor Who fans who loved what she brought to the show as Ashildr. Considering that she made some memorable appearances throughout Season 9, she seemed like a solid candidate to take the place of Clara as the Doctor’s main companion in Season 10.
The Doctor’s main companions ever since the series was rebooted back in 2005 have been characters yanked from the 20th century, so Viking girl-turned-immortal Ashildr could have been a fascinating change to the status quo as a companion. Of course, given that she wasn’t exactly the cheeriest of characters and is directly tied to the tragedy that cost the Doctor the company of Clara, perhaps Ashildr is best left to her legacy rather than brought back.
Maisie Williams has a major role in another fantasy series that is hopefully keeping her busy on the small screen. Game of Thrones just wouldn’t be the same without Williams as Arya. Although the character has currently been struck blind and happens to come from a family that never seems to get a win, Arya is a consummate survivor. Hopefully, Williams will still be a figure on Game of Thrones for a long time.
Williams has expanded her horizons outside of television as well, taking on roles in films like The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea and Arrivals. She may not have landed as big a project as her on-screen Game of Thrones sister Sophie Turner, but the sky may well be the limit for the 17-year-old actress.
Given that an awful lot about Season 10 has been uncertain over recent months, Maisie Williams giving a definite answer about coming back to Doctor Who is something of a relief. Besides, Season 10 will be the last for current showrunner Steven Moffat and possibly the last for current star Peter Capaldi. There will likely be plenty going on without Doctor Who feeling incomplete without Maisie Williams as Ashildr.
