Doctor Who: 9 Predictions About The Regeneration Conundrum

1. The "Problem" Won't Be Solved At All

The argument here is worthy of another column altogether (coming soon!), but what if The Doctor as we know him ultimately gets "just" the 13 bodies? In recent episodes, scripts have taken great pains to imply that anyone, given the right conditions, might assume the role. Consider the following exchange near the end of "The Day of the Doctor." Clara: You told me the name you chose was a promise. What was the promise? Doctor 10: Never cruel or cowardly. War Doctor: Never give up. Never give in. A key theme in "The Time of the Doctor" is this: To be a hero, the hero known throughout the universe as "The Doctor" is this formula. So couldn't anyone with a willingness to surrender everything up to and including his/her name for the forces of righteousness and justice call him/herself the Doctor? Presumably with the departing Doctor's permission, sonic screwdriver and TARDIS, that is. Imagine the revelation that "The Doctor" was a role created by the Time Lords long ago, as a sort of outsider-cum-conscience to help keep the all-powerful race honest €“ A role that any Gallifreyean might assume. And wouldn't it make sense in a retcon sort of way to explain the roll of companions as due to the Doctor's knowledge that someday he'll have to pass the baton? Perhaps the most exciting possibility is this, the creation of a new hero to carry the baton under the old familiar ideal. You read it here first.