Doctor Who’s David Tennant Return Confirmed To Be Fourteenth Doctor
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Doctor Who’s « The Power of the Doctor ».Doctor Who’s David Tennant is confirmed to be portraying the fourteenth incarnation of the Doctor following his surprise appearance. The actor made his return to the sci-fi franchise following the departure of Jodie Whittaker in the centenary special, known as « The Power of the Doctor ». Tennant will return for the show’s 60th anniversary celebrations, with Ncuti Gatwa set to portray the Doctor in season 14 and beyond.
Faced against a sinister alliance of some of her deadliest foes including Cybermen, Daleks, and The Master (Sacha Dhawan), Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor teamed up with some fan-favorite companions from the classic seasons of Doctor Who to save Earth from a complex plan to wipe out the human race. However, after suffering a fatal wound, the Thirteenth Doctor begins to regenerate, and after a heartfelt final trip with current companion Yaz (Mandip Gill), Whittaker’s Doctor accepts her fate. Standing atop a natural rock arch watching a sunset, the Doctor regenerated, but with a shocking twist, as the Doctor assumed Tennant’s familiar form, much to the Time Lord’s surprise. With Tennant excited to return to Doctor Who, it has been revealed exactly where the actor’s new incarnation fits in alongside the Time Lord’s history of previous regenerations.
In an article released by the official Doctor Who website following the release of « The Power of the Doctor », it was revealed how Tennant’s character would fit alongside previous versions of the Time Lord. In the article, the returning actor’s new incarnation was officially named as the Fourteenth Doctor, directly following Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor. Check out the official statement below:
As Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor regenerated on Sunday 23rd October, it was none other than David Tennant who appeared as the Fourteenth Doctor.
While Tennant and Catherine Tate’s Doctor Who return was confirmed in May, many longtime fans have wondered what could cause Tennant’s return. While the return of Tom Baker as The Curator in « The Day of the Doctor » hinted that the Doctor could take on the form of previous incarnations, Tennant’s return is the first time a television story has focused on the Doctor regenerating into the form of a previous Doctor. While the circumstances around this twist are still a mystery, « The Power of the Doctor » may have offered an explanation. Following The Master forcing the Thirteenth Doctor to regenerate into a new incarnation of himself, Yaz helped bring Whittaker’s Doctor back by reversing the process, something which had been stated to be incredibly dangerous. As such, it could be speculated that the process could have pushed the Doctor to degenerate into the Tenth Doctor’s familiar form. With the 2023 Doctor Who trailer teasing Tennant and Gatwa’s characters, it is possible that the three 60th anniversary specials may center on the Fourteenth Doctor attempting to figure out why he has taken on the form of the Tenth Doctor before ultimately regenerating into the Fifteenth Doctor.
While the circumstances around Tennant’s Doctor Who return may be a mystery, the twist is sure to be welcomed by many viewers. The actor’s original tenure as the Tenth Doctor helped introduce many to the franchise, making him one of the show’s most popular incarnations of the Time Lord. With Tennant’s new incarnation officially being named the Fourteenth Doctor, many dedicated fans are sure to be speculating what this may mean for the 60th anniversary’s story as they await the show’s 2023 return.
Source: doctorwho.tv
