In spite of its divisive nature, the Timeless Child twist on Doctor Who opened the door to a lot of possibilities when it comes to exploring the titular protagonist’s enigmatic past. One aspect of this is the innumerable incarnations that have walked the fictional world before William Hartnell’s First Doctor. Jo Martin’s Ruth is one of those iterations, though her short-lived presence in season 12 left us with a ton of questions that showrunner Chris Chibnall has unfortunately yet to address.
As you’ll know, the latest outing of the BBC’s long-standing sci-fi series dropped a massive bombshell on us last year, revealing that the Last of the Time Lords isn’t Gallifreyan, but, in fact, a being that predates the universe itself. This also implied that there have been numerous versions of the character before the show’s debut in the 60s.
Now that Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth is looking to redefine her identity with this twist, it’s safe to say that Jo Martin will be back as the so-called “forgotten Doctor.” Besides, the EP is obviously building towards something bigger narrative-wise, or else the 13th would’ve come to terms with the revelation by now.
It seems that even the actress herself is keen on returning as the unnumbered avatar. When asked in a recent interview with Radio Times whether she’d be open to reprising her role in a future episode or a spinoff, here’s what Martin had to say:
“I would absolutely love it. I think there’s so much more story. What they set up opens up a world that we’ve not fully explored with Doctor Who yet. And you don’t want to waste that costume. You know what I mean? That costume – it’s a real waste of a costume because it’s so swaggy, as they say. So I think that costume needs to get worn again by me.”
Hopefully Jodie Whittaker’s upcoming third run on Doctor Who will finally tackle the mystery surrounding Ruth’s Doctor, but what that’ll signify for the series’ closely guarded and overarching continuity as a whole is anyone’s guess at this point. As always, watch this space for more.
