The season 12 finale of Doctor Who ended on a cliffhanger that involved the return of the Judoon, as the international space police snatched the titular character from her TARDIS and put her in one of their galactic jails.
Now, Jodie Whittaker’s 13th has to escape the prison and go back in time to save the world from whatever it is that the Daleks are planning. After all, we know that the upcoming holiday special episode will feature the infamous exterminators. But what’s unclear at this stage is how The Doctor will get out of this mess. For all we know, her ‘fam’ back on Earth aren’t aware of the Judoon, leaving Captain Jack Harkness and Jo Martin’s secret Doctor as the only viable candidates for a rescue.
Of course, longtime fans of the sci-fi series will be aware that The Doctor has been jailed countless times before. And she always seems to get out, mostly by herself. Only in this instance, the producers have teased that finding a loophole in the Judoon prison will not be as easy as you’d imagine. The first pic from the episode, which you see below, confirmed as much, showing The Doctor keeping a tally of the days she’s been inside the cell.
Obviously, the most reasonable choice to help her escape is Jo Martin’s pre-Hartnell incarnation. “Fugitive of the Judoon” even revealed that the alien law enforcement organization is looking for her. What if this is all just an elaborate bait to get her out, then? I mean, if she learned that her future self was in danger, she’d do something about it, despite showing little to no compassion when compared to the 13th during her brief appearance.
As ScreenRant explains:
If the Doctor’s fam aren’t coming to her rescue, then presumably help must come from an unexpected quarter. The most likely candidate is Jo Martin’s Forgotten Doctor, the mysterious incarnation who’s actually wanted by the Judoon. She learned of Jodie Whittaker’s incarnation in “Fugitive of the Judoon.” If she hears the Judoon have successfully captured the Doctor, then it’s entirely possible she will join the dots and break the Thirteenth Doctor out. The Forgotten Doctor worked for the Time Lords in the past, possibly even alongside the Judoon, which may well mean she has the knowledge to navigate the prison.
Doctor Who has yet to confirm whether Martin will reprise her role for the upcoming holiday special, “Revolution of the Daleks.” But we know that she has to return at some point, so this might be the perfect opportunity for Chris Chibnall to bring the character back into the narrative after the finale pretty much left her out.