The Thirteenth Doctor’s time in the TARDIS is almost up. Before this month is over, the Jodie Whittaker era of Doctor Who will have officially come to an end as our very first female Doctor, who took over the role back in 2017, will be saying goodbye to the character in the sci-fi show’s centenary special. Fans have been (not-so-)patiently waiting for our first look at the feature-length finale for ages, but now it’s finally here, revealing the episode’s surprisingly imminent release date in the process.
As titled “The Power of the Doctor,” Thirteen’s finale promises to be a grand conclusion to Whittaker’s tenure, with all her major enemies returning to see her off. Like the trailer above gives away, Sacha Dhawan is back as the Doctor’s eternal enemy the Master, plus the Daleks and the Cybermen are coming to cause trouble again to boot.
The real draw of the special for Whovians, though, is the duo of old friends who are returning for the first time in decades to help the hero out. As was confirmed months back, 1980s companions Janet Fielding (Tegan Jovanka) and Sophie Aldred (Ace) are likewise involved.
On top of being Whittaker’s last episode, the special similarly marks the end of the line for showrunner Chris Chibnall. He’ll be handing over the reins to former EP Russell T. Davies beginning next year, the series’ 60th anniversary. Ncuti Gatwa will be our next Doctor, although we’re not entirely sure if we’ll get a glimpse at him in this ep or not considering that David Tennant is set to return for a bunch of specials in 2023, before Gatwa’s era properly kicks off.
“The Power of the Doctor” will be revealed when Doctor Who airs its next 90-minute special as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations on Sunday, Oct. 23.
