Warning: This article contains spoilers for Doctor Who: “The Power of the Doctor.”
Doctor Who fans could not have asked for anything more from Jodie Whittaker’s last episode as the Thirteenth Doctor’s feature-length finale managed to squeeze in more surprises than you can shake a sonic screwdriver at. While we knew to expect a few returning characters, including classic companions Tegan (Janet Fielding) and Ace (Sophie Aldred), it turned out they were just the tip of the iceberg.
Acting as a perfect lead-in to next year’s 60th anniversary celebrations, “The Power of the Doctor” served as a celebration of the show’s six decades on our screens with a range of previous Doctors and past companions returning for surprise cameos that blew the minds of Whovians everywhere. In fact, with a total of eight separate incarnations of the Time Lord, the special now stands as the episode with the most Doctors in Doctor Who history.
Who turned up in the episode? Let’s recap the 10 shocking returns of “The Power of the Doctor.”
First Doctor (David Bradley)
After her body is taken over by the Master, the Thirteenth Doctor finds herself in a mindscape representing her clinging onto life before she regenerates. While in this space, she’s confronted by an ever-shifting avatar of her past selves, which initially takes the form of her first incarnation (played by David Bradley, who has already replaced William Hartnell on a number of occasions).
Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker)
Another face from the past the Doctor’s mindscape self wears is that of the Sixth Doctor (Colin Baker). Baker’s return to the show is especially welcome considering he hasn’t been seen since his acrimonious exit back in 1986 after he was fired by the BBC. Naturally he refused to come back for his regeneration scene into the Seventh Doctor (more on him in a moment).
Fifth Doctor (Peter Davison)
The mindscape Doctor also appears as the fifth incarnation (Peter Davison). Davison additionally gets to reunite with his former companion, Tegan, as the Doctor’s A.I. hologram interacts with her and assumes the form of the Doctor Tegan once traveled with, resulting in a reunion 40 years in the making. Given that, it’s hard to care that it’s not really explained why the A.I. looks a lot older.
Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann)
The Doctor’s consciousness also converses with her in the form of the Eighth Doctor. Paul McGann’s return is a huge deal as this marks only his third ever onscreen appearance in the role, following his debut in 1996’s TV movie and his brief return in “The Night of the Doctor” mini-sode, released in 2013 as a prelude to the 50th anniversary special.
Seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy)
The Doctor’s consciousness’ final form is the Seventh Doctor, a regeneration that the Doctor’s A.I. hologram also assumes when conversing with Ace. Like the Davison/Tegan reunion, this allows for another classic Doctor/companion pairing to share the screen once more, patching up the hurt surrounding their parting of the ways in the process.
Fugitive Doctor (Jo Martin)
Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor—a “lost” incarnation from the Time Lord’s distant past—should’ve been used way more in the Whittaker era, but thankfully she gets another brief cameo here at least. She’s another face assumed by the Doctor’s A.I. hologram, specifically chosen to throw the Master off as the Doctor’s friends conspire to undo his evil plan.
Jo Jones (Katy Manning)
At the end of the special, we learn that Graham (Bradley Walsh) has formed a kind of Companion’s Anonymous meeting group where the Doctor’s old friends unite and chat about their times in the TARDIS. This is attended by many familiar faces long since seen in the series beginning with Jo Jones, a friend to Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor.
Melanie Bush (Bonnie Langford)
Similarly, Bonnie Langford’s Melanie Bush is also part of the group. Mel previously traveled with both Colin Baker’s Sixth Doctor and McCoy’s Seventh, before she left his side and he took on Ace as his new companion. Her inclusion means that all three leads of the Seventh Doctor’s era feature in this special, making it a real treat for fans of late-’80s Who.
Ian Chesterton (William Russell)
The most meaningful companion return has to be William Russell as Ian Chesterton, one of the First Doctor’s original companions who hasn’t featured in Doctor Who since 1965. Having him cameo like this really brings the series full circle as it heads into its 60th year, reminding us just how far the Whoniverse has come since its origins.
Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant)
Last but certainly not least, “The Power of the Doctor” dropped one last surprise when Jodie Whittaker regenerated—not into Ncuti Gatwa, as we expected, but David Tennant. Instead of playing the Tenth Doctor once again, Tennant is now officially our Fourteenth Doctor, set to lead the charge once more for three specials airing next November before handing the TARDIS keys over to Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor.
Doctor Who returns in late 2023.
