There are a lot of secrets surrounding the Doctor Who two-part season finale, but no one expected the Doctor’s “real” name to be a big deal. And yet, according to those who have seen advanced screenings of the episode, one of the biggest surprises is that the episode will somehow finally reveal that the Time Lord known as the Doctor does in fact have a real name.
Possible spoilers ahead for Doctor Who, “World Enough and Time”
On Wednesday, multiple UK news outlets, including The Radio Times, Doctor Who TV and Den of Geek UK started running their spoiler free-reviews of “World Enough and Time.” Every single source pointed out that the appearances of the Master and the Cybermen would have been better had trailers not revealed they were coming in the first place. But, apparently, there are even bigger twists coming. The episode somehow will address the much-discussed real “name” of the Doctor.
According to a list of teases from Doctor Who TV, there are several things those who have seen “World Enough and Time” can’t reveal, but as Clint Hassell writes: “I am not surprised by what I am forbidden to discuss. I am shocked by what I am still allowed to tease. For example: we discover the Doctor’s real name.”
Back in season 7, when the Doctor was still Matt Smith, the notion of the “first” question in the universe was “Doctor who?” By the end of this season, everyone was led to believe that if the Doctor spoke his name aloud, the universe would like, totally end. Supposedly, the one of he only people who knew the Doctor’s “real” name was River Song, and in terms of recent chronology, she’s officially dead. Though, when the Doctor was still David Tennant, he revealed River knew his name in the season 4 two-part episode “Silence in the Library” and “Forest of the Dead.” Notably, even though Russell T. Davies was running Doctor Who way back then, the first episode in the modern run of the show to bring up the idea of the Doctor’s name was written by current showrunner Steven Moffat.
So, because Moffat is leaving the series, it stands to reason he’s wrapping up the whole “who is the Doctor?” question before he exits. Still, it might not be that simple. Even if the Doctor does reveal his name, fans should remember the first rule about the Doctor, as uttered by the person who knew him best; River Song: “The Doctor lies.”
Doctor Who, “World Enough and Time”, part one of the two-part season 10 finale, airs on BBC America on Saturday June 24 at 9pm EST.
