Doctor Who Pays Emotional Tribute to Past Doctors in Heartfelt Scene!

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*Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Doctor Who episode The Story and the Engine.*

In this most recent installment of Doctor Who, we embarked on an intellectually stimulating journey that carried us to the vibrant city of Lagos, Nigeria, and ventured further into realms beyond. This adventure also included a segment that paid homage to the enduring narrative thread that has been a hallmark of the beloved series.

In the work of author Inua Ellams titled “The Story and the Engine,” the character played by Ncuti Gatwa comes across an enigmatic Barber, portrayed by Ariyon Bakare. This Barber employs the captivating allure of stories to energize the mechanism hidden within his ordinary barber shop, which serves as his artisanal workshop.

At the peak of the tale, the Doctor along with his companion Belinda (Varada Sethu) navigate towards the core of the Barber’s work – his story engine. In this crucial moment, the Time Lord forges a mental connection with the machinery.

He clarifies that the engine is linked to his narratives, and indeed, snippets of tales spanning over six decades of Doctor Who appear on a screen nearby, presenting brief glimpses from various episodes.

In the series, each actor who previously held the lead role – starting from Patrick Troughton, followed by Jon Pertwee, then Christopher Eccleston and finally David Tennant – makes a short cameo appearance.

The montage carries on showcasing brief visuals and sound clips featuring Peter Capaldi, Jodie Whittaker, Matt Smith, Tom Baker, Paul McGann, William Hartnell, Peter Davison, and Colin Baker.

The inside of my body is much like a bustling barbershop, filled with tales being shared and friendly banter. I promise, I won’t let them down.

Absolutely, it’s not new for Doctor Who to delve into the idea that previous versions of the Doctor might persist in some way within the current Doctor’s consciousness. In the 2022 episode titled “The Power of the Doctor,” we witnessed past Doctors materialize within the Thirteenth Doctor’s mindscape, appearing as the Guardians of the Edge, residing on the brink of existence.

The Barber thinks that the Doctor acted recklessly by releasing his “eternal tale” and bestowing upon himself “eternal authority.” However, our protagonist’s extensive background proves to be too much for the device, causing it to collapse. Yet, before the collapse, both the Doctor and the Barber manage to flee back to Lagos, using the barber shop’s front door and the time/space portal that connects the extraterrestrial vessel with Nigeria.

In addition to those mentioned before, an earlier Doctor, known as the Fugitive Doctor (portrayed by Jo Martin), unexpectedly appeared in both ‘The Story’ and ‘The Engine’. However, this appearance was not in the usual format.

Running into Abena, the friend of the Barber (Michelle Asante), the Fifteenth Doctor recalls that they’ve crossed paths before – way back when – as the Runaway Doctor tangled with Anansi the Spider Deity, who tried to marry his daughter, Abena, to the Time Lord.

As a seasoned movie critic, I found myself reminiscing about Martin’s captivating portrayal of the Fugitive once more, this time in an intriguing scene from recent episodes – The Power of the Doctor being the last instance where we saw her in action. In this particular segment, the current Doctor skillfully connects the dots and extends a heartfelt apology to Abena for their previous parting, which was reminiscent of our last encounter with Martin’s character.

He commented, “I really appreciate those connections.” It’s almost as if they’re a breathing script, akin to Doctor Who, and it’s hard to ignore the fact that they’ve been around for a full 62 years.

The television series, “Doctor Who,” resumes its broadcast next Saturday (17th May). In the United Kingdom, fresh episodes will be accessible on BBC iPlayer starting from 8am every Saturday, with re-runs on BBC One later in the day. For viewers outside of the UK, the show is available on Disney+.

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2025-05-10 11:49