Summary
- The Doctor undergoes a dual regeneration in the 60th anniversary special of Doctor Who, resulting in two distinct versions of himself.
- The bi-generation allows for a multi-doctor episode with both Ncuti Gatwa and David Tennant.
- The Fifteenth Doctor might have some memory loss, unlike the other Doctors, which could lead to new situations and difficulties for him.
‘Doctor Who’ has made history in its final 60th anniversary special with its first-ever bi-generation as Ncuti Gatwa succeeded David Tennant.
The Fourteenth Doctor was facing the returning villain from the 1960s, i.e., the Toymaker, when history was written in the universe.
The cosmic trickster, bound by the rules of his own game, demanded that a new incarnation of the Doctor should face him in the final round. However, his plan backfired when the beam did not trigger a regeneration but a bi-generation – the first of its kind in history.
Regeneration in the Doctor Who universe is a tricky process, and the ancient Gallifreyan process of cheating death has had so many changes over the years that it is virtually impossible to understand all its nuances now.
In the late 1970s, Romana had the luxury of picking her next form before finalizing her regeneration in “Destiny of the Daleks.” Later, in Matt Smith’s swan song, “The Time of the Doctor,” the Eleventh Doctor received a fresh regeneration cycle.
Finally, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor learned that they were the source of the genetic code that enabled Time Lord regeneration. This bi-generation between David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa is just another twist in this mysterious process.
1. Split in Two?
Toymaker’s Galvanic beam triggers the iconic regeneration process, as the Fourteenth Doctor is held by Donna Noble and Melanie Bush.
However, something different happens this time. The Fourteenth Doctor observes that “it feels different this time” before suddenly dividing into two separate Doctors like an amoeba!
The two Doctors split the Fourteenth Doctor’s outfit, leaving Ncuti Gatwa with an open shirt, a loose tie, trousers, and Converse shoes. Interesting!
This an ingenious way for Russell T Davies to deliver a multi-doctor special for the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who.
The reason sighted by him is that the Toymaker’s powers have enabled the Fifteenth Doctor to manipulate reality and create a second TARDIS.
It also accounts for how the Doctor split himself into two and got some much-needed help to defeat the Toymaker.
2. Bi-Generation is a Time Lord Myth
After generating, Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor states that bi-generation is a Time Lord myth, suggesting that no one has ever done it in the past.
Since Doctor Who’s Timeless Child retcon confirms that Doctor Who’s regenerative gifts were there since he was a child, it makes for an epic moment that he’s the first person to bi-generate.
Moreover, it also frees the Doctor from the burdens he’s experienced over the last fourteen generations.
Russell T Davies has also disclosed that the bi-generation is why all the former Doctors have returned for Tales of the TARDIS. This statement is made in an enlightening commentary on The Giggle, which can be watched on the BBC iPlayer, and a snippet of which was posted on Twitter:
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3. Do Both Doctors Retain their Past Memories?
In Doctor Who, Ncuti Gatwa retains all the memories of ‘Doctor Who’ but doesn’t seem to carry the emotional baggage of the past Doctors. However, we don’t know enough about bi-generation to infer that all the memories have been transferred from fourteen to fifteen.
Ncuti Gatwa and David Tennant’s Doctors had the costume split between them, and it is possible that not every memory got transferred. Therefore, we can expect to see a refreshing version of the Doctor in the next installments, not the insufferable know-it-all!
Finally, having two doctors exist simultaneously means that David Tennant and Ncuti Gatwa can meet up in future installments.
Their chemistry has been outstanding in the few scenes we’ve seen them together, and fans can’t wait for their next ‘big’ story together.
Although David Tennant has effectively bid farewell, he might help the Fifteenth Doctor if things get out of control again. With Doctor Who and his incarnations, you just can’t predict the future, can you?
4. About Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British sci-fi TV program produced by the BBC since 1963. The series aired from 1963-89 and was then again revived in 2005.
The program depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called “The Doctor,” an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the universe in a time-traveling spaceship called the TARDIS. With various companions, the Doctor combats foes, saves civilizations, and helps people in need.
Over the years, many actors like Jodie Whittaker, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, and Peter Davidson have played the Doctor. Hartnell was the first actor to be cast as Doctor Who.
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