Since its first episode in 1963, Doctor Who has been a show full of mysteries. Indeed, the history of the show is a mass of conundrums and contradictions. Throw in the various novels, comics and audio play tie-ins and continuity is more a suggestion than a rule. As such, there are many mysteries raised by the finale of the Doctor Who Season 1 revamp that remain unresolved.
What happened to The Doctor’s granddaughter, Susan?
The series teased the return of The Doctor’s first companion, his granddaughter Susan, through the introduction of Susan Triad. The Doctor and viewers were ready to believe that the tech guru behind S Triad Technology might be his granddaughter. However, this was a red herring, set up by the god of death, Sutekh, as revenge for his defeat at the hand of the Doctor. This leaves the question of what happened to the real Susan unresolved. Sadly, the Fifteenth Doctor speculates in The Devil’s Chord that Susan was killed by the genocide that wiped out all the other Time Lords. Still, he hoped she had survived and somehow found a way to find him.
The Doctor’s history as a parent
While discussing Susan with Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, the UNIT head expressed surprise that the Fifteenth Doctor had children, let alone a granddaughter. Curiously, he denied being a father, saying “Well, not quite. Not yet.” When asked how he could have a granddaughter without children, he enigmatically replied “Life of a Time Lord.”
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While it is possible that Susan traveled back in time to meet her grandfather as a younger man, the Doctor’s denial of being a father contradicts much of his earlier characterization. In the Ninth Doctor episode The Empty Child, the Doctor commiserated with a Doctor Constantine during World War II. Constantine remarks “I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I am still a doctor.” The Ninth Doctor replies, “I know the feeling.” The Tenth Doctor also made multiple references to having been a father, before “giving birth” to a clone soldier named Jenny in the episode The Doctor’s Daughter.
Ruby Sunday and the indoor snow
One running mystery throughout Doctor Who Season One involved the snow that Ruby Sunday seemingly conjured. There were many fan theories as to this being a hint of Ruby having some special heritage through her mystery parents. In the end, Ruby’s parents were ordinary people, and no explanation was offered for the sudden snow storms.
Who is Beep the Meep’s Boss?
The cute yet sinister Beep the Meep made reference to a boss who would be very interested in the existence of the last Time Lord. It was presumed that this boss and the foreshadowed “One Who Waits” were one and the same. However, it seems unlikely that Sutekh would involve himself with a relatively small-time criminal like Beep the Meep. He would have also already been aware of the last of the Time Lords. This leaves the question of who Beep worked for up in the air.
Who is Mrs. Flood?
A neighbor of Ruby Sunday, Mrs. Flood has inspired multiple fan theories since the 2023 Doctor Who Christmas special. Little has been revealed about her beyond her knowing what a TARDIS is and her ability to break the fourth wall. She also briefly, in Empire of Death, mentioned her plans to declare war on God and “storm down his gates of gold and seize his kingdom in my true name.” Thankfully, actress Anita Dobson confirmed (in a Radio Times interview) that answers regarding Mrs. Flood will come in Doctor Who Season 2.
What happened to the Master?
The Moriarty to the Doctor’s Holmes, the Master was briefly referenced in The Giggle. The Toymaker claimed to have trapped them in his gold tooth. The tooth remained after the Toymaker’s defeat, picked up by an unseen figure with painted nails. Who this figure is and the Master’s fate remain a mystery.
Doctor Who Season 1 is now streaming on BBC iPlayer and Disney Plus.
