Swinging the fannish clue-by-four

[neadods]

The number of people who are absolutely convinced that "there will only be three more Doctors" are making me crazy.

No, the BBC is not obligated to cancel a show because of a 20-year-old plot point. Anybody who thinks that they would even consider the concept for a nanosecond is delusional at bestNo, it won't be "uncanonical" to blow that plot

Comments

[neadods]

I don't know, but there's a thread about it on Fandom Secrets that's just making my head explode. People seriously saying that there are only three more Doctors are outnumbering "oh, please, like they can't find ways around it" at what feels like 2:1. (I have not, for the sake of my blood pressure, done a complete count.)

[drho]

Since the Master never turned up, after using his regenerations...

[neadods]

Or the regenerations after *that*...

[not_hathor]

Oh, *this* again!!!

Sorry, I recall reading one of the novelizations waaaaay back, circa mid to late 1980's, when the whole 'limit to regenerations' was sort covered with a cautionary tale of some Time Lord who was perpetually dissatisfied with his regenerations and kept triggering them hoping to get something better until he finally DE-generated into a disgusting blob of protoplasm -- offering the idea that Time Lords really aren't limited to 13 regenerations, but it's not really recommended to push it!!!!

It seems to me it might have been one of the Fifth Doctor episode novelizations, as that was about the time they started doing a bit more in the background development, rather than a strict adaptation of the episode.

So the idea of MORE than 13 regens actually predates the New Who....

[ladyfox7oaks]

I remember that! ... Only I recall it being one of the Sixth Doctor's adventures. I'll have to look in my library and see if i can find it again, now...

[calapine]

Tis The Twin Dilemma, yo.

[ladyfox7oaks]

YES! With the bratty, ill-mannered, "Uber-genius" (Well- not as clever as our Doctor,) kids helping a very sick madman change the orbit of a planet...

[persiflage_1]

I don't think I want to know who these people are who discussing this...

Jeebus, even the Master says in Season 3 that he was given another set of regenerations as a 'bribe' (he doesn't call it that of course) in order to get him to fight in the Time War - it's right there IN THE TEXT people!!

[ladyfox7oaks]

And even in Classic Who, he Stole Bodies. (Keeper of Traken, anyone?!)

[persiflage_1]

Exactly!!

Teh stoopid, it burns!

[ladyfox7oaks]

*Hands over cold milk for the burns... and cookies.*

[ionlylurkhere]

I completely agree, but the "the Doctor has thirteen lives" meme does have currency in UK pop culture outside fandom. It's one of the "facts" that a lot of people "know". Not up there with knowing what Daleks and Cybermen are, but about on the same level as understanding who the Master is (though not getting that he's a counterexample).

I do think that the reason it's gained traction is that it provides at least an ultimate sense of closure to the Doctor's story, and gives the idea that there are possible threats big enough to end him. (I don't think it's a coincidence that it was codified during/just after Tom's era.) I think when they do dodge the bullet (which they will, if the show's still going), they'll need to be careful to avoid it coming off rather with-one-bound-he-was-free-ish. (The Master getting round the limit is explicitly through Being Evil, most of the time.)

[neadods]

hey'll need to be careful to avoid it coming off rather with-one-bound-he-was-free-ish.

According to the FAQ, it's more "with one boom he was free" - they're hinting that the Time Lords enforced the limit, and with no other Time Lords, no limit.

Which makes for double the emo, really. "Oh, woe, I must go on forever, which depresses me. And I killed off everyone who would stop me, which depresses me further." And then, because he's the Doctor, "...oh, look, a bunny."

[persiflage_1]

And then, because he's the Doctor, "...oh, look, a bunny."

*coughs, splutters, nearly chokes on her water* LOL ilu!

[neadods]

But so true!