To Die or Not to Die: The Thirteenth Doctor

[Joe Washington]

When the time comes for the Doctor's final regeneration, do you think the runners of the show will have the guts to kill off the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of his run for good or will they lose their nerve and come up with some twist for the Doctor to continue surviving past his predicted death?

In my opinion, they should kill him off and make his death a heroic death, something fitting to who he is. Yes, it would still be a tragic ending. But the way I see it, it would end the epic story of Doctor Who on a strong emotional note that will linger in the minds of its audience for many years to come.

 

[The Doctor]

When the time comes for the Doctor's final regeneration, do you think the runners of the show will have the guts to kill off the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of his run for good or will they lose their nerve and come up with some twist for the Doctor to continue surviving past his predicted death?

In my opinion, they should kill him off and make his death a heroic death, something fitting to who he is. Yes, it would still be a tragic ending. But the way I see it, it would end the epic story of Doctor Who on a strong emotional note that will linger in the minds of its audience for many years to come.

The Doctor will continue regenerating as long as there are viewers. The so-called limit will be hand-waved away without any gravity or consequence whatever. As it should be.

 

[UssGlenn]

Well if there was ever a time to reboot Doctor Who that would be it. Start the next series with the first Doctor stealing the Tardis.

 

[Professor Zoom]

When the time comes for the Doctor's final regeneration, do you think the runners of the show will have the guts to kill off the Thirteenth Doctor at the end of his run for good or will they lose their nerve and come up with some twist for the Doctor to continue surviving past his predicted death?

In my opinion, they should kill him off and make his death a heroic death, something fitting to who he is. Yes, it would still be a tragic ending. But the way I see it, it would end the epic story of Doctor Who on a strong emotional note that will linger in the minds of its audience for many years to come.

That's easy. If it still gets 8 million viewers he LIVES.

If no one is watching? Well, probably canceled before they even get to the last regeneration.

It's a business....

 

[The Wormhole]

To impose a limit was ridiculous to begin with. Sure, it might have served the story needs of The Deadly Assassin, but that's it. As the main character, it should have been obvious to everyone that when time came for the Doctor, extenuating circumstances would allow him more lives. And besides, precedent has been set regarding Time Lords having their lives extended past the thirteenth incarnation. The Master, for one seems to have gotten two extensions on his regeneration limit, as I would assume that's how he was able to regenerate in Utopia.

Bottom line, we'll be seeing a Fourteenth Doctor and a Fifteenth and so on in that order.

 

[C.E. Evans]

In the classic series, it was established that Time Lords can be granted another 13 lives. Even with the Time Lords gone (which I doubt will ever be permanant), I'm certain the writers will find a way for the Doctor to continue past his thirteenth incarnation.

I could see even a 27th Doctor, in which she may have forgotten most of her earlier incarnations...

 

[FalTorPan]

In the classic series, it was established that Time Lords can be granted another 13 lives. Even with the Time Lords gone (which I doubt will ever be permanant), I'm certain the writers will find a way for the Doctor to continue past his thirteenth incarnation.

Yup, and given the program's willingness to contradict itself (Dalek history) or pull ideas out of left field (repeated returns of the Master, Davros and the Daleks, and the recent return of the Time Lords, etc.), I've no doubt that, should the end of the thirteenth Doctor's life draw near, something will keep him around.

 

[Skellington]

I could see even a 27th Doctor, in which she may have forgotten most of her earlier incarnations...

No, no, no, River's the 627th Doctor - assuming that the show continues into the 6th millennium, of course.

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

They establish back in "The Five Doctors" that they could give the Master (who was by that point ALREADY past his limit) a whole new life cycle, without making a fuss of it. Then, they went and did just that to resurrect the Master for the Time War, who then regenerated at least one time since. The whole implication is that going beyond the twelve regeneration "limit" is no big deal.

The way I see it, regeneration is something that the body of a time lord can physically sustain only twelve times. Thereafter, I'm sure that they've long since figured out how Gallifreyan science CAN start the clock again, it just takes some doing. I'm plenty sure that the show, should they get that far in this incarnation (sic), can easily find some way of keeping the ol' coot going through additional series without spending too much time on worrying about it prior to or following the actual event.

OTOH, I *really* like the idea someone once posted that the Thirteenth Doctor, at the end of his last episode, will collapse, choke out his final words to his companion(s) about how much it sucks to have been killed by [insert scenario here], and die. Moments later, his body glows, shimmers, and regenerates into its latest incarnation. The Fourteenth Doctor will sit up, check his pulse, and before the faces of his stupefied companions will say, "Well, THAT's different..."

Mark

 

[Shatnertage]

I don't think there's any way they "kill off" the doctor. They'd definitely leave a door open, if only for books/audios/whatever else. Since you can change actors without changing the character, there's no reason to get rid of the character.

I agree that, when the time comes, it will be handwaved away, or possibly not even referenced on-screen. Besides "The Deadly Assassin" and "Keeper of Traken," has there been on-screen references to the 13-regen limit?

 

[Mark_Nguyen]

"Mawdryn Undead" and the TVM, to name two.

Mark

 

[Starkers]

Much as I love the show, part of me hopes they do have the balls to kill him at the end of his 13th life.

While the show still draws in the viewers though I suspect he'll come back as the 14th, 15th, 16th Doctor etc etc etc

The shame of this is that, rather than go out on a high, the show will likely creak along until it's put out of its misery (again).

Of course it might be revived again....

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

The Doctor will continue regenerating as long as there are viewers. The so-called limit will be hand-waved away without any gravity or consequence whatever. As it should be.

Absolutely Right(TM).

 

[DWF]

To impose a limit was ridiculous to begin with. Sure, it might have served the story needs of The Deadly Assassin, but that's it. As the main character, it should have been obvious to everyone that when time came for the Doctor, extenuating circumstances would allow him more lives.

The show was in it's 14th season at that point with Doctor No. 4 there's no way of knowing back then that we'd even be seeing 13 Doctors so I can't agree with that. In any event I don't see a problem with him having added life when the time comes.

 

[Joe Washington]

Already we're reached the Eleventh Doctor. Just two more to go.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Apparently the regeneration issue is going to be addressed in a Sarah Jane Adventures episode.

 

[Jax]

A throwaway line is not good enough and there is a chance to tell a fantastic story regarding the Doctors own mortality. If the show is doing well then of course the limit should be extended but do it by something that happens in the show not just a line saying oh that 13 limit is gone now btw.

 

[Captain Crow]

They establish back in "The Five Doctors" that they could give the Master (who was by that point ALREADY past his limit) a whole new life cycle, without making a fuss of it.

The Master at that point wasn't technically a Time Lord at that point. Infact he wasn't even a Gallifreyan. He was in Nyssa's father's body who was a Traken. They were more or less offering to rewrite his current body's genetic code so he would be a full-fledged Time Lord again which would in turn allow the body he stole to be able to regenerate thus having a fresh regen cycle of twelve. But instead of saying all of that they just mention the new life cycle part.

 

[Starkers]

I guess it might depend on the nature of the 12 regen limit, we've never really been told whether 13 is a limit imposed by the Timelords themsevles, or a physical impasse, that their bodies just can't regenerate a 13th time or beyond.

 

[bryce]

A throwaway line is not good enough and there is a chance to tell a fantastic story regarding the Doctors own mortality. If the show is doing well then of course the limit should be extended but do it by something that happens in the show not just a line saying oh that 13 limit is gone now btw.

I agree...but apparently that's what we are gonna get.

I don't mind them ditching the regeneration limit...but since it's such a big and established part of Doctor Who lore, we should at least get an *explanation* for why the limit is no longer in effect (if not an actual episode dealing with it.)

I imagine the maybe the Time Lords did away with the limit during the Time War - since repeated death was probably pretty common...

Or maybe they gave the Doctor unlimited regenerations for some reason because of his role/mission during the time war.