The War Doctor

[Alidar Jarok]

The reason, according to sources I've spoken to at Underground Toys, is because BBC Worldwide believes the name "War Doctor" isn't appropriate for an all-ages product like Doctor Who. "Other Doctor" is seen as more family-friendly.

Even though War Doctor is actually who John Hurt is credited as playing in Night of the Doctor?

Doesn't matter when it comes to toys that have been marketed with children also in mind.

Something similar was done for toys based on the movie Kick-Ass 2 in the States. Those sold in Toys R Us stores were rebranded a more family-friendly "KA 2."

Well, that is stupid.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

War Doctor is fine. It's a description, not a name or title. The Doctor that fought in the war, just shorter.

I'm not sure he even carried a name or title during that time.

Maybe he was like the ...er... Doctor on Star Trek Voyager in that regard.

 

[Captaindemotion]

I would have thought that he called himself The Doctor during the Time War; that it was only after he 'destroyed' Gallifrey - which was at the end of that incarnation anyway - that he decided he didn't deserve that title.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

I would have thought that he called himself The Doctor during the Time War; that it was only after he 'destroyed' Gallifrey - which was at the end of that incarnation anyway - that he decided he didn't deserve that title.

"The first words he spoke were "Doctor no more."

 

[Captaindemotion]

Damn my shite memory.

 

[The Wormhole]

Plus, when he met the Moment.

Moment: "Doctor, that's the name in your head."
War Doctor: "It shouldn't be. I'm not the Doctor anymore."

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ I thought that was because he'd decided to use The Moment but Timelord Victorious is right with the earlier quote.

 

[C.E. Evans]

But I think he might have just called himself John Smith during that time, IMO.

Given he likely spent his entire life in the War Doctor incarnation either on Gallifrey or on the Time War's front lines, wouldn't using an Earth name just cause him to stand out even more.

It wasn't about standing out, it was about his belief he didn't deserve to be called the Doctor during that time. In that regard, any name other than "the Doctor" would do.

Even though War Doctor is actually who John Hurt is credited as playing in Night of the Doctor?

Doesn't matter when it comes to toys that have been marketed with children also in mind.

Something similar was done for toys based on the movie Kick-Ass 2 in the States. Those sold in Toys R Us stores were rebranded a more family-friendly "KA 2."

Well, that is stupid.

Not really when you consider the very sensitive (i.e. whining) times we live in. As parents often take children into Toys R Us stores, it's more likely that certain parents (and you know the certain ones I'm referring to) would be greatly offended seeing a toy with "Ass" proudly displayed on its packaging, start a big fuss, and then start organizing a nationwide boycott against Toys R Us for not being family-friendly. It's actually wise for TRU to head that kind of stuff off before it happens, IMO.

 

[Csalem]

Of course it is possible he just used his real name since that was the question the Timelords asked through the crack at Trenzalore.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Of course it is possible he just used his real name since that was the question the Timelords asked through the crack at Trenzalore.

That was also something I considered as well. Ultimately we learned in "The Name of the Doctor" that he chose the name the Doctor and that it meant something that wartime incarnation chose not to uphold.

"Look, my name--my real name--that is not the point. The name I chose is 'the Doctor.' The name you choose, it's like, it's like a promise you make...he's the one who broke the promise."
--The Eleventh Doctor

 

[Allyn Gibson]

That was also something I considered as well. Ultimately we learned in "The Name of the Doctor" that he chose the name the Doctor and that it meant something that wartime incarnation chose not to uphold.

"Look, my name--my real name--that is not the point. The name I chose is 'the Doctor.' The name you choose, it's like, it's like a promise you make...he's the one who broke the promise."
--The Eleventh Doctor

I don't quite see it that way. It was the eighth Doctor who chose to give up being the Doctor by taking the Sisterhood of Karn's potion to make his next regeneration a warrior. The War Doctor had to live his life with the consequences of the eighth Doctor's decision. He didn't fail to uphold the name of the Doctor; his previous incarnation, rather, took it away from him before he was even born.

Of course, there's the oddity that for hundreds of years (since we see that the War Doctor aged significantly between his birth and death) everyone but the Doctor referred to the War Doctor "the Doctor" -- the Daleks, the Time Lord Council, etc. How the War Doctor was referred to doesn't stand up to a lot of scrutiny.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Doesn't matter when it comes to toys that have been marketed with children also in mind.

Something similar was done for toys based on the movie Kick-Ass 2 in the States. Those sold in Toys R Us stores were rebranded a more family-friendly "KA 2."

Well, that is stupid.

Not really when you consider the very sensitive (i.e. whining) times we live in. As parents often take children into Toys R Us stores, it's more likely that certain parents (and you know the certain ones I'm referring to) would be greatly offended seeing a toy with "Ass" proudly displayed on its packaging, start a big fuss, and then start organizing a nationwide boycott against Toys R Us for not being family-friendly. It's actually wise for TRU to head that kind of stuff off before it happens, IMO.

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

It's stupid that they're selling Kick Ass toys at Toys R Us.

It's not a kids movie. They shouldn't have to be placed in the situation where kids might be buying the toys but be corrupted by the name of the thing they're buying.

 

[C.E. Evans]

That was also something I considered as well. Ultimately we learned in "The Name of the Doctor" that he chose the name the Doctor and that it meant something that wartime incarnation chose not to uphold.

"Look, my name--my real name--that is not the point. The name I chose is 'the Doctor.' The name you choose, it's like, it's like a promise you make...he's the one who broke the promise."
--The Eleventh Doctor

I don't quite see it that way. It was the eighth Doctor who chose to give up being the Doctor by taking the Sisterhood of Karn's potion to make his next regeneration a warrior. The War Doctor had to live his life with the consequences of the eighth Doctor's decision. He didn't fail to uphold the name of the Doctor; his previous incarnation, rather, took it away from him before he was even born.

But then you have to look at it that it was the War Doctor's choice to stay that way. We've seen Doctors have an immediate change of heart about things after a regeneration, so that incarnation could have indeed walked away from it or at least not have it dominate that entire incarnation.

Of course, there's the oddity that for hundreds of years (since we see that the War Doctor aged significantly between his birth and death) everyone but the Doctor referred to the War Doctor "the Doctor" -- the Daleks, the Time Lord Council, etc. How the War Doctor was referred to doesn't stand up to a lot of scrutiny.

I have to disagree with that. If that incarnation didn't call himself the Doctor--indeed, rejected the name of the Doctor--then what a few others (it definitely wasn't everyone as it really only extended to the Daleks and the Time Lord Council) called him doesn't matter. Even after "Day of the Doctor," the Eleventh Doctor acknowledged that he wasn't the Doctor during that time and that Tennant's Doctor was still the Tenth Doctor.

"I didn't call myself the Doctor during the Time War..."
--the Eleventh Doctor, "Time of the Doctor"

Sure, the War Doctor is still an incarnation of the Doctor, but one that didn't go by that name.

Doesn't matter when it comes to toys that have been marketed with children also in mind.

Something similar was done for toys based on the movie Kick-Ass 2 in the States. Those sold in Toys R Us stores were rebranded a more family-friendly "KA 2."

Well, that is stupid.

Not really when you consider the very sensitive (i.e. whining) times we live in. As parents often take children into Toys R Us stores, it's more likely that certain parents (and you know the certain ones I'm referring to) would be greatly offended seeing a toy with "Ass" proudly displayed on its packaging, start a big fuss, and then start organizing a nationwide boycott against Toys R Us for not being family-friendly. It's actually wise for TRU to head that kind of stuff off before it happens, IMO.

Sorry, I should have been more specific.

It's stupid that they're selling Kick Ass toys at Toys R Us.

It's not a kids movie. They shouldn't have to be placed in the situation where kids might be buying the toys but be corrupted by the name of the thing they're buying.

Most Toys R Us stores have an aisle dedicated towards TV, movie, & video game collectibles, and while a few of them are based on adult-oriented action/adventure properties, it'd be hard to tell at a glance. But having a toy with an objectionable word on the packaging would be an instant giveaway, though.

 

[The Wormhole]

But then you have to look at it that it was the War Doctor's choice to stay that way. We've seen Doctors have an immediate change of heart about things after a regeneration, so that incarnation could have indeed walked away from it or at least not have it dominate that entire incarnation.

Except, the potion the Eighth Doctor drank to trigger the regeneration was one specifically brewed to turn him into a warrior, so it can be argued the War Doctor really had no choice in the matter. He was, to quote a song "born that way."

 

[Csalem]

^Maybe then as it was the Eight Doctor who broke the promise by creating the warrior he should not be called the Doctor and the War Doctor becomes the Eight Doctor!

 

[beamMe]

^Maybe then as it was the Eight Doctor who broke the promise by creating the warrior he should not be called the Doctor and the War Doctor becomes the Eight Doctor!

ohh.... controversial! I like that idea.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

In the end the War Doctor managed to stay true to the promise he gave despite potions and all.

 

[C.E. Evans]

But then you have to look at it that it was the War Doctor's choice to stay that way. We've seen Doctors have an immediate change of heart about things after a regeneration, so that incarnation could have indeed walked away from it or at least not have it dominate that entire incarnation.

Except, the potion the Eighth Doctor drank to trigger the regeneration was one specifically brewed to turn him into a warrior, so it can be argued the War Doctor really had no choice in the matter. He was, to quote a song "born that way."

Oh, he had a choice all right. All the potion did was trigger a regeneration that would be physically fit enough to fight in the Time War. It was still his decision afterward, however, to stop being the Doctor and take on the role of a warrior.

 

[Photoman15]

How about labeling the figure: "The Conflict Doctor"?

 

[Csalem]

Could just call him "Doctor No More". Hmm, thinking about it, no more seems to be his catch phrase and he thought other two were childish with their Geronimo and Allons-y.