40-1 odds for Eccleston's return

[Winterwind]

I'd also love to see Eccleston back but doubt it's going to happen. If... If it ever did though, I hope it wouldn't involve Rose in any way.

 

[wamdue]

actually this thread seems like a good place to do this, is the next Doctor not the 12th Doctor?

sure after his second regeneration he did not have a new personality, but he did use up a regeneration.

So is David Tennant not both Doctor 10 & 11? the next Doctor being 12, a regeneration (of which he has a limited number of) after all?

TBH I am surprised this has not been discussed more.

Well, it depends on why a Time Lord can only regenerate twelve times. If it's because he has an internal battery with a limited amount of regeneration energy, then, yeah, he used one up. However, it could be because each regeneration stresses his body more and more, and after twelve times, his cells can't survive another rearrangement. In that case, since he only stole just enough regeneration energy to heal himself (as he did in "The Christmas Invasion") and didn't put his body through the whole process of becoming an all-new man, he's still got all three left.

Personally, I go with the stress theory. I seem to remember some evidence that there are physical traces of prior regenerations in his cells (I think there was a cut line from "Dalek" where van Statten finds he has nine different DNA patterns, and it would explain why Jenny's physical resemblance was five bodies out of date). Also, the idea of a sort of "regeneration battery" just seems a bit sillier to me than the notion that a regeneration is an exhausting and traumatic process that you can't do over and over again without incurring some physical cost.

ive had this debate before, but you do make an interesting point, however your stress theory doesn't hold up for me, the 11th Doctor looked pretty stressed forcing the energy which was coming out of his body into the hand, and the most important part of that is that it was coming out of his body, so he is feeling the stress of the regeneration.

I really like the idea of someone being able to get the DNA patterns of each Doctor from the current Doctor, that could lead to fun in the same way I wonder why no one ever cloned Spiderman from his biological webbing in the Spiderman movies.

Of course like the Time War discussion people will have differing opinions on this, and we need more guidance from the TV show, however unlike the Time War discussion, I just cant see how he hasnt used a full regeneration. However I think the TV series will just pretend it didnt happen, and for me the Doctor will have always had one extra regeneration.

As for when the Doctor does run out of regenerations, to be frank we should thank our lucky stars that RTDs wont be involved in that, because I fear it might go something like.

13thDoctor: and now I face my final death, killed by my own companion, how could you Jessica Simpson

theDoctor falls to the floor, suddenly a glowing light embraces the console room and the Doctors dead body is lifted up, in a Christ pose, the music of the spheres is heard in the background, as the Doctor regenerates and falls to the ground.

cut to (Donna or Rose im not sure which said it) "The universe without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about." and a shot of something that suggest an intelligent being at the heart of the universe.

the14 Doctor gets up off the floor of the TARDIS, and says "wow that wasnt mean to happen, guess the universe really couldnt bear to live without me after all"

 

[David cgc]

ive had this debate before, but you do make an interesting point, however your stress theory doesn't hold up for me, the 11th Doctor looked pretty stressed forcing the energy which was coming out of his body into the hand, and the most important part of that is that it was coming out of his body, so he is feeling the stress of the regeneration.

"Stress" is perhaps the wrong word. "Buildup" or "plaque" might be better. Something leftover from the old body in the new one, that accumulates every time it happens.

 

[wamdue]

^ I see where you are coming from with your theory, I just dont think their is alot on screen to support it. However whatever part the Dalek shot damaged did regenerate, so would that part not have this "regeneration plaque" on it, the Dalek blast did not effect his whole body, I guess the quesiton is how does being exterminated effect the body (of a human or a time lord) it certianly effect him enough to kick start the regeneration process, so im thinking that whilst he was able to control it once the inside of his body had regenerated, I tend to think all of the inside of his body was regenerated, he was just able to stop it, before it effect his outside.

Even with your plaque theory, all the regenerative energy still left his body, even if he didnt use it, suggesting the plaque would still build up.

 

[David cgc]

But I'm saying that the damage comes about specifically as a result of changing bodies. That's the stressful part. It's not like radiation poisoning, it's like a callus. His cells weren't reshaped and rearranged. Indeed, 95% weren't touched at all.

 

[wamdue]

but the damaged cells were fixed by the regeneration, otherwise why did he need to regenerate at all?

I just dont think the Doctor could have controlled where the regeneration happened to start off with, and once the process starts it goes to work over the entire body, not just the damaged areas, if it did only work on the damaged areas the face would not need to change unless it was damaged in such a way it couldnt heal (yeah ok im spelling that wrong) naturally

note the regernation seemed to start on his hand, not on the damaged part, his shoulder, and down his side.

 

[Gertch]

It would be cool if he came back. But lets leave Rose out of it. How about Sally Sparrow and/or the Doctor's daughter? Now there's a season I'd certainly have to purchase!

 

[wamdue]

the 9th Doctor without Rose, its possible nothing to say he didnt drop her off at an ABBA con... hang on that was the 10th

 

[Meredith]

I wonder if Eccelson would even like to return for a season or two?

 

[wamdue]

^ I wouldnt go getting your hopes up about that

 

[Bacl]

I wonder if Eccelson would even like to return for a season or two?

I think he's softened towards the role now that it has passed. I could see him being willing to do a return for a multi-doctor special if he felt the script was strong.