Might the Curator Be... ("Day of the Doctor" Spoilers)

[FalTorPan]

Might the Curator be... the Watcher?

In the fourth Doctor's final episode, the Doctor encounters a mysterious entity called the Watcher, who seems to "merge" with the Doctor in some way in order to initiate his regeneration.

The fourth Doctor's last words before his regeneration were, "It's the end, but the moment has been prepared for."

In "Day of the Doctor," the Curator seems to have unique knowledge about "Gallifrey Falls No More," which of course relates to both the Doctor and the Moment.

Obviously I'm not connecting all of the narrative's dots, but the idea just occurred to me, and I thought I'd see what other fans think.

 

[Timewalker]

I don't see any connection at all. The Moment is a Gallifreyan super-weapon.

"The moment" means the Fourth Doctor's coming regeneration. He's trying to give reassurance to his companions who are about to watch him die.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Might the Curator be... the Watcher?

I like to think so. It'd certainly be a nice way to bring closure to that thread.

However, he most likely is the last Doctor, retiring before his final of final hours comes. The Eleventh/Twelfth have no idea if Gallifrey survived despite being told by the Curator that they did, because the earlier regenerations, they would forget.

Still, I love the Curator=the Watcher idea.

 

[Captain Crow]

To me it's Four doing the same thing One did in "The Three Doctors" and "The Five Doctors".

i.e. A younger less traveled self who can still think outside of the box figures out whats going on.

 

[The Wormhole]

I do remember some rumours in early 2013 that Tom Baker was going to appear on the show as the Watcher, so this theory nicely ties into that.

But that is the key thing about the Curator, he can be whatever the fans want him to be. I for example subscribe to the theory that Tom Baker just wandered onto set, started chatting with Matt Smith, who decided to play along in character, and everyone else was like "we'd better film this."

And yes, I know that theory is wrong. I also don't care.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

But that is the key thing about the Curator, he can be whatever the fans want him to be. I for example subscribe to the theory that Tom Baker just wandered onto set, started chatting with Matt Smith, who decided to play along in character, and everyone else was like "we'd better film this."

That makes as much sense as any other theory about the character.

 

[Lonemagpie]

The Watcher isn't an identity the Doctor ever took on it was just what the end credits - and Nyssa - called the figure that was, well, Watching them. So, no...

 

[Mr Awe]

It's a cool theory. But, I don't think we'll ever get a clear answer. It's up to each viewer. The show itself will never state that it's such an obscure character from 30 years ago!

And, while we're talking about Logopolis, I always thought the idea that the Doctor would partially materialize the TARDIS underwater to flush out the Master's TARDIS was his most absurd plan ever!

Mr Awe

 

[Kelso]

The episode was clear that the Curator was a future incarnation of the Doctor.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

The episode was clear that the Curator was a future incarnation of the Doctor.

His dialogue indicates that, but the eleventh Doctor's behavior in "The Time of the Doctor" makes that unlikely. If the eleventh Doctor met a future incarnation and recognized him as such, he would have known that he had an out on Trenzalore. Instead, he acted as though he believed that Trenzalore was his end.

 

[The Mirrorball Man]

The episode was clear that the Curator was a future incarnation of the Doctor.

His dialogue indicates that, but the eleventh Doctor's behavior in "The Time of the Doctor" makes that unlikely. If the eleventh Doctor met a future incarnation and recognized him as such, he would have known that he had an out on Trenzalore. Instead, he acted as though he believed that Trenzalore was his end.

If there's one constant when the Doctor meets one of his future selves, it's that his memories of the event tend to be very unreliable afterwards.

 

[Emperor-Tiberius]

Indeed. Although... Day kind of implies that the past self of the Doctor retains an edited version of the events. Like, the Tenth Doctor remembered his wedding to Elizabeth but clearly doesn't remember the Gallifrey parts (although for a time I pondered that he did, but thats another story). The Eleventh clearly doesn't remember what the Curator told him - that Gallifrey survived.

Anyway, both ways is possible, I guess.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

If there's one constant when the Doctor meets one of his future selves, it's that his memories of the event tend to be very unreliable afterwards.

I think he'd remember that he's not at the end of his life, though.

 

[USS KG5]

If there's one constant when the Doctor meets one of his future selves, it's that his memories of the event tend to be very unreliable afterwards.

I think he'd remember that he's not at the end of his life, though.

He also knows Time is constantly in flux, so he likely wouldn't be certain of anything except what was happening, i.e. ageing terminally and not regenerating.

But Ten remembered nothing of meeting Eleven, and there is no reason to assume Eleven remembered anything of his future self. Who clearly implied that he had started using some old faces again.

I read it as Tom was playing something akin to the maybe 26th, 39th, or even higher Doctor, after all, its not like if in another 50 years the show is still going they wont find another reason for another 13 lives!

 

[EliyahuQeoni]

If there's one constant when the Doctor meets one of his future selves, it's that his memories of the event tend to be very unreliable afterwards.

I think he'd remember that he's not at the end of his life, though.

And yet the Fifth Doctor had met Ten (and Seven if you count the NA/MA novels) and he wasn't sure he'd regenerate in Caves of Androzani: "I might regenerate, I don't know... feels different this time..."

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

If you refer back to Elizabeth's letter to the Doctor, which he receives as 11, she appoints him Curator of the Undergallery. That's why 10 didn't know about it. It's not a big mystery.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Indeed. Although... Day kind of implies that the past self of the Doctor retains an edited version of the events. Like, the Tenth Doctor remembered his wedding to Elizabeth but clearly doesn't remember the Gallifrey parts (although for a time I pondered that he did, but thats another story). The Eleventh clearly doesn't remember what the Curator told him - that Gallifrey survived.

Anyway, both ways is possible, I guess.

"Day of the Doctor" was actually an episode that I cherry-picked before commiting to the show (Yeah, I know, a bad episode to watch out of sequence. What's done is done.) and I have yet to see any Capaldi, so maybe this is something that has already been addressed, but seeing as how Twelve participated in the final battle in 'Day', maybe he won't actually remember all of the details about Gallifrey until he reaches the point in his own timeline where he actually joins the battle with his previous selves.

 

[USS KG5]

maybe he won't actually remember all of the details about Gallifrey until he reaches the point in his own timeline where he actually joins the battle with his previous selves.

Maybe not then, though I doubt it will be referenced in the show, could already be past that point.

 

[The Wormhole]

Yeah, there certainly are enough gaps between Capaldi's episodes that he could have easily have already done his bit from Day of the Doctor.

 

[Ithekro]

We'll see when of if they decide to close the circle with Capaldi helping save Gallifrey. I would imagine it would be the episode he finds it again. Either by being on Gallifrey when the others "freeze" it, or so he can set the coordinates himself and this know where it will go (and collect the painting for the undergallery).

Or, in a twist, set it up so he can make it vanish again after deciding releasing them was a bad idea. Or pickup up the Moment again to finish the job on the Daleks.

But not if the Doctor remains "kind". As oppose to becoming the Valeyard, maintians course and becomes the Curator.