The season finale of Doctor Who brought the fight between the Fifteenth Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) and Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf) to a close, but there is one major concern left to deal with once the series returns. Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) and the Doctor parted ways at the end of the episode. How could this possibly happen when there are plenty of questions still surrounding the companion that need to be answered? Is the character coming back so that audiences can learn more about her? The journey of Ruby Sunday shouldn’t be over yet, even if the Doctor established that she can’t travel with him anymore.
The Doctor and Ruby Sunday Say Goodbye
The latest season of Doctor Who was always headed towards the reveal that Sutekh had been traveling outside the TARDIS the entire time after the Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) banished him to the Time Vortex. But another mystery kept viewers tuning in week after week. Nobody knew where Ruby Sunday came from or who her mother was. The Doctor’s latest companion could make it snow out of nowhere depending on her emotional state, and the Time Lord was so confused about her origin that she had her scanned to confirm if she was actually human. Nevertheless, the duo managed to find out that Ruby’s mother was actually a normal person who had to give her away. But that can’t be it, right?
By the end of their battle against Sutekh, the Doctor tells Ruby that she can’t join him for any more adventures, which makes Gibson’s character extremely sad. After leaving Ruby with her family, the Time Lord gets ready to fly away toward whatever the future holds for him. But this can’t be the last time viewers get to see the two characters together. Even if the identity of Ruby’s mother has been revealed, a simple human can’t make it snow out of the blue. And when Maestro (Jinx Monsoon) was trying to kill Ruby, they firmly stated that there was a hidden song within the girl.
It doesn’t matter if Ruby was so focused on the mystery behind her mother’s identity that she allowed it to lead to her emotions. This person is clearly not just an average person, and the show should address what’s happening to her before moving on to the next villain. Russell T. Davies is known for not completely explaining the truth behind Doctor Who mysteries, but this one must be the exception. Fortunately, audiences might still get an answer about the unusual events related to Ruby Sunday.
Millie Gibson Is Coming Back
The next season of Doctor Who has already wrapped filming. While the premise of the next chapter is safely stored inside the TARDIS, some details regarding where the Time Lord might go next have already been revealed. It’s been confirmed that Millie Gibson will reprise her role as Ruby Sunday in the next season of the series but with a catch. The character won’t stay for long, and a new companion played by Varada Sethu will take her place on the ship. However, the details regarding how Ruby Sunday is set to leave Doctor Who haven’t been revealed yet.
It’s comforting to learn that Millie Gibson isn’t done with Doctor Who just yet, considering how her character still has plenty to offer. The season finale established that Ruby Sunday’s mom was only important because Ruby gave her plenty of importance in her life. It wasn’t necessary for Ruby’s mother to be a character everyone knew or someone who might change the fate of the universe. The reveal is a powerful one, explaining how the things that matter in life are only important because people find meaning in them. But the girl makes it snow all around her. What does that have to do with a positive message?
This wouldn’t be the first time a companion leaves halfway through a season of Doctor Who. Back when Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) were getting to know the universe with the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith), the couple fell victim to the Weeping Angels. After their devastating departure, Clara Oswald (Jenna Coleman) took their place with the Time Lord. Could something similar happen with Ruby Sunday and the new character portrayed by Varada Sethu?
What Could Happen to Ruby Sunday?
Doctor Who has always made it clear that traveling with the titular hero is dangerous. Countless companions across the years have suffered terrible consequences when getting to see the universe thanks to the mad person flying the TARDIS. Such was the case of Clara Oswald. After getting to know the Eleventh Doctor, Clara was present when the Twelfth Doctor (Peter Capaldi) first showed his beautiful face for the first time. But her journey led to a moment in time that had to be frozen in order to preserve her life. The Doctor put the final second of Clara’s life on a loop because he felt guilty about sending her towards her demise in the first place.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that Ruby Sunday has to die, but audiences should be very open to the possibility of it happening. And not everything has to be so pessimistic. Before crossing paths with the Fourteenth Doctor (David Tennant), Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) had her memory wiped. The character grew up happily surrounded by people who loved her. If Ruby Sunday is forced to leave the Doctor for good during the next season, it would be best for her to reach an arrangement with the Time Lord instead of suffering a painful departure.
Whatever happens to Ruby Sunday the next time she appears on Doctor Who, it can hopefully take place after the series takes some time to explain where Ruby came from and why the entire universe seemed to be fascinated with the young woman’s existence. With a Christmas special on the horizon, we could get some answers there, considering the snow and the “Carol of the Bells” associated with Ruby, before the new episodes of Doctor Who premiere in 2025. In the meantime, viewers can continue to look at the clues that might indicate what lies ahead for the baby that was left at the church on Ruby Road on Christmas Eve two decades ago.