WARNING: Some of the information contained herein may be considered by many to be spoilers. If you don’t want any hints, tips, clues, facts, quips, quotes, tidbits, nuggets, inklings, leads, disclosures, musings, thoughts, elucidations, ideas, affirmations, indications or information that may or may not disclose what happens (or doesn’t) in the finale then DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT. After reading this disclaimer, one cannot simply claim to have walked into spoilers. Does that ring true to you? Good.
The poster and title for this season’s finale episode of Doctor Who have been out for some time, but all we’ve had to go on for clues as to what the story might be about are the aforementioned poster and title. Seeing Alex Kingston’s name is pretty clear; River Song will be back. “The Name of the Doctor” seems pretty self-explanatory, doesn’t it? But this is Steven Moffat we’re talking about so this might not mean we’ll learn our favorite Gallifreyan’s true name.
Maybe “Doctor” is a name he borrowed from someone he once knew a long time ago or an identity he assumed and we’re going to find out the name of the person whose identity he stole. I mean, that would technically tell us the name of a doctor whose name the mysterious fezmeister took and would be very much in-line with Moffat’s other misdirections and clever ways of stepping around what would otherwise seem like the obvious.
In his defense (or defence), Moffat does say the finale will include the Doctor’s greatest secret. Now, does that mean his name or something else entirely? Again, he’s side-stepped directly answering that, but he does say, “…it’s actually going to happen.” So at least something universe-shattering should come from the finale. The synopsis would seem to indicate something big is definitely going down in TARDIS town.
Clara is summoned to an impossible conference call, alerting her that the deadly Whisper Men are closing in on Vastra, Jenny and Strax. Someone is kidnapping the Doctor’s friends, leading him toward the one place in all of time and space that he should never go. It’s a deadly trap that threatens to unravel his past, present and future…
Hey, look! Our favorite Victorian trio are going to be back not once, but twice in this final run of episodes. Not only will they show up in “The Crimson Horror,” but they’ll be making an appearance in “The Name of the Doctor” as well.
Again I say, someone give these three their own show!
The BBC has also released an interview with Steven Moffat in which he talks about the finale and the creepy new monsters to be introduced therein. He also talks about having the mother/daughter team of Dame Diana Rigg and Racheal Stirling around for “The Crimson Horror” and touches on the fashionable updates given to the Cybermen in “Nightmare in Silver.” To read the full interview click on over to the BBC’s blog post “Steven Moffat on the Finale, New Monsters and More!”
Below are just a few excerpts from Moffat, one VERY spoilerish hint from Jenna Louise Coleman, and another spoiler-laden blurb from an interview with Matt Smith.
Firstly, a couple of questions for Mr. Moffat:
BBC: Why did you decide to introduce creepy new monsters, The Whispermen, in the last episode? What was your inspiration for them?
Moffat: The great dilemma is that Doctor Who is never more like Doctor Who when it is introducing a new monster, but equally when it’s reviving a foe from the classic era. Having brought back two of the classics, the Ice Warriors and the Cybermen, this year we wanted a brand new monster to create chills in the finale. And the thought of stylish whispering almost faceless creatures was an idea that firstly scared me and that I thought would work well in an episode that looks forward and back.
BBC: What can you tell us about the finale?
Moffat: It’s full of surprises and questions that have never been answered in the history of Who, including the Doctor’s greatest secret. We’re not pretending, we’re not kidding, it’s actually going to happen. The episode is called The Name Of The Doctor and involves our hero in a conflict that is very, very personal to him. Usually he’s saving other people, but this time he might be the one who needs to be saved. We’ll also find out what makes his new companion so impossible and there’s a surprise that no one has got right so far, and one that will change the course of Who forever!
Next, the spoilery clue straight from an interview with Jenna-Louise Coleman:
Having had three official introductions as a Dalek, a Victorian governess and in her current form as modern day Clara Oswald, is there a teaser Jenna can leave us with? All I can say is that Clara hasn’t just met the Doctor three times before…
Finally, one last spoilerific blurb taken from an interview with Matt Smith:
While mystery surrounds the finale, we do know a couple of snippets. Firstly, that the Doctor will finally find out just what makes his new companion so impossible and secondly, he’ll be put to his ultimate test when his friends start to be kidnapped, leading him towards the one place that he should never go. Making the debut in this episode is a new foe, the Whispermen, which dressed in sartorial finery Matt considers a modern day classic with a brilliant style. They’re truly terrifying!
There you have it. Enough spoil-o-matic hints to have you frothing at the mouth for the next few weeks. You were warned.
Doctor Who airs on BBC America Saturday nights at 8/7c, immediately followed by Orphan Black and The Nerdist.
Why, yes, I do love to spoil you!
