Summary
- Doctor Who faces a significant change with Ruby’s reduced role, leading to the need for a new companion.
- The Doctor’s companion is vital for emotional impact and storytelling, making the next companion crucial.
- Varada Sethu confirmed as the next companion, bringing excitement and new storylines to the series.
Heading into the new season of Doctor Who, there will be a significant change in the series due to Ruby Sunday’s reduced role. She was the Doctor’s companion for the previous season, but her character has taken a step back, moving forward in Doctor Who. That’s going to impact the Doctor’s storyline, but it will lead to him gaining a new companion who could create another important friendship for this series.
Companions have a long history in Doctor Who and have always been important to the Doctor’s overall story. They help the Doctor not just in his battles against various monsters around the universe but also from an emotional perspective and as a friend. The Doctor is heading into the unknown at the moment without a companion by his side, but after the recent Christmas special, it’s important that a strong one is provided.
Related
Doctor Who: Joy To The World Proved The Doctor Doesn’t Have To Save Everyone
Doctor Who’s recent Christmas special showed the titular hero doesn’t always need to save the day.
Why The Doctor Needs A Friend
The Doctor needs a new friend because Ruby isn’t going to be traveling around the universe in the Tardis all of the time. She might end up being involved in some of the Doctor’s journeys, but it’s no longer going to be a regular occurrence. That leaves the Doctor without a partner, which can never happen because the storylines always dictate the need for someone else to be involved. The Doctor having a companion is helpful for various storytelling purposes, from providing another character to bounce off in terms of conversation to giving the Doctor someone to save and vice-versa.
The relationship between the companion and Doctor is special because this is where the emotion is pulled from within Doctor Who. Audiences need to feel something in each episode, and if the Doctor was just on his own, then it wouldn’t be anywhere near as impactful. Seeing him fight for someone and try to showcase the universe to another person is always a joy to watch on the show, as it brings energy to the series.
The Importance Of The Next Companion
The new companion is going to be important because Doctor Who is often at its very best when the Doctor has a strong partnership to work with. There have been various examples of that in the past, and it’s something that was starting to be built with Ruby’s character. However, the decision to pull back on her involvement is going to stop that growth, which is a shame because people were starting to see their chemistry on-screen, and the characters were beginning to truly dive into their personalities and their history as people, which is essential in building the relationship.
Doctor Who needs to start that process all over again here, which is a shame for Ncuti Gatwa’s version of the Doctor. If he wants his version to be the greatest of all time, then it’s going to be crucial for the next companion to be a great one because audiences want something that they can invest in from a long-term perspective, which will increase the emotional impact of the entire show. Plus, ever since Gatwa took over the role, his version of the Doctor has dealt with a lot of inner trauma and emotion, and the need to have a strong connection has been clear.
That was pushed heavily in the Christmas special, where loneliness was the key theme of the episode. It was clear that the Doctor needed someone to be with, and that’s the main message that Joy passed on to him in his final moments. The following companion must be great to honor that character and make the moment meaningful.
Who Is The Next Companion?
The new companion for Doctor Who has already been confirmed and will be played by Varada Sethu. She’s best known for playing Cinta Kaz in the Disney Plus series Andor or for her role in Jurassic World Dominion, but she will be taking a step into the science fiction world of Doctor Who in 2025. It will be a huge opportunity for her as an actress, with this being an iconic role in the television world, but at the moment, very little is known about her character and how she’s going to end up connected to the Doctor in the next season. However, with a brand new character, there’s the opportunity to open up a whole new range of storylines, bringing excitement and thrill to the upcoming season.
After the trials and tribulations that the Doctor went through in the previous season to try to help Ruby find her mother and keep her safe, it’s clear that he was dealing with loneliness during the Christmas special. She was an essential part of his life, and while she’s going to be involved in this series, it will be important for the new companion to build an immediate relationship with the Doctor. This connection is the one that runs through every single episode. Therefore, if it’s not strong enough, it can hurt the show. Some of the best relationships between the Doctor and a companion are still remembered to this day, and hopefully, the next season of Doctor Who will start to create another.
