Summary
TheDoctor Whoseason 14 finale, “Empire of Death,” was full of references and nods to previous episodes of the hit sci-fi show. The end ofDoctor Whoseason 14included several mentions of previous adventures of the Doctor’s, with some occurring as early as the First Doctor’s tenure in the 1960s.References to some ofthe bestDoctor Whoepisodes of all timewere made throughout the episode, which also welcomed back the classic era villain Sutekh to the show.
From Sutekh’s origins, Ruby Sunday’s search for her parents, and the memory TARDIS,Doctor Wholooked back at its past in multiple ways.Some of theseDoctor Whoreferences were small and subtle, with props from previous episodes lurking in the background of scenes, whereas others were more prominent and directly discussed by the characters. With over 60 years of show lore to enjoy, it was impressive and surprising just how manyDoctor Whoreferences were included in “Empire of Death.”
Doctor Who’s Memory TARDIS & Season 14 Finale Role Explained
Doctor Who’s season 14 finale provided the Doctor, Ruby, and Mel with a Memory TARDIS to evade Sutekh, but what is it, and how does it work?
18Time And The Rani
Mel Meets Einstein
While in the memory TARDIS, theFifteenth Doctor reminded Mel of one of their previous adventures in which she met the famous scientist Albert Einstein.The Doctor met several historical figures inDoctor Who, and in the Seventh Doctor serial “Time and the Rani,” the Time Lord and his companion not only crossed paths with the legendary theorist but also the Rani herself. Although Mel didn’t initially remember this meeting, she eventually recalled when the Rani kidnapped Einstein alongside a group of other scientists.
17Tomb Of The Cybermen
The Second Doctor Visits Telos
The Doctor’s many incarnations inDoctor Whofamously traveled across all of time and space and visited many different planets. One of these was Telos, which the Second Doctor first landed on in the serial “Tomb of the Cybermen.” Alongside some archaeologists,the Doctor located the lost tombs of the Cybermen and faced the Cybermats and Cyber-controller,both of which were first introduced in this serial. Although Telos wasn’t the Cyber home world, it was a planet the fearsome robotic enemies colonized and later became a native species.
16The Brain Of Morbius
The Fourth Doctor First Meets The Sisterhood Of Karn
The planet Karn was the home of the Sisterhood of Karn, who the Fourth Doctor first met in the serial “The Brain of Morbius.”Karn became the hiding place of the Time Lord Morbius, who had escaped there from Gallifrey with ease,as the two planets were near one anotherin the constellation of Kasterborous. Karn once thrived, but after Morbius’ destruction, the planet was destitute and littered with wreckage, which was a result of the Sisterhood, who stopped any spaceships landing in an attempt to protect the Elixir of Life with their telekinetic powers.
15Doctor Who TV Movie
The Eighth Doctor Saves Earth On New Year’s Eve
The Doctor landed on Earth several times inDoctor Who, primarily because of his fondness for humans and the time he spent on the planet during his exile. One of these times was in theDoctor Who1996 TV movie. Moments after the Seventh Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS, he was fatally shot, which led to his regeneration into the Eighth.In a wild adventure against the Master and a ticking clock heading for midnight, the Doctor’s arrival on Earth was perfectly timed.Alongside Grace Holloway, the Doctor saved Earth from destruction before he kissed his one-time companion goodbye.
Why Each Doctor Regenerated In Doctor Who
Doctor Who’s titular Time Lord has regenerated many times over the years, but the process has been triggered by a wide array of injuries.
14Rose
The Ninth Doctor Meets Rose Tyler On Earth
The Doctor meeting Rose was a life-changing moment for him, so it wasn’t surprising that the Fifteenth incarnation still thought back to the day he landed at the right place at the right time.
Another important moment inDoctor Whohistory happened because of the titular character’s arrival on Earth.In “Rose,”the first episode of the show after its 2005 reboot,the Ninth Doctor found solace when he met Rose Tyler.After the trauma ofthe Time War inDoctor Who, the Doctor’s bond with his pink and yellow human offered him a new start in the universe. The Doctor meeting Rose was a life-changing moment for him, so it wasn’t surprising that the Fifteenth incarnation still thought back to the day he landed at the right place at the right time.
13The Time Meddler
The First Doctor Visits Earth In 1066
One of the earliest time periods the Doctor visited on Earth was in the First Doctor story “The Time Meddler.” The Doctor and Vicki landed in Northumbria in 1066 after new companion Steven’s sudden arrival. They found themselves at the dawn of a Viking uprising, but instead of watching war break out, they became distracted by the presence of the Monk.The Monk was the first other Time Lord introduced inDoctor Whoafter the titular character and Susan,although the term for the species was yet to be used in the show at this point.
12Planet Of The Ood
The Tenth Doctor & Donna Noble Visit The Ood Sphere
The Fifteenth Doctor mentioned the Ood Sphere multiple times in “Empire of Death,” which made a lot of sense, considering the past connection he had to the Ood’s native planet.The Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble visited it in the season 4 episode “Planet of the Ood,” and this story also contained the first mention ofthe DoctorDonna inDoctor Who.Although the race of aliens was designed to serve and be staff for other species’, Donna’s attitude toward how they were treated on the Sphere resulted in justice for the Ood and let them finally be at peace.
11The Daleks
The First Appearance Of Skaro
The Daleks' home planet, Skaro, was frequented inDoctor Who.The Doctor’s first visit to Skaro happened in the First Doctor adventure and the show’s second-ever serial, “The Daleks.” The Doctor, Susan, Ian, and Barbara’s sudden arrival on Skaro in 2064 introducedDoctor Who’s most infamous recurring villainsand set up their future in the show’s lore as one of the Doctor’s most dangerous rivals. However,the Daleks weren’t the only species native to Skaro,and team TARDIS also met the Thals, another humanoid race who were significantly less prominent in the show.
10The Web Planet
The First Doctor Visits Vortis
One of the various planets the Doctor and Ruby revived was Vortis, which the First Doctor first arrived on in the serial “The Web Planet.” It was on Vortis that the Doctor encountered the Menoptera, an alien species with humanoid bodies but a butterfly-like appearance.This adventure was a memorable one for the Doctor, mainly because he didn’t land by choice, and the ship was dragged down to the surface.Once he landed, all the TARDIS’ energy was drained, and the only thing that worked was the scanner, which the Zarbi, another insect-like species from the planet, caused.
9Meglos
The Fourth Doctor And Romana II Fight The Gaztaks On Tigella
Tigella was another planet that stood out in the Doctor’s mind, especially as his visit during the Fourth Doctor serial “Meglos” resulted in his image being stolen.Alongside the second Romana, the Doctor met the creature Meglos, the last survivor of the Zolfa-Thurans with a cactus-like appearance, who trapped the two Time Lords in a time loop.Meglos escaped to Tigella, a beautiful jungle planet lined with carnivorous plants, which allowed him to blend in. However, the Doctor’s initial visit happened off-screen, as he mentioned to Romana that he already knew the Tigellan leader, Zastor.
