Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 4, “73 Yards.”
Summary
Doctor Whoseason 14, episode 4, “73 Yards,” reveals the biggest clue yet about the possible reason behindRuby Sunday’s falling snow flashbacksas Russell T Davies starts to clear up the mystery.Millie Gibson’s character is among the most compelling figuresamong thecast ofDoctor Whoseason 14, with the questions surrounding her origin being one of the biggest enigmas of the Disney era. Ncuti Gatwa’s time in the TARDIS has explored Ruby Sunday’s origin as well as other corners of theDoctor Whouniverse, but one line in “73 Yards” provides a huge clue.
Ruby Sunday is essentially the main character ofDoctor Whoseason 14, with every adventure teasing something about her true lineage. From the moment she entered the franchise in “The Church on Ruby Road,” it’s been clear that there’s something special about her, althoughDoctor Whohasn’t given away much as to what makes Ruby so unique. The biggest tease has been the falling snow from the night of her birth, following her and the Doctor through the universe. Finally, four episodes intoDoctor Whoseason 14, the precipitation’s presence makes a little more sense.
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Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 4 All But Confirms The TARDIS Is Behind Ruby’s Falling Snow
Old Ruby confirms the snow stopped once her TARDIS adventures ended
Near theend ofDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 4, “73 Yards,” Old Ruby (played by Amanda Walker) is shown delivering a spirited monologue at the door of the Doctor’s abandoned TARDIS. During the speech to her old friend, she tells him “It never snowed again.” Presumably, she means since she managed to force Roger ap Gwilliam to resign, as she thought this was the old woman’s goal. However, the absence of the snow was likely caused by Ruby’s travels with the Doctor. Onceher TARDIS adventures ended due to the Doctor vanishing, the flashbacks sputtered to a halt.
It does snow in “73 Yards,” with one instance being on Ruby’s walk from the TARDIS into the Welsh village near the start of the episode, and another when Carla Sunday changes the locks on the door to their home.
It does snow in “73 Yards,” with one instance being on Ruby’s walk from the TARDIS into the Welsh village near the start of the episode, and another when Carla Sunday changes the locks on the door to their home. After this, Ruby goes on with the rest of her life without the phenomenon happening again. The snow likely faded rather suddenly stopping due to the effects of the TARDIS fading away, as although the blue box is still there,the loss of the Doctor clearly has a huge effect on the sentient time and space machine.
River Song is a great example of a previous instance that predates Ruby Sunday
Amy Pond’s time spent traveling in the TARDIS with her husband Rory Williams came with the twist of Amy falling pregnant.Amy’s baby was conceived within the TARDIS, which caused it to develop the ability to regenerate - despite being human. This child, who eventually turns out to be River Song, is a great example of another companion who has been affected uniquely by their adventures with the Doctor.
Captain Jack Harkness held onto the side of the TARDIS as it entered the time vortex, with the Doctor’s ship fleeing to the edge of the universe to try and escape the Torchwood leader.
Inversely, there have beenformerDoctor Whocompanionswho have had an unusual impact on the TARDIS. InDoctor Whoseason 3, episode 11, “Utopia,“John Barrowman’s Captain Jack Harkness held onto the side of the TARDISas it entered the time vortex, with the Doctor’s ship fleeing to the edge of the universe to try and escape the Torchwood leader. The Tenth Doctor tells Jack, “The TARDIS reacted against you, tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe to get rid of you.”
Ruby Could Be Behind The TARDIS Groaning In Doctor Who Season 14, Episode 2
The toll of transporting Ruby could be proving too much for the TARDIS to handle
In “The Devil’s Chord,” the Doctor narrowly foils Maestro’s attempt to hijack the TARDIS. When he and Ruby exit the ship, it lets out an uncharacteristic groan that Ruby interprets as the Doctor doing something to break the TARDIS. The Doctor refutes her theory, telling her, “No, that’s something else.“It’s unclear whether the Doctor knows what caused the sound, but it’s possible that carrying Ruby around, with all of her mysteries and unanswered questions, is putting more of a strain on the TARDIS than anticipated.
Doctor Who’s Ruby Sunday Tease Proves Just How Much Season 14 Is Copying Moffat’s Era
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The TARDIS' resistance to transporting Jack Harkness sets a strong precedent for the blue box’s reputation for being aware of a character’s uniqueness. In addition, Russell T Davies wrote both “Utopia” and “The Devil’s Chord,” so it’s even more likely that the returning showrunner is abiding by the same rules he applied to TARDIS lore back during his original period in charge of the show. So, while it’s unlikely that the TARDIS will meet its end inDoctor Whoseason 14, the show’s iconic talisman could be at risk in some way.
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Doctor Who: Released on June 10, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
