2 Classic Doctor Who Characters Knew About The Timeless Child All Along

While Doctor Who fans were only made privvy of the Timeless Child lore as of 2020, it appears that the Founding Fathers of Gallifrey were always aware of the Doctor’s hidden identity. With Doctor Who’s elaborate history stretching out over the course of more than 60 years, there has been a lot of lore and legend surrounding the mysterious Time Lord who leads the show. From their home planet, to the tyrannical rulers who sought to make Time Lords into gods, the history is extensive.

However, while many of the Time Lords appear to be a peace-loving, advanced society of scientists and academics, the leaders of the community were more concerned with their secrets, and shaping society and the larger universe around them. The Founding Fathers consist of three beings, Rassilon, Omega, and a mysterious figure known only as The Other, but the Thirteenth Doctor adventure, “The Timeless Children,” appears to reveal some of the most enduring secrets of these founders.

Rassilon & Omega Knew About Doctor Who’s Timeless Child

The Founding Fathers Hid The Truth From The Doctor

Throughout the series, Rassilon and Omega have made brief appearances, with Omega more often appearing in the classic show. Rassilon, on the other hand, has returned a handful of times in the modern era, further proving their desire to acquire power and control over others. However, one secret that was supposedly lost to time and space was always known to these Founders, who, despite interacting with the Doctor countless times, never revealed his true origins as The Timeless Child.

In the script for “The Timeless Children,” there is a clear note that points out that the shot where Tectuan, the person who took in the mysterious Timeless Child, stands beside two other Time Lords as they overlook their empire. The script reveals that the other two individuals are Rassilon and Omega, which means that Tectuan is likely supposed to be The Other. However, this also means that after sharing the power of regeneration with these leaders, they were very likely aware of the source of their newfound powers.

Could Other Classic Doctor Who Characters Have Known About The Timeless Child?

The Timeless Child’s Secret Is Out

While the Doctor’s identity as the Timeless Child was supposedly one of the best kept secrets in the universe, even from the Doctor themselves, it appears that there were other people privy to that knowledge. The Founding Fathers of Gallifrey likely wanted to keep the secret as quiet as possible in order to continue using the Doctor’s gift, controlling their population, and being praised for their incredible intelligence, which allowed their race to essentially live endlessly. But, it’s unlikely that the secret could have been kept from some other powerful figures in Doctor Who.

For instance, the Guardians of Time and Space, also referred to as the White and Black Guardians, are some of the most powerful and all-knowing entities in the Whoniverse. Other characters who exist within the Pantheon of Gods, or those who worked most closely with the Founding Fathers of Gallifrey could have learned about the Timeless Child in their travels. Meanwhile, the secret was kept hidden from the Doctor, allowing them to carry on in blissful ignorance that they were far more alone than they ever truly knew or understood. But the true extent of this mystery remains unresolved in Doctor Who.

The latest season of Doctor Who introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday. Their first adventure begins with “The Church on Ruby Road,” where they face powerful new foes and unravel the mystery surrounding Ruby’s origins. The Doctor grapples with the aftermath of a unique regeneration event and battles enemies more formidable than ever before.

Cast

Ncuti Gatwa , Millie Gibson , Susan Twist , Michelle Greenidge , Angela Wynter , Jemma Redgrave , Yasmin Finney , Anita Dobson

Release Date

December 25, 2023

Seasons

2

Streaming Service(s)

AppleTV+ , Britbox , Max , Disney+

Franchise(s)

Doctor Who

Writers

Russell T. Davies , Dave Gibbons , Kate Herron , Steven Moffat

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

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