Doctor Who Season 14 Debunks 2 Big Susan Twist Theories (& Makes Another More Likely)

SUMMARY

Susan Twist’s “Dot and Bubble” cameo finally sheds some light on her place in the Doctor Who universe, making it incredibly unlikely that two theories about the actress’ true character are true. As a consistent member of the Doctor Who season 14 cast, Twist has been popping up throughout the Disney era, with very little to connect her various characters beyond them being portrayed by the same person. However, “Dot and Bubble” helps narrow down the mystery by including Susan Twist in a role that quietly answers a few questions.

Twist’s characters have become progressively more prominent as Doctor Who‘s Disney era has progressed, with her first appearance coming in “Wild Blue Yonder” as Isaac Newton’s maid, Mrs. Merridrew. Interestingly, Doctor Who season 14, episode 5, “Dot and Bubble,” is the first time the Doctor recognizes a Twist persona, identifying her as the face of the ambulance from Kastarion 3 in “Boom.” However, while this is a compelling moment, it’s the implications of Susan Twist’s “Dot and Bubble” character that provides the most context for her true identity.

The Doctor’s Time Lord nemesis wouldn’t commit to playing someone’s mother for so long

The Master has been in the middle of more than one recent Doctor Who theory, with some hypothesizing that Mrs. Flood is secretly the Master. This same theory has extended to Twist’s characters, with many believing that she is simply another regeneration of the Doctor’s nemesis. Last played by Sacha Dhawan, the Master is revealed to be trapped in the Toymaker’s gold tooth in “The Giggle.” While this tooth is shown to be picked up by an unknown hand following the Toymaker’s defeat, “Dot and Bubble” all but puts an end to the possibility of Susan Twist playing the Master.

Twist plays Penny Pepper-Bean in “Dot and Bubble,” mother of Callie Cooke’s Lindy Pepper-Bean. This means that the Master would have had to conceive a child on Finetime’s homeworld, then wait around for years in the hope that the Doctor would someday arrive. The Master is far cleverer than this and would be incredibly unlikely to formulate such a half-baked plan – let alone carry it out with such commitment.

There’s also the fact that Penny is presumed dead, along with every other inhabitant of the Homeworld, and Doctor Who isn’t likely to permanently kill off the character in such underwhelming circumstances.

The data on Penny’s social media profile states she is 62 years old, and while this could be falsified, her being the Master in disguise would also suggest she’s been on the Homeworld for over six decades living a relatively normal life compared with that of a nefarious Time Lord. Such levels of patience with no guaranteed payoff just isn’t in the Master’s character. In addition, there’s also the fact that Penny is presumed dead, along with every other inhabitant of the Homeworld, and Doctor Who isn’t likely to permanently kill off the character in such underwhelming circumstances.

Susan Twist Also Can’t Be Portraying The Doctor’s Granddaughter, Susan

Susan Foreman was originally portrayed by Carole Ann Ford

Another popular Twist theory making its way through the Doctor Who fandom is that the actress is playing Susan Foreman, somehow traveling through time and space to keep a watchful eye on her grandfather before reaching out to reunite with him. However, Penny Pepper-Bean’s death essentially debunks this theory too. In Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, “The Devil’s Chord,” the Doctor tells Ruby he believes Susan to be dead. So, for it to turn out that Susan has been alive all this time only to die in an off-screen massacre would be incredibly disrespectful to the Doctor’s granddaughter.

There’s also the Doctor’s bloodline to consider. If Penny is indeed playing the Doctor’s granddaughter, then that would mean the Doctor is Lindy’s great-grandfather. Such a revelation would need to be framed in a much more satisfying way than during a random, unnoticed encounter on the surface of a distant moon. In addition, the ending of “Dot and Bubble” reveals Lindy’s racism, and the Doctor’s blood relative discriminating against him for the color of his skin would arguably be a little too grim for a family show like Doctor Who.

Susan Foreman was the Doctor’s first companion in Doctor Who .

Susan Twist Can’t Be Playing A Regular Time Traveler

Twist’s ongoing presence suggests there’s something more going on than just time travel

It’s obvious that whoever Susan Twist is really playing is orchestrating her run-ins with the Doctor – or, as suggested by her presence in “73 Yards,” with Ruby Sunday specifically. Choosing to appear at various points in time and space isn’t a common skill in Doctor Who, with the Doctor’s TARDIS serving as one of the few methods of achieving the feat. If Twist’s true character has a TARDIS or something similar, then there would be no need for her to stay on the Homeworld so long to force another encounter.

There’s also the consideration that she has even played an inorganic role, serving as the face and voice of the Villengard ambulance AI in Doctor Who season 14, episode 3, “Boom.”

There’s no denying that Susan Twist is playing someone with an ability to traverse the universe that at least matches that of the Doctor, but the odds of them being a “normal” time traveler are lower than they ever were due to the existence of Penny Pepper-Bean and her implied decades-long life on the Homeworld in “Dot and Bubble.” There’s also the consideration that she has even played an inorganic role, serving as the face and voice of the Villengard ambulance AI in Doctor Who season 14, episode 3, “Boom.”

Susan Twist Playing A Member Of Doctor Who’s Pantheon Is Now Way More Likely

The power of Twist’s character could match that of Maestro or the Toymaker

There are questions about Susan Twist’s omnipresence in Doctor Who season 14 that can’t be answered by her being a mortal character. Every time she appears, Susan Twist appears to be someone who has bent the rules of reality to account for her presence. For instance, it’s probably not true that Penny Pepper-Bean is actually Lindy’s biological mother. What’s more likely is that she has taken the place of the original Penny and made it so no one notices or remembers – if there was ever a “real” Penny at all.

Thankfully, the show already introduced a group of characters with abilities that can explain this accomplishment – the Pantheon. Doctor Who‘s Pantheon of Gods consists of immortal beings who have proven time and again that they can do almost anything. For example, the Doctor barely stops Jinkx Monsoon’s Maestro from hijacking the TARDIS in “The Devil’s Chord.” Similarly, the Toymaker has been established as a godlike figure whose powers surpass almost every previous villain. So, Susan Twist’s character could belong to the Pantheon in Doctor Who – or more specifically, she’s a member of the group who can manipulate space and time.