Rogue’s Doctor Who Return Is Inevitable, But Won’t Be The Happy Reunion You’re Expecting
SUMMARY
- Rogue’s return to Doctor Who could spell tragedy, as the Chuldur may take his form and take revenge on the Doctor for sending them into exile.
- The Doctor’s lack of familiarity with Rogue could make him vulnerable to a Chuldur in disguise.
- Shapeshifting aliens like the Chuldur in Doctor Who can complicate storytelling by introducing uncertainty and impermanence to characters.
Doctor Who season 14, episode 6, “Rogue,” introduced a new love interest for Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, but the eventual reunion the episode sets up could very likely be laced with tragedy. “Rogue” adds Jonathon Groff to the Doctor Who season 14 cast as the installment’s titular bounty hunter, and although he’s separated from the Doctor during the episode’s closing minutes, the possibility remains for Rogue’s comeback. However, if Groff does return to Doctor Who, there could be a catch regarding the character he’ll be playing.
Doctor Who‘s Disney era has wasted no time by setting the Doctor up with his first romantic entanglement since Alex Kingston’s River Song. While Chris Chibnall briefly teased the coming together of Thirteen and Yaz during his time as showrunner, the pairing was never solidified. The chemistry and connection between Rogue and the Doctor is impossible to ignore, but that’s something that could be used against the Time Lord in the future.
Groff’s character is with the Chuldur when he’s exiled
Rogue isn’t the only new addition to Doctor Who season 14, episode 6, as the show also introduces a race of bird-like, shapeshifting aliens known as the Chuldur. The ending of “Rogue” shows Groff’s character heroically taking Ruby Sunday’s place in the tri-form, voluntarily exiling himself and the villainous Chuldur characters to a random dimension that’s sure to be difficult to find. The scene drops a handful of hints that it won’t be Groff’s last, but the fact that Rogue is moments away from being stranded with a group of killer aliens doesn’t bode well for his fate.
Not only will the Chuldur want revenge on Rogue for sending them to a distant dimension, but they’ve already proven a willingness to kill for far less.
Not only will the Chuldur want revenge on Rogue for sending them to a distant dimension, but they’ve already proven a willingness to kill for far less. Not only that, but the Chuldur could murder Rogue, which would allow one of them to take his form. So, even if Groff does return to Doctor Who in the future, it could just be a Rogue-shaped Chuldur, bent on seeking revenge from the Doctor for his part in their exile.
The Doctor Probably Won’t Be Able To Tell If Rogue Is A Chuldur (At First)
Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor doesn’t know Rogue that well
The reality of the situation is that the Doctor and Rogue spend very little time together before they’re separated. They may have fallen for each other very quickly, but neither character knows all that much about the other. This gives the Chuldur a huge advantage, as the Doctor’s guard would be down if he came across Rogue again. The Time Lord would likely be so relieved to see the object of his affections that there could be a window where he’s caught off-guard by a nefarious Chuldur in disguise.
The Doctor has the technology and the expertise to eventually rumble any aliens playing tricks on him, so the Chuldur would need to act quickly to achieve whatever their goals would be while using Rogue’s form.
Of course, the Doctor is one of the most intelligent beings in the galaxy, and so the subterfuge wouldn’t be indefinite. The Doctor has the technology and the expertise to eventually rumble any aliens playing tricks on him, so the Chuldur would need to act quickly to achieve whatever their goals would be while using Rogue’s form. They may simply want to kill the Doctor, but their goals may be far more complex and require them to spend more time masquerading as his new love interest. The Chuldur all saw the Doctor kissing Rogue, so he’ll be easier to fool.
Doctor Who Is Evidence That Shapeshifters In Sci-Fi Aren’t Always A Great Idea
The Chuldur could now be lurking around every corner in Doctor Who
Groff describes the Fifteenth Doctor as a shapeshifter in “Rogue,” which doesn’t feel like an accurate description at first, but it actually is. The difference is that the Chuldur can take on a new form at will, whereas the Doctor’s regeneration cycle is activated instinctively when he’s mortally wounded. The restrictions to the Doctor’s shapeshifting allow for a level of control over Doctor Who‘s storytelling, whereas the Chuldur’s talents for changing their form create narrative issues that can now essentially never be rectified.
Even the realistic possibility of Rogue returning as a Chuldur means this could now be the case for many other characters in the Doctor Who universe. Shapeshifting can poison a narrative well in a way that’s impossible to come back from. Character comebacks and even deaths all come with an asterisk once characters are introduced who can change their form, as it means there’s a chance that nothing is ever permanent, nor is it exactly what it seems. That being said, it can have its place within the genre, and Rogue’s return as a Chuldur in disguise could be a great Doctor Who storyline.
