I Watched Sutekh’s Original Doctor Who Episodes – And Now I Get Why RTD Brought Back This 49-Year-Old Villain
SUMMARY
- Sutekh, the God of Death, is a powerful and underrated villain from Doctor Who ‘s classic era.
- His return in Doctor Who ‘s modern era was a clever move, capitalizing on the false sense of security from his previous defeat.
- Sutekh’s comeback could be even more effective in the modern era, with the potential for further storytelling to go with the modernization of his character design.
When Doctor Who finally revealed that The One Who Waits was Sutekh all along, I felt like I was missing out on a huge plot twist, and after going back and watching his only other live-action outing, I understand why Russell T Davies brought back the God of Death. As it turns out, Doctor Who season 14 was a stealth sequel to a Fourth Doctor story all along, with Tom Baker’s version of the famous Time Lord being the only other iteration to go up against Sutekh onscreen.
While one of the harsh realities of rewatching Doctor Who‘s classic era is that some of the stories fall a little flat, the threat Sutekh presents is just as huge now as it was in 1975. I found myself glued to the screen for all four episodes of the “Pyramids of Mars” serial, and the villain’s apparent defeat near the end of the arc brilliantly lures the audience into thinking he’s gone for good. Davies has capitalized on this false feeling of security by enacting a clever comeback half a century later.
The God of Death almost broke free and carried out his plan much earlier
I’m not incredibly well-versed in the show’s classic run, but I have seen some of the more famous stories. However, even the most casual Doctor Who fan will be aware of many of the iconic villains from before the 2005 revival with Christopher Eccleston’s Ninth Doctor. Antagonists like the Daleks and Cybermen have been brought back and reimagined several times in Doctor Who‘s modern era, while others have languished in the BBC archives for decades without being revisited. Among these, Sutekh immediately sparked my interest in “Pyramids of Mars” by boasting power that’s rarely so immense among Doctor Who villains.
While I found Sutekh’s true form a little confusing in the original series, I also found how lethal he was impossible to deny.
While I found Sutekh’s true form a little confusing in the original series, I also found how lethal he was impossible to deny. His ability to end a life with just a touch alone, paired with his view of a decimated universe being preferable to one that’s teeming with life, is a truly terrifying concept. Not many villains have the ability to carry out their darkest desires too readily, and the Fourth Doctor’s last-minute thinking was the only thing that stopped Sutekth from escaping his prison and ending reality as it’s known.
I Can’t Believe Doctor Who Hasn’t Brought Sutekh Back Before
Sutekh’s comeback would arguably have been effective during any time in the modern era
As I mentioned earlier, Doctor Who hasn’t been afraid to really ride the Daleks and the Cybermen when it comes to bringing back classic villains. I used to be fine with that, as I actually really enjoy all the associated lore concerning both races. However, when I found out a villain like Sutekh had been ignored by the show for almost 50 years, I was suddenly shocked, and a bit annoyed, that I’d been subjected to such repetitive storytelling.
While the villains unique to the modern era have been compelling too, character comebacks can often be more rewarding, and Doctor Who waited a shockingly long time for the return of Sutekh to happen.
While the villains unique to the modern era have been compelling too, character comebacks can often be more rewarding, and Doctor Who waited a shockingly long time for the return of Sutekh to happen. Of course, I’m aware it’s very likely that Sutekh’s comeback to sit atop Doctor Who‘s Pantheon of Gods is only so effective because of the enormous gap between appearances. That being said, Doctor Who‘s Disney era feels designed as a jumping-on point for new fans, and bringing a relatively obscure villain like Sutekh back as the big bad probably went underappreciated by swathes of newer viewers.
Sutekh Can Work Even Better In Doctor Who’s Modern Era
Disney can further Sutekh’s story (despite him losing in “Empire of Death”)
The art of storytelling has come a long way since 1975, especially in sci-fi shows like Doctor Who. The long-running British series may not have been aware of the magnitude of the threat Sutekh could have presented had he not been thwarted so readily by Baker’s Doctor. However, now that it’s been proven the God of Death can survive an apparent demise, he can come back and be even more effective in future Doctor Who stories than he was in the season 14 finale.
While I’m sure there are long-standing fans of the show who prefer Sutekh’s original design, I really enjoyed the modernization the character’s aesthetic underwent in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” and “Empire of Death.” His updated look matched the fear he was intended to instill back in 1975, as while it may have worked during Tom Baker’s era, it hasn’t aged all that well. Going forward, I’d love to see Doctor Who‘s modern era bring back Sutekh again, as I don’t believe the leader of the Pantheon could be truly defeated so easily.
