Doctor Who May Be Hiding A Big Character In Plain Sight, But What Does It Mean?

 Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor in Doctor Who.
Ncuti Gatwa as The Doctor in Doctor Who.

There's always an air of mystery surrounding Doctor Who, whose new season is no exception. Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor is up against literal gods in his latest adventure while still trying to work out the unique and unexplainable events surrounding his newest companion, Ruby Sunday. As if all that weren't enough, the beloved series seems to be hiding a notable character in plain sight, but who are they?

We here at CinemaBlend had our eye on Mrs. Flood this whole time, but we possibly should've been keeping an eye on an entirely different actress. Let's talk about how the show keeps highlighting actress Susan Twist, and what that could mean for the character going forward.

Susan Twist in 73 Yards in Doctor Who
Susan Twist in 73 Yards in Doctor Who

Actress Susan Twist Has Played A Character In Almost Every Episode Of The Disney+ Era So Far

No supporting actor in the Season 14 cast of Doctor Who can boast a more intriguing run thus far than actress Susan Twist. Many have caught on by now that she keeps popping up in the series, and has been going back to the 60th-anniversary specials. For those who had no clue, here are some moments to cue up with that Disney+ subscription:

  • "Wild Blue Yonder" - Woman seen talking to Sir Isaac Newton.

  • "The Church On Ruby Road" - One of the people watching Ruby perform in the bar.

  • "Space Babies" - Officer on abandoned ship.

  • "The Devil's Chord" - Cafeteria worker at the record studio.

  • "Boom" - The AI on the ambulance robots.

  • "73 Yards" - The woman Ruby first approaches after The Doctor's disappearance.

Doctor Who does have a history of recasting actors for roles, including taking a former cast member like Peter Capaldi and making him The Doctor outright. With that said, I imagine there'd be no real reason to continually cast Susan Twist specifically if there wasn't a purpose behind it, especially with the budget boost to episodes via Disney. I would assume that she's integral to the plot in some way, but exactly how does she play into this story?

Susan Twist in Doctor Who's Boom
Susan Twist in Doctor Who's Boom

So Who Is This Mystery Woman?

CinemaBlend was told by Russell T. Davies to expect three more villains of the pantheon, and I would reckon this mystery woman played by Susan Twist is one of them. Perhaps she's "The One Who Waits," who was referenced by The Toymaker and Maestro before their defeat. Then again, Maestro said The One Who Waits was "almost" here, and if it were the character played by Twist, there's no almost about it, since she'd been lurking in the background of nearly every adventure thus far.

Doctor Who's Millie Gibson Explains Why '73 Yards' Holds A 'Special Place' In Her Heart

Ruby Sunday on Doctor Who
Ruby Sunday on Doctor Who

This is a lovely story.

I would add that whoever this character is, she seems more interested in helping The Doctor and Ruby along their journey rather than being a hindrance, which also speaks to why villain theorizing likely isn't spot on. I would speculate that she could be a powerful ally to the duo, and maybe she has some answers to why it snows around Ruby when it makes no sense.

When it comes to Doctor Who, there's no limit to guessing who this mysterious person could be. Someone who guesses that she's another Time Lord waiting to surprise The Doctor with a new secret about his origins could be just as right as someone who theorizes she's an eternal being who dropped Ruby at the orphanage initially and has watched over her ever since. Whoever she is, she seems relevant, and readers should keep an eye on her should she have more appearances going forward.

Doctor Who streams new episodes on Disney+ on Fridays at 7:00 p.m. ET. This season has been a real blast so far, so it's a shame that we're quickly heading towards the end of the season in just a few weeks.