The Mystery Surrounding Susan

Let’s be real for a moment: ranting about the quirks and oddities of the Doctor Who season 15 finale might feel like beating a dead horse. The truth is, “The Reality War” wasn’t exactly a masterpiece. It’s pretty clear that the way the finale played out wasn’t how Russell T. Davies initially envisioned it. And let’s not even get started on Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor—was he really supposed to regenerate this early? It feels like we got a last-minute panic casting with Billie Piper returning. And when it comes to finally tackling a 60-year-old mystery? Yeah, they completely flubbed that one.

The Urgent Questions About Susan

The endless debate surrounding Susan, the Doctor’s granddaughter and original companion, has been boiling for years: What happened to her after she bid farewell to the TARDIS? Is she secretly a Time Lord? And just who are her parents? It seemed like Doctor Who was finally ready to dish out some answers, even bringing back the brilliant Carole Ann Ford for her first appearance since the 1993 charity special “Dimensions In Time.” But alas, her return turned out to be little more than a glorified cameo.

A Glimpse of What Could Have Been

Picture this: a vision of Susan urging her grandfather to come find her, but then she disappears from the narrative like the last piece of pizza at a party—poof! Gone! Even in a two-part finale that was keen on convincing the Doctor he had a child, somehow, Susan barely registers. However, we’ve learned that there was supposed to be more to her story than what made it to air.

Ford Spills Some Tea

In a recent chat with former companion Katy Manning at Club Parramatta in Sydney, Ford dropped some details about Susan’s origins and hinted at what was cut from the finale. Apparently, there was an original scene to reintroduce her that involved her holding hands with an adorable three-year-old Black child. They were peering through a window at the newly renewed Ncuti, who was joyfully dancing in a shop party across the street. Can you imagine this heartwarming reunion? Susan was apparently itching to jump in there, arms wide open, and hug her granddad, bursting with questions about his space escapades.

So, What Changed?

That little child in the scene? Most likely Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps, who played the charming Captain Poppy. In the finale we saw, Susan didn’t show up at all. Instead, Poppy’s rescue and the reality-altering shenanigans were what kicked off the regeneration. But it’s clear that wasn’t the original plan! What happened behind the scenes remains a mystery, as Ford coyly noted she wouldn’t spill the beans on what caused the changes.

Future Speculations

Was Susan’s return teetering towards a potential third season for Gatwa? There was chatter about it before things went quiet. Would we have seen the two finally interact in person? Who knows? It seems something shifted in the schedule, and with Disney’s hesitance to dabble further with the series, it’s hard not to think this played a role in derailing whatever grand tale was originally slated. Whatever it was, let’s just say the plot thickens!