John Hurt Spolier!! Do not read if you don't want to know who he will play!!

Coutinho 10

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a495786/doctor-who-john-hurt-character-identity-confirmed.html

I had said in a previous thread I believed John Hurt was a previous Doctor and Matt Smith was the 12TH and Final Doctor in this line of regenerations! Looks like I guessed right so I think we are in for a big reset in the Doctor Who Universe.

OldmanMondeo

Sure they said that in the last episode.

AtomicHorror

Coutinho 10 wrote: »

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s7/doctor-who/news/a495786/doctor-who-john-hurt-character-identity-confirmed.html

I had said in a previous thread I believed John Hurt was a previous Doctor and Matt Smith was the 12TH and Final Doctor in this line of regenerations! Looks like I guessed right so I think we are in for a big reset in the Doctor Who Universe.

Don't time lords get 12 regenerations? That would mean the 13th Doctor would be the last incarnation, assuming that rule still applies. The Valeyard was supposedly a shadow of the Doctor from between his 12th and Final (13th) incarnations, so that seems to confirm it.

McLoughlin

AtomicHorror wrote: »

Don't time lords get 12 regenerations? That would mean the 13th Doctor would be the last incarnation, assuming that rule still applies. The Valeyard was supposedly a shadow of the Doctor from between his 12th and Final (13th) incarnations, so that seems to confirm it.

Time Lords can have unlimited regenerations.

pixelburp

I kinda hope this isn't true, because a big ticket actor like Hurt effectively locks out that particular regeneration from now til the end of the show. Sure, actors don't return to the role that often, but it would feel like a bit of a waste if one of the Doctors lives was 'wasted' on a bit of stunt casting (don't get me wrong, that moment was epic & am counting the days 'til November, but it was still a stunt)

amen

Time Lords can have unlimited regenerations

No they can't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Lord#Regeneration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regeneration_(Doctor_Who)#In_the_series

Das Kitty

It doesn't matter anyway (regeneration limit wise). It just takes a bit of writing to change it.

I don't care what the storyline turns out to be, so long as it's well written and engaging.

McLoughlin

amen wrote: »

No they can't.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Lord#Regeneration

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regeneration_(Doctor_Who)#In_the_series

Yes they can The Master was offered a new cycle of regenerations by the High Council which meant unlimited regenerations are possible.

bradyle

RTD wrote a sarah jane adventure that said the doctor could have 507 faces.
http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/doctor-who/20644/russell-t-davies-on-doctor-who-regeneration-issue

I also figured that when river gave The Doctor all the rest of her regens he got some extras

Doctor DooM

Or possibly the 13 generations thing was a law imposed by the time lords.

Or the Tardis could flood him with time energy and he could gain new ones from that.

It's a sci fi show, they aren't going to stick to this rule when it becomes restrictive, I'm no writer and I just came up with two possible ways to solve the problem (the River Song one works too).

tritium

I think most folks would have assumed/ guessed that this was where Hurt fitted, what's more interesting is what was so terrible that he was the doctors "secret'?

After all, the doctors never made any secret of his role in ending the time war. Equally the reboot doctor has never been above a bit of genocide if its justified. It must be pretty bad for the doctor to bury it

My guess would be that Rivers comments about what "doctor" means might be relevant. As in he's supposed to look after the innocent and the weak. what if the cost of ending the time war was he had to instead sacrifice them for the greater good? Wasn't there a comment in the first season about how many lower level races perished in the time war?

stevenmu

McLoughlin wrote: »

Yes they can The Master was offered a new cycle of regenerations by the High Council which meant unlimited regenerations are possible.

I suppose that leads to one obvious possibility then, that the Doctor decides to open the time lock, dying in the process, but is then granted more regenerations by the high council.

BaconZombie

I don't think he needs the high council to get more regenerations, my feeling is the limit on them is more inline with Logan's Run then something physically stopping him.

stevenmu wrote: »

I suppose that leads to one obvious possibility then, that the Doctor decides to open the time lock, dying in the process, but is then granted more regenerations by the high council.

bradyle

But if the amount of regenerations are unlimited does that mean that the valeyard wont happen. Isn't it the worst parts of the doctor that occurs between its 12th and final regeneration?