Anita Dobson’s Mrs. Flood inDoctor Whois an enigmatic character, butthe show has already provided some details that may help reveal her identity. There are already severaltheories about Mrs. Flood inDoctor Who, despite Ruby’s neighbor only appearing in a limited number of episodes.
However, there is hope that her identity will be disclosed inDoctor Whoseason 15. From clocks changing to coincidental outfits, plenty of clues could lead audiences to the truth about the mysterious Mrs. Flood.
10Mrs. Flood Has Encountered Time Lords Before
The Character Has Suggested Having Past Interactions With The Doctor’s People
One of Mrs. Flood’s most notable moments is in “The Church on Ruby Road,” in which she breaks the fourth wall to ask audiences, “Never seen a TARDIS before?” This implies thatFlood has crossed paths with Time Lordsbefore, although it’s not clear whether it was the Doctor.
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She also calls the Doctor a “busy man” with his “box of tricks,“which suggests she’s familiar with the Time Lord’s escapades. Flood happily waves the Doctor off in the TARDIS at the end ofDoctor Who’s latest Christmas special, which could be because she already knows him somehow.
9Mrs. Flood Didn’t Recognize The TARDIS, Then Did
Mrs. Flood May Have Encountered The Police Box Before
Flood knows what the TARDIS is by the end of “The Church on Ruby Road,” but she doesn’t start the episode this way. Initially, she is annoyed that the Doctor’s ship is in her way, butwhen Ruby’s timeline becomes cracked, and she watches the TARDIS leave, Flood realizes what it is.
Flood knows what the TARDIS is by the end of “The Church on Ruby Road,” but she doesn’t start the episode this way.
This could mean that Flood can’t control her memories, but they are seeping through. This could be another “Human Nature” and “The Family of Blood” situation, and seeing the TARDIS creates a similar reaction in Flood as the sonic screwdriver does for John Smith.
8Mrs. Flood Seemed To Know Sutekh’s Plan Before It Happened
Mrs. Flood Knew Exactly What Was Happening As She And Cherry Disintegrated
Flood eerily seems to be aware of Sutekh’s plan in “Empire of Death,” even though she isn’t at UNIT to see it happening. She says that Sutekh “waits no more,” andwhile praying with Cherry, Flood mentions also having “plans” herself.
Toward the end of the episode, Flood refers to the Doctor as a “clever boy,” which is a huge Clara Oswald reference. Technically, Clara takes the “long way around” to her death back on Gallifrey, so if Flood has a connection to her, it would make sense that it’s related to the god of Death.
7Mrs. Flood Dressed Up As Clara Oswald
She Looks Exactly Like The Doctor’s Former Companion In The Legend Of Ruby Sunday
Another link between Flood and Clara Oswald is the older woman’s choice of style in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” and “Empire of Death.”Flood sports Clara’s iconic sweater and buttoned-up white shirt that she famously wears in “Face the Raven”and “Hell Bent.”
Clara is memorably split into several versionsof herself and is scattered across the Doctor’s timeline in her original tenure, so Flood may be a variation of the companion. While it seems coincidental that Flood wears the same clothing, this is the look that Clara dies in, which holds significance.
6Mrs. Flood Dressed Up As Romana
Another detail that plays intoDoctor Who’s Mrs. Flood companion outfit theoriescomes at the end of “Empire of Death.” While talking to the audience once again, Flood stands in the snow, wearing a copy of Romana’s fluffy white coat from the Fourth Doctor’s era.
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Russell T Davies and Bonnie Langford confirm Mel Bush will play a key role in Doctor Who season 15 in tackling the mystery of Mrs. Flood.
Romana hasn’t appeared sinceDoctor Who’s classic era, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t due a return. “The Giggle” already establishes that the Master is around, soit wouldn’t be surprising if Earth has another hidden Time Lord watching from afar,and Romana is as good a candidate as any.
5Mrs. Flood Hasn’t Openly Interfered In Doctor Who So Far
Mrs. Flood Is Yet To Cause Any Chaos
One thing that is worth noting is that Flood hasn’t done anything to directly impactDoctor Who, at least for now. At this time, Flood is still simply Ruby’s neighbor, albeit an unusual one. However,the fact that Flood is so passive is an unsettling sign that there is more to come.
Doctor Who(2023-) has a Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 96%.
Doctor Whodoesn’t introduce a character without purpose, and it’s unlikely that Flood is an exception. Many beings don’t interfere with events in the universe; the Time Lords aren’t supposed to, in theory, but there must be an explanation as to why she is quietly observing the Doctor and Ruby.
4Time Changes Around Mrs. Flood
Clocks Seem To Be Impacted By Her Presence
A wild detail from “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” implies that time changes around Flood.Susan Twist’s broadcast is supposed to be at three o’clock,but when Mel announces there are two hours to go, the clock in Ruby’s home states it is already that time.
While this could be simply a continuity error, it seems unlikely forDoctor Whoto dedicate a specific shot to this without a reason.
It’s unclear whether how Flood manipulates time or if it’s even her at all. While this could be simply a continuity error, it seems unlikely forDoctor Whoto dedicate a specific shot to this without a reason.
3Mrs. Flood Completed A Fun Run In 25 Minutes
Is Mrs. Flood Just Active, Or Does She Have Alien Speed?
Although it’s a small detail, Flood completing a fun run in under half an hour could be a hint to her identity.Time Lords and other intelligent races prove themselves to be fast learners,which is frequently demonstrated throughout the show.
Flood appears to be an older woman, so it’s odd that she is suddenly able to do this. Of course, a fun run can be any distance, so this could just be a sweet slice-of-life detail about her. However, this could also imply that she has a superhuman or alien athletic ability.
2Mrs. Flood Refused To Get Involved With Ruby In 73 Yards
She May Already Know The Fallout Of Older Ruby’s Journey
When Flood watches Ruby on the phone with Carla in “73 Yards,” she says that it has “nothing to do with [her]” and walks away. This doesn’t seem to hold much value at first, but it alsosuggests that Flood knows that the woman following her neighbor is Ruby herself.
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If Flood isn’t getting involved with Ruby’s escapades, it could be because she can’t interfere with the events. Perhaps Flood knows how Ruby stops Roger ap Gwilliam. This is likely just a passing remark, but stranger things have happened inDoctor Who.
1Mrs. Flood Hides Herself Away
Ruby’s Neighbor Knows How To Go Undetected
After the Doctor tells Ruby that Time Lords can hide themselves away, Flood later tells Carla that she is “always hiding [herself] away,” too. This moment suggests thatFlood could be a Time Lordor another enigmatic figure who needs to stay out of focus.
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Naturally, viewers wonder just why she needs to hide.Flood could be blending in with humanitybecause of a past crime, or perhaps she is hiding from someone in particular, like the Doctor.Doctor Whois full of secrets and plot twists, so Flood must be hiding for a good reason.
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Doctor Who: Released on July 09, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
