FormerDoctor Whoshowrunner and writer reveals that one element introduced in the Ninth Doctor’s era will make a surprising return for Ncuti Gatwa’s second season in 2025.The 2025 season will mark the fifteenthsince the series revival in 2005 and will see the return of Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor following the events of 2024’s seasonal special “Joy to the World”.Doctor Whoseason 15will see Gatwa’s Doctor joined by Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday and Varada Sethu’s new companion Belinda, with Anita Dobbs, Vanessa Redgrave, and Ruth Madeley set to return.
While all eyes are on Moffat’s upcomingDoctor WhoChristmas adventure, the writer teased how future adventures in 2025 will feature a surprising connection to his debut seasons when speaking toRadioTimes.com. He stated thata powerful weapon that first made its appearance inDoctor Whoseason 1in Christopher Eccleston’s Doctor era will make a surprising appearance in an episode of the new season:
“A weapon from the Ninth Doctor’s era in 2005 is about to make a terrifying return.
Despite being a callback to the past season, Moffat stated that he only learned of its inclusion when an unnamed writer handed in their script but praised its use in the story. Check out Moffat’s response below:
I knew nothing about it until the writer handed in their magnificent script, and… pow! What a comeback!”
What Moffat’s Doctor Who Season 15 Tease Could Mean
Powerful May Not Just Mean Its Destructive Capabilities
While looking back atEccleston’s single-seasonDoctor Whotenure,several potential weapons can be listed. The premiere episode “Rose” saw the Time Lord wield anti-plastic solutions against the Nestene Consciousness, while “Dalek” introduced Henry Van Statten’s (Corey Johnson) vault of alien artifacts, including a powerful blaster the Doctor threatened the lone “Metaltron” Dalek with. Other examples include the Villengard-developed Sonic Blaster, the modified Defabricator, and the cataclysmic Delta Wave generator.
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While Moffat could hint at “Powerful” meaning the sheer destructive capabilities of the object, it could also hint that the item will provide a powerful moment for the narrative. Both the Van Statten vault blaster and Delta Wave generator represented moments that saw the Doctor pushed to their limits as they grappled with the lingering legacy of the Time War. As such, the weapon could be used in a moment thatsees the Fifteenth Doctor pushed to the edge.
Our Thoughts On Moffat’s Doctor Who Season 15 Tease
Could Moffat Be Hinting Towards A Familiar Foe?
While season 15 is still shrouded in much mystery, with many lingering questions from Gatwa’s first season, many may now wonder just what the connection to Eccleston’s era would be. Save for the return of Sutekh (Gabriel Wolf), Maestro’s (Jinkx Monsoon) connection to the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris), and the indirect antagonism of Villengard, Gatwa’s era has so farbeen heavily focused on the original villains above connections to the past.
As such, many may wonder if Moffat’s tease might also be hinting about a returning foe that requires an older weapon to tackle their threat. With “Joy to the World” set to air on Christmas Day, it may not be long until a new preview ofDoctor Whoseason 15 provides a new clue as to what’s in store in 2025.
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Doctor Who: Released on July 13, 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.
