Doctor Whowriter Steven Moffat addresses the return of his villainous organization Villengard in the 2024 Christmas special “Joy to the World”, and what it means for their plans in the series. The seasonal episode saw Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor and Nicola Coughlan’s new companion Joy intercept an experimental energy source made by Villengard through a Time Hotel, pursuing the powerful device through human history. Villengard was first introduced in the revival’s season 1 in Moffat’s “The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances”, but made their return inDoctor Whoseason 14’s “Boom”.
AsDoctor Who’s 2024 Christmas special saw the reappearance of Villengard under Russell T Davies' second tenure as showrunner, Moffat addresses whether their involvement is part of a grander scheme toTV Insider. Despite their dual appearances in the current era,Moffat affirms that there isn’t a greater plan involving Villengardat the time of writing. Instead, Villengard was meant to be treated as bookends to his career as a writer forDoctor Who, with his return seeing the group also reappear to affirm this intent:
It never really is. It was in my first story, obviously, Villengard. It was in my very first story and when I was writing what I thought was going to be the last one I ever did, which was Peter Capaldi’s last episode, I put Villengard in again. I thought, right, that’s some kind of bookend. So I thought then I thought, well, I’m writing, ‘Boom,’ I better stick Villengard in again. Then Russell gets me to do Christmas, I think, oh well, Villengard in again. So it’s solid Villengard to the end of time now I think.
Nevertheless, Moffat is open to the organization being expanded on by other writers, with Davies being keen on exploring one of the organization’s previously unseen figureheads:
I do think you should go there at some point and do something. I want to meet Miss Villengard.
What Moffat’s Response Reveals About Villengard’s Doctor Who Future
The Organization Is Still Largely Unknown
Despite their appearances in season 1 ofDoctor Who’s revival and reappearance across three following stories,Villengard is largely undefined. Once one of the most renowned arms manufacturers in the universe, the weapons factories would be destroyed by the War Doctor (John Hurt) in the final days of the Time War to prevent the facilities from falling under Dalek control by turning the area into a banana grove.
Doctor Who’s Villengard Explained: Who Is The Doctor’s “Old Enemy?”
Villengard has an interesting place among the gallery of Doctor Who villains, as the nefarious organization has dipped in and out of the story.
There is still a large part of Villengard’s story that has yet to be told. “Boom” depicted Villengard at the height of their power, and even in his final story, Moffat depicted the organization still as an active presence in the universe capable of conspiring to create an immensely powerful power source. As such, should Davies have the desire to explore the organization further, with or without Moffat, he has permission to dive into their history from their creator.
Our Thoughts On Moffat’s Villengard Reveal
A Return May Not Be In The Cards Any Time Soon
Moffat’s desire to use Villengard as a bookend for hisDoctor Whotelevision writing career is one shared by audiences, who have found their involvement is a perfect way to encapsulate his time contributing torn. the TV series. However, from his and Davies'' response, it is clear that the organization could have a future beyond its most recent appearance.
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Steven Moffat wrote some of the very best episodes of Doctor Who in the modern era and introduced all manner of incredible monsters and companions.
But with Moffat not currently being confirmed as a credited writer onDoctor Whoseason 15and the show’s future beyond its 2025 episodes uncertain, audiences shouldn’t expect a Villengard return. Though with much of their history still unwritten, it is clear that there is still a great deal of the organization’s history to tell.
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Doctor Who: Released on July 01, 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.
