The One Who Waits Doctor Who: Unmasking Sutekh and His Deadly Plan

The latest season of Doctor Who has kept fans on the edge of their seats, and episode 7, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” delivered a shocking revelation: The One Who Waits is none other than Sutekh, a formidable foe from the Doctor’s past. This reveal not only connects the new Disney era of Doctor Who to its classic roots but also establishes Sutekh as a central antagonist within a complex web of villains, including the Toymaker and Maestro. For dedicated viewers following the journey of the Fifteenth Doctor, portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa, the stakes have never been higher as they realize the true identity of the ominous figure looming over them.

Throughout Doctor Who season 14, the threats have varied, but the emergence of The One Who Waits as Sutekh elevates the danger to unprecedented levels. This isn’t just another monster-of-the-week scenario; it’s a confrontation with a being of immense power, responsible for the destruction of countless worlds. The Doctor, grappling with this catastrophic threat, must confront a villain with a history as long and complex as his own.

All of the main Doctors in Doctor Who

Sutekh Revealed: The One Who Waits is a Classic Villain

In a dramatic climax, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” reintroduced Sutekh to the Doctor Who universe, unmasking him as the elusive One Who Waits. While Sutekh had only one prior canonical appearance in the television series, his name has been circulating within the franchise since Russell T Davies’ return as showrunner. References to The One Who Waits, such as the Toymaker’s fearful mention in “The Giggle,” hinted at a being of significant power, one even the Toymaker dared not confront.

The cryptic title “The One Who Waits” itself suggested a hidden identity, a moniker concealing a familiar face from Doctor Who‘s extensive history. The reveal that this figure is Sutekh, a classic villain from the Tom Baker era, underscores the deep connections between the show’s past and present, creating a richer narrative for long-time fans and new viewers alike.

Sutekh’s History: Pyramids of Mars and the Fourth Doctor

Sutekh’s legacy in Doctor Who is deeply rooted in the 1975 serial “Pyramids of Mars,” featuring the Fourth Doctor. While Sutekh has appeared in expanded universe materials like comics and audio dramas, “Pyramids of Mars” remains his sole canonical TV appearance until his recent return. In this classic four-part story, Sutekh is portrayed as the last of the Osirans, an ancient and godlike alien race. Known as the God of Death, Sutekh was imprisoned beneath a pyramid by his brother, Horus. His escape and plan to unleash the “Gift of death” upon humanity formed the central conflict of the narrative.

A key element of “Pyramids of Mars” is a moment where Sarah Jane Smith, the Doctor’s companion, points out her origin year of 1980. This implies Sutekh’s failure in his mission, as humanity clearly survives beyond his intervention. During their confrontation, the Fourth Doctor is briefly overwhelmed by Sutekh’s power, succumbing to mind control. However, the Doctor ultimately triumphs, trapping Sutekh in the Corridor of Eternity. Sutekh’s nihilistic philosophy, declaring “Your evil is my good. I am Sutekh the destroyer. Where I tread I leave nothing but dust and darkness. I find that good,” starkly contrasts with the Doctor’s life-affirming values, highlighting the fundamental conflict between these two powerful beings. The apocalyptic 1980 timeline briefly glimpsed in “Pyramids of Mars” served as a clear inspiration for a similar scene in Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, “The Devil’s Chord,” where the Fifteenth Doctor shows Ruby a ravaged London under Maestro’s influence.

How Sutekh Infiltrated the TARDIS: The Corridor of Eternity’s Failure

The Fourth Doctor’s plan to contain Sutekh in the Corridor of Eternity at the conclusion of “Pyramids of Mars” was seemingly foolproof. This space-time tunnel, used by Sutekh to communicate with his followers, became his prison. By setting the tunnel’s exit point far into the future, the Doctor intended to keep Sutekh trapped indefinitely, ensuring he would “Never reach the end.” However, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” reveals a critical flaw in this plan: Sutekh’s connection to the TARDIS itself.

During “Pyramids of Mars,” Sutekh gains control of the Doctor, forcing him to pilot the TARDIS to Mars to destroy the Eye of Horus. This act, while necessary for the plot, inadvertently provided Sutekh with invaluable knowledge of the TARDIS’s workings. It’s suggested that this forced connection allowed Sutekh to somehow latch onto the TARDIS as it departed 1911. The implication is chilling: Sutekh has been a hidden presence within the Doctor’s iconic blue box since the Fourth Doctor era, patiently waiting for the opportune moment to unleash his destructive power. The very method the Fourth Doctor used to imprison Sutekh, utilizing the TARDIS to access the Corridor of Eternity, may have inadvertently become the means of Sutekh’s continued, unseen existence and eventual return.

The Pantheon Connection: Toymaker and Maestro’s Ally

“The Legend of Ruby Sunday” not only re-establishes Sutekh as a major threat but also situates him within the newly expanded Doctor Who Pantheon of Gods. While his age was stated as 7000 years old in “Pyramids of Mars,” the modern retcon elevates Sutekh to a position of supreme power within this cosmic hierarchy. Whether he leads the Pantheon or simply holds the most authority due to his immense strength remains ambiguous, but his status as a key member is undeniable.

Sutekh’s on-screen return marks him as the third Pantheon member to appear in the Disney era of Doctor Who, following the Toymaker and Maestro. The Toymaker, reintroduced in “The Giggle,” also hails from Doctor Who‘s classic era, now reimagined as part of the Pantheon. Maestro, introduced in “The Devil’s Chord,” is a new addition to the franchise, explicitly identified as a Pantheon member. These three encounters with Pantheon members in quick succession highlight the scale of threats the Fifteenth Doctor is facing. While the Toymaker and Maestro have proven to be formidable adversaries, an unbound Sutekh, the God of Death, represents a danger of unparalleled magnitude.

Sutekh’s Season 14 Plan: Death to All Life

Sutekh’s objective in “Pyramids of Mars” was straightforwardly villainous: the annihilation of humanity and potentially all life in the universe. His return in Doctor Who season 14 reveals a plan that, while still rooted in universal destruction, carries a more personal edge. Both in his classic appearance and his modern reintroduction, Sutekh’s touch, or that of his avatars, is instantly lethal. His declaration, “All life will perish at my hand,” echoes his original intent but now with a layer of personal vendetta against the Doctor for his past defeat.

Sutekh’s terrifying advantage in season 14 is his unseen presence throughout the Doctor’s travels since “Pyramids of Mars.” Every location the TARDIS visited became a potential point of origin for Sutekh’s deadly influence. Versions of Susan Triad, his avatar, manifested wherever the TARDIS landed. When Sutekh finally emerged from the TARDIS in “Empire of Death,” a “Death Wave” was unleashed, engulfing these worlds. The Doctor’s extensive journeys across time and space inadvertently paved the way for Sutekh’s devastating scheme. Ironically, Sutekh’s curiosity about Ruby Sunday’s mother, a desire for knowledge, became his crucial weakness, momentarily diverting him from his ultimate goal of universal destruction and providing the Doctor with a window to counterattack.

Susan Triad and Mrs. Flood: Sutekh’s Agents?

The reveal of Susan Triad’s true nature in “The Legend of Ruby Sunday” is intrinsically linked to Sutekh’s plan. Susan Triad, the ubiquitous software magnate played by Susan Twist, is unveiled as an avatar of Sutekh, mirroring Marcus Scarman’s role in “Pyramids of Mars.” Sutekh’s method of planting Susan Triad avatars across time and space remains somewhat unclear, but it’s likely connected to his TARDIS link and his need to monitor his nemesis, the Doctor. Each Susan Triad manifestation appears within a 73-yard radius of the TARDIS’s landings, suggesting a direct connection to the Doctor’s travels. Strikingly, when not under Sutekh’s direct influence, Susan Triad appears to be an ordinary human, unaware of her sinister purpose.

The enigmatic Mrs. Flood, portrayed by Anita Dobson, also exhibits a connection to Sutekh. Her nonchalant announcement of Sutekh’s arrival to Ruby’s grandmother suggests a level of awareness, perhaps even anticipation. Mrs. Flood displays no fear of Sutekh; instead, she seems to have been expecting his arrival, painting her as a potentially villainous or, at the very least, knowingly complicit figure. However, her apparent relief after Sutekh’s defeat adds another layer of mystery to her character, hinting at a potentially more complex role to play in future Doctor Who narratives.

The Fifteenth Doctor’s Victory: Defeating the God of Death (For Now?)

Despite losing his TARDIS to Sutekh, the Doctor, resourceful as ever, utilizes UNIT’s Memory TARDIS from their Time Window. Solidifying this ethereal blue box into a functional TARDIS, he, Ruby, and Mel escape the unfolding devastation. The Memory TARDIS becomes their refuge as they navigate the universe ravaged by Sutekh’s “Death Wave.”

Formulating a plan, the Doctor employs a combination of cunning and seemingly mundane tools: a whistle, intelligent rope, and gloves from the 2023 Christmas special. In a dramatic confrontation, the Doctor and Ruby connect the intelligent rope to Sutekh and the Memory TARDIS, effectively dragging the God of Death into the Time Vortex. By pulling Sutekh through the Vortex, the Doctor reverses the “Death to Death,” undoing the universal destruction. Sutekh is last seen dematerializing within the Time Vortex, seemingly vanquished.

Is Sutekh Really Gone? The Inevitable Return

Doctor Who season 14 concludes with Sutekh’s apparent demise strongly implied, witnessed on screen. However, history suggests caution in declaring the God of Death truly defeated. His previous defeat in “Pyramids of Mars,” banishment to the Corridor of Eternity, was also presented as a permanent solution, only to be retconned by his return in the season 14 finale.

Sutekh’s immense power and his very nature as the God of Death raise questions about the possibility of his permanent destruction. It’s plausible that Sutekh, rather than being destroyed, is merely dispersed or transformed, awaiting an opportunity to re-emerge. Doctor Who has a long tradition of villains returning from seeming annihilation, and Sutekh, given his godlike status, is unlikely to be an exception. His return, in some form, feels less like a possibility and more like an inevitability, ensuring that The One Who Waits, even after his apparent defeat, will continue to cast a long shadow over the Doctor’s future.