The following article contains spoilers for Doctor Who's “Joy to the World.”
With Millie Gibson making a surprise appearance in Doctor WhoIn the 2024 Christmas special, Steven Moffat and Russell T Davies explain what his cameo means in the Whoniverse. Ruby Sunday made her debut in the 2023 Christmas special as a child left abandoned on a church doorstep at Christmas hoping to find out who her real biological mother is. Despite traveling to the age of dinosaurs, Regency England, and distant space human colonies, Ruby separated from Ncuti Gatwa's fifteenth doctor in Doctor who is season 14 finale.
When speaking with Screen speech on Doctor WhoIn the 2024 Christmas special, Moffat revealed Ruby's surprise appearance in the episode's final montage. Although his appearance was not part of previous concepts, the writer revealed that he and Davies had extensive discussions about why the Time Lord would keep his distance. Ultimately, Moffat chose to depicts Ruby witnessing the new star induced by Star Seed while her story with the Doctor was not yet over compared to other matches such as Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) and Rory Williams (Arthur Darvill). Read his comment below:
Moffat: I didn't know I was going to do this at first, but we talked about why the Doctor didn't get in touch with Ruby while he was stuck in London for a year, or get in touch with the many, many friends he has there. He has a damn office there, for God's sake, and we've come to the conclusion that he doesn't do that. He's just not that guy. He doesn't seek help. It allows people to get on with their lives and the potters alone.
But I thought about Ruby, and then I thought that when the star shines at the end, she should see it too. If you look at how it all ended, their relationship didn't really end at the end of the previous episode. It doesn't end like a relationship. Sometimes, like in The Angels Take Manhattan, this is the end for him, Amy Pond, and Rory. But that wasn't the end; That was goodbye for now, so she's out there.
Both Moffat and Davies joked that if they had gotten their way, it's likely more teammates would have been visited. Check out Moffat and Davies' comparison below:
Davies: Let's face it, Steven, if we could, we would have cut all 63 companions! [laughs]
Moffat: It's true, it's true! [laughs]
How Doctor Who's 2024 Christmas Special Addressed Ruby's Exit
The companion is expected to return in 2025
In "Joy for the World", the The Fifteenth Doctor is considering contacting Ruby and is waiting for her call during his stay in London. Despite this and his speaking fondly about Ruby to Anita (Steph de Walley), it is only at the end that he is given the determination and perspective to make a change. While the Doctor may have been reluctant to reach out, it's clear that Ruby has been busy with her own life.
Both the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and the Fifteenth Doctor spent a period in their lives where the Time Lord left his companions behind after his faith in his ability to keep them safe was destroyed.
While Ruby may have left the Doctor behind and joined her new family, the Doctor Who The Season 15 trailer and previous previews showed that she has been active between each season. The trailer showed Ruby at UNIT HQ and hinting at her employment with the agency, while an earlier preview saw Ruby take command among a group of survivors in crisis.
Our thoughts on Ruby's Doctor Who seasonal special appearance
Could the complementary parallels bring a dark omen?
For a long time Doctor Who fans, there are several parallels between Ruby's story and Amy and Rory's story. Both the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) and the Fifteenth Doctor spent a period in their lives where the Time Lord left his companions behind after his faith in his ability to keep them safe was destroyed. Ultimately, a seasonal adventure would see both doctors faced a new friend urging them to find someone to travel with.
However, with Moffat bringing up Ruby's parallels with the Eleventh Doctor's companions, many Doctor Who viewers may be wary of his potential fate in season 15. With Gibson set to share the TARDIS with new companion Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) in 2025, his return is likely to bring new challenges.