Doctor Who
Doctor Whohas been through several formats over the years, from the classic era that began in 1963, to the revived era that saw the show reach its peak popularity, and now to the rebooted era streaming all over the world.
However, one thing thats remained constant throughout all these variations of the show is the recurring characters and villains, creating a sense of connectivity that really binds this show together.
AndDoctor Whoseason 15seems to be continuing this trend with a sneaky reference to a much earlier point in the show.
The fourteenth season ofDoctor Whosaw the long-awaited return of the Christmas specials, an annual tradition that began way back in 2005 and continued for over a decade until showrunner Chris Chibnall replaced them with New Years specials in 2019.
While these offered some clever ideas and fascinating stories, the festive spirit of the Christmas adventures was sorely missed.
Whileseason 14s Christmas special was a soft reboot for the show, the upcoming special will see the return of ex-showrunner Steven Moffat for an exciting standalone adventure.
Image via Disney+
Villengard Will Return In Doctor Who’s 2024 Christmas Special
The Weapons Manufacturer Has Been Mentioned In The Show Again
While very few details have been released about 2024s Joy to the World special, theres been one important revelation that long-term fans ofDoctor Whomay have recognized.
In a seemingly throwaway line during the episodes most recent teaser,the Doctor mentions the name Villengard, which refers to a planet first introduced in the shows first rebooted season.
In Moffats firstDoctor Whostory The Doctor Dances, he introduced Villengard as the planet where Captain Jacks sonic blaster was created.
The latest Doctor Who series introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday.
Doctor Who’s 2024 Christmas special promises to have a lot going on with a hotel setting, but it does feel eerily similar to a 2011 adventure.
Since then, VIllengard has been mentioned in several ofMoffats bestDoctor Whostories.The Doctor even visited the planet himself during Twice Upon a Time,where it was revealed to have been destroyed many years ago, the ruins inhabited by futuristic versions of the Daleks.
Its been a running thread in MoffatsDoctor Whocareer, and its coming back for the 2024 Christmas special - though its unclear to what extent.
The Doctor Defeats Villengard At Some Point In The Future
The Ruins Were Revealed In Season 10’s Christmas Special
When the Doctor and Bill Potts visit Villengard in Twice Upon A Time, the planet is little more than an empty shell of what it used to be.
The weapons factories have been destroyed, the Daleks have taken control of the ruins, and the company that once ran the planet was nowhere to be seen.
While the show never explained Villengards destruction, one piece ofDoctor Whomedia revealed thatit was actually the Doctor who defeated the company and destroyed their planet.
According to the comicThe Whole Things Bananas,the War Doctor was responsible for destroying Villengard during the Time War.
With the help of Dorium Maldovar, he used a molecular fruit bomb to transform the planets weapons factories into banana groves, preventing the Daleks from using Villengards facilities and gaining an advantage over the Time Lords in the War.
TheTime War caused many conflictsthat havent yet been explored on the show, which creates many possibilities for short stories like these to explain aspects ofDoctor Whothat dont solicit an entire episode.
“Joy To The World” Could Be A Sequel To Doctor Who Season 14’s “Boom”
Moffat’s Previous Episode Also Mentioned Villengard
It was 12 years between Villengards first mention in The Doctor Dances and its second mention in Twice Upon a Time, then a further seven years before it was included again in Moffats Boom episode of season 14.
This proves that before now,Villengard hasnt been a major aspect of the show- its simply an Easter egg that Moffat has included in a few stories.
However, with its mention in Joy to the World, Villengard has now been mentioned twice in one year, causing suspicions that it could finally be coming to the forefront of this story.
Villengards presence in twoDoctor Whostories this year could definitely be a coincidence, but its more likely that Moffat is building towards some kind of narrative thread that connects his two stories.Joy to the World could feasibly end up being a sequel to Boom, as the Villengard corporation seeks revenge or compensation for the Doctors interference in their weapons manufacturing.
This could be a fun and exciting way of bookending Steven Moffats time onDoctor Whoif this truly is his final episode, paying homage to his first adventure in The Doctor Dances.
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Cast
The latest Doctor Who series introduces the Fifteenth Doctor, joined by new companion Ruby Sunday.
