Highlights
- The War Doctor, played by John Hurt, is a significant character in Doctor Who despite not having an official number like the other Doctors.
- The War Doctor existed during the Time War and was a battle-hardened warrior who made tough decisions, including committing double genocide, to end the conflict between the Time Lords and the Daleks.
- In “The Day of the Doctor,” it is revealed that the War Doctor actually saved the Time Lords and caused the Daleks to wipe themselves out. He reclaimed the title of The Doctor, but his memory of this event was erased. Some viewers argue that the War Doctor deserves recognition and a title despite his actions.
The War Doctor is the lost version of The Doctor, who fought in the Last Great Time War and existed between the Eighth and the Ninth incarnations in the Doctor Who series.
The War Doctor, played by the late John Hurt, is the only time-traveling man from Gallifrey who did not get an official number of his own in Doctor Who. He appears in the regeneration cycle between the Eighth Doctor (Paul McGann) and the Ninth Doctor (Christopher Eccleston). So, he would be Doctor 8.5 if he had an official number. Despite this, many still consider him as significant as the rest of the iterations, but little is known about the character.
Who Is The War Doctor?
Hurt made his debut in Doctor Who as the War Doctor in the “Name of The Doctor” episode in 2013. He only made a brief appearance, but it was evident that he was different from the rest of the versions. The Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) saves Clara (Jenna Coleman), who is trapped in his time stream. However, before they can successfully leave, an old man appears, prompting Clara to ask the Eleventh Doctor who the person is. He tells her the man is him, because “There’s only me here.” Clara argues that she has never seen him before, and she has already seen all eleven incarnations. The Doctor clarifies:
I said he was me. I never said he was The Doctor. The name I chose is The Doctor. The name you choose, it’s like a promise you make. He’s the one who broke the promise.
The Doctor tells an unconscious Clara, who has passed out, that the War Doctor is his “secret.” Apparently, the War Doctor was in soldier mode due to the deaths he witnessed in the Last Great Time War. Unlike the rest of his iterations, the War Doctor was a battle-hardened warrior who chose to kill instead of heal.
The War Doctor exists during the Time War or the Last Great Time War when the Time Lords are in conflict with the Daleks. He joined the war and decided to commit double genocide to end the battle between the two races. The War Doctor told the Eleventh Doctor:
What I did, I did without choice. In the name of peace and sanity.
However, the Eleventh Doctor argued:
But not in the name of The Doctor.
The exchange was poignant and moving. The War Doctor was the picture of someone who had gone through a lot of battles in life. While the Eleventh Doctor couldn’t handle his choice, some audience members sympathized with the War Doctor because they understood that there’s a point in one’s life when they are forced to make a decision that’s different than they usually choose. While it doesn’t sound morally right, many could relate to the War Doctor when making hard decisions.
Due to the supposed genocide the War Doctor planned during the Time War, he disavowed the name of The Doctor, making him unworthy to represent it. Thus, he wasn’t given an official number, making Christopher Eccleston the official Ninth Doctor.
What Is The War Doctor’s Significance?
There was a huge twist in the War Doctor’s plot when Hurt returned to play a major role in the 50th anniversary special “The Day of the Doctor.” It turned out that he didn’t commit the double genocide. Instead, he sealed the Time Lords away in a pocket universe, and consequently caused the Daleks to wipe themselves out in the attack. He didn’t remember saving the Time Lords, because he was already in the presence of the later incarnations at that point. The Tenth and Eleventh Doctors were in Gallifrey on the Last Day of the Time War, and it wasn’t destroyed as the War Doctor thought.
In “The Day of the Doctor,” the War Doctor reclaimed his title as The Doctor when he spoke with the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors and after learning what he really did. However, he was also aware that he would not be able to remember it, which the Eleventh Doctor confirmed. The time stream was out of sync, which would prevent him from recalling the events. Nevertheless, the War Doctor celebrated his return as The Doctor.
So I won’t remember that I tried to save Gallifrey, rather than burn it. I’ll have to live with that. But for now, for this moment, I am the Doctor again. Thank you!
The War Doctor didn’t want to join the battle, but he felt he had no choice at that point. He was regretful and shameful even before he activated The Moment. Since he didn’t really commit the crime he thought he did, many viewers believed he deserved a title.
What’s more, other versions of the Doctors in the series did worse than the War Doctor. For instance, the Thirteenth Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) committed triple genocide in Flux, ending the Daleks, Cybermen and Sontarans. Worse, the Thirteenth Doctor didn’t even show remorse for the decision. This made many question why the Thirteenth Doctor is more deserving of keeping the name of the Doctor, while the War Doctor wasn’t
The War Doctor’s lack of a proper title is complicated. He is not worse than other Doctors, and can be considered better than some. He takes responsibility and accountability for the things he has done — at least based on what he remembers. And finally, the double genocide he’s so ashamed of never happened in the first place.
It appears that the War Doctor takes the fall when the Time Lords and the Doctor need someone to blame. The War Doctor had no memory of what really happened, making him an easy target to take the blame. And he seemingly embraced it because he was miserable over the things he didn’t do.
The “Day of the Doctor” is an examination of the Doctor’s character. It portrays a conscientious, contemplative, and disarming old man weathered by time and experience. Maybe he was different when he was younger, but time had made him less aggressive. The timing made sense, especially since it aired on the series’ 50th anniversary. The War Doctor’s superficial qualities only frame the character’s complexities. It’s also important to note that every incarnation has some flaws. The Tenth Doctor was arrogant; the Seventh Doctor was manipulative. The other versions of The Doctors make bad decisions too, with some worse than the War Doctor did.
Overall, it’s sad that the other Doctors fear and want to forget the War Doctor because they disapprove of his deeds. They don’t want to acknowledge him, with the Eleventh Doctor keeping him his secret. However, it was evident that he never lost his identity. The War Doctor ended up with those decisions due to trauma. But he was still the same as the other incarnations of Doctor Who, only broken, angry and guilty. The War Doctor was repentant at the thought of what he did, and the Eleventh Doctor’s anger could be self-loathing knowing that he and the War Doctor are one.
Some fans want to see more of the War Doctor in Doctor Who. However, it’s unlikely to happen as John Hurt, the actor who portrayed the character, passed away in 2017. But the show could probably feature a younger one to give more background about the character who has always piqued the audience’s interest.
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