Warning: MAJOR spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 7, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday.”
Summary
Doctor Whohas been teasing the comeback of a classic companion since the beginning of Ncuti Gatwa’s run as the Fifteenth Doctor, and after the events of season 14’s penultimate episode, I’d be incredibly surprised if they didn’t come back to the show at some point in the near future.Companions returning toDoctor Whoafter an absence- no matter how brief - is always an exciting moment.Billie Piper’s return as Rose Tyler inDoctor Whoseason 4 is still something that sticks vividly in my mind, so the storytelling device is certainly an effective one.
Bonnie Langford’s return as Mel Bush brought a classic-era companion intoDoctor Who’s Disney era, bridging the gap between the two of the furthest points in the show’s history. However, the franchise has the chance to do what they did with Mel on an even grander scale. If the chance gets wasted after all the setup and teasing about the potentialDoctor Whocomeback for an iconic companion, then it really makes me wonder what it’s all been for.
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Doctor Who Season 14’s Penultimate Episode Clearly Sets Up Susan’s Return
The Susan misdirect is a sign for her eventual comeback
The cold open ofDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 7, “The Legend of Ruby Sunday,” finally shines a spotlight on one of my earliest theories regardingwho Susan Twist has really been playingall this time. Although she turns out to be a new character called Susan Triad - and ultimately, an avatar for Sutekh - sharing a first name with the Doctor’s biological granddaughter felt like too huge of a clue for me to ignore. Unfortunately,the tease of the return of Susan Foreman was nothing more than an enormous red herring.
Still, I find it hard to believe that this is the end of my hopes for Susan’s comeback.The Doctor tells Ruby Sunday he believes Susan is deadin “The Devil’s Chord,” which leads him to describe the complex existence of a Time Lord and how complicated his familial timeline can become as a result. This feels like a very specific part ofDoctor Wholore to drag back up out of nowhere after so long. So, paired with the unavoidable suggestion that Susan Triad was Susan Foreman,a cameo from the Doctor’s actual granddaughter must be coming any day now.
Ruby also seems particularly excited to meet the Doctor’s granddaughter, and keen to reunite them. I doubt that desire is going to go away.
Susan’s Doctor Who Comeback Is Long Overdue
Carole Ann Ford’s Doctor Who character helped shape the companion archetype
Susan was the Doctor’s very first companion back when the show began in 1963. She was portrayed by Carole Ann Ford in an impressive 51 episodes between 1963 and 1964, returning to reprise the role in 1983 for the 20th anniversary special, “The Five Doctors.” Despite her role in establishing the format of the show during its earliest stages,I find it very confusing that Susan Foreman is almost never mentioned. The fact thatthe Doctor has biological descendantsis something that fascinates me, and yet it’s one thatDoctor Wholargely ignores. As such, Susan must resurface.
Although she hasn’t appeared inDoctor Whofor a very long time, Carole Ann Ford has returned to the franchise to voice Susan in various podcasts and audio adventures.
Although she hasn’t appeared inDoctor Whofor a very long time, Carole Ann Ford has returned to the franchise to voice Susan in various podcasts and audio adventures. I’ve not heard all of them, but the ones I have engaged with have been great. Unfortunately, this particular corner of the franchise is fairly nebulous in how authentically it fits into the main continuity. Only the TV show and its associated spinoffs are considered official canon, soSusan’s comeback won’t be complete unless she plays the character on-screen again.
Carole Ann Ford Is Open To A Doctor Who Return As Susan
The actress has expressed a desire to come back to Doctor Who
What I find especially promising about Susan’s possible return toDoctor Whois the fact that Ford seems as though it’s something she wants to make happen as well. Speaking withRadio Times, Ford confirmed, “I’d love to experience all the money they spend on it now - it’s done like a film! I would adore to be in it now.” So, paired with the constant references to her character throughoutDoctor Whoseason 14,Ford’s obvious desire to play the part again is surely enough to get things moving.
The unfortunate truth of the matter is that Carole Ann Ford isn’t necessarily required for Susan Foreman to grace the small screen again.
The unfortunate truth of the matter is that Carole Ann Ford isn’t necessarily required for Susan Foreman to grace the small screen again. As a descendant of the Doctor,it’s highly likely that Susan has the ability to regenerate. So, if she does appear again, she may look nothing like Carole Ann Ford’s original version of the character - just as various unique actors have been used to portray other Time Lord characters like the Doctor and the Master.
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I accept this as a major part of the show’s formula, as proven by the fact I was fully prepared for Susan Twist to be secretly playing the Doctor’s granddaughter rather than a new character - but the fake out caught me a little off-guard. Fortunately, this leaves the possibility intact for Carole Ann Ford to play Susan again when the character makes her unavoidableDoctor Whoreturn.
“Space Babies” & “The Devil’s Chord”
“Empire of Death”
Doctor Who
Cast
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.
