Doctor Whofocuses on the eponymous Doctor, a time-traveling alien who loves adventuring and solving problems. He’s a Time Lord but differs from his species in almost every notable way. The show isn’t particularly kind to the Doctor’s brethren. Time Lords can travel the timeline at will but live by an intricate web of complex predictions. The Prophecy of the Hybrid may have been their first glimpse into the dark times to come.
The structure ofDoctor Whotells several stories at once.Most episodes cover asingle adventure into a fantastical alien planet or historical event, with occasional nods toward the overarching narrative. These details are often introduced and paid off with seasons in between. The Time Lords always seem to have a prophecy for every occasion.
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What is the Prophecy of the Hybrid?
On Gallifrey, the Time Lords lived by the foresight of an impossibly complex computer network called the Matrix. The Matrix combines all the knowledge gathered by every Time Lord inevery TARDIS across timeand space. With that compendium of universal wisdom, the system can predict the future with substantial accuracy and vague language. According to a Time Lord textbook on the subject, the Matrix’s first projection was the Prophecy of the Hybrid. Dalek field manuals argued that the story emerged during the Cloister Wars. Either way, thousands of years before the events of the story, the Matrix predicted that a being born of two warrior races would destroy Gallifrey and unravel rational time.
In theDoctor Whouniverse, time was once entirely irrational. Reality had no observable physical laws. History did not affect later events. This period was known as the Time of Chaos or the Dark Times. Rassilon, one ofthe first Time Lords, created history in a process called “the anchoring of the thread.” He and the Great Houses maintained the Web of Time for eons. The power source is an engineered star called the Eye of Harmony. A demonic being called the Yssgaroth emerged during the anchoring. Its emissaries were giant vampires who could spread corruption and chaos throughout the universe. The taint of Yssgaroth would remain in the Web of Time forever. If there’s ever a question abouthow something works inDoctor Who, the answer is almost always related to the Web. The Web of Time features countless nodes and fixed points that cannot be changed. The Web can be unraveled through some means. Without it, chaos would reign again. The Prophecy of the Hybrid should point out who will unweave the Web.
Who could the Hybrid be?
The show and additional materials discuss several potential identities for the Hybrid. The Time Lords generally believed that the Hybrid would be genetically mixed between one of their own and a Dalek. The two warrior races actively engaged in constant war with each other were the first to come to mind. Davros, thebrilliant scientist who invented the Daleks, sought to create a Hybrid to destroy Gallifrey and win the war. He attempted to mix his DNA with the Doctor’s, but the Time Lord was under the effects of retro-regeneration, causing the prototype to fall apart. Davros maintains he could have created an appropriate Hybrid, but he never achieved his dream.
Several human hybrids have been pitched as potential candidates, but none have been selected. The most common target of blame is the Doctor.The Twelfth Doctor seemedto hold unique inside information about the prophecy. When asked, he claimed that he was the Hybrid. Several characters have accused the Doctor of being half-human and half-Time Lord. Every example so far has backtracked and offered an alternative explanation. He seemed to be mocking the Time Lords with his knowledge and exploiting their fear by claiming to be the Hybrid. Sam Jones once argued the Eighth Doctor was the Hybrid. She said his mother was a human woman, and his eventual goal was to bring humanity to Time Lord society. Sam was probably bluffing again, trying to distract the guy she was talking to at the time. Some have suggested that the “Hybrid” might not be one organism.The Doctor and Clarastanding together might have been the Hybrid. Their metaphysical, emotional connection could have unraveled the Web. The answer remains vague.
The Hybrid prophecy remains one ofDoctor Who’s endless unfulfilled teases that could be the endgame of the franchise.The Doctor might endup being the Hybrid, destroying his home planet and unweaving the Web of Time. It’s safe to assume that the Web won’t be undone for long. The prophecy has been used as a tease several times, but there’s no way of knowing whether it will ever pay off. The Time Lords and their Matrix have been wrong before. The Hybrid could appear at any time and make good on the prophecy, but they haven’t shown themselves yet.
