Of all the New Who companions, the story of Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) was given not only the saddest conclusion, but possibly the most open-ended one. After the events of the Series 4 finale, the Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) was forced to wipe her memory of their travels together, for her own safety. If she were ever to remember their adventures through time and space, her mind would burn and she would die.
Donna’s exit was devastating, and ever since, fans have theorized on how thefeisty temp from Chiswickmight return to the show and get her dues. Yet, many felt deep down that such hopes were in vain — until it was announced that Tate and Tennant would both return for the 60th AnniversaryDoctor Whospecials in 2023. With Russell T. Davies returning as showrunner, so too do the fan-favorite duo.
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Fans immediately went wild with speculation, but it wasn’t until Christmas Day 2022 thatviewers got a trailer showingsnippets of what these specials might contain. The trailer shows only flashes of action and a few key lines of dialogue, but those crumbs of information hint at the answer to one of the biggest questions fans have been asking: Why did the Doctor regenerate into a previous form? The answer is likely Donna herself.
In the Series 4 finale, “Journey’s End,” Donna absorbs the Doctor’s Time Lord knowledge, using this knowledge to save the universe. However, it’s too much for a human mind to take, which is why the Doctor has no choice but to make Donna forget their adventures. If she ever remembers that time in her life, the knowledge that will kill her will also flood her mind. Yet, echoes of those memories seem to remain with her. In the beginning of the trailer, she says to her mother that she sometimes feels a strange kind of emptiness:
“[…] I had something lovely, and it’s gone.”
Donna may not rememberher adventures with the Doctor, but she has a sense that something is missing. It’s not unreasonable to speculate that those same echoes might apply to her memories the Doctor himself. And, judging from the events of the trailer, she may very well need the Doctor by her side.
“I don’t believe in destiny, but if destiny exists, it is heading for Donna Noble.”
These are the words that Tennant’s Doctor speaks over the scenes of excitement shown in the trailer. Whatever is happening here —the Celestial Toymaker, the monstrous red-eyed aliens — it is all centered on Donna. It’s unclear how or why she is connected to the Toymaker or the apparent invasion that’s happening, but it is somehow connected to her. If she were to see the face of the man who had been her partner in crime and dearest friend, she may be inclined to trust him, even if she’s not sure why.
Even if Donna has no inkling of who the Doctor is, his face is familiar to Sylvia and Wilfred, Donna’s mother and grandfather. In the trailer, Sylvia is shown trying to hide the Doctor from Donna’s view. Additionally, it is known that Bernard Cribbins (who played Wilfred) worked on these specials as his last project before his death in July 2022. If the Doctor seeks their help to protect Donna, they are more likely to trust him if he shows up with the face they remember.
After all, it’s heavily implied throughout the trailer that Donna is in danger of remembering.Running from aliens, encountering beings with seemingly impossible abilities — it all treads close to her life as the Doctor’s companion. Perhaps these experiences put her at risk of triggering the release of her old memories, or perhaps some outside force is threatening to return her memories to her by force. Whatever the reason, the Doctor is quick to remind the audience:“If she ever remembers, she will die.”
However,Doctor Whohas been known to circumvent previously established rules. What’s more, at least from the Doctor’s perspective, hundreds of years have passed since he and Donna parted. It’s not out of the question that, in the knowledge he has gained since then, there is an answer that could save Donna and let her remember without dying. Alternatively, perhaps the upcoming episode will result in a way for Donna to get her memories back safely.
If Donna does remember, the reunion between her and the Doctor she knew would be one for the ages. However, it’s not necessarily a given that she’ll get her memories back over the course of the story. Davies may decide to go the bittersweet route, and Donna and the Doctor to part again as barely more than strangers. No matter which way the story resolves, showing itwith Tennant’s Doctorwould be more impactful not only for audiences, but for the characters themselves.
