“You See Him At His Most Scared”: Doctor Who Season 14 Features A Villain Even The Doctor Fears

Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa has opened up about how season 14 will feature a villain that even the Doctor is afraid of, also revealing when they will make their debut. The Doctor has faced plenty of dangerous antagonists over his many iterations, with recurring ones being the Master and the Daleks. However, he’s also faced plenty of other dangerous entities, including the Sontarans, the Silence, and Weeping Angels. Each time he’s been able to confidently dispatch them in some way, often finding clever solutions to combat them.

However, while speaking with Screen Rant, Gatwa teased that Doctor Who season 14 will include a villain that even the Doctor is fearful of. The actor, who portrays the Fifteenth Doctor, revealed the new enemy will debut in season 14, episode 2, “The Devil’s Chord,” when his character and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) go back to the mid-20th century. Check out what Gatwa had to say about the upcoming enemy below:

Good question. Yeah, I’d say maybe episode 2. I’d say maybe “Devil’s Chord” because you get the full range of the Doctor. You see him at his most scared. He’s facing a villain that he doesn’t feel like he has the power to defeat; that he doesn’t have the power to defeat. But it’s fun. Ruby brings the fun out of him.

They want to go see the Beatles, and you see his innocence as well. The first time he sees the Beatles, it’s like, “Oh my God!” And we’re both fangirling. It’s like he’s excited about something for the first time, and then there’s all the experiences that this one is bringing to him. Which is lovely, but then it’s tragedy, and then rage as well. I’d say that one because it encapsulates who he is.

What New Villain Will The Doctor Face In Season 14?

Gatwa’s statement keeps details about the new villain in the dark, only revealing the time period is the same as when The Beatles were still together. However, given how Doctor Who villains have reappeared across time and space before, it’s unclear if the time period will play into what the newest enemy is going to be. The Doctor has been afraid before, with enemies such as the unseen alien in season 4, episode 10, “Midnight,” while his fears of concepts like death are explored in season 9, episode 11, “Heaven Sent.”

However, despite the Doctor showing he can be afraid in various prior episodes, he’s still managed to defeat the villains he’s put up against. Yet Gatwa’s statement about the episode also being tragic means this new threat may be too powerful for him to face when it first shows up. Perhaps whatever it does in that time period disrupts the order of how history is supposed to go, or it’s able to combat the Doctor’s powers. It may even have connections to past villains, perhaps fulfilling the Toymaker’s promise of other entities coming for revenge.

Although information about the new opponent is sparse, their strength indicates they could also become a recurring threat throughout Gatwa’s run. If that ends up being the case, then the fear he feels in the upcoming episode may be only the start of his upcoming battle. While it appears this version of the character is confident and brave, Doctor Who‘s introduction of a striking new antagonist will serve to make the Fifteenth Doctor more fleshed out. It also teases just how dangerous new enemies may be for him going forward.