Just Who is Ms Delphox?

  By Tony Jones • March 14, 2014 ,

Keely Hawes as Ms DelphoxSo Keely Hawes has been announced as the latest actor to join the ranks of Doctor Who villains and will appear in the Twelfth Doctor’s new series as Ms Delphox an interstellar banker. The BBC announcement is Keeley Hawes to Star in Doctor Who.

Speculation and comment are rife so here’s mine own thoughts on the matter …

Who might Ms Delphox be?

The Rani is an ever popular choice of suspect but the Guardian has a better theory in this piece by Dan Martin on why Keeley Hawes is the perfect choice … in that she is the Master! I think this is all reaction to her seeming a bit like Miss Kizlet from Bells of St John or Ms Foster from Partners in Crime.

Let’s add to the mix: Susan perhaps, or another incarnation of River Song? The Valyeard?

Are there any clues in the name? Delphox sounds a bit like ‘of the fox’ could that be important - fox instead of a wolf? If you anagram it you can get explohd which is a bit like explode. All this is almost certainly a waste of time.

She won’t be yet another Dalek creation - I think we’ve had enough of those in 2013 and we suspect the Mr Moffat doesn’t like to overuse them. We’ve had Silurians, Ice Warriors, Great Intelligence and Cybermen as well.

Let’s though go by the theory that Peter Capaldi is a reset and that in some way’s this Doctor will mirror the First Doctor. My theory - Ms Delphox is the Meddling Monk!

Thoughts?

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Freelance writer, blogger, philosopher and Doctor Who fan
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  • Daniel Griffin

    About 2 years ago Moffet said that the Rani will not come back…
    I believe that he is lying yet again, and here is why…

    The new villain is an interstellar ‘banker’ named Miss Delphox and I believe that she is in fact the Rani. Here is why…

    This new character is supposed to have been manipulating the Doctor
    through time (she is the ‘woman in the shop’ that gave Clara the number
    to the IT department, the number that rang the TARDIS… something a
    Timelord would be capable of

    She is supposed to have a ‘dark secret’ - renegade time lord

    The first episode she is introduced involves a T-Rex and the TARDIS -
    The first serial that the Rani showed up in involved a T-Rex on the
    TARDIS

    The first time we see Miss Delphox the doctor just regenerated -

    The last time we ‘see’ the Rani was when the doctor just regenerated
    and in both cases the previous doctor was younger and were replaced by a
    more ‘fatherly’ doctor

    A place of business is secretly used to
    experiment, operate, and ‘control’ the English locals - that is
    basically what the Rani did in her first episode

    Banker could
    mean a DNA Banker or a keeper of life forms (as the fallen foe of the
    doctor showing up in her ‘heaven’ supports), which if she is the Rani,
    it would make sense, because she collected DNA, life forms and
    experimented on them

    Both characters are shown to stand with her hands on her hips in a very similar fashion

    Moffat said that it will not happen… as he has shown us, he is not to
    be trusted… he lies often about the show and his plans

    Both characters are introduced in 19th Century England

    The Rani would not have been on Gallifrey during the Time War

    She Calls the Doctor her ”boyfriend”
    the Rani alluded to her having a had a relationship with the Doctor, the Rani, the Doctor and the Master grew up together…

    • http://redrocketrising.com/ Tony Jones

      Whoever the ‘woman in the shop’ is I actually struggle with motive if she is the Rani or the Monk. The Rani is back in play as Big Finish is using her in an upcoming story. This may mean that the TV isn’t using her as they don’t like conflicting story lines.

      I don’t think you can read anything into the T-rex but I am happy to be proved wrong!

  • Πανδώρα Άγαδακις

    I love it! I agree, though. Rule #1. Moffat lies.

    When they said they were bringing back more classic characters a while back, my wish list was Ice Warriors, Osirans and The Monk. I might get #2 next week, so would love to see the Monk. The Rani might be a better fit; save the monk for something suitably Monkish? Not that this isn’t.

    OK; I’ll throw into the mix. Tasha Lem. Another back-to-front timeline and it’s a postquel to who she was and her relationship with the Dr? Who ends up winning the day and for her sins she goes into a “convent”…

    • http://redrocketrising.com/ Tony Jones

      I’ve seen others mention Tasha Lem - for me her character was distinctive but too modern. What do I know though!

      • Πανδώρα Άγαδακις

        On the idea of the name meaning something, καρα βράχος (Madame Karabraxos) means “rock candy”. At least this week we learned that Clara is somehow her “selection”. Past tense. When/what could she have already done?

        In Urban Slang “rock candy” can mean a very hard penis. Kind of “Madame Hardon”. Reinforces your idea about gender bending…

        • http://redrocketrising.com/ Tony Jones

          Intriguing idea but I suspect it is one step too many. What do I know - my latest theory is that Missy is the Doctor from a future regeneration!

  • Elizabeth Thorne

    The clue in the name idea could work for the Rani, given her history. “Held pox” is an anagram of Delphox.

    • http://redrocketrising.com/ Tony Jones

      Though nothing like that came out in Time Heist, sadly;-(