Steven Moffat, talking at the Television Critics’ Association tour has come out and explicitly denied all rumours (even mine) about who Maisie Williams is playing in series nine of Doctor Who. He has decided to do this despite the amount of hype it was generating — maybe he wants to get things back under control ahead of September 19^th?

The full quote (including end tease) is:

I can’t really tell you. I think once you see what she’s up to in the show you’ll appreciate what a clever idea of Brian Minchin’s — that was [my co-exec] who thought of Maisie for this part. It’s a significant role. We’re not throwing her away. We’re not just getting star value and doing nothing with it. It’s a great part, and she’s terrific in it. But, I would say, it will develop in unexpected ways.

One thing I think is worth saying because it keeps coming up as an issue. She is not playing a returning character. She’s a brand new character. She is not someone from the Doctor’s past…. Unless I’m lying. Aye.

So where does this leave us? The trailer leads us to assume her character knows who the Doctor is, maybe she is a character we can imply from the past though hasn’t been in the show before (eg Susan’s mother?). Perhaps the answer is more subtle?

What if she is a character from the Doctor’s future? What if she is or claims to be a future incarnation of the Doctor? What if she is a future version of Missy who has turned to the light side? What if she is the Missy / Master version of the Valeyard? What if I just lie down and breath slowly and wait a few more weeks!

Thoughts?