We’ve had some details of the series 12 two-part finale, including the titles Ascension of the Cybermen and The Timeless Children. Obviously the latter refers to the timeless child mystery, but while the former is more obvious still, some points bear making.

Rise or Ascension?

I’ve seen some very tedious comments on social media about Chibnall being so lazy he’s just ripping off RTD’s Rise of the Cybermen. Oh how fickle fans are. Form an opinion and twist everything until it fits.

I’d like to point out the (many) R- of the Daleks stories (Resurrection and Remembrance being just two of many, never mind [in my head at least] Resolution [of the Daleks]).

Second in my view when you rise you often to rise from something as is the case in the Tenth Doctor story of parallel worlds. Ascension is very much ascending to somewhere. The Cybermen have lost their war and is seems the Thirteenth Doctor might give the lone cyberman what it wants, thereby allowing it to ascend. Maybe it becomes the Gallifreyans [let’s get ridiculous] or just leads to the Timeless Children. Whatever; just give it a chance beyond ridiculing the title.