It’s nearly the end of series 12 of Doctor Who so plenty of speculation required. I’ve already put together some Thoughts ahead of the Timeless Children and there’s so much at play here I need to record some more. I’ve also speculated on the fate of the companions. Now I’ve rewatched the (short) YouTube trailer, I’ve sharpened my thoughts.

The Timeless Children

What threads are there likely to be?

We had a lot of threads in Ascension of the Cybermen and others hanging from Fugitive of the Judoon and probably others. Maybe we even get returns for Mary Shelley / Ada Lovelace! That’s an episode all on its own, but the fate of the Cyberium from Villa Diodati must be closed.

I think the story will pivot around the Master. Did he get the Cybermen to destroy Gallifrey (which the Daleks couldn’t do)? Did the Time Lords engineer the Cybermen in the deep past as part of the Time War? [But they were a thing before we’d even heard of regeneration]

We see from the trailer the Cybermen led by the Lone Cyberman head for Gallifrey. We also see bits of Time Lord tech (and a strange hill side) so assume the Cybermen see a threat to eliminate. Companions are along for the ride in what I’ve seen but I guess in the background. We also have hints about more of the Ruth Doctor / Fugitive Doctor. IMDB credits also lists Jo Martin so something at least, even as a memory. At one point Billie Piper was listed, so someone has a sense of humour!

The Master wants (needs?) to share something with the Doctor. Is the Matrix involved? Does it give back ancient memories and is that the point of the Garda / Brendan thread? We are clearly meant to think Time Lords – Garda are the Irish police and the TARDIS is a police box. Brendan regenerates, something very strange is going in with his adopted father and boss.

I can get the Master being at the centre. Will the strange slightly Cyberman-like creatures from Spyfall be important (I’ll reference everything from series 12 so I get some of it correct)? Will the Praxeus virus defeat the Cyber-army on the plains of Purgatory 12? Is it all enough to drive you insane?

Finally, though, who are the Timeless Children and what is the dark secret of the Time Lords (and are they really gone – look at Skaro, destroyed loads of times!) At a guess we might get Rassilon (Ko Sharmus?) or even Omega. The Other and the Cartmel Masterplan? Why? If something enormous is being done, I think Chris Chibnall would want his own ideas. A deep link between the human remnants and the ancient Gallifreyans is popular on forums / twitter; my thought is an ancient link to someone, I’d like Kaleds but not likely. Are the Doctor and Master the Timeless Children or is it the name for the remnants of humanity? I think it will be something else.

What’s my guess

Going mad, the Jo Martin Doctor is from a hidden set of regenerations, series 6B is an option but I think whole new cycle before Hartnell (is Graham a Doctor? Is Ravio?). The dark secret will be genetic and/or another Time War buried in the Matrix. The Time Lords stole time travel, destroying the race that created it by inventing the Cybermen. Not mad enough I suspect!

One thing for sure, there will be a lot of reaction on Sunday evening!!