Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 6, “Rogue.”
Summary
When Russell T Davies returned toDoctor Whoshowrunner duties, he wasted no time planting a narrative seed in his first episode since his return, and the show is only just referencing the enigmatic figure mentioned back in 2023.Davies is brilliantly notorious for teasing storylineslong before they pay off, andDoctor Who’s Disney eramarked the beginning of one of the showrunner’s famously slow-burning arcs.Doctor Whoseason 14, episode 6, “Rogue,” is the first mention of one of the show’s newest villains in several episodes.
The nod to Russell T Davies' antagonist is delivered by a temporary member of theDoctor Whoseason 14 castin “Rogue,” but the moment is easy to miss due to how brief it is. The mysterious character being discussed has yet to appear on-screen, but the fact thatDoctor Whois reminding its audience of the figure’s existence proves thatDavies hasn’t forgotten that he has a loose end to tie up. As such, as the Ncuti Gatwa era progresses, it’s likely the looming presence will crystallize.
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Rogue’s “New Boss” Continues RTD’s First Big Tease From “The Star Beast”
The Meep mentions the Boss in the first David Tennant 60th-anniversary special in 2023
Jonathon Groff’s Rogue adds to the intrigue of the newDoctor Whomystery. When the spacefaring bounty hunter is processing the Doctor,Rogue claims, “This job has so much paperwork ever since we got that new boss.“At the end of the first David TennantDoctor Who60th-anniversay special, “The Star Beast,” The Meep also references someone who is known only by a nameless title: “Just wait until I tell the Boss.” This may seem like an incidental connection between the two episodes, but Davies himself has essentially confirmed that Rogue is referring to the same character as the Meep.
Rogue’s throwaway comment would seem to be that mention that Davies promised.
Speaking withTV Insiderjust afterDoctor Whoseason 14’s double-episode premier,Davies stated there was, “Another mention of the Boss coming up.“So, Rogue’s throwaway comment would seem to be that mention that Davies promised. There were two more episodes with David Tennant reprising the role of the Doctor, then the 2023 Christmas special, then five more Ncuti Gatwa episodes before getting to this point. With “Rogue” being the sixth installment ofDoctor Whoseason 14, it’s a long time to wait for such a small reference.
“Rogue” Reveals Key Details About Doctor Who’s “Boss”
Jonathon Groff’s character teases at least one of the Boss' personality traits
“Rogue” doesn’t give a whole lot away about the Boss, but it’s possible to glean some contextual information from the episode’s events. For example,Rogue’s occupation as a bounty hunter says something about the Boss' field of work, as does the fact that the Meep was a warlord. The Boss clearly has a penchant for commanding various intergalactic miscreants with varying skill sets. The Meep is better-suited to leading warfare, whereas Rogue acts alone, quietly picking off targets at the behest of his clients, and more than likely, the Boss. So, the Boss' other employees likely serve different purposes.
The fact thatRogue tells the Doctor that his new boss comes with an influx of paperworkalso suggests that the shrouded villain is a stickler for detail and proper procedure. There’s also the strong implication that the Boss has very big plans in store, and also that they’re the kind of character who would rather not get their own hands dirty while accomplishing these unknown goals. It’s also unclear if even Rogue knows who he’s working for.
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Before Rogue spares the Doctor’s life, the bounty hunter’s plan is to kill the Time Lord, falsely believing him to be a murderous Chuldur in disguise. So, Rogue’s ability to commit murder in the name of employment also speaks volumes of the Boss' particular variety of employees. However,what’s unclear is how much direct influence the Boss has on the lives of his underlings, and whether their status as one of his associates is rewarded through financial compensation or whether they’re kept in line by fear.
Speaking with David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor, the Meep suggests the Boss will be very interested in the Doctor’s status as a “Two-hearted creature.”
In “The Star Beast,” the Meep also teases another piece of information. Speaking with David Tennant’s Fourteenth Doctor,the Meep suggests the Boss will be very interested in the Doctor’s status as a “Two-hearted creature.“This could mean the Boss also has two hearts, or it could just be that they just have an unknown interest in lifeforms such as the Doctor who have twice the amount of hearts as many other lifeforms.
When Will Doctor Who Reveal The Boss' Identity?
Davies has stated that other storylines will take priority for the time being
The enormous gap between the minor references to the Boss in “The Star Beast” and “Rogue” is evidence that Russell T Davies doesn’t plan on revealing the character’s true identity any time soon. In addition, the showrunner still has various other mysteries to solve that have received much more attention. For example, Susan Twist’s cameos andthe identity of Ruby’s motherhave been much more at the forefront ofDoctor Who’s Disney era. So,the Boss can’t suitably be addressed in the final episodes ofDoctor Whoseason 14.
The enormous gap between the minor references to the Boss in “The Star Beast” and “Rogue” is evidence that Russell T Davies doesn’t plan on revealing the character’s true identity any time soon.
In the same TV Insider interview where Davies mentioned the upcoming Boss reference, he also confirmed that he has no immediate plan to resolve the issue of whoever the Boss turns out to be. Although, he does have an answer in mind:“I might get to [that] one day, but there’s no sign of that happening yet.“However, he has ruled out the possibility thatDoctor Who’s The One Who Waitsand the Boss are the same character. The two figures are distinct from one another, so it makes the identity of both villains even blurrier.
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The Boss could be a character who has already appeared inDoctor Whobefore, and their image is being withheld from TV screens so the reveal can be even more effective whenever it eventually happens. One possibility is that the Boss is a member ofDoctor Who’s Pantheon of Gods, which would put the character in the same category asNeil Patrick Harris' ToymakerandJinkx Monsoon’s Maestro. That being said, the sheer power demonstrated by both Maestro and the Toymaker makes it unlikely that any Pantheon member would need the help of figures like Rogue and the Meep.
The Meep’s “Two-hearted creature” comment in “The Star Beast” could be a clue that the Boss is another Time Lord, like the Doctor. If so, it could be the Master, or perhapsthe Rani is long overdue for aDoctor Whocomeback. The Boss could even be a pre- William Hartnell version of the Doctor, like Jo Martin’s Fugitive Doctor from Chris Chibnall’s time as showrunner. Alternatively,the mysterious villain could be another member of the Doctor’s true species, withDoctor Who’s Timeless Child storylinealtering the backstory of the show’s main character to mean they didn’t originate on Gallifrey.
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Of course,Russell T Davies could be hiding the Boss' true identity in plain sight.Doctor Who’s classic eraboasted a villainous supercomputer known as BOSS - which stood for “Biomorphic Organizational Systems Supervisor.” The sentient machine came up againstJon Pertwee’s Third Doctor, and it was incredibly intelligent. BOSS was designed to keep things organized, and this would enable it to coordinate a large group of lesser villains without ever having to reveal itself. At present, the Boss' real persona remains as conjecture, butDoctor Whoneeds to reveal it sooner or later.
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Doctor Who: Released on June 11, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
