Warning: Spoilers ahead forDoctor Whoseason 14, episode 6, “Rogue.”
Summary
Doctor Whoseason 14, episode 6,“Rogue,” has the Doctor locking lips with the story’s titular character, raising questions about whether the union between Ncuti Gatwa’s version of the Time Lord and River Song is still intact.River Song’sDoctor Whotimelineis complex in its own right, so when it’s placed alongside her husband’s, it becomes a tangled web of complex temporal events. As a result, the pair’s marriage can be difficult to track.
The Doctor has had very few solid love interests, with Jonathon Groff’s Rogue being one of the rare figures for whom the franchise’s main character has displayed clear romantic desires. While Groff’s role as a member of theDoctor Whoseason 14 castwould appear to be quite brief, the ending of “Rogue” strongly implies the character’s eventual return. If so,the bounty hunter could step into River’s shoes as the Doctor’s significant other.
The Doctor & River Song’s Relationship Seemed To End With “The Husbands Of River Song”
Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor bids his wife farewell in the 2015 Christmas special
Despite having a marriage that defied their crisscrossed timelines, the Doctor and River Song no longer appear to have an ongoing relationship. In the 2015Doctor WhoChristmas special, “The Husbands of River Song,” they spend almost a quarter-century together as they say an incredibly drawn-out farewell. The “next time” they meet is when River meets her end inDoctor Whoseason 4’s “Silence in the Library” two-parter, where David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor reveals he has never met Alex Kingston’s temporal archeologist character. As such,their marriage is essentially over at the end of “The Husbands of River Song.”
River has on-screen interactions with the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors. Due to the nature of their relationship, the pair know each other to varying levels each time they meet.
River has on-screen interactions with the Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth Doctors. Due to the nature of their relationship, the pair know each other to varying levels each time they meet. While there is a sweet spot where the pair are essentially on level ground, there’s more often than not a knowledge imbalance. Although there is arguably no clear-cut answer to when their marriage draws to a close,“The Husbands of River Song” is the most natural stopping point.
The Doctor & River Song’s Muddled Timelines Make An Exclusive Relationship Difficult
There are still pockets of time in the respective timelines of both River and the Doctor where the pair never interacted. Because of the fact they are both time travelers, it’s technically possible they could run into one another again. For instance, if Gatwa’s Doctor ran into River, they would likely slip into their regular dynamic as husband and wife if they both knew each other during that moment. However, the unpredictability of their existences and the autonomy they each value make it almost impossible for them to have a conventional, exclusive relationship.
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River Song is dead from the Doctor’s perspective, and he’s already mourned her. While they could technically have another encounter, it would be unfair and unrealistic to expect the Doctor to steer clear of romance on the off-chance he crosses paths with River’s timeline again. It’s clear from the Doctor’s demeanor in “Rouge” that his flirtations with Groff’s character don’t come with a sense of guilt, and their kiss is further evidence thatDoctor Who’s main character is ready to move on from his “late” wife.
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Doctor Who: Released on July 12, 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.
