'Doctor Who' Have We Really Seen The Last Of Ruby Sunday?

WARNING! SPOILERS for Doctor Who 2x08/15x08, 'The Reality War'.

In a surprise twist, Doctor Who finale 'The Reality War' has ended not just another season, but another era of the show, with Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor apparently regenerating into Billie Piper, who previously played companion Rose Tyler during Russell T Davies' first tenure as showrunner. Understandably, much of the discussion since the finale aired has focused on whether or not Piper is actually playing the Sixteenth Doctor.

However, one of the other major discussions following the finale is disappointment in the episode's treatment of The Fifteenth Doctor's first companion, Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson. While the BBC and Doctor Who social media accounts have posted a video seemingly confirming Gibson's exit from the series, some fans are holding out hope that Ruby's story is not yet over.

Let's look at where we left Ruby at the end of 'The Reality War', and the chances of seeing her again.

Where we left Ruby

Gibson made her debut as Ruby Sunday in Doctor Who's 2023 Christmas special, 'The Church on Ruby Road', where she and The Fifteenth Doctor battle a crew of goblins to rescue her new baby Foster sister, Lulubelle. She subsequently travelled with The Doctor throughout season one/series fourteen. She decides to spend some time at home at the end of the series, getting to know her newly discovered biological Mother. During her time at home she is given a job at UNIT, and while no official position is named, she seems to be part of Kate Stewart's personal staff.

Ruby appears in just three of the season's eight episodes ('Lucky Day', 'Wish World', and 'The Reality War', but plays an important role each time we see her. In 'Lucky Day', a Doctor-lite episode mostly focusing on Ruby's life since leaving The Doctor, had Ruby as the first character to meet Conrad Clark, who becomes a major villain later in the season.

When Ruby is next seen in 'Wish World', she is the first character to acknowledge that something isn't right with the world, and in 'The Reality War' she is not only the character to end Conrad's Wish, she is also the only one to notice and remember Poppy after she disappears.

Why Fans are upset

As mentioned above, Ruby is initially the only character to remember Poppy, and as such, while Poppy is Bel's child, Ruby is the one who convinces The Doctor of the need to shift reality to restore her existence. She is one of the greatest heroes of this story, and though no-longer travelling with him during season two, she still considers The Doctor her best friend.

Yet, while Belinda and Poppy get a final goodbye from the Fifteenth Doctor, and therefore some sort of closure, he does not bother to try and visit Ruby. And all this even after she was the one who let him know that Poppy needed to be saved, and may be waiting to learn whether or not he was successful.

Some fans also believe there are unanswered questions regarding Ruby's character, such as why she was able to recognise the problems of 'Wish World' and why only she could remember Poppy. There was also hope of a greater explanation behind the events of the episode '73 Yards'.

So, Will we see Ruby again?

Many Whovians hope we aren't yet done with Ruby Sunday, and despite the video teasing Millie Gibson's exit, it's reasonable to assume we haven't, given the pattern NuWho has followed so far. Usually, a full companion exit storyline has not been left as open as Ruby's. While some stories, particularly in the RTD1 era, ended in ways that left the door open for guest appearances, their exit as series regulars still worked as definitive endings.

For this reason, it's very possible that Ruby's story isn't quite over. During Ruby's early appearances, some fans and media outlets noted a similarity between Ruby and Rose Tyler, the first RTD1 companion, played by Billie Piper. With Piper now apparently returning as The Sixteenth Doctor/Rose/another character with Rose's face, some are now hoping that Gibson could return beside her.

Aside from the opportunity to tie up Ruby's loose ends, a team up between an actress who originated the companion role in the Doctor Who revival, and the first companion of the RTD2 era, would be a fitting choice for a NuWho 20th anniversary celebration.

We'll probably be waiting a little while longer for more definitive answers, but let's hope that there's at least one more chapter to Ruby Sunday's story. The character, and her actress, deserve closure.