Doctor Who's RTD Shares Sutekh Return Concept Art With TARDIS Detail

Warning: SPOILERS lie ahead for Doctor Who season 14, episode 8, “Empire of Death.”

Sutekh’s return in Doctor Who represented a major change to the show’s history, and the concept art only makes him look better. Doctor Who season 14’s ending revealed that Sutekh has been residing in the TARDIS since the Fourth Doctor starred in the arc “The Pyramids of Mars”. Sutekh, empowered by his time with the TARDIS, has become an incredibly powerful God of Death, and he seeks to bring devastation to the universe. While the Doctor manages to stop him, Sutekh’s appearance still changes everything.

Returning showrunner Russell T Davies took to Instagram to showcase concept art for the villain. Davies drew the sketch himself and submitted it to the design team. Check it out below:

The sketch features a swirling and enormous Sutekh wrapping his arms around the waiting TARDIS. The TARDIS is seemingly alarmed by his intrusion, but Sutekh’s claws prevent any chance for the time and space machine to escape.

Sutekh’s Reveal Completely Changes Doctor Who’s History

Sutekh Has Been Traveling With The TARDIS

Long after he seemingly disappeared in the aftermath of the Fourth Doctor’s adventure, “The Pyramids of Mars”, Sutekh was actually traveling through time and space with the Doctor. He was gaining power all along and sewing the seeds of his gift of death, which soon destroyed nearly all life in the universe. Sutekh has been clinging on for millennia, meaning that every Doctor between Tom Baker and Ncuti Gatwa have secretly been shepherding him across the universe. Even the Doctor’s ship was unaware of Sutekh’s journey, leaving the TARDIS to groan whenever forced to bear his weight.

The Doctor only defeated the god with a clever trick involving molecular rope. By killing a member of Doctor Who‘s pantheon, The Doctor proved that he is more powerful than the gods, but still, he falls prey to Sutekh’s cruel ways. The Doctor did exactly what Sutekh wanted, given that he spread the gift of death to Sutekh. Even Sutekh’s plan is potentially still in motion, as an additional danger lies in the fact that the Fourteenth Doctor is currently traveling with a duplicate TARDIS. If Sutekh is attached to that machine as well, more danger could be on the horizon.

While the implications of Sutekh’s ability to capture the TARDIS is compelling enough, the aftermath for the rest of humanity is just as horrifying. Sutekh killed everyone on Earth during season 14, episode 8, “Empire of Death”, and while The Doctor managed to save their lives, everyone brought back to life will likely have to deal with the reality that they actually died. Much like those living in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who were turned to dust by Thanos, the consequences of their deaths will likely play a role in future Doctor Who seasons.

Source: Russell T Davies / Instagram

Doctor Who

Originally premiered in 1963, Doctor Who is a sci-fi series that follows a powerful being known as a Time Lord, referred to as the Doctor. Using an interdimensional time-traveling ship known as the TARDIS, the Doctor travels time and space with various companions as they solve multiple problems and help avert catastrophe as much as they almost cause it. Though the Doctor is always the same character, they experience regenerations, allowing them to be recast every few seasons as a unique immortal being with new personality traits.

Release Date

November 23, 1963

Seasons

14

Franchise(s)

Doctor Who

Writers

Mark Gatiss , Toby Whithouse , Neil Cross , Steven Moffat , Chris Chibnall

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