What The Toymaker's "Legions" Are In Doctor Who Season 14

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 14, episodes 1 & 2 - "Space Babies" & "The Devil's Chord."

Summary The Toymaker's return in Doctor Who brings a mystical edge not often seen in the show. Legions of other powerful beings are imminent.

The defeat of the Toymaker doesn't mean the end of the threat - more interdimensional beings like Maestro are on the horizon.

Doctor Who's blend of science-fiction and fantasy with the Toymaker's Legions raises the stakes and offers a fresh narrative approach.

Neil Patrick Harris' Toymaker made an ominous promise in Doctor Who's "The Giggle" by simply telling the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors, "My legions are coming," but the declaration was as vague as it was threatening. The return of the classic villain for the ending of the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials brought with it a mystical edge that isn't seen all too often in the long-running British sci-fi show. The Toymaker's legions are likely other powerful beings just like him, and they could enter the fray at seemingly any moment.

One of the harsh realities of Doctor Who's classic era is how oddly the character of the Toymaker has aged, but his recent return during the Disney era has redeemed the more underwhelming parts of his persona. Although the Doctor defeated the Toymaker in "The Giggle," his final words are a huge clue that the threat he presented has not yet passed. Furthermore, his "Legions" would appear to be at least as powerful as Neil Patrick Harris' take on the classic character. One thing is clear: the Legions are a major focus for the Doctor Who season 14 cast.

Related Doctor Who: Every Doctor & Who Played Them (In Chronological Order) Doctor Who has been played by a crop of fantastic actors going back several decades, and each version has been both unique and memorable.

The Toymaker's Defeat Means Other Interdimensional Beings Have Been Released In Doctor Who

The Toymaker's threat doesn't end in "The Giggle"

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The Toymaker only ever mentions his Legions during his final moments of freedom in "The Giggle." Originating outside the known universe, the Toymaker would seemingly not be alone in his desire and ability to cross the boundary. The introduction of the Toymaker's child, Maestro, in Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, "The Devil's Chord," is evidence that Harris' character was not bluffing. Now it's been proven that the Toymaker was telling the truth, the door is open for a whole manner of fantastical beings to also make their Doctor Who debuts.

The Pantheon could be another way of referring to the Toymaker's Legions, of which the mysterious figure referred to as "The One Who Waits" could also be a member.

Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor theorizes that Maestro is a member of an enigmatic group called "The Pantheon." This collection of god-like beings presents a major threat to the universe and the timeline at large. The Pantheon could be another way of referring to the Toymaker's Legions, of which the mysterious figure referred to as "The One Who Waits" could also be a member.

There May Be More Of Doctor Who's "Legions" Arriving After Maestro

Jinkx Monsoon's character isn't the last of the danger

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With the unknowing assistance of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the Doctor and Ruby just about manage to defeat Maestro in "The Devil's Chord," but the Time Lord and his companion come very close to losing the battle. Fortunately, this means that the Doctor surviving his encounter with the Toymaker wasn't a fluke, as he was just about able to repeat the feat in "The Devil's Chord" against the Toymaker's offspring. Worryingly, it's very unlikely that Maestro will be the final member of the Legions that the Doctor will come up against.

With Maestro out of the way, there could be a long line of members of the Toymaker's Legions waiting to step in and attempt to finish what Maestro started.

It's also very unlikely that Maestro was one of the least powerful members among the Legions, which is incredibly scary because Jinkx Monsoon's Doctor Who character boasts immense abilities that almost vanquished the Fifteenth Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday. With Maestro out of the way, there could be a long line of members of the Toymaker's Legions waiting to step in and attempt to finish what Maestro started.

The Toymaker's Legions Have Made Doctor Who More Mystical In RTD's New Era

Doctor Who often sticks to hard science-fiction

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Doctor Who's main genre is science-fiction. As a result, many of the franchise's villains and scenarios are given a solid explanation, even if it is riddled with pseudo-scientific technobabble. What's particularly interesting about the Toymaker's Legions, including the Toymaker himself, is that the show now has one foot rooted firmly in the fantasy category. The Legions are essentially gods, with incredible powers that fit that description. The Doctor, although he also boasts superhuman abilities, is still "just" a biological lifeform, who has to find a way to fight back against the show's new villains. While different, the formula works well.

Related The Doctor Who Christmas Special Was Secretly A Soft Reboot For The Show Ahead Of Season 14 "The Church on Ruby Road" is a good point for new Doctor Who fans to join the show, and there are parallels to the first revival episode.

Introducing fantastical elements to a show like Doctor Who raises the stakes, because while it's obvious the Doctor will still prevail, how the character will save the day becomes much less predictable. The Doctor's solutions need to become much less conventional. For instance, the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors defeating the Toymaker by winning a game of catch would almost seem ridiculous under different circumstances, as would the musical fight sequence from "The Devil's Chord." Thankfully, Doctor Who season 14 isn't dispensing with its sci-fi elements, but rather blending them with the fantasy components to create a richer narrative tapestry.

Episode Disney+ Release Date "Space Babies" & "The Devil's Chord" May 10 "Boom" May 17 "73 Yards" May 24 "Dot & Bubble" May 31 "Rogue" June 7 "The Legend of Ruby Sunday" June 14 "Empire of Death" June 21