Doctor Who's "73 Yards" Might've Revealed Ruby Sunday's True Power 4 Episodes Early

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 14, episode 4, "73 Yards."

Summary Ruby Sunday's mysterious powers may be linked to time, which would be fitting for a Time Lord's companion in Doctor Who season 14.

The connection between old and young Ruby suggests a potential for time manipulation within the character.

Russell T Davies' intentional ambiguity surrounding Ruby's origin in "73 Yards" hints at a longer arc with more pieces to the puzzle.

One of Doctor Who season 14's biggest mysteries is the question of what's so special about Ruby Sunday, but the show may have just shed a huge amount of light on what sets her apart from previous companions. In Doctor Who season 14, episode 4, "73 Yards," the Russell T Davies-written installment focuses almost entirely on Millie Gibson's character, chronicling her entire life through one possible timeline. At the end of "73 Yards," Ruby achieves something so impressive that it makes her enigmatic backstory even more compelling.

Gibson shines in her role as the leader of the Doctor Who season 14 cast in "73 Yards." The unique episode structure allows for a deeper dive into Ruby's character, to see how her relatively short time spent with the Doctor would have affected her post-TARDIS life. Personality traits aside, "73 Yards" also explores the more mysterious facets of Ruby Sunday. Specifically, the episode gently teases what Gibson's character is truly capable of.

Related Doctor Who Season 1, Season 14, Or Season 40? Disney Era Confusion Explained The Disney era of Doctor Who has resulted in a confusing numbering convention that begins with Ncuti Gatwa's first season as the Fifteenth Doctor.

Doctor Who's "73 Yards" Shows What Could Be Ruby Sunday's Inner Powers

The old woman on the hill is Ruby from the future

Close

It's clear that Ruby is unaware of the potential power she's harboring, but the events of "73 Yards" could be something of a showcase for what she can do - whether she knows about her hidden skills or not. There are various theories about Ruby's lineage, with Maestro revealing the connection between the Doctor's companion and The One Who Waits in Doctor Who season 14, episode 2, "The Devil's Chord." Although Ruby doesn't initially know her mysterious stalker in "73 Yards" is a glimpse into her own future, the revelation comes with the realization that she can alter her own past.

Ruby's powers could be linked to the concept of time, which would be fitting for a Time Lord's traveling companion.

So, Ruby's powers could be linked to the concept of time, which would be fitting for a Time Lord's traveling companion. It may be that going back to the moment the Doctor broke the fairy circle was an unconscious reflex upon Ruby's death, or it could be her true nature coming to the surface in her final seconds. Either way, her success in altering the timeline and saving the Doctor from vanishing also results in that specific reality never happening. As a result, the younger Ruby harbors no memory of what she accomplished.

Ruby tells the Doctor she has been to Wales three times at the end of "73 Yards," but says she's only visited the country twice at the start of the episode. So, she may hold some semblance of memory from the alternate timeline.

Ruby Seeing Her Future Self Is Similar To Doctor Who Season 14's Falling Snow

Ruby's power may not be limited to reliving moments from her past

Close

Ruby's falling snow flashbacks in Doctor Who are a big sign that she's not an unremarkable human. Each time she recalls the night of her birth and wonders who left her on the church doorstep on Ruby Road, the snow from that night manifests around her, meaning she is somehow pulling elements of her past into her present. "73 Yards" suggests that something very similar is taking place, with Old Ruby appearing in the present as a sign of what's to come in the future of Millie Gibson's character.

If the old woman being brought into the present was unconsciously brought about by Ruby, then this would be another example of her potential being teased by Doctor Who.

If the old woman being brought into the present was unconsciously brought about by Ruby, then this would be another example of her potential being teased by Doctor Who. The other explanation would be if the magic contained within the fairy circle was responsible for the old woman manifesting - possibly even being enhanced by the TARDIS' perception filter, as theorized by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart during her exchange with Ruby in "73 Yards." If so, then Ruby may have had no part in how the phenomenon took place - either actively or passively.

Doctor Who's Ruby Sunday Mystery Can't Be That Straightforward, Right?

Russell T Davies may be conciously misleading Doctor Who viewers

It's clear that Russell T Davies is making Ruby's origin intentionally ambiguous, but a reveal needs to happen sooner or later. That being said, Davies has a history of planting narrative seeds in Doctor Who stories long before they come to fruition. So, giving an enormous clue four episodes into what is obviously a much longer arc just isn't his style. Therefore, although certain clues in "73 Yards" are likely to be pivotal in solving the riddle of Ruby Sunday's true identity, there will be more important pieces to the puzzle as Doctor Who progresses.

Related Doctor Who's Pantheon Of The Gods Explained The Pantheon in Doctor Who consists of beings whose power isn't to be underestimated, and their threat could transform the show's dynamic.

When Doctor Who finally gets to the point in the story where it's time to clear up the Ruby Sunday enigma, watching "73 Yards" may feel like a far less encoded experience. That is to say, there could be additional clues embedded within the episode that would be almost impossible to spot without the required context. In short, it may seem that "73 Yards" is the beginning of Doctor Who supplying the audience with much-needed hints regarding Ruby Sunday's origin, but the mystery is far from being solved.

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