Doctor Who is only as good as its villains and monsters - here are the confirmed and rumored enemies Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor will be facing in season 12. Whittaker’s debut run in the TARDIS attracted a mixed reception from fans and critics, and while viewership began very strongly (perhaps due to the arrival of the very first female Doctor), figures soon receded to the levels of recent seasons. Opinions were also very much divided on Whittaker’s Doctor, her new set of companions (apart from Graham who everyone loved) and the perceived increased emphasis on delivering a moral message.
After a full year away from screens, Doctor Who is now finally set to return. The last time viewers saw the Doctor was on New Year’s Day 2019, with the arrival of a makeshift Dalek in “Resolution.” The BBC have now confirmed that Doctor Who season 12 will premiere exactly 12 months later, with “Spyfall” arriving on January 1st, 2020. One heavily criticized area of Doctor Who’s previous season was a complete lack of familiar villains, but the season 12 trailer confirms that this won’t be a problem the second time around.
Confirmed Villains For Doctor Who Season 12
The first confirmed enemy for Doctor Who season 12 are the Judoon. Revealed via promo images back in May and further highlighted in the recent trailer, the reemergence of the Judoon looks set to dominate at least one episode of Doctor Who season 12. These rhinoceros-like aliens are an intergalactic mercenary force, although David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor described them as “interplanetary thugs,” and they most memorably featured in season 3’s “Smith & Jones.”
Far more recognizable to both viewers and the Doctor will be the Cybermen, who will also rear they ugly, metallic heads in season 12. The return of the Cybermen was widely reported as early as July, but wasn’t confirmed until their updated design was glimpsed in Doctor Who’s latest trailer. The Cybermen were last seen helping kill off the Twelfth Doctor and his assistant, Bill Potts, so there’s now a more personal edge to the Doctor’s hatred for the cyborgs.
Another former enemy that can be spotted in Doctor Who’s season 12 trailer appears to be one of the Racnoss. The Empress of the Racnoss first appeared in “The Runaway Bride,” plotting the downfall of Donna Noble and threatening to ruin Christmas for everyone on Earth. The Empress was defeated, but season 12 includes a very similar looking monster. From the spiky facial features to the black marks across the teeth, this monster is surely another member of the Racnoss race, possibly even a child of the Empress, and could be looking for revenge.
Other, unnamed villains include: a ghost penetrating the TARDIS, robotic spiders that may be part of the Cybermen arsenal and armed gas mask soldiers.
Rumored Villains For Doctor Who Season 12
Undoubtedly the biggest rumored villain appearance for Doctor Who season 12 are the Daleks. Several UK newspapers have reported that Daleks have been spotted on-location during the filming of Doctor Who’s latest season but showrunner, Chris Chibnall, has denied the deadly pepper pots will have any involvement. With that said, it certainly wouldn’t be beyond a Doctor Who showrunner to protect spoilers by misleading viewers, and the return of the Daleks would make sense after the events of “Resolution.”
Another key rumor ahead of Doctor Who’s new season is the return of John Simm’s Master. Largely sparked by sightings of “Vote Saxon” signs around the area Doctor Who is filmed in Wales, Simm returned in season 10, but if the Master was to stage another comeback, it would surely be a new incarnation of the character after Simm’s villain shot, and fatally killed, Missy during their most recent appearance. Missy’s fate was left on a cliffhanger, and that plot thread is still dangling.
Lastly, the Doctor Who trailer shows Whittaker’s Time Lord in fear of “something” coming for her. This may well be the Timeless Child referenced last season - the only long-term arc the Thirteenth Doctor has thus far.
More: Doctor Who: What Happened To Jenny, The Doctor’s Daughter
Doctor Who season 12 premieres January 1st with “Spyfall” on BBC and BBC America.
