The latest episode of Doctor Who introduced a mysterious new character named Brendan, and he could be one of the Timeless Children. The greatest mystery of Doctor Who season 12 is the Timeless Child, a mysterious figure who apparently had a profound effect on Gallifreyan history. “They lied to us,” the Master told the Doctor in the second part of season 12’s premiere, “Spyfall, Pt. 2.” “Everything we were told was a lie. We are not who we think. You or I. The whole existence of our species - built on the lie of the Timeless Child.”
The latest episode of Doctor Who, “Ascension of the Cybermen,” introduced a new character named Brendan. He was introduced in a story that seemed to be set in Ireland, a baby found by two adoring parents. At first Brendan seemed to be just an ordinary human being, until the moment he was shot off the edge of a cliff - and got up inexplicably unharmed. The final Brendan scene in the episode revealed Brendan’s friends and family are conducting mysterious experiments upon him.
It’s possible Brendan is linked to the Lone Cyberman. And yet, his story has deliberately been left unfinished for the season finale, which bears the title “The Timeless Children.” The title alone reframes the narrative, suggesting there’s more than just one Timeless Child glimpsed by the Doctor in her mysterious visions. And it raises the possibility Brendan is really a Timeless Child.
Brendan’s Storyline May Actually Be Set On Ancient Gallifrey
At first glance, Brendan’s story appears to be set entirely in Ireland. But it’s worth noting no actual Earth locations are mentioned; there’s no reference to Dublin or Cork, to Waterford or Limerick. The assumption that this is Ireland may be a misdirect and a pretty amusing one at that. Countless humans have incorrectly believed Gallifrey was a place in Ireland. The mistake is an established part of Doctor Who lore, running all the way back to the Tom Baker era and repeated several times in the relaunched series as well. So it would be quite appropriate for this to actually be ancient Gallifrey, perhaps before the sun expanded and the world’s temperature increased, leading Gallifrey to become more arid.
Brendan Appears To Be Immortal
The mysterious Brendan scenes reveal he appears to be immortal. In one key scene, Brendan pursues a thief to the coast and confronts him on the edge of a cliff. To Brendan’s horror, the thief pulls a gun, and soon Brendan is stood on the cliffside pleading for his life. His pleas are in vain, and he’s shot; the force of the impact blows Brendan off the side of the cliff. Astonishingly, though, he is completely unharmed, even though there’s a bullet-hole in his clothes confirming he should be dead. Functionally, it seems Brendan cannot be killed; he is immortal, or - to use a different word - “timeless.” What’s more, he was found as a child.
It’s true Brendan looks nothing like the Timeless Child seen in the Doctor’s visions, but that isn’t a problem. As noted, the title of the season 12 finale is “The Timeless Children,” confirming there could be any number of these mysterious beings. This theory would sit uncomfortably with the first prophecy of the Timeless Child, of course, uttered by the Remnants in Doctor Who season 11, episode 2. “We see… further back,” the Remnants whispered. “The Timeless Child … we see what’s hidden, even from yourself. The outcast, abandoned and unknown.” But the Remnants were digging deep into the Doctor’s race memory, so there’s no reason to assume they read everything correctly. Besides, the very title of the season 12 finale suggests the Remnant’s words are being discounted to a degree.
Are The Time Lords Drawing On The Life Energy Of The Timeless Children?
The final scenes with Brendan are even stranger, showing him on the day he’s retiring from the police force. To his surprise, he’s confronted by his former boss and the chief of police, who don’t appear to have aged at all. They then subject Brendan to an unknown technological process they claim will erase his memories. There’s no reason to assume that’s the limit of their capabilities, however; it’s possible they’re also leeching his life energy.
Assuming “Ireland” is actually Gallifrey, this would fit with the Master’s words. Time Lords practically live forever, barring accidents, but it’s possible their functional immortality comes at a hidden cost: that they are draining the life energy from others. This would be the dark secret at the heart of Time Lord civilization, with the founding fathers of Gallifrey hiding these Timeless Children away and concealing the truth from the rest of their race. The Time Lords would then be able to advance technologically at a tremendous rate because each Gallifreyan would essentially have forever to learn and grow.
The idea has a rich history in literature and is inspired by the Biblical concept of the scapegoat, where one being suffers on behalf of others. Fyodor Dostoevsky developed this idea in The Brothers Karamazov, and in 1891 philosopher William James took it to its logical next step in The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life. There, he imagined a utopia where “millions [were] kept permanently happy on the one simple condition that a certain lost soul on the far-off edge of things should lead a life of lonely torture.” Famously, Ursula K. Le Guin further developed this into an actual sci-fi concept in The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas. She presented Omelas as a paradise with one hidden atrocity; the city’s constant state of serenity and splendor requires that a single unfortunate child be kept in perpetual filth, darkness, and misery. Residents are made aware of this when they come of age, and most choose to consign themselves to this horrific reality.
Doctor Who’s showrunner, Chris Chibnall, is well-known for his love of science fiction, and it would be perfectly fitting for him to adapt an idea that has such an established history in sci-fi. By that reading, the Doctor and the Master are about to learn the horrific truth lying at the heart of Gallifrey: that Gallifrey is Omelas, and the Timeless Children have been the secret source of their countless regenerations. This truth would shake the Doctor to the core and raise fascinating questions about Doctor Who’s future, given she would refuse to continue preying on the life energy of others.
More: Doctor Who Theory: Season 12’s Master Is From The Eleventh Doctor’s Era
