I'll explain later: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "'''"I'll explain later"''' was a phrase frequently used by the Doctor to their companions during adventures. As the phrase was repeated, it took on greater meaning as a cliche of the Doctor's speech. (TV: {{cs|The Curse of Fatal Death}}, PROSE: {{cs|Sometime Never... (novel)|}}, {{cs|The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)}}, POEM: {{cs|The Companion's Lament (poem)}}) Often, the Doctor forgot to actually explain later. (PROSE: {{cs|The Day of the...")
 
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=== Other people ===
=== Other people ===
While the [[Gravis]] was explaining complex temporal mechanics, [[Tegan Jovanka]] caught a [[quantum echo]] that the Gravis would soon say "I'll explain later" and so she decided to pretend to understand for expediency. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Life After Queth (short story)}})
While the [[Gravis]] was explaining complex temporal mechanics, [[Tegan Jovanka]] caught a [[quantum echo]] that the Gravis would soon say "I'll explain later" and so she decided to pretend to understand for expediency. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Life After Queth (short story)}})
In [[The Doctor's reality (The Curse of Fatal Death)|the version of reality]] where the Doctor regenerated repeatedly on [[Tersurus]] before reaching a [[Thirteenth Doctor (The Curse of Fatal Death)|female thirteenth incarnation]], [[the Master (The Curse of Fatal Death)|the Master]] told the Doctor herself "I'll explain later", in an ironic echo of the Doctor's earlier usage of the phrase, when [[BDSM|flirtatiously]] asked "why they call[ed him] ''the Master''". ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Curse of Fatal Death (TV story)}})


[[Iris Wildthyme]] once used the phrase when she was too drunk and sleepy to explain something. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Wormery (audio story)}})
[[Iris Wildthyme]] once used the phrase when she was too drunk and sleepy to explain something. ([[AUDIO]]: {{cs|The Wormery (audio story)}})

Revision as of 00:27, 26 February 2024

"I'll explain later" was a phrase frequently used by the Doctor to their companions during adventures.

As the phrase was repeated, it took on greater meaning as a cliche of the Doctor's speech. (TV: The Curse of Fatal Death [+]Loading...["The Curse of Fatal Death"], PROSE: Sometime Never... [+]Loading...["Sometime Never... (novel)",""], The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)"], POEM: The Companion's Lament [+]Loading...["The Companion's Lament (poem)"]) Often, the Doctor forgot to actually explain later. (PROSE: The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)"])

Variations

The Sixth Doctor once said, "I'll explain one day." (TV: Timelash [+]Loading...["Timelash (TV story)"])

The Seventh Doctor once said, "I'll explain later. Probably." (PROSE: Happy Endings)

While facing the Council of Eight's plot to end history, the Eighth Doctor told Fitz, "‘I would say "I'll explain later", except that there is no ‘later’. That’s the problem." (PROSE: Sometime Never... [+]Loading...["Sometime Never... (novel)"])

Usage

Third Doctor

Fourth Doctor

Fifth Doctor

Sixth Doctor

Seventh Doctor

Eighth Doctor

Tenth Doctor

  • When Rose asked where he'd been after he was trapped in the past. (TV: The Girl in the Fireplace [+]Loading...["The Girl in the Fireplace (TV story)"])

Eleventh Doctor

  • After Clara asked what he meant by calling her the "Impossible Girl". (TV: Nightmare in Silver [+]Loading...["Nightmare in Silver (TV story)"])

Other Doctors

The Ninth Doctor used the phrase when Emma asked why the Master hadn't used time travel to stop himself from being stuck in the sewers of Tersurus. He used the phrase again when Emma asked why the Daleks always changed their minds last minute about exterminating him.

"I'll explain later" were the Handsome Doctor's last words. (TV: The Curse of Fatal Death [+]Loading...["The Curse of Fatal Death (TV story)"])

The Curator once told his readers that he would later explain how Zygons used pencils. (PROSE: The Day of the Doctor [+]Loading...["The Day of the Doctor (novelisation)"])

Other people

While the Gravis was explaining complex temporal mechanics, Tegan Jovanka caught a quantum echo that the Gravis would soon say "I'll explain later" and so she decided to pretend to understand for expediency. (PROSE: Life After Queth [+]Loading...["Life After Queth (short story)"])

In the version of reality where the Doctor regenerated repeatedly on Tersurus before reaching a female thirteenth incarnation, the Master told the Doctor herself "I'll explain later", in an ironic echo of the Doctor's earlier usage of the phrase, when flirtatiously asked "why they call[ed him] the Master". (TV: The Curse of Fatal Death [+]Loading...["The Curse of Fatal Death (TV story)"])

Iris Wildthyme once used the phrase when she was too drunk and sleepy to explain something. (AUDIO: The Wormery [+]Loading...["The Wormery (audio story)"])

Dee Gordon used the phrase when the Doctor began asking technical questions about the fake time machine she selling. (PROSE: Trading Futures [+]Loading...["Trading Futures (novel)"])

After Donacho Munchausen told Kleio that he'd explain later, she said that she always hated when he said that. When he asked why, she responded, "I'll explain later." (PROSE: Infinity [+]Loading...["Infinity (short story)"])

Behind the scenes