Journey's End (TV story)

The end approches...People and Planets and Stars will become dust, the dust will become atoms...and the atoms will become...nothing. For this is my ultimate victory! The destruction of reality itself!!Davros

Journey's End
Doctor:	[[doctor::Tenth Doctor.]]
Companion(s):	Donna Noble Rose Tyler Martha Jones Captain Jack Harkness Mickey Smith Sarah Jane Smith
Main enemy:	Dalek Davros
Main setting:	Crucible, 2009
Key crew
Writer:	Russell T Davies
Director:	Graeme Harper
Producer:	Phil Collinson
Release details
Story number:	13
Release number:	4
Premiere broadcast:	5th July 2008
Format:	1x65 minute episode
Production code:	4.13

This is the 13th and final episode of Series 4 and will feature 6 companions of the Doctor. It is a continued on a cliffhanger from Episode 12.

Synopsis

The entire universe is in danger as the Daleks activate their masterplan, and enslave 21st century Earth. The Doctor is helpless, and even the TARDIS faces destruction. The only hope lies with the Doctor's secret army of companions– but as they join forces to battle Davros himself, the prophecy declares that one of them will die.

Cast

• The Doctor - David Tennant
• Donna Noble - Catherine Tate
• Rose Tyler - Billie Piper
• Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman
• Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
• Sarah Jane Smith - Elisabeth Sladen
• Mickey Smith - Noel Clarke
• Jackie Tyler - Camille Coduri
• Luke Smith - Thomas Knight
• Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
• Ianto Jones - Gareth David-Lloyd
• Wilfred Mott - Bernard Cribbins
• Sylvia Noble - Jacqueline King
• Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh
• Davros - Julian Bleach
• Dalek Voice - Nicholas Briggs
• Voice of Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong
• German Woman - Valda Aviks
• Scared Woman - Shobu Kapoor
• Chinese Woman - Elizabeth Tan
• Liberian Man - Michael Price
• Dalek Operators - Barney Edwards, Nick Pegg,David Hankinson, Anthony Spargo, Gethin Jones

Production crew

to be added

References

Story notes

• According to DWM this is the biggest finale of Doctor Who ever.
• Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones operates a Dalek in this episode, returning to Doctor Who since his brief appearance as a Cyberman in The Age of Steel.
• This will be the longest series finale at 65 minutes long, longer even than the Christmas specials, although Voyage of the Damned was 71 minutes.

Ratings

to be added

Rumours

• The Doctor fully regenerates into a new persona, played by David Morrissey. A "proper farewell" scene takes place toward the end of the episode between Tennant's Doctor and Rose, as either a flashback or the Doctor physically returning to that memorable moment at Bad Wolf Bay, etc. The casting of the new Doctor has been one of the most closely guarded secrets of the season, with the production team and some cast members providing misinformation (various smokescreens) to the press et al. The photographs of Morrissey and Tennant on set of the filming of the upcoming Doctor Who Christmas special confirm Morrissey's appearance in the episode; but Tennant, in costume and fresh from filming the last bits of series 4, was only on set to be seen/photographed and mislead the press and onlookers into believing that his role continues beyond the current season. Russel T. Davies wanted the regeneration and recasting of the Doctor to fully take viewers (even the most ardent fans) by surprise. Aside from various measures taken to ensure secrecy and provide deliberate misinformation, the story arc of Donna's fate (the various hints and ominous signs) shifts the viewers' focus and so makes Tennant's departure all the more surprising.

• Dalek Caan foretells of "everlasting death for the most faithful companion rose". In the season 2 finale, Rose's departure to a parallel universe is presented to the audience as her "death". Perhaps "everlasting death" implies that she will be permanently stuck in that universe. This seems very likely as there has been no indication that Billie Piper will be in the 2009 specials or the fifth series. It is possible that "everlasting death" also refers to the fact she may be permanently dead in the literal sense, as opposed to just living in a parallel universe, though this scenario seems unlikely, as photos showing Rose and the Doctor at Bad Wolf Bay suggest she survives. Though these photos may just be the first Bad Wolf Bay scene, re-shot, considering Doomsday's final scene had to be re-shot for The Runaway Bride due to a change in the cinematographers.

• Davros' proclamation of turning all reality in to dust, sounds similar to what Rose did when she absorbed the time vortex. Perhaps Davros has been influenced with this.

• The Doctor's perceived regeneration is actually a disguised Dalek transmat, which forms part of a plot by Davros to bring the Doctor to the Crucible as part of his wider plans, whilst leaving a genetically-engineered impostor aboard the TARDIS. (Another clue that the Doctor may not regenerate yet is the fact that River Song recognises the 10th Doctor, indicating that he meets her before he regenerates. A further clue (speculated support, not proof) would be the published list of actors to feature in the next episode - according to the BBC, it is still David Tennant Yet another, more conclusive clue, is that DT is appearing in all four specials in 2009: However the 'specials' could be an impressive misdirection to cover the fact of DT leaving the show in 2009 and there really will be a full series in 2009).

• The Osterhagen key is a time machine. Martha knew it would change time completely if she used it.Harriet Jones also knows this.Martha saves the doctor from being exterminated- Jack however may use his vortex manipulator to save the doctor.

• There are rumours that Harriet Jones is imprisoned,instead of exterminated as it appeared. Possible - perhaps the Harriet Jones to Dalek rumour is still true, however she doesn't do it willingly. RTD said that a female we all know very well will die. This is likely to have been Harriet Jones, as every time she introduces herself, the response is "Yes, we know who you are". We know from the static the others received, that Jones' computer was destroyed. This does not tell us anything about what happened to her. However, Harriet Jones is not a 'faithful companion' as the prophecy predicted as the doctor was deliberately responsible for her downfall as P.M. Besides, Caan's mentioning of the companion's death is after Harriet is attacked by the Daleks.

• Gallifrey is restored. Highly unlikely. Every reference to the loss of Gallifrey is that it was destroyed (or "burned"), not missing as the other planets are. In addition, all 27 missing planets were identified at the Shadow Proclamation (presumably - three of them were speculations of the Doctor's behalf). However, it could be restored like Davros, albeit at the cost of someone's sanity.

• Rose dies. Unlikely, as her farewell to the Doctor and Donna has been filmed showing them at Bad Wolf Bay. However she is seen in the same clothing as Doomsday. Perhaps the Doctor takes the opportunity of the reopened fractures in time to go see Rose after she dies to finish telling her how he feels.

• Donna dies. This had been foreshadowed in Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead, although Donna did already "die" in Turn Left. But then there was the "Sorry for your loss" line in The Stolen Earth, this could be Donna's memory loss. Another possibility ; facing death could also be intrepreted as facing the death of a person close to you. So perhaps the companion who faces death is Donna because her grandfather might die ? In that way she faces death and has a good reason to stay at home. This might also be a good explanation for the remarks about her loss.

• Martha dies. Possible as the weapon she has (The Osterhagen key) is rumoured to be a suicide weapon.

• Assuming the ambiguous theories of a 'Botched Regeneration' are plausible, we could be seeing an early version of the Valeyard. In The Trial Of A Time Lord, the Valeyard is seen as an incarnation of the potentially evil side of the Doctor between the twelfth and thirteenth regenerations. Though a couple of regenerations early, the "Osterhagen key" roughly translates as 'graveyard' or 'boneyard' (insults that the Sixth Doctor used against the Valeyard in 'The Trial of a Time Lord').

• K-9 makes an appearance. Likely as we know Sarah Jane Smith survives, and K-9 could save her.

• Donna is a Time Lady, she learns of this and travels back to the time war to ressurect the Time Lords. Then she Loses her memory or goes insane and stays on earth never knowing what has happened. Highly unlikely, as when Donna was hit by a car in Turn Left she would have regenerated, instead of just dying.

• The doctor's hand is still in the jar, and is still bubbling, as we were pointedly reminded in a shot near the start of the previous episode. This could prevent him changing form, or affect the regeneration in some fashion. However, in the past it has only signalled the presence of other Time Lords.

• Sylvester McCoy to make a surprise reappearance... He was interviewed as part of Doctor Who Confidential for "The Stolen Earth" in his seventh Doctor costume, whereas Peter Davison was interviewed in "Civilian" clothing, rather than his cricket gear of the fifth Doctor. - perhaps an unsubtle hint relating to a botched/inverted regeneration. We've never seen the Doctor executed by a Dalek before (or have we?), perhaps he could go back a few incarnations? Sylvester McCoy wasn't wearing any version of his 7th Doctor costume in Doctor Who Confidential, although his hat is possibly the same one (as it originally belonged to him). The block writing used for the "to be continued" at the end credits is reminiscent of Sylvester McCoy era.

• Dalek Caan in the previous episode talks of the coming Doctor as the "threefold man". This could give us a clue. We may well have three doctors in this episode. Perhaps this could include the Doctor's Daughter; Jenny, as she is from the Doctor, and therefore a part of The Doctor himself. However Jenny will most likely not appear in this episode. On the other hand, Jenny did live in a time while a group known as the Time Agency existed.

• In The Stolen Earth when Donna is sitting on the stairs of the Shadow Proclamation she is seen wearing a large black ring, very possibly the same ring that was the Master's. Although it is unlikely he will appear, it may have something to do with the fact that it will be Donna's last episode. The Master's ring was VERY different to the one Donna was wearing. The Master's was green, whereas Donna's was black.

• When the Sub Wave network starts, there is a tone similar to that used by the Master's Archangel Network in the Series 3 finale, all possible hints at Donna having some level of involvement with The Master. The drumming sound when Donna is on the stairs is a heartbeat, possible a slight echoed beat of two hearts (unlikely), but it's not the same as the Master's beat. It was Donna's heart beating in her ears as near as I can understand.

• As Sarah Jane is about to be exterminated Mickey suddenly teleports and saves her while Jackie does the same with Torchwood.

• Sarah Jane, Jackie and Mickey Smith allow themselves to be captured and taken to the Crucible in order to find the Doctor. An exclusive clip on the Doctor Who website shows Sarah Jane, Mickey and Jackie being taken as hostages by the Daleks with the rest of the captured humans.

• Through the regeneration process the Doctor's hand turns into another DT and one DT leaves with Rose at the end of the episode This would support the pictures on Youtube in which two photos have the Doctor(blue suit) and Rose and the Doctor(brown suit), Donna and TARDIS. Both photos show the Doctor facing different ways on what seems to be Bad Wolf Bay. Although the idea seems plausible, it would generally make bad writing or create paradoxes. Or maybe the photos take place between different points in time, so the Doctor has enough time to change his suit. Or maybe one of the photos is a publicity photo. Also, Rose is wearing the same clothes she was wearing when she said goodbye to the Doctor. Maybe the Doctor is experiencing post-regnerative trauma and reliving his worst memories, which would explain two Doctors.

• It has been said from a reliable source that there will be two DT doctors except one will have a single heart. It very well maybe that one is an imposter, or his hand in the jar becomes the second and stops him from regenerating.

• The Tenth Doctor will somehow be joined by two other incarnations, most likely the Ninth, and possibly the Eight or Seventh Doctors. This would mean that Chris Eccleston would make a guest appearance. If the Eight Doctor is to show up, this would most likely be Paul McGann. It's likely that this is the incarnation of The Doctor that participated in the Time War, eventually regenerating into the Ninth Doctor.

• RTD has said that Sarah Jane will get to meet Davros, and also that The Doctor and Rose will finish the conversation they last held on Bad Wolf Bay. There will also be a speech from the Doctor to his companions where he tells them how much they all mean to him.

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

To be added

Continuity

To be added

DVD and Other releases

• This is due to be released in the Series 4 boxset in November 2008 along with the rest of the Series.
• It will be released as part of Series 4 Volume 4 alongside Turn Left and The Stolen Earth on 1st September 2008.

External links

to be added