I'll explain later

"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

• When the Brigadier asked what an Ogron was. (TV: Day of the Daleks ^[+]Loading...["Day of the Daleks (TV story)"])

Fourth Doctor

• When Sarah asked how she could speak Italian. (TV: The Masque of Mandragora ^[+]Loading...["The Masque of Mandragora (TV story)"])

Fifth Doctor

• When Hayter asked how dimensional transcendentalism was possible. (TV: Time-Flight ^[+]Loading...["Time-Flight (TV story)"])
• While fighting vampires. (PROSE: Goth Opera ^[+]Loading...["Goth Opera (novel)"])

Sixth Doctor

• After Russell was confused about the Doctor telling him to enter the TARDIS. (PROSE: Attack of the Cybermen ^[+]Loading...["Attack of the Cybermen (novelisation)"])
• After Peri asked how Luke Ward had saved her life. (TV: The Mark of the Rani ^[+]Loading...["The Mark of the Rani (TV story)"])

Seventh Doctor

• When Mel asked him what he'd realized, after he realized the nature of the alternating timelines of Puxatornee. (AUDIO: Flip-Flop ^[+]Loading...["Flip-Flop (audio story)"])
• To Ace, after he hinted that there was something special about Heaven. (PROSE: Love and War ^[+]Loading...["Love and War (novel)"])
• After Time called Emily Hutchings "grandmother". (PROSE: Happy Endings ^[+]Loading...["Happy Endings (novel)"])
• When asked how Panda was alive. (AUDIO: Muse of Fire ^[+]Loading...["Muse of Fire (audio story)"])

Eighth Doctor

• After Sam asked how he'd met Litefoot. (PROSE: The Bodysnatchers ^[+]Loading...["The Bodysnatchers (novel)"])
• When Sam saw him capturing the Shift but didn't understand what happened because the Shift was a conceptual being. (PROSE: Alien Bodies ^[+]Loading...["Alien Bodies (novel)"])
• After Sam asked how race memory worked. (PROSE: The Janus Conjunction ^[+]Loading...["The Janus Conjunction (novel)"])
• After Sam asked if he could regenerate into a woman. (PROSE: Autumn Mist ^[+]Loading...["Autumn Mist (novel)"])
• After Debbie Castle asked how he became a millionaire in only a few years. (PROSE: Father Time ^[+]Loading...["Father Time (novel)"])
• After Trix asked what a Time Lord was. (PROSE: The Gallifrey Chronicles ^[+]Loading...["The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)"])

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

• Neil Gaiman expressed pride at getting to include the line in Nightmare in Silver. (DWM 460)