Doctor Who’s River Song Replacement Can’t Repeat The Most Interesting Part Of Alex Kingston’s Character
When he was introduced in the 14th season of Doctor Who, fellow time-traveler Rogue instantly became a very popular character. Rogue (Jonathan Groff) was a bounty hunter from space, sent to Earth to capture a Chuldur (a shapeshifter). When Rogue believed The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) to be a Chuldur, The Doctor had to reveal his true form and biology as a Time Lord to Rogue. This created a quick and intimate bond between The Doctor and Rogue, similar to the bond between The Doctor and River Song in Matt Smith’s era of the show. This connection makes them a popular new ‘ship in the Whoniverse.
By the end of the episode, Rogue made a self-sacrifice and ended up trapped in another dimension. According to The Doctor, it is impossible to track him down and save him because of the infinite dimensions there are across all of space and time. However, if there is one thing that Doctor Who teaches its audience, it’s that nothing is impossible. In his final moments before he was taken away, Rogue asked The Doctor to find him, so it seems that Rogue could return in the future. This potentially ongoing relationship promises clear echoes of River Song, meaning that the show must avoid repeating old stories.
If Rogue Returns, Doctor Who Should Make His Timeline With The Doctor Linear
The Show Shouldn’t Take And Re-Use The Most Interesting Part Of River Song’s Story
The strange timeline of the narrative is what made The Doctor’s relationship with River so unique. Nothing took place in a linear narrative – River Song met The Doctor many times in a completely different order as both characters are time travelers. This made the show interesting and unique in terms of their relationship, but it is important that Doctor Who doesn’t follow the same pattern with The Doctor and Rogue. If the show was to play around with time the same way it did for River, it would dampen and reduce the impact of The Doctor’s relationship with River Song.
Rogue was willing to join him in the TARDIS it would be really interesting to see how that dynamic between Rogue and The Doctor traveling together would work.
It would feel very strange if the show began to play around with time and the perspective of time travel again. Even though the meeting of the two characters in “Rogue” seemed to be the very first time that The Doctor and Rogue met each other, Rogue’s time traveling nonetheless creates the potential for a similar story to River Song. But if Rogue does return to the show in the future, it would be more interesting to see a love story with The Doctor in linear time. Given that Rogue was willing to join him in the TARDIS it would be fascinating to see how that dynamic between Rogue and The Doctor traveling together would work.
Is It Possible That Rogue & The Doctor Have Met Before?
Both The Doctor And Rogue Are Time Travelers So It’s Not Impossible That They Could Have Met Before
It could be argued that Rogue could have possibly met The Doctor before and was keeping the information a secret because it would be “spoilers” for The Doctor’s story, this seems very unlikely in the grand scheme of the story. The meeting between the two characters in “Rogue” seemed like an introductory meeting, especially given the confusion by Rogue assuming The Doctor to be a Chuldur. However, nothing seems to be impossible in The Doctor Who universe, so there is a very small chance that Rogue could have met The Doctor before.
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Hopefully Rogue will return to future episodes of Doctor Who. He had such a strong connection and chemistry with The Doctor that it seems unfair to have given The Doctor happiness for just one episode before brutally ripping it away forever. Considering Rogue’s last words to The Doctor were asking him to find him also leaves the door open for a possible return. However, if the pair’s story continues, it should be on its own terms, without relying on the clever time dissonance device that made River and The Doctor so fascinating.
