The Watcher (Logopolis)

The Watcher was a manifestation of the Doctor that began appearing in the hours prior to the regeneration of the Fourth Doctor into the Fifth Doctor. in appearance, the Watcher had a white, featureless, unformed face and white clothes. He was first witnessed silently observing events on Earth, particularly the events leading to Tegan Jovanka entering the TARDIS. It was around this time that the Doctor first noticed the Watcher, as well. It is not known for how long the Watcher had been observing the Doctor.

Although apparently silent, the Watcher was capable of communication, and engaged in discourse with the Fourth Doctor and, later, with his companion, Adric. The Watcher also, apparently on his own accord, transported Nyssa from Traken to Logopolis, where she rejoined the Doctor and escaped Traken's later destruction. Later, apparently working on the Doctor's instructions, the Watcher piloted the TARDIS away from Logopolis to keep Adric, Nyssa and Tegan safe. It was during this voyage that the Watcher engaged Adric in a private conversation, the nature of which remains a mystery.

Ultimately, at the moment of the Fourth Doctor's death, the Watcher appeared once more and merged with the Doctor to form the Fifth Doctor. (DW: Logopolis)

Exactly how and why the Watcher was created remains a mystery; to date no similar creature is known to have manifested in connection with any other of the Doctor's regenerations.

Behind the scenes

 * In the novelisation, the fact that The Watcher was The Doctor was indirectly alluded to during the TARDIS scenes where Nyssa and Adric were being taken away from Logopolis by the Watcher allegedly at the Doctor's request. The Watcher was never heard to speak in the television episodes but the novelisations suggest that Adric and Nyssa heard him speak but possibly telepathically. Both of them describe the voice as familiar while being unsure why they recognize it.


 * Another Time Lord, K'anpo Rimpoche, had apparently manifested his future regeneration as his assistant, Cho Je. (DW: Planet of the Spiders)


 * The nature of the Watcher's conversations with the Doctor and Adric are never revealed. The serial suggests that the Doctor was made aware of his impending regeneration due to his statement "the moment has been prepared for." The knowledge passed to Adric is less certain, although after the transformation, Adric does show an unexpected knowledge of regeneration. (DW: Castrovalva)


 * Several other "partial Doctors" have appeared in the history of the series, most notably an evil manifestation, The Valeyard.


 * The Watcher also appears to the Fifth Doctor prior to his regeneration in the Big Finish audio "Circular Time". This event occurs in the fourth part of the story as we get a view into the Doctors mind as he regenerates.