Spoiler


 * Not to be confused with The Spoilers, a Third Doctor comic strip story.

A spoiler is any piece of information that reveals plot elements prematurely. Some people may wish them to remain unrevealed to let them enjoy the source material to its greatest extent, without any previous knowledge of the outcome. Some examples of spoilers would be the death of a major character or an unexpected plot twist.

For information on how spoilers are treated on the Doctor Who Wiki, see Tardis:Spoiler policy.

In-Universe Spoilers
The Tenth Doctor once called knowledge of details of his own future "spoilers", and refused to read River Song's diary. (TV: Silence in the Library) This phrase has been used many times since then between River and the Doctor when one of them has information that could change the other's future. For example, in (TV: The Impossible Astronaut), River has to tell the Doctor spoilers when he asks who sent them (and Amy and Rory) to America so as not to change the Doctor's future by having him know it was a future version of himself who asked them there. The reference was an intentional jibe by writer Steven Moffat at fans who want to know details of forthcoming episodes of Doctor Who before they air.