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

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

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 (bar Voyage of the Damned at 71 minutes).

Ratings
to be added

Rumours

 * Dalek Caan foretells of "everlasting death for the most faithful companion". 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 apposed 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. This contradicts the Shadow Proclamation agent's statement to Donna about her impending loss - Rose is the Doctor's loss, not Donna's.
 * 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 - if the master could rejuvinate almost immediately, the Doctor should be able to as well. This would mean that another actor would be Dr. Who in Journey's end, and 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 completly 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 rumors that Harriet Jones is imprisoned,instead of exterminated as it appeared. However, this is unlikely. Actually this is possible, as we know Sarah Jane will survive, why not Harriet Jones, 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 everytime she introduces herself, the response is "Yes, we know who you are" including the Daleks. 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. We know from the static the others received, that Jones' computer was destroyed. This does not tell us anything about what happened to her.


 * 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. Why would Davros want to restore Gallifrey? Davros wouldn't, but the Doctor probably would like to, and might try now he knows that the timelock can be broken.


 * 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.


 * 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 timelord, she learns of this and travles back to the time war. and reserects the Time Lords. Loses her memorie or goes insane and stays on earth never nowing what has happened


 * 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 signaled 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 in effect a clone of the Doctor, and therefore a part of The Doctor himself. (She is not a clone of the Doctor. She is his daughter. Granted, a daughter made using only his DNA, but she will still have different genes to him to due to processes relating to reproduction which are too complicated to go into here.) Although Jenny will most likely not appear in this episode, as her character has no TARDIS. On the other hand, Jenny did live in a time while a group known as the Time Agency existed.


 * Dalek Caan's insane rantings of "prophecy" states that the Doctor's "most faithful companion" would die. This would seem to be Capt. Jack Harkness as he has been there for 3 out of 4 final stories, but can also die as often as RTD requires.Dalek Caan's prophecy-Isn't Sarah-Jane the most loyal as she did wait all those years to see him again?. No Jack waited over 100 years to meet the right Doctor at the right time, meaning that he out of all the companions is also the most likely to know about future Doctors. Jack spoke about the regeneration process but he was not present on screen for the last regeneration. He has the best understanding of time and may well have traveled with a future Doctor, like River Song, just not talked about it.It could be Donna as she did spend a lot of time and effort looking for him, or even Rose she did cross an entire universe to find him. Rose also said to Donna in Turn Left that she is the "most important Human in all creation" as the Doctor owes his life to her and it would seem she is the most important at the moment. It is unlikely to be Captain Jack as it has been revealed that Captain Jack is the Doctors old friend Face of Boe which we seen die in another episode.(Note Captain Jack is RUMORED to be "the real" Face of Boe, as this has yet to be confirmed.


 * 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 Donna is sitting on the stairs, there is a drumming sound, right before the Shadow Proclamation Woman talks to her about becoming something new. She then wipes her eyes, showing off a very large black ring (which is not new; it has been on Donna's hand in almost every episode). No, it hasn't been on her hand in ANY episode. This is the first appearance of it since her visit to the alternate reality. As well, 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, but it's not the same as the Master's beat. It is the sound of a single heart beat, all hearts on each beat make two noises. There is always the sound of the blood being pumped out and the blood flowing back in. 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


 * Mickey is captured this is true as we see him captured in the exclusive clip.Jackie may be too


 * 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 and Mickey being taken as hostages by the Daleks with the rest of the captured humans. No sign of Jackie however she could've been out of shot. Jackie can be seen if you look closely behind Mickey's arm at the end of the clip.  Jackie was seen in the blue peter version of the clip found on youtube which started a few seconds earlier.


 * 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 plauside, 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 their 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.

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.