It is now official, canon, in the bag, fact. However you want to call it, the BBC has officially declared the title from the long-running science fiction series Doctor Who as "immortal," according to the British paper The Guardian.
Long thought to have been capable of only 12 regenerations, Time Lords have are now free to regenerate into as many incarnations as possible. Not only does this solves the age-old debate of what will happen once The Doctor reaches his 12th regeneration, but it also solidifies the franchise's longevity for the network.
The new piece of information comes from the two-part Sarah Jane Adventures story called "Death of the Doctor", which features Matt Smith in his role as the Eleventh Doctor, helping Sarah Jane and her "entourage" fight the latest alien threat. In a passing line, the Doctor answers Clyde's question about his mortality by saying there isn't a limit. While a lot of people (mainly US fans) won't hear this revelation themselves, it could lead to a lot of debate in the future, especially with The Sarah Jane Adventures currently not slated to air again in the US anytime soon (SyFy aired the first series of the show a couple of years ago, but not during primetime). As The Guardian says, the line "was a stroke of PR genius" that will surely get fans interested, although this isn't The Doctor's first appearance on the children's show. David Tennant's Doctor appeared in last year's two-parter, "The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith."
In the 1976 Doctor Who episode "The Deadly Assassin," Tom Baker's 4th Doctor established the 12-regeneration limit, which became a rule in the Doctor Who fandom. Now that this rule has been reversed, will old fans be be upset and think this is a marketing ploy or will they embrace this new opportunity? Plus, could this help solve the reasoning behind Captain Jack Harkness's own immortality? Just saying...
So what do you "Whovians" think? Are you happy for the regeneration extension? Or are you not amused? Vote in our poll over in our Forums and let us know why you voted the way you did!
Source: The Guardian
If the TimeLords are immortal, then this also negates the Masters constant quest for extra lives during the old series. Also, if the Timelords are immortal, how come they are all dead.
If the TimeLords are immortal, then this also negates the Masters constant quest for extra lives during the old series. Also, if the Timelords are immortal, how come they are all dead.
No, it doesn't negate it. Time Lords can regenerate 507 times. As he SAID.
@Killroy: timelords where only alowed 12 regenerations, the higher-up timelords (whatever there called, councilers or something) put the rule into place. now that there gone, the rule has been destroyed, and the doctor is physicaly imortal.
this is why some timelords where able to by-pass the regen rule, it is not infact wrighten into there DNA, but is something built in by the councilers.
This is incorrect…. He was crawling backwards up a ventilation shaft and Clyde was firing questions at him and one was "how many times can you regenerate?" he very cheekily replied "507."
It was fairly clear that he was at least half-joking.
It was fairly clear that he was not being cheeky, not joking WHATSOEVER…
Is everyone here a complete fucking idiot, or what?! I've seen about 5 sites claiming that the Doctor is now immortal, and pretty much all of the people commenting are agreeing, like fucking little sheep. I mean, did you guys even WATCH The Sarah Jane Adventures episode, because it's looking like you haven't. The Doctor is in NO WAY immortal. He clearly states after being asked how many times he can regenerate, that he can do it a total of 507 times.
…How the fuck do you get immortal out of that?!
And don't anyone dare comment back to me and say, "Well he might as well be immortal, that's a long time." because first of all, it doesn't fucking matter, and secondly, BBC producing a total of 507 seasons of Doctor Who is NEVER going to happen, so they WILL end it somehow, either with the Doctor's -actual- death, either before his 507th regeneration, or they'll flash forward hundreds of years until they reach a spot they officially deem will the starting point to the end. Me, personally, I believe that 507 is quite an odd number for them to pick, and that the 7 actually represents how many more series of Doctor Who we can expect, but that's just a clever guess.
Either they'll do that, or they'll have him flying the TARDIS away, safe and sound, leaving us behind knowing that he's out there, doing good for all of the Universe.
Honestly, people. Grow a brain.
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