Doctor Who | The Valeyard: The Ultimate Guide 

“But let’s be honest. The mystery is what keeps him so exciting.” Very true

My personal Theory is that The Valeyard is the incarnation of the Doctor right before Doctor regenerates into the Curator. I think that the Valeyard is, at the earliest (I'm saying earliest to account for the Timeless Child trainwreck that Chibnall has introduced with unlimited regenerations) the Valeyard either manifests as a separate entity when the 22nd Doctor regenerates into the 23rd, or is the 23rd incarnation of the Timelord (whom started manifesting in the Doctor's subconscious after the 11th Doctor (12th incarnation) regenerates into the 12th Doctor (13th Incarnation). Why? Well, by this point, the Doctor has been through so much pain, trauma, betrayal and other things that his/her darkness overwhelms him/her at a pivotal point in the regeneration process, leading the the Valeyard being born. The Valeyard seems to despise EVERYTHING the Doctor is, perhaps because the Doctor's ways were, in his mind, what led to all of the trauma he had endured over thousands of years, and it seems like his main goal is to try and manifest in the Doctor's timeline sooner than he had. This could be a potential reason why his first and primary target was the Sixth Doctor in Trial of a Timelords for this plan. All previous incarnations were too set in their ways for the Valeyard to influence them to the breaking point. But the Sixth Doctor? He was the first to have "cracks" in him (which the 7th Doctor had in him too). His plan was to target the Doctor's most susceptible incarnations in an attempt to bring himself into existence earlier. The promise of the Sixth Doctor's remaining regenerations may have just a bonus. Ultimately his plan failed, and down the line, the Valeyard found himself dying . Now, the Dying Valeyard realizes hat he had gone WAY too far, and was ultimately horrified by what he had become. In this moment, he becomes the Doctor again, and subconsciously makes an effort to regenerate into the purest incarnation of everything the Doctor stands for...The Curator, whom has taken on the face of the 4th Doctor to remind himself of who he is. The Curator spends a good part of his incarnation trying to undo the damage that his previous incarnation had done, and after he has done this, he finds himself in the events of "Day of the Doctor". After that, he travels through dimensions to live the last of his days on Gallifrey. This time, he decides the Universe does not need him anymore, and refuses to regenerate, leading to him dying of old age. After this, the Timelords mourn him, and then take his body and Tardis to the fields of Trenzalore to rest forever. That's my theory anyways. Good breakdown video, mate!

The Valeyard is basically the Doctor's Mr Hyde . . . and I liked the explanation the Valeyard gave of regeneration that Timelords can only regenerate 12 times because after that they go kind of mad, however since "Trial of the Valeyard" we now know that to be untrue but still think it's an interesting idea.

The twelfth and final thing isn’t a problem at all. The Valeyard is from the future and unlike the Sixth Doctor knows he has more than the standard number of regenerations. We haven’t passed that point in the series at all!

If the Master is the Doctors Moriarty, then the Valeyard is his Joker. Multiple origin stories, all of them "canon," none of them reliable. So even if some future incarnation of a Chibnall comes along, attempting to set his seal on this one of Rassilon's dark little secrets - which, like Thanos, is inevitable - you can bet someone else will undo it down the line. If this all reads like a crazy crossover event, it's because it kind of is. Without knowledge of the Classic story, how would a Modern TV audience understand what the Valeyard even is, or isn't? It would require a season arc to make sense of, or else he'd be just another Monster of the Week callback... and for those of us who enjoy the concept - or the threat - of the Valeyard, that would only prove divisive. By the standards of Classic Who, the Valeyard still feels very Modern. Because he represents a dark, Future iteration of the Doctor, a place we want him to go, while fearing it will mean the end of his journey. A question wrapped in a riddle, asked by an enigma, of a mystery we never want answered... a timeless paradox, if ever there was one ;) This testimony shall be struck from the records

when the War Doctor was introduced in Name of the Doctor I theorised he was a regenerated Valeyard before being revealed to be the incarnation between 8 and 9

I'm hoping we see The Valeyard making his return

My head canon is that he isn't really from our universe, that's he's a kind of dark shade from a nightmare dimension that ripped itself off from the doctor we know, in the "prime universe", and exists as a sort of ghoul. In my mind, he comes from an alternate universe where the Tenth Doctor, far from rejecting the Time Lord Victorius at the last moment, embraced it, and caused a reign of total terror across his universe. To my mind, that's the most frightening moment for Who. That was really the precipice from which there would have been no return. The entire universe hung in balance when he claimed that title, and it was the moment he very nearly went from being Time's Champion to Death's, usurping the Master's title, the black king the Black Guardian would delight in using in his board game with the White. Perhaps he was finally hunted down and executed by a coalition of galactic forces (including species like the Daleks and the Cybermen, who had been nearly genocided out of existence, and things are so desperate they have alliances with good species like the Shadow Proclanation and the Ice Warriors). But something went wrong, and he did survive, but not quite. Much akin to how the Master managed to transform himself into a snake spirit thing before death, I think the Valeyard is the same. I think he's spent his life jumping from parallel universe to universe, hunting down the various doctor variants and one by one eating them alive, trying to sustain himself and get a new existence. But thet keep failing, for whatever reason, so he decides he has to consume the original, the "prime" one from which all branch off from. This to my mind solves a number of things. One) it explains how the Valeyard even exists, as by definition, a future Doctor coming back to anhilate himself would obviously cancel him out, and two) saves the show, as, frankly, the idea the doctor we know and love going to so irreversibly evil that he becomes worse than the Master, is a toutch depressing, not to mention, would destroy the character if ever seen. I think the Doctor is a person forever balancing on the edge of psychosis, of a really kind of deranged madness which gives him messianic delusions of total control over things he doesn't like in the universe, a kind of God like wrath tempered by the presence of his human companions. Tje few times he's led led offhimself (early 1st doctor, most of the sixth doctors reign, bits of the seventh, the War doctor, bits of 9th, drowning the Racnoss, torturing the Family of Blood, killing Solomon, nearly shooting Kaz in the desert, 12ths behaviour in Heaven Sent), are terrifying indeed. Thats why he sees so much of himself in the Master, probably explains why he was friends with him him the first place, explains why he wept over his dead body. He sees, perhaps a scary amount of him in him, and vice versa. But the point is he never quite plunges over the chasm, doesn't ever quite succumb. His sense of righteous fury, sometimes bordering on genuine mania, is what saves him, as opposed to the Master, who decided at some point in his life that pure, unbridled amoral nihillism was the only logical code to live by.

Fair is fair, this is the ultimate guide. Pretty comprehensive.

I would love to see him return as unlikely as it would be. If he did return though I would like to see Michael Jayston reprising the role as he played him wonderfully it'll be great also he could explain the timeless child, he altered the matrix before he could do it again.

The Valeyard is the 13th Doctor (actually the twelfth because WAR), who never got to exist after the regeneration cycle was restarted. Eleven was given a new cycle, so 12 became Doctor 1B, the start of a new cycle, and "12" never existed. The Valeyard was 12 originally, but without the desperartion of dying, he became Peter Capaldi (upgrades). That is if I understand how the new regen cycle works and I don't think I do

The biggest appeal to me with the Valeyard isnt that he's as evil as say, the Rani, the Eleven, or of course the Master. He's more complex than that, he's the Doctor but with a darker viewpoint and mindset. He is the side that when the Doctor says 'that would be far too cruel!', the Valeyard responds with 'And?'. That kind of potential darkness is best left as that, potential. A mystery. A shadow in the smoke. And that's the funny thing about shadows, the more light the Doctor brings, the more that shadow follows along, waiting waiting always waiting...

I like to think the Valeyard is the final incarnation of the Doctor, broken by repeated failures across what at that point must have been trillions upon trillions of years and fearful of his death. He stopped going by the Doctor many regenerations ago which could allow the writers to canonise or adapt or at least reference other dark versions of the Doctor (e.g. the Emperor would be cool). I'd imagine the universe isn't happy about the Doctor running out of what should be an infinite amount of regenerations - like what happens at the end of infinity - and this could explain his differing origins as the universe/timeline fracturing.

I always wondered once the show was restarted if they would ever pick up the Valeyard idea at some point in the new series, and when the DreamLord showed up (apparently only existing inside the doctors mind) I thought, this is it, this is the birth of the Valeyard, just waiting for the right regeneration in order to manifest. Of course we've not seen either on screen since, and we have missed any sign of the Valeyard physically showing up. But I do wonder. When we saw Matt Smiths Doctor get a new regeneration cycle, there was a considerable amount of time between the start of that process and him turning into Peter Capadli. could the Valeyard have taken physical form at the point and just done a runner?

"Somewhere between your twelth and final incarnation." that would be during the regeneration in The End Of Time pt2, then. Perhaps a by-product of the Time Lord Victorious.

"If I'm going to have a past I'd prefer it to be multiple choice!"

I wanted Capaldi in the episode Extremis to be the Valeyard

The Valeyard is an interesting one isn't he? No continuity, all over the place and one of the 4 horsemen of the Whopocalypse (I dunno if there are 4 it just sounds right for this pun to work, go with it). But I think the thing people forget is that he was said to be between the Doctor's Twelfth (So Meta-10) and FINAL regeneration. Not Thirteenth. So, with however many there is left for the Doctor, the Valeyard could be centuries away and people tend to forget that (Yes that wasn't the intention for the production team but it fits logically now). Now, Part Two of the Six-Fest in the comments... *The Sixth Doctor Adventures: Volume 2* Three brand new thrilling adventures for the Doctor and Peri *2.1: Consequences of Rebellion* Perpugilliam Brown lives a normal life. In her 40’s, working in an office and discovering the enchantment of love. But all that will soon come crashing down. Giant Capybaras stalking her, a man in a rainbow coat appearing on the radio and TV calling her name and flashes of another life threaten to ruin her happiness… Starring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, James Joyce and John Dorney *2.2: Colourful Illegalities* When the TARDIS arrives on a distant colony world, the Doctor and Peri are hoping for a holiday. But almost immediately the Doctor is arrested for treason and sentenced to Death, while Peri is taken for interrogation. It soon becomes clear that not all is right on Trilaxis. For Colour is illegal and the Doctor has broken the cardinal rule… Starring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Eve Webster, Carolyn Pickles, Samuel Barnett and Sophie Okenedo *2.3: Visions of Fear* When Peri begins having nightmares about burning alive, the Doctor plugs her into the telepathic circuits to determine the cause. Sure enough, the TARDIS responds to the dreams and lands on a distant moon situated just outside space. Hunting for clues, the travellers must face their fears as the Doomwraiths close in to devour what makes them good… Starring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Genevieve Gaunt and Nicholas Briggs Cast: The Doctor- Colin Baker Peri Brown- Nicola Bryant Jeff- James Joyce Klos Leader- John Dorney Sarah Threeskins- Eve Webster Monica Green- Carolyn Pickles Valzon- Samuel Barnett Rowphenia- Sophie Okenedo Jennifer Bethany- Genevieve Gaunt The Doomwraiths- Nicholas Briggs I actually have Consequences written out, I have done for a few years now, or at least had the idea for a few years. Like that 5 set I did, Consequences is a story I'm very proud and fond of and wanted to do justice to. I just had to find a way to phrase it in Pitch form.

I like to think of The Valeyard as an object temporal potential. A manifestation of a could be. Always in flux because they have not yet been fully realized and become fixed.

RIP Valeyard⚖️, whom died yesterday (the actor)... 😭 Your evilness shall remain eternal (I only just watched that serial the other day...❔❓⁉️😭)

I personally prefer a cross between origin stories 1 and 4. The idea of him being created by the time lords to cover up Ravalox as explained in dark scrolls of the Valeyard, but the splinter from regeneration also makes sense. Perhaps he was lost in the Doctor's time stream as a splinter before being pulled out by the time lords to cover up the Ravalox incident. Interestingly, when I first watched the scene in which the Master reveals that the Valeyard is part of the Doctor, I misremembered it as him saying that he had created the Valeyard from the Doctor's darker nature.

So in essence valeyard is the anti doctor, the doctor's darker side, the most evil incarnation of the doctor. If he ever comes back in the 15th run imagine him being the boss the meep talks about replacing the master as the nemesis of the doctor.

Aloha..... I've been looking forward to this one. One of the best character creations of the 1980s. Say would you like to do a zoom discussion about the Valeyard? Me, you and others on your channel. Like a companion piece to your video above? Very detailed and well thought out video. I loved it because new comers or oldie fans it explains his character easily.

This video sums up why the Valeyard remains my favourite who villain of all time, his mysterious personality and constant goal to rid of the doctor in his early appearances made him in my view more of a threat than the master especially towards the end of Trial of a Timelord and Matrix novel as you mentioned corrupting past incarnations

We can now say he might be the product of bigeneration

Ahhhh the bone yard…sorry the scrap yard…wait the knackers yard!! The Valeyard has long been the dreaded destination for the Doctor since 1986. Great Character but trying to give him a origin story imo is not needed…something just are best left just because. The whole point of the character was it was a shock that the Doctor can be so rotten. Think on TV he could have been a great adversary of the Doctor, had Colin Bakers tenure continued then I think would have made a great replacement for the Master….talking of which would be great to hear a tale or two of them two crossing paths as hinted at in trial of a time lord. Thought we were heading towards a Valeyard storyline with Season 8 as Capaldis first outings were so much darker…..but hey ho! Great video.

Ive always been hooked on "All dark sides", not one or some or a single regeneration. So lets have a look. We have: The Dreamlord, Mr. Clever, Timelord Victorious, Meta Crisis (Said to be darker/rougher) Can anyone think of any others?

Various identities of one decision to make Valeyard worth remembering that he said he was the dark version of the doctor's mind and this is correct, but here is a little theory of that what if there's a dual identity inside the doctors regeneration slightly different versions of the doctor's mind matrix embedded inside his subconscious area of regeneration a watcher like creation independently a life. Bio regeneration process may have happened before with doctors' regenerations. Valeyard is the result of a different biological disorder in which this version emerged. This of course is a theory but normally there's a bit of weirdness in regeneration. Regeneration of the doctors has been complex and never knows what they will be. They are unique and usually at most. And recently with bio regeneration, anything is possible or unique and unimaginable what if moments? Valeyard and Ruth Doctor came from a similar relationship in between regenerations of the doctors' timelines or an unimaginable unique development in time and space?

Multiple origin stories could mean multiple Valeyards. Think about that.

The Sixth Doctor returns

I feel like the Timelord Victorious in the Davies era was gonna lead up to the Valeyard and even the "Good Man" in the Moffat era. However, I think a lack of budget, time, and vision made it seem like it wasn't worth exploring.

The Valeyard played by Michael Jayston is simply gorgeous 😍🥰😍

I'm with the last one is that he's from a splintered timeline

Good recap

I always thought that it meant in between the twelfth and final incarnation meaning 12+ and onward

I like to think the Fugitive doctor is a splinter between 2 & 3

So, which is worse; The Valeyard, The Dream Lord, or Zagreus?

It's a bit of a reach but could the valeyard be the regeneration of the doctor from journeys end to the end of time as he did go a bit too far with how he acted?

There’s nothing you can do to prevent the powers of obscure reality

Power of the doctor special may be the real origin 👀

do you think the Valeyard is linked with: Time, Tecteun, Swarm & Azure, Grand Serpent in any way?!?

What about the Valeyard in "He jests at scars" (basically a What if audio story)?

The Valeyard is the part of the Doctor who wishes he was truly a Time Lord and not an outsider. If the Valeyard was generated by the Doctor in the Shadow House then the human companions could be too, as the Doctor is a prisoner as well

Thumbs up if we all wish to see how Valeyard kills current doctor who, i found this would a whole seasons with Valeyard as current doctor thumbs up.

A splinter incarnation brought into existence somewhere between the Doctor’s 12th and final regeneration (or incarnation)? Meta-Crisis Doctor anyone?

I guess now would be a prudent time to reveal Sixth Doctor stories? *6th Doctor Adventures Volume 1* _Unseen adventures from the 6th Doctor’s era._ Starring Colin Baker and Rainn Wilson, featuring Susan Egan and Gregory de Polnay *01: Maiden to the Devil* _5th of May, 2001; The Doctor and Grant land in Huntsville and quickly find that not everything is hunky-dory in the city; Specifically, the Devil has come out of the ground and is pulling everyone down into Hell._ _Racing backwards in time, the pair quickly find the source of the threat. A woman named Arabella has, for reasons unknown, begun a series of events that will soon lead to Armageddon happening early._ _Can the Doctor stop Arabella Magis’ scheme? Can Grant free himself from the tedium of his undercover office-job?And can the pair uncover the truth behind this fabled Adversary, before the “fabled Adversary” destroys America, and everything beyond?_ Featuring Susan Egan, with Nicholas Briggs as the Diabla *02: Leipzig and the Vampire* _There’s something a’hunting in Leipzig._ _Something that kills Napoleon’s young soldiers, leaving nought but a bloodless cadaver._ _Something that only the locals know the name of. Something from the depths of human fear._ _Something the Doctor knows. A droid of a future enemy. But that’s not the only monster in the soon-to-be warzone._ _They must not only survive a blood-sucking robot intent on mass-murder, but Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte himself, all before the most crucial battle in the Napoleonic Wars breaks out…_ Featuring Timothée Chalamet, Mark Gatiss and Jonathan Owen *03: The Suns of Kaldor* _Kaldor; a beautiful, if arid, world. Shimmering under the light of 3 huge stars, the world is a shining example of culture, peace and prosperity to the rest of it’s Galaxy._ _Well, it_ was. _The world has been locked in a passive civil war with itself for generations. Two sides, pro-Robots and anti-Robots, split the planet in two, and dastardly plans are concocted to further each side’s own goals._ _Thus, when the Doctor and Grant land on Kaldor, things are (as per usual) amiss. Someone is plotting to destroy the planet’s ecosystem in the most violent and insane way imaginable. Someone is going to scorch Kaldor._ _As Grant tackles his own, deepset robophobia, can the Doctor defeat the plots of the Robocists and keep the planet safe from fire and fury?_ _Well, the main problem is the_ fire. Featuring Gregory de Polnay and Angela Douglas *Cast:* The Doctor - Colin Baker Grant Markham - Rainn Wilson Andrew Messin / VOC Robots - Gregory de Polnay Napoleon Bonaparte - Jonathan Owen Allyx - Timothée Chalamet Ancient Droid - Mark Gatiss Arabella Magis - Susan Egan Oscar Veers (The Diabla) - Nicholas Briggs Lily Chaedo - Angela Douglas

(1) We can ignore anything that happens outside of the actual show as the show can, will and has overwritten any canon outside of the show. (2) All we know about the Valyard is what the Master has said. The Master is an evil, megalomaniacal, narcissistic, pathological liar. (3) The Master will do or say anything to get to the Doctor. Therefore we actually know almost nothing about the Valyard. He could be anyone or anything, he could be a regeneration of the Master, he could be the Rani, the meddling Monk, hell he could even be Kamelion.

Wait, are we counting the 13th Doctor as Matt Smith, or Jodi?

BI GENERATION is a possibility now it's happened

So the Valeyard was Jodi Whittaker's Doctor, that successfully destroyed Dr.Who... That was a cunning plan, 30 years in the making...

More like the VALEyard, he's totally the Metacrisis Doctor.