Current Events > How come there's no cult or religion based around The Doctor *Doctor Who spoils*

(+) Yeah! (+)

In canon, I mean, not in real life.

But with all the meddling The Doctor does in Earth's history (and the histories of other planets), you'd think that somewhere there would be an actual full-blown religion or cult based around them. There have been hints in some episodes, with carvings or stained glass murals of the TARDIS or one of the Doctor's faces on a wall, but nothing about an actual group that reveres one or more of the regenerations as a god.

And we all know that human beings are VERY susceptible to a cult mentality, so it's weird that (to my knowledge) there hasn't been a single episode addressing a Cult of the Doctor or the accidental founding of a new religion.

I would just assume pains are taken to prevent that sort of thing.

Because of regeneration? Would it not come off more like a title passed down through multiple people rather than a single deity like figure?

https://torontosun.com/news/weird/sex-cult-led-by-elderly-man-known-as-the-doctor-uncovered

this must be why the other time lords are constantly so pissed at him

That actually would make a good plot

Maybe the BBC feels like it would be offensive to religious people or something

Anyway just to let you know, there was an episode of The Orville that has a somewhat similar idea in it.

Season 1 finale Mad Idoltry

Not sure if this would be considered cult-like, but there was an episode where The Doctor was supposed to be killed by a Timelord firing squad. All the would be executioners eventually dropped their guns and literally stood by The Doctor.

ViewtifulJoe posted...

Because of regeneration? Would it not come off more like a title passed down through multiple people rather than a single deity like figure?

Possibly, which would open up the possibility of the cult leader posing as the current Doctor, possibly with items they found or stole such as an older model of sonic screwdriver or a sheet of psychic paper. Or maybe it's somebody who figured out that The Doctor regenerates and was able to work it into their belief system.

I just realized that I used the word "possibly" three times in a single sentence and fucking kill me

I thought the church the silence worked for was one

Maybe Master Who could tell the locals all about Doctor Who and one of them could get some funny ideas about posing as him, as part of a trap to lure Doctor Who to a specific time and place.

Kafkaf posted...

I thought the church the silence worked for was one

Not exactly. As far as I remember they didn't believe The Doctor was an actual god, just that he was an important figure in a prophecy. More of a "chosen one".

ViewtifulJoe posted...

Maybe Master Who could tell the locals all about Doctor Who and one of them could get some funny ideas about posing as him, as part of a trap to lure Doctor Who to a specific time and place.

Oooh, now that's a nice thought. The Master spreading gospel about The Doctor and seeding knowledge throughout the timeline, so it's impossible for the latter to work anonymously anymore.

TMOG posted...

Not exactly. As far as I remember they didn't believe The Doctor was an actual god, just that he was an important figure in a prophecy. More of a "chosen one".

And even then, I'm pretty sure the church operated in order to kill the Doctor, not worship him. Or at least, a section of it did.

This is a plot point in Face of Evil, the first story with Leela. There is a great cliffhanger where he discovers his own face carved in rock on the planet.

Wtf happened to ViewtifulJoe's posts in this topic?

Neither of them had anything modworthy in them but they're gone?

In the Pompeii episode, the family from my high school Latin book worship the Doctor and Donna as household gods.

Probably because The Doctor always leaves the people he affects positively and ensures he's not some kind of God to them.

Of course, there are groups throughout history that kind of worship him or at least his goals. Like that whole stuff with the 11th Doctor and the Queen and Van Gogh and shit. Or Unit.

Who do you think keeps buying all the merch?