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"We were tricked into coming here and altering our own time line!" So says Nine on this morning's page. So, the big question is: Who's manipulating the Doctors this time? Readers have suggested a wide array of both Classic and New Who villains who might be responsible for bringing the Ten Doctors together.
One party that we can rule out is the Daleks. Given all of their subsequent appearances, as far as I'm concerned, they already won the Time War. It would have to be someone with an interest in preserving the Time Lords. (We can also rule out Faction Paradox. They're not on the show, so as far as TTD canon is concerned, they don't exist.)
Here are my top suspects:
1. The White Guardian. Not the Black -- he'd be more interested in having Daleks overrun the Universe, without any Time Lords around. He can easily have that as things already stand. The White Guardian, on the other hand, might be willing to go that far in order to make sure that there are still Time Lords.
For the record, I refuse to acknowledge the episode "Father's Day." As far as I'm concerned, Rose found some milk in the TARDIS refrigerator that was 300 years past its sell-by date, got very sick, and hallucinated the whole thing. But if I'm wrong about that, then that incident shows that not having Time Lords around to step in* when things get too far out of hand is causing real problems for the Universe. The WG might want to make sure that they're still on hand to deal with such things.

2. The Time Lords themselves. (Work with me here.) Yes, we've been told over and over that they're all dead, after the war. But then, we were told that the Daleks were all dead, too. Show me the smouldering remains of Gallifrey, and I MIGHT consider the possibility that the Time Lords are extinct.
Assuming, then, that other Time Lords survived the war, the big question is: Would they take the extreme step of altering the timeline, even to preserve their own existence? This would go against every instinct that they have.
But then, we've seen them violate the Laws of Time in the past to preserve themselves. They brought the Three Doctors together to defeat Omega, even though that was a major no-no for them. To keep secret the Andromedan Sleepers' invasion of the Matrix, they moved Earth, rechristened it Ravolox, and tried to set the Sixth Doctor up to take the fall. And lest we forget, they were the ones who started the whole mess in the first place by sending the Fourth Doctor back in time to prevent the creation of the Daleks. (Which he refused to do, but that's neither here nor there.)
In fact, the more I think about it, the more it seems like bringing Ten Doctors together to get them to change the outcome would be right up their alley.

3. BOSS. Okay, not really.

4. Just thought of this one: Future Davros. In the new series, the Daleks are equipped with an Emergency Temporal Shift. After Caan flew back into the Time War and rescued him, that would mean Davros would have access to that technology. He'd surely have no qualms about traveling back and teaming up with his younger, pre-Time War self. (The Two Davroses, there's a fun thought!)
Of course, why would Davros do that? Simple -- to prove that he can. He's just egotistical enough to want the Time Lords (and especially every available incarnation of the Doctor) to see him and his Daleks become the undisputed masters of time and space. (Just before he destroys them.)

* - and by, "step in," I mean, "send the Doctor in, look the other way while he saves the day, and then punish him for interfering."

Of all the suspected instigators of "The Ten Doctors Affair" (a little Man from U.N.C.L.E.riff), Davros and the Time Lords are the most likely suspects for me.

Why?

1. Davros is arrogant enough, insane enough, and smart enough to use any means to destroy the Doctor - and by extension, Gallifrey. It also doesn't help that he has a major god complex.

2. The Time Lords would fake their destruction in the name of enlightened self-interest, leaving their "favorite son" none the wiser as he becomes, by extension, the representative arm of Time Lord law.

I would have put the Master as a suspect, but he's an inept, bumbling fool.

How about... The Doctor!

We never saw 8 change into 9. Perhaps who we think of as 9 was actually a clone or an imposter! and the REAL 8 is trying to put time back to normal.

Do do do do (Twilight Zone music)

It has to be someone who has a vested interest in changing the outcome of the Time War; specifically someone who doesn't want to see the Time Lords wiped from existence. Someone who can manipulate and travel through time.

I said, on the comments page, that I suspect the alternate "Shakla" 9th Doctor, and I meant it. He has the motive; he has the time travel ability. From his point of view, he IS the 9th Doctor, and by his timeline, the Time Lords still exist. Besides, he's the only Doctor who hasn't shown up in any of this.

Trust me, from a "writing a Doctor Who story" perspective, it makes perfect sense.

I'm not sure that it will be Richard E Grant's potential Doctor, as Rich has previosly expressed a dislike for the character.

Rich September 17th, 2008 at 6:48 am (Page 120)


Unless He has changed his mind, which is his perogative, it may be someone else

Altho I quite enjoyed the other version of future Doctors in the Curse of Fatal Death.

There's only a few biggies and baddies left that havent appeared in the story so far.

To cover a few not yet mentioned - is Omega really gone for good? Wouldnt Rassilon be paying attention by now?

The immortals stuck in the Game of Rassilon, have they cooked up a method to break the curse and get out? Is Borusa back?

I have no idea ... and honestly, like it much better this way <g>

My personal opinion is that the individual responsible would have to have vast power or the ability to manipulate all the parties involved. The individual also seems to have a personal interest in involving the doctor but the question remains as to the motive. While JustAWanderer suspects the White Guardian I would be more inclined to believe it is the Black Guardian based on the fact he wants revenge. Who denied him the Key to Time and Enlightenment? There is definitely motive enough there and some wonderful chaos generated to boot. I have not read any books or have any audio adventures so I am unaware of the Black Guardian having any other attempts at his revenge.

As for another possible suspect that has vast powers, enough to hold the tardis still in space, there is The Great Intelligence from the Web of Fear and The Abominable Snowman but I have very little knowledge about this enemy except for those episodes. He has the power but motive and operating on this grand scale seems doubtful.

It's Leela. She wants revenge on The Doctor for killing all her children.

I like the idea of the Time Lords being behind it. I more so like the idea of a single and very powerful Time Lord who thinks that the Time Lords are the gods of the universe or something and that no matter what, they shouldn't die. I can't think of anyone from the series who fits my view, so it would have to be an original character. Regarding how/why they would take this into their own hands, there could be two ways of approaching it: 1. s/he somehow gets wind of the Time Lords' fate BEFORE the Time War happens and sets out to do something about it or 2. during the War, when s/he sees there is no chance that they can win, s/he somehow preserves themself so that they can go back later and change the time line.

This "theory" is awfully specific, but I think it would work really well.

I like the theory but the question is still who is responsible? This theory brings up the prospect that a group of Time Lords may be responsible, the question is which ones? The High Council? The CIA? Another factor to consider when did these Time Lords decide to go ahead with this plan. Is this the last desperate act of the high council as the time war is reaching its end or an act during the beginning or middle. I would think that perhaps this was done by the same group that would resurrect the Master as revealed in season three of big budget series.

While the idea of Time Lords being responsible is highly likely, let's not forget they sent the 4th back to stop the daleks creation, but perhaps it is not a group of Time Lords responsible but perhaps a Time Lord. In either case the question remains who is responsible? As of yet I see no indication of who is the hand that set these events in motion. I will admit I am not the greatest when it comes to mysteries and solving them and perhaps I missed some clue. I can not help but think that the real culprit has not yet been seen and the Time Lords do fit the possibilities quite nicely.