The 12 ... er, 507 Regenerations Limit

[snorkackcatcher]

One of those "d'oh!" moments -- I'd assumed that Russell T. Davies had basically pulled the number 507 from his ... er, from the Vortex when writing SJA Death of the Doctor, that being the answer the Doctor gives Clyde to the question of how many time he can regenerate. On reflection though, it's actually a round number.

How come? Well, RTD had previously commented on how they could get around the 12 regeneration limit -- first mentioned in the Fourth Doctor-era The Deadly Assassin -- by saying (rough quote) "not a problem, all we have to do is to have him say 'oh yeah, the Time Lords gave us another 150 regenerations so we could fight in the Time War'".

Now given that we assume the Eighth Doctor was the one fighting in the Time War, he had at that point regenerated seven times. So if the arbitrary extra regenerations the Time Lords gave him to fight with were 500 not 150, we get a total of ... 507. Voila.

I don't know if RTD has said that's what was in his mind, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was, especially in a SJA episode so stuffed with Classic Who references. Nor would I be surprised to hear that many people in fandom are way ahead of me on this point. But still, it does fit this into place, doesn't it?

Comments

[jesspallas.livejournal.com]

That would work. Good thinking, that man. ;p

[shadowturquoise.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard this as a theory before, but I like it a lot. Thanks for the idea, now I can stop being irritated with that line.

[tardiscrash.livejournal.com]

I think that he has been quoted as saying that it was something that he did to irritate nitpickers. Normally I wouldn't exactly care but saying that pretty much invalidated everything about the Master's character, not that RTD didn't see to that already. (Why yes, I am bitter.)

Anyway, bitching aside, I like your idea.

[snorkackcatcher]

Yes, it's a pretty big retcon but I suppose when they were restarting with Nine they were always going to have to give themselves a bit of elbow room!

[snorkackcatcher]

Thanks. :)

[snorkackcatcher]

I think we were meant to be irritated with it, although actually I rather liked it for being a deliberate wind-up without actually committing the main show producers to anything ... Although 12 did possibly seem to be the case with River in LKH? Then again, the 12 limit was itself a retcon, so whatever ...

[shadowturquoise.livejournal.com]

I suppose when they were restarting with Nine they were always going to have to give themselves a bit of elbow room!

I just mourn the lost opportunity to have a very tense episode when the 13th Doctor dies because he thinks it is the very end. I'd have liked to have seen a rabbit be pulled out of a hat then, not now.

[snorkackcatcher]

Oh I don't know. They seem to have had several such episodes already anyway. :)