After Doctor Who’s Sutekh Retcon, I’m Convinced This 2010 Villain From Matt Smith’s Era Was Secretly A Pantheon God

DGIX

March 25, 2025

Gabriel Woolf may have returned to voice Sutekh in Doctor Who season 14’s two-part finale, but the classic villain being so heavily retconned to be part of the Pantheon opens the door for a Matt Smith-era bad guy to receive the same treatment. Doctor Who‘s Pantheon of Gods is comprised not only of new characters like Jinkx Monsoon’s Maestro but also pre-established villains like the Toymaker, who have been reworked to fit into a new category of the franchise’s antagonists. Therefore, Russell T. Davies has six decades of lore to explore when looking for new Pantheon Gods.

Even though Sutekh wasn’t a deity when he was introduced in Doctor Who‘s classic era, the reveal that he has since become the God of Death is an entirely believable change. His power has always been immense, and biding his time as a TARDIS stowaway only increased the threat he posed to reality. Although not quite as fearsome as Sutekh, there is another villain who has already appeared in Doctor Who‘s modern era whose abilities would also be at home among the Pantheon. As such, I wouldn’t be surprised if Davies tweaked this bad guy’s backstory as well.

The Dream Lord From “Amy’s Choice” Could Secretly Be A Member Of Doctor Who’s Pantheon

Toby Jones’ Doctor Who character could turn out to be the Pantheon’s God of Dreams

The Dream Lord standing over the TARDIS control panel in the Doctor Who episode "Amy's Choice."

Sutekh’s power to kill with a single touch means I wasn’t shocked to discover he had become the God of Death by the end of Doctor Who season 14. Similarly, it would make sense if it turned out that Toby Jones’ Dream Lord from Doctor Who season 5, episode 7, “Amy’s Choice,” was actually the Pantheon’s God of Dreams. The Dream Lord held a great deal of power over the Doctor and his companions during the episode, but only in their unconscious states. The power to manipulate dreams may seem comparatively meager, but the Dream Lord is quietly formidable.

While there have been several Doctor Who villains who are a significant threat to the Doctor’s physical well-being, there haven’t been many who have given the Time Lord such a unique mental challenge.

The lucidity of the Dream Lord’s illusions fooled even Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor, and the show’s legendary Time Lord isn’t easily deceived. While there have been several Doctor Who villains who are a significant threat to the Doctor’s physical well-being, there haven’t been many who have given the Time Lord such a unique mental challenge. Sure, Jones’ character was hinted to have been dispensed with within a single episode, but the same can also be said for Neil Patrick Harris’ Toymaker as well as his child, Maestro. In fact, the Doctor often makes quick work of all the Pantheon Gods.

The Dream Lord’s Established Backstory Doesn’t Stop Him Being A Pantheon God

Written by Simon Nye, “Amy’s Choice” has already provided an explanation for where the Dream Lord came from. In short, he’s believed to be the manifestation of the Doctor’s darkest traits brought to life by psychic pollen. I don’t doubt that this was the canonical backstory for Toby Jones’ character at the time, but that doesn’t mean Russell T. Davies can’t artfully retcon this backstory the same way he did with Sutekh.

Tom Baker looking unsure as the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who

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Sutekh isn’t the only Pantheon member to have been retroactively made into a deity. Along with the Toymaker, Davies has also pulled the Mara from Doctor Who‘s classic era into the show’s new post-revival age as the God of Beasts. The Trickster is also confirmed to be the God of Traps during Sutekh’s return. The Trickster’s debut was in Davies’ Doctor Who spinoff, The Sarah Jane Adventures, in 2009. So, there is a strong precedent for Davies’ writing decisions in this regard, which opens the door for the Dream Lord to join forces with Sutekh and company.

A Rematch Between The Doctor & The Dream Lord Should Happen Whether The Villain Is A Pantheon God Or Not

A comeback by Toby Jones doesn’t have to tie into Davies’ Pantheon storyline

The Dream Lord was a standout villain in Matt Smith’s era as the Eleventh Doctor, and I’m genuinely surprised that Toby Jones hasn’t yet come back to reprise his Doctor Who role. He posed a fascinating threat to the Doctor, and a show with so much history can rarely introduce such a fresh antagonist. It would be great to see the Dream Lord come back for another round, and the Pantheon provides the perfect opening for such a rematch to happen. That said, I would welcome any return from the Dream Lord.

Toby Jones is just great at playing villains, and the actor has carved out an impressive niche for himself in that field.

Doctor Who thrives on recurring villains, but some return far too often while others are left to languish in the shadows. The Dream Lord falls into the latter category, and because he isn’t a corporeal being, his apparent defeat at the end of “Amy’s Choice” means his exit need not be permanent. Plus, Toby Jones is just great at playing villains, and the actor has carved out an impressive niche for himself in that field. He’s fantastic in “Amy’s Choice,” and I’m sure he’d be just as good – if not better – if he returned to Doctor Who.