Caution: spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 15, episode 2, “Lux.”
After previously being convinced thatDoctor Whorevealed a secret Pantheon member during the Seventh Doctor’s era, season 15 has sadly proved my theory wrong.Doctor Whoseason 14’s endingstunningly, albeit controversially, redefined classic-era villain Sutekh as the Pantheon’s God of Death, whilst also extending the retcon to include both the Toymaker and the Mara. Immediately, this revelation raised questions over which other classicDoctor Whovillains might have been secret Pantheon gods all along.
Doctor Whoseason 15 continues to expand the Pantheon’s membership list with the titular character of “Lux.” Voiced by Alan Cumming,Lux isDoctor Who’s God of Light, passed down to Earth via a moonbeam and embodied within the image of the cartoon character Mr. Ring-a-Ding. While Lux is undoubtedly an exciting addition, he almost completely ruins a theory connecting a villain from 36 years ago to theDoctor WhoPantheon.
After Doctor Who Season 14, I Really Thought Light From The Seventh Doctor’s Era Was The Pantheon’s God Of Light
It Was Good, But It Wasn’t Right
Of all the classicDoctor Whovillainswho had the potential to be Pantheon gods, Light was perhaps the most convincing. Appearing in “Ghost Light,“Light proved powerful enough to threaten the entire human race, casting judgment upon it after being imprisoned by the story’s villains. The Doctor was clearly familiar with Light’s reputation, and treated him with an unexpected reverence, simultaneously respecting the being’s power and acknowledging its cosmic standing.
“Ghost Light” introducedLight as an alien rather than a God, but the character ticked all the boxes necessary to be considered aDoctor Whodeity, from the wrathful tone of voice to the perception of Earth’s humans as an intrinsically inferior species. AfterDoctor Whoseason 14 introduced the Pantheon, the God of Death, the God of Games, etc., it looked inevitable that there would be a God of Light in some shape or form, and no character looked more qualified for the position than the one made of light, treated as the epitome of light, and literally called “Light.”
Alas,Doctor Whoseason 15 had other ideas. The Pantheon’s God of Light is actually Lux Imperator, who appears to share nothing in common with Light from “Ghost Light” whatsoever.
Could Light & Lux Be The Same Entity?
The Doctor Who God Of Light Theory Isn’t Totally Extinguished
WhileDoctor Whoseason 15’s “Lux"does more or less debunk the idea that Light was a Pantheon god back in 1989, it could be argued that both characters are actually the same creature. The Toymaker that forced David Tennant to bi-generate was completely different to the version that tormented William Hartnell’s First Doctor in black and white. And when the Fourth Doctor first met Sutekh, he was connected to Egyptian mythology rather than the fabric of the universe itself.
Within those parameters,it could be argued that Light, like Mr. Ring-a-Ding, was just another vessel for Lux. The God of Light beamed down from the heavens, possessed some unsuspecting alien, and began searching the universe for celestial sustenance. When Ace burned down the house Light was trapped inside, Lux found himself released back to where he came from, only to launch another attempt at taking physical form in 1952 Miami.
The Reality War
May 31
The only wrinkle in this idea is Lux’s “you must be the one…” speech, during which the villain reels off the Doctor’s victories over other gods. The exchange all but confirms Lux and the Doctor have never previously met. This could be explained easily enough by some sort of memory reset every time Lux takes over a new body, but it does also create the overriding impression that Light was not, in fact,Doctor Who’s God of Light.
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Doctor Who: Released on July 14, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
