DOCTOR WHO Answers a Big Question About Ruby Sunday

Spoiler Alert

Doctor Who’s season finale is here already and it ended with Ruby Sunday getting answers to questions that she’d been asking her whole life. In the finale, the Doctor and Ruby face Sutekh as this god of death sweeps through the universe. Sutekh wants to not only kill every living being, but he also wants to know the secret about Ruby’s birth mom, too. When he landed outside the TARDIS in 2004, the sight of Ruby’s mother was beyond his comprehension and he cannot see this mysterious woman. Of course, the Doctor and Ruby Sunday use that curiosity to defeat Sutekh, but they also get a legitimate answer about who her biological mother is.

Ruby Sunday battles through snow
BBC Studios/Bad Wolf Studios/Disney+

After pretty much all things turn to dust, they travel to 2046 when Roger ap Gwilliam requires everyone to get DNA tested. They go there and use the technology, along with Ruby’s blood and the sonic screwdriver, to find out her parentage. Sutekh appears and wants the answer and it seems Ruby will give it to him. But, it is simply a trap so the Doctor can take control of the TARDIS, drag Sutekh back through the time vortex to undo all the death, and then sentence the god of death to his demise.

Who Is Ruby Sunday’s Biological Mother and Father?

Afterward, UNIT, the Doctor, and Ruby Sunday take a look at her DNA results and there is an answer about her birth mother, whose name is Louise Allison Miller. She’s 35 years old and had Ruby when she was only 15 years old. Louise was living with a stepfather who was “trouble,” which explains why she left Ruby at the church. Three years later, she moved to Coventry and got her degree, moving on with her life as a nurse. The Doctor said she was important because they thought she was important, making her existence super important. The pointing at the Doctor wasn’t at him but at the lamppost that said “Ruby Road,” which was her naming Ruby. (Does this make sense? I don’t think so.) 

Louise seems to be an ordinary person …at least, for now. Doctor Who is always cooking up something weird.

ruby sunday looks through a broken glass at images of her mother
BBC Studios/Bad Wolf Studios/Disney+

Ruby’s father is William Benjamin Garnet, who was also fifteen. We don’t see him in the episode but we know that Ruby goes off to find him, leaving the Doctor for now. (More on that in a bit.) The Doctor and Ruby Sunday do go and find her mother. While he thinks they should respect her choice to not look for Ruby, she decides to go into the coffee shop and thank her mother for keeping her safe. Ruby brings Louise to meet her mum Carla and grandmum and they all share a meal together. Louise says she wanted to look for Ruby but wasn’t sure if her daughter would be angry with her. The Doctor encourages Ruby to go on this new adventure of getting to know her birth parents. 

What Does the Reveal About Ruby Sunday’s Mom Mean for Doctor Who Season Two?

We do know that Ruby Sunday will continue to travel with the Doctor in season two. We can assume that the Doctor will meet his new companion, played by Varada Sethu, and may even spend some time with her before Ruby comes back into the mix. But showrunner Russell T Davies himself said that Ruby Sunday is very important to what happens in season two. If her story truly does tie into the Timeless Child arc, then we may discover that Ruby Sunday’s biological mom Louise Miller may not be so ordinary after all. For now, Ruby is off and spending time with her biological parents and seems happy with her personal life.