This article contains spoilers for the Doctor Who Christmas Special, "The Church on Ruby Road"

Summary

• Anita Dobson's Mrs. Flood is a recurring character that could be a Time Lord or even another version of the Doctor.
• Mrs. Flood's knowledge of the TARDIS suggests she has a connection to the Master and may have dangerous intentions.
• The mystery of Mrs. Flood and her true nature will be explored in Doctor Who season 14, potentially revealing a connection to Ruby.

The Doctor Who Christmas Special, "The Church on Ruby Road," introduced Anita Dobson as Mrs. Flood - a mysterious new character who is surely destined to return. The time of Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor has finally arrived, with the Doctor and Millie Gibson's Ruby Sunday going up against quasi-mystical monsters in "The Church on Ruby Road." Ruby Sunday is positioned as a mystery companion, a foundling whose true origin is still unknown.

But the Doctor Who Christmas Special also set up what is clearly a recurring character - Anita Dobson's Mrs. Flood. Teased as Ruby's nosy next-door-neighbor, Mrs. Flood initially harangued another neighbor over the mysterious police box that materialized in her way, before later revealing to viewers that she knew it was a TARDIS all along. It's currently unknown whether she'll be an ally or an enemy in Doctor Who season 14 and beyond - but either possibility is tremendously exciting.

Mrs. Flood Could Be A Time Lord Explains How She Knows About The TARDIS

Using Occam's Razor, the simplest explanation for Mrs. Flood's knowledge is that she is in fact another Time Lord. This would certainly be an unexpected twist, because the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials seemed to confirm the Time Lords had been wiped out. In one scene, the Toymaker - a being of almost unlimited power and knowledge - referred to the Doctor as the last of the Time Lords. But, while such a comment follows on well from the events of Doctor Who season 12 (in which the Master destroyed Gallifrey again), the Toymaker could well have been lying.

Time Lords are humanoids, meaning they can easily fit in with human civilization. Their TARDISes have actually been able to disguise themselves as actual houses, even materializing around other objects they were duplicating, so it's even possible Mrs. Flood's house is another TARDIS. She could potentially be a Time Lord, one who knew Ruby Sunday would cross paths with the Doctor, who had decided to monitor this... for an as-yet-unrevealed reason.

Mrs. Flood Could Be Connected To The Master After Doctor Who's 60th Anniversary

In "The Giggle," the Toymaker revealed he had defeated the Doctor's greatest nemesis - the Master - and imprisoned him in a gold tooth. This tooth was left behind when the Toymaker was banished from this dimension, and it was picked up by an unknown female hand. It's entirely possible this is Mrs. Flood, and that she is somehow connected to the Master. If that's the case, then it's likely her agenda is a dangerous one for the Doctor and Ruby.

Is Mrs. Flood Another Version Of The Doctor?

Alternatively, it's possible Mrs. Flood isn't just another Time Lord; she could be an incarnation of the Doctor. Doctor Who's recent bi-generation meant there are now multiple Doctors running around, and showrunner Russell T. Daveis has confirmed this rippled down through the timeline - meaning previous Doctors could themselves have undergone further regenerations. Meanwhile, the Timeless Child retcon means there are an unlimited number of pre-William Hartnell Doctors, and Mrs. Flood could be one of those.

The latter is the most exciting possibility. Until Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor, the Timeless Child was bound to a Time Lord agency known as the Division. Although the Division was destroyed in Doctor Who season 13, this agency was involved in time travel, meaning its past could be interacting with Gallifrey's future. It would be thrilling to see the Division explored once again.

Mrs. Flood Could Be The Rani, A Classic Doctor Who Villain

One popular theory on social media is that Mrs. Flood could be a very specific Time Lord from the classic Doctor Who series - the Rani, a ruthless renegade who loves conducting experiments on what she perceives as lower life-forms. There's no evidence to support this theory at this point, other than the fact there are few prominent female Time Lords who would conceal their identities from the Doctor. For now, this can definitely be considered a possibility.

Mrs. Flood Could Be Hiding A TARDIS In Plain Sight

The Time Lord theory is supported by a subtle detail in the design of Mrs. Flood's house; it has a blue door, reminiscent of the Doctor's TARDIS. This is just the kind of clue showrunner Russell T. Davies loves to plant, making it seem like far more than a mere coincidence. As noted, TARDISes have disguised themselves as houses before, and even materialized around objects; the Master's TARDIS once disguised itself as Concorde, materializing around the real plane. This blue door may well be a hint the Time Lord theory is true, and even a nod to a Doctor connection.

Mrs. Flood Could Be Linked To The Toymaker

But it's important to note the Time Lord theory - while a logical one that fits under the principle of Occam's Razor - is far from definitive. The Toymaker and his minions are a new breed of Doctor Who villain, incredibly powerful and almost supernatural in nature. Davies has hinted he will be continuing to develop this theme, discussing the idea in an episode of Doctor Who: Video Commentaries:

"Every so often we get a chance to do an episode that’s kind-of supernatural, not exactly supernatural, but where all the rules are suspended... We’re going to keep doing it, aren’t we? We love it."

Mrs. Flood could be one of these beings. Her name may well have a connection to this, because in ancient times, a legion of soldiers would sometimes be described as a flood descending on their enemies. If this is the case, it would explain why the Doctor doesn't recognize her; she is presumably able to easily hide herself from him.

The Doctor Who Christmas Special Hints Mrs. Flood Has Been Replaced

One subtle detail in the Doctor Who Christmas Special hints Mrs. Flood may well be an ordinary human who has been replaced by something else - at least in the main timeline. At one point in "The Church on Ruby Road," the Goblins change history by killing Ruby when she was just a baby. The Doctor briefly encounters the Mrs. Flood of this timeline - and she is shocked when she sees the TARDIS dematerialize. The clear implication is that this version of Mrs. Flood had no knowledge of the TARDIS.

The most reasonable explanation, then, is that Mrs. Flood is a normal human being - one who was replaced by someone or something who knew Ruby Sunday would be important to the Doctor. This doesn't necessarily rule out the Time Lord theory; many Time Lords have control over their changes in appearance, with the Doctor as something of an exception (although his subconscious does manipulate it). But it does make the idea of some sort of cosmic power seem a little more likely.

The Mystery Of Mrs. Flood Is Sure To Be Explored In Doctor Who Season 14

One thing seems certain; "The Church on Ruby Road" sets Mrs. Flood up as another recurring character. Davies has always loved to ground his Doctor Who in the real world, meaning the Doctor will surely be returning to Ruby Sunday and her street. That means Mrs. Flood is perfectly positioned to monitor the TARDIS in Doctor Who season 14, and her true plans - and nature - will be revealed with time. It's even possible she is somehow connected to the mystery of Ruby's origin, and the day she was abandoned on a church doorstep years ago.