Doctor Who’s Russell T Davies explains how Star Wars inspired the final twist

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has opened up about how the series finale was inspired by Star Wars.

The 14th series, the first to star Ncuti Gatwa and Ruby Sunday in the lead roles, ended on Saturday (June 22) with “Empire of Death”, wrapping up some story arcs.

One such thread running throughout the series was the identity of Ruby’s parents, with the events of the finale revealing them to be just ordinary people.

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In an interview with ComicBook.com, Davies revealed that he drew inspiration from Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi when writing the script, particularly the storyline in which Rey’s (Daisy Ridley) parents were “nobodies.”

“That’s kind of my reaction to that movie,” Davies began. “The second movie said Rey was nothing special, there was nothing special about her lineage. She was just an ordinary person with the Force. I really liked the version where she wasn’t special.”

“When she’s ordinary, she’s not Sutekh’s daughter. She’s not the daughter of the Time Lords or Rassilon or anything like that. Her mother is Louise Miller, who was 15 and pregnant, from a dangerous and abusive home, and left her child on the doorstep. Because I think that’s a better story.”

While the mystery of Ruby’s parents seemed solved, one enigma remained: the importance of her neighbor, Mrs. Flood, although actress Anita Dobson hinted that more details would soon be revealed.

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“You’ll learn more about her as we go,” she said. “In fact, in this particular series, Season 2, which we’re shooting right now, we’re learning a lot about her.

“It’ll be interesting to see what people think. I’ve been in the dark for so long that I’m enjoying it now! I never know what’s going to happen and that’s the fun of it.”

Doctor Who broadcast on BBC One in the UK and Disney+ elsewhere. Classic episodes of Doctor Who are available on BBC iPlayer in the UK.

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