Is Poppy the Doctor’s Daughter? Shocking Clues Point to a Hidden Family Secret

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caution: Potential spoilers for Doctor Who’s season 15 episode 8, “The Reality War.”

The paternity of Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor and Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps’ Poppy seems to be clarified in Doctor Who season 15, episode 8, but I have my doubts about the given explanation. It could be that showrunner Russell T. Davies is subtly misleading the viewers, saving a significant revelation for Doctor Who season 16 or beyond.

Initially introduced as Captain Poppy in “Space Babies,” one of the season 14 episodes of Doctor Who, Mavanga-Phipps’ character has been confirmed to be Belinda Chandra’s (Varada Sethu) daughter, named Poppy. Towards the finale of “The Reality War,” it is revealed that her father is a character from season 15 of Doctor Who, Ritchie Akingbola, who remains unseen in this series. This revelation seems to debunk the speculation that Poppy might be the offspring of the main character from Doctor Who. However, there are several hints that lead us to believe that Poppy could very well be the daughter of the central figure in the Doctor Who series.

The Doctor Was Poppy’s Original Father (Because Of The Wish World)

Poppy’s unexpected return in “Wish World” makes the most sense if she’s created by the Wish itself

In the stories “Wish World” and “The Reality War,” two queens frequently mention May 23, 2025. This repetition weakens reality little by little so that Omega can be saved from the Underverse. The Rani’s scheme is kept in order by Desiderium, the Pantheon’s deity of wishes, whose powers are controlled and redirected by Conrad Clark (Jonah Hauer-King). This results in the world being transformed into a traditional and idyllic vision of what Earth might ideally be.

Conrad assisted in crafting a wish that established the Doctor and Belinda as a married couple, while Poppy reappeared as their daughter. Given that Poppy was previously depicted as the captain of the ship in “Space Babies,” it seems puzzling how she could have resurfaced on 21st-century Earth. However, since Desiderium’s abilities could potentially enable such a scenario, it appears plausible that the Doctor’s initial assumption about Poppy being a product of the Wish was correct. In simpler terms, it’s possible that Poppy was created as a result of the Doctor’s relationship with Belinda.

Why Poppy Disappears In The TARDIS

The end of Desiderium’s Wish takes a little longer to affect Poppy’s existence

In a clever maneuver, Poppy avoids the initial purging of objects linked to Wish-creation by taking refuge with Belinda inside the Zero Room, a peculiar sanctuary constructed at the behest of the Doctor by Susan Triad (also known as Susan Twist). This unique space shields everything within from external forces, boosting Poppy’s odds of surviving the Wish’s conclusion. Initially, everyone rejoices over Poppy’s persistence; however, later on, she mysteriously vanishes within the TARDIS, with Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) being the sole character who recalls her existence.

In my opinion, Poppy’s disappearance might not be fully explained by the technical issues caused by the Wish. If Poppy was a real child born to Belinda and Ritchie before the Wish, then her vanishing wouldn’t logically be connected to the larger illusion that affected the Earth. Instead, the minor glitches like shifting borders and altered color definitions seem more plausible results of the Wish.

It seems likely that Poppy’s slow and delayed departure from the TARDIS occurred because of the lingering safety she experienced within the Zero Room. Once she stepped out of Susan’s constructed box, she began to experience real time, which led to her being affected by everything else Conrad had assisted in creating. Since Time Lords have been shown to be sterile, it is no longer possible for Poppy to have been born with the Doctor as her father, given that the Wish has ended. This explains why she eventually disappeared.

Why Ritchie Akingbola Becomes Poppy’s Father In Doctor Who Season 15’s Ending

The Doctor shifts reality and alters Poppy’s lineage so she can exist outside the Wish

As Fifteen bids goodbye to Belinda and Poppy, Sethu’s character queries, “Doesn’t it seem like I’ve overlooked something?” He even gazes at Poppy when he says this. The Doctor provides an emotional insight about overlooked events still unfolding, leaving room for speculation that Belinda may have forgotten that Poppy was not only her daughter but also the Doctor’s.

Hey Grandpa, is it okay if I share something private with you? Unfortunately, I’m unable to have kids. If I ever could, I would want her to be just like you in so many ways. However, I’ve stopped making wishes. Smart move on my part.

– The Doctor to Poppy in “The Reality War.”

In the narrative, it’s suggested that Ritchie was introduced late, leading to speculation that Fifteen might have manipulated reality a second time to provide Poppy with a human father as a means for her survival outside the Wish. If this is true, then Poppy can be seen as still being the daughter of the Doctor, in essence, even if she no longer carries Time Lord genetics. It’s possible that Ritchie was already present, but the Doctor’s alteration to reality reshaped Ritchie’s history to make him Poppy’s father.

Was Belinda Always Coming Home For Poppy?

Belinda was originally only ever trying to get home so she didn’t miss work

In many of her journeys with the Doctor, it’s noticeable that Belinda doesn’t often speak about having a daughter. However, in the episode “The Reality War,” scenes suggesting a connection to home appear where Belinda asks the Doctor to take her back to Poppy. Lines within this episode were altered to reference Poppy as well. Initially, it seemed Belinda just wanted to return for work purposes by the next day. Consequently, one might infer that Belinda didn’t become a mother until “Wish World.

If it wasn’t until “Wish World” that Belinda had a daughter, this lends credence to the growing idea that Poppy is shared between Belinda and the Doctor, with Ritchie serving primarily as a stabilizing element in reality so that Poppy could exist without her Time Lord DNA. This DNA, it now seems, couldn’t have come from the Doctor because his race is sterile outside the Wish. Essentially, Belinda’s reasons for going back home became connected to Poppy after the Doctor had altered reality slightly to bring his daughter back into existence.

What Poppy Being A Human Means For Doctor Who Season 16

Poppy could still be part of the Doctor’s (& Susan’s) family tree, despite now being human

In the series “Wish World”, Poppy reappearing as the Doctor’s daughter hinted at unraveling the enigma surrounding Carole Ann Ford’s character, Susan, who is the Doctor’s granddaughter. Although she first appeared in the very first episode of “Doctor Who” back in 1963, there has always been a puzzle regarding Susan’s parents. However, given that Susan is a Time Lord, it’s becoming less plausible that Poppy will eventually become Susan’s mother.

Given the latest disclosure that all Time Lords are infertile, it’s become even more puzzling how Susan was born in the first place. However, it’s important to note that Susan has never been shown to have regeneration abilities. Instead, this ability is only assumed. If we consider the possibility that Susan doesn’t regenerate, her origin could be traced back to a human lineage, making her potentially the Doctor’s descendant through Poppy. In the event that Susan reappears in Doctor Who season 16, this mystery might gradually unravel further.

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2025-06-02 21:19