The Longest Life Spans of Doctor Who Incarnations: Fact and Fiction
When it comes to the various incarnations of the Doctor, one intriguing question is which has the longest lifespan in the universe. This article explores the lifespans of different Doctors, blending reality and the whimsical nature of Doctor Who.
Total Lifespan in Universe
The total lifespan of various Doctors in the universe is an interesting topic, given the peculiar and often indefinite nature of their timelines. While the Doctor is known to lie about his age, several dramatic events in the show have revealed some incredible lifespans.
Smith’s Time on Trenzalore
Peter Capaldi's incarnation of the Doctor, while not directly spending a millennium on Trenzalore, did spend over 999 years there. His most famous tenure on the planet was in the episode The Name of the Doctor, where he spent nearly a millennium facing his time of regeneration, eventually ending up in a time loop.
Captain Arizazal's 4 Billion Years in Confession Dial
Peter Capaldi's earlier incarnation, played by David Tennant, as Captain Arizazal in The God Complex, was trapped in a confession diode for an astonishing 4 billion years. However, the digits indicate that he had already exhumed his past incarnations, making him technically not the eleventh Doctor, as claimed in the show.
Cardiff also mentions the 10,000 (or maybe 20,000) years Capaldi's Eleventh Doctor spent in the Confession Dial in Heaven Sent. Though the exact duration was never specified, the episode suggests that he was trapped there for a significant period.
Longest Regeneration
The process of regeneration is a key characteristic of Doctor Who. Here are some of the longest depictions of regeneration:
Regeneration to the Sixth Doctor
According to Derek Schmitt’s answer, the Regeneration from the Fifth to the Sixth Doctor is one of the longest. This regeneration lasted for more than a half an hour and began at the end of Part Three of Caves of Androzani, with the doctor fighting against it for 99 of Part Four.
Capaldi’s Regeneration
The Doctor Falls and Twice Upon a Time, both featuring Peter Capaldi, saw his incarnation regenerate, but as time was essentially frozen during much of this, the true duration is debatable. The regeneration in Twice Upon a Time, for example, could have lasted much longer due to the frozen timeline.
Previous Regeneration Terms
Renewal or regeneration, the term used in Planet of the Spiders, can also be analyzed. Tom Baker and Matt Smith both had regenerations that lasted a few minutes. Tom Baker’s regeneration, which began at the clock tower, lasted around 4 minutes, while Matt Smith’s regeneration in The Eleventh Doctor lasted 10 minutes, including a sneeze.
Eleventh Doctor’s Longest Natural Lifespan
The Eleventh Doctor, played by Matt Smith, had the longest natural lifespan among the Doctors, living up to the age of 1100 years. However, his 4.5 billion years in the Confession Dial might make him the oldest. This was a copy of the Doctor, but the debate over whether it counts as the original Doctor remains.
Conclusion
Doctor Who is a series known for its elaborate storytelling and non-linear timeline. The varying lifespans of the Doctors reflect the show's commitment to exploring the limits of time and space. While the Doctors often lie, mixing fact with fiction, these moments provide fascinating insights into the rich, complex nature of these iconic time travelers.