Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 14, episode 5, “Dot and Bubble.”

Doctor Who season 14’s main companion says something in “Dot and Bubble” that clashes with statements she’s made in other episodes, and it makes it very unclear how long she’s known the Doctor. Since making her debut in the Doctor Who 2023 Christmas special, “The Church on Ruby Road,” Millie Gibson’s Ruby Sunday has been given some compelling dialogue that suggests she’s been traveling with the Doctor for far longer than is initially obvious. While Ruby’s comments may provide further insight into her timeline with Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor, they also make certain aspects very unclear.

Millie Gibson has been a key member of the Doctor Who season 14 cast and has already been given the chance to lead the show for an episode in “73 Yards.” The mysteries surrounding her character have been one of the biggest talking points of Doctor Who‘s Disney era, but other questions are being raised by her presence on the long-running British sci-fi show. In short, it’s almost impossible to tell how long Ruby has been a TARDIS passenger.

Doctor Who Season 14 Further Muddies Ruby’s Relationship Timeline With Doctor

Millie Gibson’s character keeps changing her story

There’s a six-month time jump between the first two episodes of Doctor Who season 14, and this is where the confusion begins. The jump is barely referenced in “The Devil’s Chord,” and is only confirmed with a throwaway line. In “73 Yards,” Ruby speaks to the vanished Doctor, justifying her abandoning the TARDIS by saying, “I haven’t even known you for that long, anyway.” Inversely, one episode later in “Dot and Bubble,” Ruby tells Lindy to trust the Doctor. Elaborating on the suggestion, Ruby says, “I learned that a while ago and it has saved my life so many times.“

Throughout Doctor Who season 14, Ruby has offered statements regarding how long she’s known the Doctor that don’t quite measure up. The most glaring example is when she says the Doctor has saved her life, “So many times.” Although he did rescue her as a baby in “The Church on Ruby Road,” the Doctor’s heroics regarding Ruby’s safety aren’t something that have often been shown on-screen. In fact, she almost died in “Boom,” and she was at least an equal partner in the battle against Maestro in “The Devil’s Chord” – with Lennon and McCartney finishing the job.

“Dot & Bubble” Hints Towards The Doctor & Ruby’s Offscreen Adventures

Ruby & Fifteen are likely embarking on extra trips between episodes

Ruby’s comment in “Dot and Bubble” about the Doctor saving her so often needn’t be attributed to script issues. Instead, it could indicate that the duo are embarking on many more adventures than Doctor Who is actually showing on-screen. For example, six months remain unaccounted for between “Space Babies” and “The Devil’s Chord.” If there are similar gaps between the rest of the episodes, then Ruby may have been exploring space and time with the Doctor for well over a year. If so, this would explain the claims of the Doctor Who companion.