Sutekh made an emphatic return to the Whoniverse in the first of the two-part finale of Ncuti Gatwa's debut season as the Doctor.
In The Legend of Ruby Sunday, the Doctor and Ruby (Millie Gibson) head back to the Pyramids of Mars, the same location Sutekh first appeared back in 1975.
Sutekh, in Doctor Who terminology, is a powerful Osiran and leader of the Pantheon of Discord hellbent on destroying all life in the universe.
His famous mask has long been iconic in Whovian folklore but in the latest episode, he returned with an all-new look.
Sutekh managed to transform into demonic canine form, among other shapeshifting, sending shockwaves through the Doctor Who fandom.
Woolf recently opened up on the biggest changes he's witnessed in Sutekh since reprising the role, telling BBC: "Well, visually certainly.
BBC Doctor Who: Gabriel Woolf reprised the role of Sutekh
BBC
"I (also) thought there has been some development of the character – but we do have the same classic lines here and there so he is recognisable, and he is destroying the same universe."
Woolf also opened up on his return as a whole, adding: "It felt sort of inevitable in a way.
"I’d never lost Sutekh because of the fans. They’ve kept him alive, organised conventions all over the place, so it feels kind of natural.
"It’s excellent (new fans will discover him); they will have the complete backstory of Sutekh so they will know how it all began."
Not the reunion the Doctor was hoping for... 💀 #DoctorWho pic.twitter.com/sabFEqOLaC
— Doctor Who (@bbcdoctorwho) June 18, 2024
Reminiscing about his debut opposite Tom Baker in 1975, Woolf went on to the BBC: "Tom and I play off each other and it was dramatic, it was a bit like a play.
"I hope it gives a tremendous added dimension to the excitement for the finale - the fact it’s spread out over cinemas and across the world is wonderful."
The first sight of the new-look Sutekh and the changes in the character have sparked quite the reaction from the Doctor Who fandom.
Sharing their thoughts on the comparison, one fan said on X, formerly Twitter: "The new one is creepier… #DoctorWho #Sutekh."
A second was similarly freaked out: "Soooo yeah Sutekh scared the S**T out of me! Especially bc I’m watching this in a dark room on my iPad with AirPods on lol #DoctorWho."
Elsewhere, a third argued: "I prefer the original, but different times and a different audience means change, I guess. Thought this was a great episode though."
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BBC Doctor Who: Sutekh returned in the first part of this season's finale
BBC
And a fourth replied to a direct question about the comparison: "Original, but the CGI dog does scare me a bit..."
Meanwhile, others simply rejoiced at seeing the character make a comeback, with another fan typing: "The return of Sutekh nothing has hyped me up this much since the Master came back in Utopia! #DoctorWho." (sic)
