The following contains spoilers for 2.07, "Wish World"

In Bavaria in 1865, the Rani (Archie Panjabi) visits the cabin of the Zufall family on horseback. She greets Otto Zufall (Atilla Akinci), who is the seventh son of the seventh son and himself has seven sons, his wife, Violett (Leni Adams) having just given birth to the latest. Letting them think she is the midwife, she asks to hold the baby, only to say she is taking him. When they protest, she blows on them, turning Violett into flowers, the other six children into ducks, and Otto into an owl. Taking the baby, she leaves, telling him that they have things to do in 160 years time with one very special wish.

In London in 2025, Belinda (Varada Sethu) and the Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) wake up next to each other in bed and kiss each other good morning. He tells his wife he could stay there forever, but he has to go to work. Poppy (Sienna-Robyn Mavanga-Phipps), their daughter, comes in saying “meow” because she wants a cat.

Belinda turns on the television and on the screen is Conrad (Jonah Hauer-King) saying the weather across all the different countries all over the world is going to be nice, that’s his promise. Conrad says it’s time for the day’s story, holding up the book: Doctor Who and the Daily Wish, by I.M. Foreman. They move to the kitchen, and he continues on another television, talking about the Time Lord who ran away.

Belinda and the Doctor talk about tomorrow being May Day, May the 24^th and that they are going to celebrate. The Doctor sets his yellow mug down on the table. Belinda says that she will cook a big pot of biryani and asks Poppy if that’s nice. She says no, and the mug shatters onto the floor. Belinda says she’s got it. The Doctor tells Poppy that she shouldn’t doubt things so much, as he goes to the cupboard and pulls out another yellow mug from a cupboard full of yellow mugs.

He opens the front door to leave to find Ruby (Millie Gibson) standing there. Confused, she asks him if she knows him, but he says he doesn’t think so. She asks if he is the Doctor, and he asks if everything is okay. She clarifies, asking if he’s called the Doctor, but he says his name is John Smith, pulling away. She says that she knows it’s not, but she doesn’t know why, and when Belinda comes out with Poppy, Ruby tells him that he doesn’t have a daughter. They get upset. Ruby apologizes, saying she’s just trying to help, but Belinda makes a call. The Doctor questions she said Ruby like maybe a part of him recognizes the name. Belinda tells the person on the phone that they have someone there expressing doubt and would be grateful if they could come right away.

Ruby runs down the drive and past the garbage bins that say “slip” on them and runs into Mel (Bonnie Langford). The Doctor, who follows her, tells her not to talk to Ruby. Ruby leaves as Mel dumps a dustbin of broken ceramic mugs into the bin that is full of them. She asks what happened, and he says it’s best forgotten. He says it’s one more day until May 24th and asks if she has plans. She says since she is single without parents or children, she will sit in silent contemplation and be jolly glad.

They look up at one of the huge dinosaur-like skeletons of a creature that roars. The Doctor says they are beautiful as one approaches a weird structure suspended by bones, the Bone Palace. He asks how anyone can doubt the glorious world they live in.

The Doctor walks to work, stopping to watch Conrad on a big screen as he continues his story. He says that Doctor Who had lots of human friends who loved him and traveled with him, but that sometimes they’d leave so they could go and fall in love and marry and have babies, and then the Doctor was all alone. He’d carry on, looking for his best friend. Meanwhile, Ruby watches the Doctor until she runs into Shirley (Ruth Madeley) of UNIT, begging people for money.

Inside the building is an odd office that looks like it might be from a different decade, an alternate version of UNIT, but here it stands for the Unified National Insurance Team. Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) comments to the Doctor as he comes in that he was almost late.

The Doctor sits at his desk, greeting Susan Triad (Susan Twist), who’s once again a tea lady.

Conrad continues his narration on the office television, talking about all the Time Lords being killed except for Doctor Who. The Doctor talks to another employee, who’s actually Colonel Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient), giving him advice about asking out Kate. He tells the Doctor that she is way out of his league, but the Doctor says that she’s not and that he’s a beautiful man. Ibrahim asks what that is supposed to mean, asking how as a man he could find another man beautiful. The Doctor hesitates, looking scared, until a mug falls and breaks. He says that it was the slip, and Susan cleans it up. Kate tells everyone to get to work.

Back at their home, Conrad continues, saying that Doctor Who wished it was like the old days when he had a faithful companion at his side, but sadly those days were gone. Belinda opens the door to her mother, Lakshmi (Nila Aalia), and her aunt, Devika (Josephine Lloyd-Welcome). The three talk, and Belinda’s mother says that she thought she was destined for trouble when she was in labor with her for twenty-four hours. Devika asks Belinda how long she was in labor with Poppy, but she can’t remember. Her aunt says that every mother remembers the birth of her child. Another mug shatters. Her mother says that a slip is only natural and easily fixed, going to get a dustpan to clean it up.

Belinda rushes outside and runs off. When she is alone, she screams.

Conrad says that it turned out Doctor Who wasn’t the only one left: a Time Lady had survived. All the office workers rush to the window as the Rani flies past on a jet-propelled scooter. Kate says it must be for May the 24th. They all run to the doors, and the Doctor says he wonders who she is. They all stop, and Ibrahim asks what’s wrong with him. The Doctor, trying to fix it, just says that she is who she is and that’s all.

The Rani flies the scooter into the Bone Palace. She enters, bringing mortadella for Mrs. Flood to give to Conrad for a sandwich. There are drone guards around like those from the previous episode, “The Interstellar Song Contest.” Rani questions how they are doing and walks over to an alien that is reading the doubts. Mrs. Flood says they are doing better than ever with very strong doubts.

Mrs. Flood complains to herself as she makes up Conrad’s sandwich and brings it to him. He pauses what he’s recording. He says it’s been ages since he’s seen her. Mrs. Flood apologizes, saying that the mistress has a lot of demands but thought he’d like the sandwich. He asks if it’s working out there. She says she thinks it is. He says that it’s a lot of hard work, thinking. Sometimes he forgets about the weather and South Africa gets flooded. She tells him he’s worn out and that he’s doing a good job. She tells him that’s why they found him and saved him and that’s why the mistress chose him: the boy who wants the world to be better, a wish from the heart. She asks how the baby is, and he says he’s the same as ever, smiling. He picks him up, saying that he is tiny but sustains the entire world. She says that he never cries. Conrad says that all he does is chuckle, and the baby makes the familiar giggle. Conrad says he is amazing, but they both agree he’s terrifying.

The Rani adds the Vindicator as a hand to the large clock on the wall. She says they have a temporal fix, the Vindicator now powered up to 99% and rising. Rani asks Mrs. Flood if the trap is ready, and she tells her that it’s waiting to be primed. Rani goes outside on balcony and uses a sonic screwdriver to alter the door. She asks how the Doctor is, and Mrs. Flood tells her he’s getting there: his doubts are at 30%, but it’s sunset at 20:58, and that’s when his thinking intensifies. The Rani looks out over the city and says that it’s a shame the people all have to die; she was getting rather fond of them, but tonight they will find him, the One Who is Lost, and then the great work begins.

Ruby watches as Conrad continues the story, saying that the Doctor and the Time Lady had been terrible enemies, but the Time Lady knew they could be great friends, if only he knew how clever she was. One of the big skeleton creatures seems to at first step on people, but it’s like it’s not in the same dimension and it goes through them. Shirley says to her that it’s like they are there but not there. Ruby says she shouldn’t be talking to her, that it’s not right and starts to rush off, but they both realize they seem to know each other. Shirley leads Ruby to where she lives at the camp with the other homeless: the disabled, the dispossessed, the ones who don’t fit in. As they walk past people and tents, Ruby says she’s never seen the place before, but Shirley tells her she walks past it everyday and ignores them. Ruby wants to know how she knows her since she doesn’t think they’ve met before and says to tell her what’s going on.

Ruby sits with the others in a circle, drinking from a blue mug.  Shirley says that they get ignored, the poor, the forgotten, and irrelevant; that’s the way the world is, except sometimes those in the camp get these glimpses. Ruby says it’s like a glimpse in the corner of her eye like she can remember something, but then it’s gone. Shirley comments that Ruby is different from them: she seems very non-disabled, but despite that, she’s the same as them. She keeps having doubts about the world. Why? Ruby says there is a man called the Doctor, and he’s connected. Somehow it feels like she’s lived through it before. Ruby sees flashes from “73 Yards” and says she’s seen 2025, and it was different. She tried telling her mother (Michelle Greenidge) and grandmother (Angela Wynter), and her mother said that a foster child can’t listen to doubts and called someone to take her away. Ruby’s mug shatters and Shirley tells Pete to get her another. The one woman, Val (Hermon Berhane), says in sign language that they are lucky: they live outside the world, so they can see it better. Shirley says that can see when things don’t make sense as Pete gives Ruby a green mug. She says that she hasn’t got a penny, but she has a state-of-the-art wheelchair. She needs medicine with her spina bifida and has nothing, but she’s okay. Val says they are suspended. A woman says that she thinks the things are like fossils or relics, like they’re bleeding through from a life that’s been lost. Shirley tells Brian (Joshua Parker) to tell Ruby his theory, and he says it all comes back to Conrad Clark. Ruby says she has thoughts about him as well and remembers flashes of knowing him from “Lucky Day.” She doesn’t trust him for a second. She doesn’t know why or how, but she knows Conrad Clark is a monster. Brian says that everything that’s wrong revolves around Conrad and that he’s hiding something. It’s perception bias: he’s not disabled, so he literally can’t see them, and if he can’t see them, they don’t get seen. Shirley says they don’t just sit there all day complaining; they’ve got plans and are going to bring Conrad down. Ruby says she’s in.

The Doctor watches Conrad from the kitchen as he says that the Time Lady had an idea. She said it’s not over, because she knows a secret hidden away and the secret came from the depths of Time Lord history. A secret so old and so terrible everyone had forgotten, but the secret was beginning to wake. The Doctor sees a flash of Susan (Carole Ann Ford) as Conrad continues that the Doctor said to tell him the secret, but the mysterious Time Lady was clever and wise, and she knew that the Doctor was weak.

Suddenly the Doctor sees Rogue (Jonathan Groff) cut into the broadcast. He tells him that he doesn’t have much time; they’re coming, and the hell dimension is sliding into the pit. He doesn’t know if he will survive. He has to warn him, but he can only send him one warning. He says that it will sound strange but to listen and remember that “tables don’t do that.” He tells the Doctor that he missies him and loves him. Conrad cuts back in and says that the secret will change reality forever.

Later, Belinda hears breaking and goes out into the kitchen. The Doctor sits at the table, staring at a bunch of mugs, with a bunch of broken ones under the table. He tells her to look. He sets one of the mugs in the middle of the table and after a few seconds, it falls through, breaking when it hits the floor. She says that it’s a slip, that’s what happens. He puts more in the spot, asking how they slip. She tells him it’s just the way of the world. Suddenly they all fall through. He tells her that “he” said tables don’t do that, and he’s right; that’s not what tables are supposed to do. She questions who said that. He tells her there was a man on the tv, and he really liked him. Belinda calls someone on the phone, telling them her husband is having doubts.

The police come to get the Doctor. He says he wasn’t doubting and just had a question, but they take him anyway. Belinda says she’s sorry, but she had to think of Poppy. He tells her that he’s sorry he couldn’t stop it. They put him in a police car and drive away. Mrs. Flood, dressed as a policewoman, shows up and takes Belinda as well. Her mother, who called them on her, tells her she’s sorry. Mrs. Flood says Belinda recognized her husband’s doubt, because she’d been expressing doubt herself. That’s what it does, it contaminates, breeds, and festers, and it’s her job and pleasure to cut it out. They put Belinda in a car and take her away.

Ruby, Shirley, and another woman, Winnie (Sam Lawton), sneak around as the police vans go by. Ruby says they aren’t good spies, and if they are caught out after curfew, they’ll be locked up for doubting the system. Shirley tells her to stop worrying; it’s the perfect vantage point. They can see right underneath the Bone Palace. Shirley has a relic from the world that was, which is an electronic tablet, and she turns it on. It feels familiar to them. Shirley says they think it can help them with Conrad Clark. The way the picture links up, she thinks it means Conrad is broadcasting from inside the structure, and if they can trace the signal, maybe they can block it. Winnie says that the plan is for him to leave the Bone Palace to look for them. Ruby says if she can just meet him and look him in the eye, she will remember, and then she can remember the Doctor and the world that was.

In the Bone Palace, the Doctor and Belinda are told by the drone guards to step over the threshold. The Doctor steps over and it’s some kind of force field or barrier. Belinda tells him she’s sorry she reported him. He tells her it’s his fault. He had his doubts, but he never doubts her. Whatever the place is, they will find out together. She steps through and they hug.

They are taken to the main room where the Rani is. She asks the Doctor if he remembers her; they go way back. She shows him the Seal of Rassilon on the wall and tells him that Rassilon was the president eternal of the Time Lords. He still doesn’t remember. She questions if he wonders deep down with both his hearts where his TARDIS is. Belinda interrupts, saying that she has a child at home and if they let them go home to look after her, she promises they won’t mention this to anyone. The Rani tells her that she hasn’t got a child. The Doctor remembers Ruby said the same thing. The Rani is excited he’s starting to remember and says that May 24th is on its way. The clock with the Vindicator continues to move as time moves forward. She says that there are nine minutes and to lock everything down.

Meanwhile, down below, the countdown shows up on Shirley’s tablet.

The Rani uses her sonic to turn on music and gets the Doctor to dance with her, telling him that they danced before at the siege of Persephone with the city burning around them. She says that people said they were lovers and asks if he can remember if that was true. He sees a memory and she says that she had a different face, and so did he a long time ago. She says that the tragedy is that they were never enemies. Every villain he ever fought wanted death; she only wanted life. She tells him to remember her name is the Rani. He gets scared and lies that he doesn’t remember. Mrs. Flood steps up and they tell him that they bi-generated and are both the Rani. Belinda says that it sounds like one of Conrad’s stories. The Rani says that she loves saying this bit and tells her that she and Belinda’s husband are both aliens from Gallifrey, but this planet is a lie. The whole world is a wish. The Doctor questions what she is even talking about. The Rani says she knows it’s hard. Belinda says to leave him alone, but the Rani says that he made so much of this happen: he stirred the gods. He woke the most ancient of powers.

She takes him to see something. She says she can’t let him in, because she doesn’t trust him, but she uses her sonic to make the door transparent so he can see Conrad standing holding a baby. Conrad tells him that the last time they met, he told him he was nothing. He asks what he thinks of him now. The Rani tells the Doctor that it’s the child. He woke the Pantheon and the most powerful god of all was born, Desidirium, the God of Wishes. Conrad says that he is his. All the world below is a world he wished. The Rani explains that they needed one more thing.

She brings him back into the main room and says that no God of Wishes could have infinite power, or they’d be drowning in a universe of breast milk. So, she needed to boost his powers, which led her to the Vindicator, hidden in plain sight. She says it’s a great bit of tech; it crisscrossed the universe creating a web of power, and the energy is roughly the equivalent of a billion supernovas. The power is great enough to amplify the wishes of a god, allowing Conrad to create an entire world. The Doctor tells her that she cannot wish a whole world into existence. She tells him he’s exactly right; it’s full of mistakes and can’t sustain itself, because he has doubts. He tells her doubts are not allowed. Belinda says that they have doubts, but everyone does. Mrs. Flood says the doubts are not the problem; they’re the whole point. The Rani says that doubt is such a beautiful thing. If you question hard enough, a doubt can crack open the world, which is why she needed him trapped inside the wish. She needs to tell him everything so that his doubt becomes all-consuming. If ordinary doubt cracks open the world, then a Time Lord’s doubt rips open the structure of reality itself.

She tells him to come and see. The seconds tick closer to midnight and the cities start falling through reality. He doesn’t want to believe it’s real. The Rani tells him that the palace, which exists as a fixed point, is safe. He questions that she wished the world into existence only to kill it and wants to know why. She tells him that once reality is broken on a scale as vast as this, she can see underneath, deep within the Underverse where he is hidden, the One Who is Lost.

They watch from below as the buildings go down. Mel rushes outside and watches.

The Doctor asks who she is looking for, and she says it’s Omega, who Conrad explains is the first Time Lord, the creator of the Time Lords, the greatest and most terrifying Time Lord of all. An ominous voice says, “Long live Omega. Omega shall be free!” The Doctor sees flashes of his other selves and tells her he remembers, but then realizes she is no longer there. He goes back but she has locked him out. He realizes that Belinda is still inside, who the Rani has told the guards to take over the threshold. The Rani tells the Doctor that she remembers him too, and she knows that he will try everything to stop her, so she can’t take the risk. She uses her sonic to blow the balcony he’s standing on off the building, and he falls towards the Earth. Meanwhile, when the guards take Belinda over the threshold, she disappears. The buildings come down around everyone.  The Doctor says that she doesn’t understand. He has a daughter, Poppy, and she’s real and questions if she knows what that means. He screams as he falls and the clock strikes midnight…