Steve Moffat Comments on the Villainous Turn of His Famous ‘Doctor Who’ Organization
Over the years, Doctor Who has introduced countless villains, from Daleks and Cybermen to Sontarans and even the Time Lords. But one antagonist has been quietly lurking in the background for two decades: the Villengard Corporation.
Created by Steven Moffat in the 2005 stories ‘The Empty Child’ and ‘The Doctor Dances,’ this intergalactic weapons manufacturer and tech giant has returned to take center stage in the latest Christmas Special, Joy to the World.
Villengard wasn’t originally planned to be such a big deal. Moffat himself admitted in the latest issue of the Doctor Who Magazine, ‘It was just a throwaway line about bananas.’ The Ninth Doctor casually mentioned that he’d already destroyed Villengard, suggesting it was a long-closed chapter.
Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor revisited the ruins briefly in ‘Twice Upon a Time,’ and the corporation also popped up in Boom with its shady medical schemes. But over time, these moments built a shadowy history, making Villengard an ideal villain for a grand return.
Unlike traditional enemies, Villengard represents something much scarier—corporate greed. It’s not a monster or alien species but a faceless machine driven by profit, no matter the human cost. Evil corporations are a classic trope, and Doctor Who has used them before, but Villengard stands out for its sheer persistence.
There’s even some playful debate about which Doctor blew it up. Moffat joked, ‘It could’ve been Patrick Troughton! But I always pictured it being Christopher Eccleston.’ Russell T. Davies, another legendary Doctor Who writer, teased that the head of Villengard might be an unexpected character—someone sweet and unassuming, like a kind elderly lady.
Joy to the World marks Steven Moffat’s 50th Doctor Who story. Whether it’s his last remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: Villengard’s story has come a long way from a passing joke about bananas.
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