A sneak peek at the "Doctor Who" season 9 prequel "The Doctor's Meditation" seems to suggest the return of Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor.
"The picture in question features Daniel Hoffmann-Gill as Bors, a character who appears to be some sort of Viking, and who will reappear in [the] series nine opener 'The Magician's Apprentice.' And alongside him is Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, holding a chalice," RadioTimes said.
Check out the said picture below, courtesy of Den of Geek:
Here's a little Doctor Who season 9 update. https://t.co/dkZnASYoAT pic.twitter.com/2HcjMSzotC
— Den of Geek (@DenofGeekUS) August 26, 2015
Many have pointed out that the chalice the Doctor is holding looks like the one used by Paul McGann's Eighth Doctor in the 2013 minisode "The Night of the Doctor."
As fans may recall, it's the same one he drank from which allowed him to regenerate into John Hurt's War Doctor before the events of the 50th Anniversary Special, "The Day of the Doctor."
Since actress Kelly Hunter who played one of the Sisterhood of Karn is known to return to "Doctor Who" at some point, RadioTimes can't help but ask if the Doctor is once again enlisting their help.
But for Doctor Who Watch's Barry Rice, the chalice seen in the "Doctor Who" season 9 prequel could be the Holy Grail which would explain Maisie Williams' character's youthful appearance, despite appearing from the Viking Age to 1700's England.
The website speculated that the chalice could have been taken from Karn by Viking aliens and brought to Earth where it became the sacred object.
"Yes, it was the elixir that helped the Eight Doctor regenerate, but maybe that's only part of the equation; maybe the chalice itself holds some regenerative power, but it needs an elixir to help a Time Lord."
Then again, there are also rumors of a degeneration scene, said to feature previous Doctors which includes Eight and Ten (David Tennant). If that's the case, the chalice "could make sense," according to DWW.
"What if that regeneration were somehow reversed? It would undo the last four Doctors and leave the Doctor in Paul McGann's form!"
The "Doctor Who" season 9 prequel hits US theaters on Sept. 15 and 16. Season 9 returns a few days later on Sept. 19.
