Who is Ruby Sunday’s mother? Doctor Who mystery explained

The mystery of Ruby Sunday’s birth mother has been threaded throughout Season 14 of Doctor Who, and in the series finale, that question was finally answered.

The 14th season of Doctor Who drew to a close via Episode 8, titled ‘Empire of Death,’ that saw the Doctor go toe-to-toe with nemesis Sutekh, and explain what’s been going on with Susan Twist.

But throughout this season, the Doctor’s companion Ruby Sunday has been trying to figure out who her birth mother is – a mysterious cloaked figure somehow tied to the overarching storyline.

At the end of the episode, that mystery was solved, so beware of DOCTOR WHO SPOILERS ahead…

Who is Ruby Sunday’s mother?

Ruby Sunday’s mother is Louise Alison Miller. Now 35, she was just 15 years old when she gave birth to Ruby, in what were clearly trying circumstances.

As Kate Lethbridge Stewart explains: “Records say her stepfather was trouble. I think she did the right thing getting you out of that house… Father William Benjamin Garnet. 15 at the time. Louise moved to Coventry at the age of 18. Did well, got a degree. She’s a nurse.”

All of which begs the question, how did Louise become so important to the Doctor and Sutekh? As Ruby puts it: “She’s so ordinary! She’s wonderful and she’s ordinary, but I love her for that. How did she stay invisible from a god?”

The Doctor responds by explaining: “She’s important because we think she’s important. That’s how everything happens – every war, every religion, every love story. We invest things with significance. So while the whole of creation was turning around her, it made her sheer existence more powerful than Time Lords and Gods. In the end, the most important person in the universe was the most ordinary. A scared little girl, making her baby safe.”

Ruby also learns that Louise wasn’t pointing at the Doctor after her birth – rather she was pointing to the signpost on ‘Ruby Road,’ thereby naming her daughter.

“I always thought I was called Ruby because the social workers chose it, or the paramedics, or whatever” says an emotional Ruby. “But no, it was her. My own mother chose it. My name is Ruby.”

A happy ending for Ruby and Louise

The Doctor then takes Ruby to Louise and while observing her from outside a coffee shop, reveals: “She’s happy. She’s got a flat. She’s got a fella called Mike. She goes to Spain in three weeks. And the point is she has had over 7,000 days to come and find you, and she never has… Louise Miller made her choices and I think we should leave her alone.”

Ruby ignores this advice, enters the coffee shop, sits opposite her mother, and stares at her before stating: “I was named after a road. Ruby Road. You left me by a church 19 years ago. You left me where I was safe. And I just want to say thank you.”

They both cry and hug, then Ruby takes her birth mother home to the Sundays, where Louise expresses regret that she never looked her daughter up.

Ruby briefly reunites with the Doctor, and claims she wants to head off on another adventure. But then gets a message revealing they’ve found her birth father, who doesn’t know she exists.

However the Doctor knows it’s time for them to part ways, so he encourages Ruby to be with her family, tells her “Your adventure is just beginning,” then departs in the TARDIS for his own next adventure.

‘Empire of Death’ is available to stream now on Disney Plus and BBC iPlayer.

For more Whoniverse action, check out our guide to all the best Doctor Who episodes, or take a look at our breakdown of the Doctor Who Season 14 villains.