Summary
The final scene at UNIT HQ duringDoctor Who’s season finale raised the question of whether Kate Lethbridge-Stewart was romantically involved with one of her officers. UNIT has long been an important part of the long-running science fiction series. When it first became a regular part of the show in the 1970s,Doctor Whoexplained UNITis a branch of the military that investigates supernatural and alien events. There have been almost-romances there before: former companion Jo Grant almost went on a dinner date with Capitan Mike Yates, but accidentally ruined it by inviting the Third Doctor to join them.
UNIT has been run by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart since her father’s death, and she was part of theDoctor Whoseason 14 castseveral times, most notably when she tried to help Ruby during Ruby’s alternative timeline in “73 Yards.”. During the finale, Kate and her crew were among the first to be turned to dust, and after the Doctor resurrected everyone, he came to UNIT to tie up some loose ends. During this final scene,Kate and Colonel Ibriham’s behavior led to speculation that the two were romantically involved.
Is Sutekh Really Dead After Doctor Who Season 14?
The Doctor claimed Sutekh was dead at the end of the season 14 finale, but this isn’t the first time he thought he’d eliminated the god of death.
Doctor Who Season 14’s Ending Hints Kate & Ibrahim Are A Couple
The Two Are Holding Hands After Their Resurrection
Kate and Ibrahim held hands after they were resurrected, leading to widespread speculation that they were more than friends or colleagues. This small moment indicated that they were affectionate with each other and suggested that they might have been in a relationship prior to these traumatic events. However,Ibrahim also hugged Rose Noble after she was resurrected, so his affectionate behavior may come from his deep reliefafter everyone who was killed was restored to life without ill effects.Still, hand-holding is usually a more intimate gesture, especially considering that Kate is Ibrahim’s boss.
If Kate and Ibrahim were to become a couple,Doctor Whowould have to address the problematic dynamic of Kate dating someone who she is supposed to be supervising.
Little is known about Kate’s personal life, but she is free to date Ibrahim if she wishes, as she mentioned during the Peter Capaldi era that she was divorced. Thus,it’s possible that she and Ibrahim have developed a romantic relationship since the last time they were on-screen togetherand that their hand-holding was a sign of their willingness to be open about what they mean to one another. Colonel Ibrahim also appeared during “The Giggle,” but there were no signs then of romance between them, so any such relationship must be fairly new.
Kate & Ibrahim’s Romance Explains A Previous Doctor Who Season 14 Moment
Kate’s Concern for Ibrahim Could Have Been About More Than It Seemed
The potential romantic relationship between Kate and Ibrahim changes the subtext of the scene in episode 7 when Sutekh first appears in the Time Window. Kate yelled at Ibrahim to stay away from the Time Window, and at the time it seemed likely that she was upset about the possibility of losing another one of her soldiers shortly after Colonel Chidozie’s death.That concern was undoubtedly part of what motivated her reaction, but if she was in love with Ibrahim, it makes sense that she shouted at him specificallyrather than ordering everyone away from the Time Window.
…since UNIT only appears on a recurring basis, the characters' romance can develop without intruding on the show’s main purpose as a sci-fi adventure series.
Doctor Whoseason 14’s endingwas focused on an epic battle between life and death, but there was no more positive note to go out on than a new romance after everyone was resurrected. Kate and Ibrahim’s hand-holding suggests that love is in the air for these two. Developing this romance allowed the series to offer hope for the future after this story’s bleak beginning, and since UNIT only appears on a recurring basis, the characters' romance can develop without intruding on the show’s main purpose as a sci-fi adventure series.
Doctor Whoseason 14 streams on Disney+
Doctor Who
Cast
Doctor Who: Released on August 05, 2025, this series follows the Doctor and their companion as they journey across time and space, encountering a range of extraordinary friends and adversaries, expanding the universe of the long-running British science fiction series.
