Whovians who tuned in to "Doctor Who" season 9 episode 2 "The Witch's Familiar" were shocked to see the Doctor's sonic screwdriver bow out by the end of the episode.
But show runner Steven Moffat may have already anticipated the backlash beforehand.
"Sometimes you have to be heretical. Sometimes you actually have to embrace the heresy," Moffat said, adding, "And I just thought, really, on a whim, why would The Doctor feel wedded to a screwdriver?" he said in a video on the show's official YouTube channel, as quoted by Radio Times.
Check it out below:
But who says all Whovians are distraught with the sonic screwdriver's disappearance in "Doctor Who" season 9? Classic "Who" fans aren't too bothered by it at all.
"The sonic was really only a trademark of the third and fourth Doctors; for most of classic 'Who' it was rarely used," one commenter on EW's piece on the matter said.
Some are even glad that it's gone and are pushing for its replacement, the sonic Ray-Ban sunglasses, to by the wayside as well.
"[The Doctor's gadgets are] just crutches for the writers," said another one adding, "I prefer to see the Doctor open locked doors using his wits rather than with a 'one-size-fits-all' gadget."
"The Doctor went quite a few re-generations without the screwdriver. Get rid of it... fine whatever... but loose those stupid sunglasses. It's beyond ridiculous," said another.
Moffat did tease that the sonic screwdriver "will show up again some day."
To that end, a commenter on Radio Times' piece speculated that the sonic screwdriver could return in the "Doctor Who" season 9 Christmas special.
"The screwdriver will be back so he can give it to River Song as a present. Why else would she come back?" he said.
Catch the next episode of "Doctor Who" season 9, "Before the Flood" Saturday Oct 10.
