The Night of the Doctor ( TV story ) It starred Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor , in his first on - screen appearance since the 1996 TV movie . It also featured his regeneration — meaning that McGann has uniquely appeared on television only in regeneration stories . , it is the only BBC Wales production that stars the Doctor , but never shows even a glimpse of the " current " incarnation . It instead showed the origin of a retroactively introduced incarnation from the Doctor ' s past – the War Doctor , portrayed by John Hurt . Initially made available on the BBC iPlayer and YouTube channel on 14 November 2013 , " The Night of the Doctor " was subsequently made available to UK viewers on the BBC Red Button , from Saturday 16 November . It was meant to be released days later , but was released early to avoid an impending leak . Incidentally , this meant that the mini - episode premiered on Paul McGann ' s own birthday , resulting in another anniversary celebration of sorts , in the wake of one for " Doctor Who " itself . Since it was recorded alongside the last two days of production on the anniversary special , it shared the production block with " The Day of the Doctor " . It saw the return of the Sisterhood of Karn , last seen in 1976 ' s " The Brain of Morbius " . This was also the first appearance of Clare Higgins as Ohila , a woman in the Sisterhood who had a history with the Doctor . Synopsis . Still trying to skirt around the edges of the Last Great Time War , the Eighth Doctor is forced to fully join the conflict by the mysterious Sisterhood of Karn . Killed while trying to save a woman who hates him simply for being a Time Lord , the Doctor gets to choose what his next incarnation will be like . He arranges for a warrior . . . but makes the darkest sacrifice of his life in order to be reborn . Plot . Cass is piloting a damaged spaceship on the verge of crashing . The ship ' s computer offers to call for a " doctor " upon being asked for support , to which Cass responds that she doesn ' t need one because she ' s not injured . Meanwhile , the Doctor ' s TARDIS is seen catching up to her ship . Inside , Cass continues to tell the ship that she is trying to send a distress call , and doesn ' t need a doctor . The Eighth Doctor suddenly appears behind her , stating " I ' m a doctor , but probably not the one you were expecting . " When the Doctor notices that the ship ' s crew is missing and wonders why Cass is still aboard , she explains that she teleport ed the crew off the ship and stayed behind . The Doctor then smiles and welcomes her aboard , and takes her hand as he leads her to the TARDIS . As he is trying to open the doors to the room where the TARDIS is parked , Cass says she joined the crew to see the universe , and wonders if it is always like this . He jokes that it is if she ' s lucky . He finally opens the doors with his sonic screwdriver , revealing the TARDIS , and reassuring Cass that it ' s bigger on the inside . Cass is horrified , correctly identifying the police box to be a TARDIS . With contempt and hurt laced in her voice , Cass recoils from the Doctor and orders him not to touch her . She realises that the Doctor is a Time Lord , a species taking part in the Time War . The Doctor counters that he hasn ' t participated in the conflict and that he ' s one of the nice ones , but this fails to assuage Cass . When he points out that at least he ' s not a Dalek , she bitterly replies that one can hardly tell the difference anymore , and promptly locks herself on the other side of the door . Although the Doctor states that he won ' t leave the ship without her , Cass replies that she doesn ' t mind ; she would rather die than travel with a Time Lord , and that him dying is " the best news I ' ve had all day " . The Doctor helplessly pleads with her while pounding on the door in a desperate terror , until time runs out and the spacecraft smashes into a nearby world with a savage explosion , claiming both their lives . The ship crashes on the planet Karn , where the Sisterhood of Karn have been expecting the Doctor . An elderly woman comments that the man who is destined to save them has at last arrived . She remarks that the Sisterhood always knew in their bones the Doctor would come back to this planet some day , but pities the nature of his arrival – slain before his time . Inside a cave , the Doctor rests against an altar , before he suddenly awakens with a jolt and calls out for Cass . The woman , named Ohila , explains that the sisters are still trying to extract who she believes to be his companion from the wreckage . The Doctor corrects her , explaining that Cass wasn ' t his companion . Regardless , Ohila predicts Cass in all likelihood to be dead . The Doctor questions this , as he points out that he survived . Ohila then explains that the Doctor did , in fact , die in the crash . The Sisterhood restored him to life temporarily with the Elixir of Life after they recovered his body , giving him only four minutes to live . The Doctor sarcastically comments that four minutes is " ages " , stating that he might get bored . Remaining stern , Ohila replies that he should spend the little breath he has left more wisely . The Doctor suddenly realises that he is back on Karn , and recognises the women gathered around him to be the Sisterhood . He mockingly calls them " The Keepers of the Flame of Utter Boredom . " Ohila corrects him with " Eternal Life " and dryly replies that he can mock them if he likes , before explaining that their Elixir can trigger his regeneration and help him fully return from the dead . She also explains that using an Elixir to trigger the regenerative process would allow the Doctor to choose which traits his next incarnation will possess , rather than have it be a random change . Several member of the Sisterhood step then forward , holding different chalices filled with Elixir . The Doctor asks why the Sisterhood would help him , recalling that the Sisterhood were never grateful of past help . Ohila explains that the Time War threatens all reality , and that the Doctor is the only hope left . The Doctor resists the idea of taking any part in the war , claiming that he is comfortable with just trying to help out where he can . Reminding him of why he calls himself " Doctor " , Ohila orders him to attend Cass . Cass ' body is then brought forward , the Doctor scanning her with his sonic screwdriver , and Ohila states that she is beyond even the Sisterhood ' s help . The Doctor , saddened , comments that Cass wanted to explore the universe , and he could have saved her but she wouldn ' t listen to him , but Ohila answers that Cass was wiser than him ; she understood that there could be no running from the Time War , as it will soon rip the entire universe apart if doesn ' t end soon . The Doctor bitterly states he would rather die than take part in the war , prompting Ohila to remind him that " you ' re dead already ; how many more will you let join you ? " She pleads to the Doctor whether he would let the Universe fall . Succumbing to Ohila ' s persuasion , the Doctor concedes that the universe does not need a Doctor any more . He removes a bandoleer from Cass ' body , and tells Ohila to make him a warrior . Ohila offers one of the chalices of Elixir , which she claims to have developed herself . The Doctor takes the chalice , and horribly conflicted about what he is about to do , he bellows at the Sisterhood to get out of the room . As they leave , the Doctor asks if the regeneration will hurt . Ohila simply replies " Yes " , to which the Doctor grimly says " Good . " Now alone , the Doctor raises the chalice and pays tribute to some of his past companions . He then apologises to Cass . Despairingly , he utters his last words , quoted from the book of Luke in the Bible " Physician , heal thyself , " and drinks the Elixir . He drops the empty chalice as the regenerative process begins , and eventually falls to the ground in agony , gasping out his last breaths . Afterwards , Ohila returns to see if the regeneration has been successful . The new Doctor stands , and sympathetically puts his hand to Cass ' s face . He then grabs Cass ' s bandoleer and buckles it across his chest and stares adamantly ahead at the glistening surface of a rock wall , glancing at his new reflection as he declares himself , " Doctor no more . "