Here’s everything you need to know about Doctor Who Season 14 Episode 2, with ‘The Devil’s Chord’ ending explained in full.
The second episode of the latest Doctor Who season takes viewers back in time to one of the most culturally-integral moments of musical history: the creation of the first Beatles album. At least, that’s what the main time-travelling duo want to see.
However, in this episode of Doctor Who Season 14, things don’t quite go to plan. In fact, when the Doctor and Ruby land in 1960s London, they find that music has been erased from the world altogether thanks to a music-snatching villain known as Maestro. Instead of the classics, this version of The Beatles are playing songs about dead dogs and spreading a pretty depressed attitude.
Can The Beatles get their groove back? Will there be music in the world again? Here’s what you need to know about ‘The Devil’s Chord’ ending explained. (Warning: spoilers ahead!)
How does Doctor Who Season 14: ‘The Devil’s Chord’ end?
‘The Devil’s Chord’ ends with a big musical battle between the Doctor, Ruby, and Maestro, which they win when Paul McCartney and John Lennon unite to play the piano together. Oh, and there’s a big musical number, too.
Okay, let’s lay out the much-needed context here: 1965 London exists in a world in which there is no music, because it’s been stolen by Maestro (Jinkx Monsoon), the operatic and dramatic villain who sucks up musical notes from victims. As such, everyone from The Beatles to Cilla Black produces abysmal tracks.
Maestro is particularly keen to get her hands on the Doctor and Ruby Sunday, as Ruby is the only person left in the world with “music in her heart”. Oh, and she wants to erase all music entirely from the galaxy, leaving nothing but the purest music of all — aeolian tones. All this leads up to a big game of cat-and-mouse through London, with the climax taking place in Abbey Road Studios.
The Doctor realizes that Maestro was brought to life long ago, after someone played The Devil’s Chord — a combination of notes also known as “the devil’s interval”. The Doctor figures that if they can find the opposite version of that chord, they can send Maestro back to where she came from. So, they race back to Abbey Road, and the Doctor attempts to discover the chord using John Lennon’s guitar.
Ruby’s mysterious song
However, Ruby gets captured by Maestro’s sentient musical score. She’s suspended into the air in the music room and forced to sing. But something’s wrong — the music deep inside her soul is a Christmas song, and it’s what was playing on the night she was left by her mother as a baby. Maestro is shocked: how could a song have so much power? She can see something the Doctor cannot, and it’s bad.
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Maestro releases Ruby, letting her drop to the floor. The Doctor quickly brings out the piano that resides in Abbey Road Studios (which The Beatles used to play their greatest hits). What follows is a musical battle between the Doctor and Maestro. They duel using music, switching between instruments and trying to outplay each other.
Finally, the Doctor returns to the piano and begins to play out what he believes is the reverse chord. Playing each note at a time (which appear above him as he goes), Maestro begins to struggle — screaming and crying out. But the last note is a dud, and Maestro sends the piano rolling outside and traps them both inside instruments; Ruby in a cello and the Doctor in a drum.
Saved by The Beatles
As they struggle to breathe, a figure wanders into the hallway and sees the piano. It’s… John Lennon! He can see the notes above the piano that the Doctor had previously played, and he goes to play the chord. But it’s only when Paul McCartney appears by his side that they press down on the keys together, playing the magic chord. The Doctor and Ruby are freed, and Maestro is sucked into the piano, screaming.
Her last words are an ominous warning: “The One Who Waits is almost here.”
The Doctor and Ruby run upstairs to the roof where they can hear music being played all over London. Before they celebrate, the Doctor tells Ruby: “There’s always a twist at the end.”
A musical ending
Alas, there is a twist at the end of ‘The Devil’s Chord’, and it’s a musical one. Literally — it’s a full musical number. The Doctor and Ruby dance and sing through Abbey Road Studios with The Beatles, Cilla Black, and a whole crowd of dancers. Watching them is the little boy from the opening scene of the episode, Henry Arbinger (aka: Harbinger), whose music teacher unleashed Maestro in the first place.
Finally, the Doctor and Ruby return to the TARDIS, going over the famous Abbey Road crossing which plays music as they go, à la Tom Hanks in Big.
That’s ‘The Devil’s Chord’! For more, check out our guide to all the best Doctor Who episodes. You can also see when the next Doctor Who Season 14 episode is out, and take a look at our ‘Space Babies’ review.
