Warning: Spoilers ahead for Doctor Who season 15, episode 5, "The Story and the Engine."Doctor Who season 15 cast, after his role as the Fifteenth Doctor was vastly reduced in "Lucky Day." Interestingly, it's the Doctor's past that connects both stories.

The Conrad was lying to Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson) for a huge portion of "Lucky Day," the deception in "The Story and the Engine" is far more fantastical.

"Lucky Day" & "The Story & The Engine" Both Involve People The Doctor Met As Children

Conrad & Omo both have deceptively long histories with the Doctor

The Fifteenth Doctor and Belinda running into Conrad at the beginning of "Lucky Day" is a big part of what sets the story in motion. Conrad was just 8 years old at the time, and the encounter went on to shape his future. Similarly, Sule Rimi's Omo in "The Story and the Engine" also met the Doctor at a young age, and his life changed forever. Of course, the Doctor has been reunited with young characters years into their respective futures before, but the scenario happening twice in such quick succession feels like it has a hidden relevance.

For Omo, all we know is that he met the Fifteenth Doctor before, so it could have been at any point between the end of "The Giggle" and the start of "The Story and the Engine."

The show makes it clear where Fifteen is in his timeline when he lands in 2007 with Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) and speaks with Conrad. It's just after "The Well," but before "The Story and the Engine." When the Doctor speaks to Conrad at the end of "Lucky Day," Fifteen is traveling alone after Ruby's departure, but before meeting Belinda in "The Robot Revolution." For Omo, all we know is that he met the Fifteenth Doctor before, so it could have been at any point between the end of "The Giggle" and the start of "The Story and the Engine."

Conrad & Omo Each Reacted To Their TARDIS Encounters In Very Different Ways

Fifteen made a friend as usual, but also an accidental enemy

The Doctor doesn't always change people's lives for good, even if that's often his intention. At the very least, he probably wants them to remain unchanged by their encounters with him, as long as they are safe when he departs. Humans, however, are unpredictable, and even the most neutral of interactions can lead to very different outcomes. For Omo, he cherished being rescued by the Doctor and chose to share the tale of their meeting with everyone who would listen, hailing the Time Lord as a hero and a friend.

Because no one would initially believe Conrad about what he'd witnessed, he started to think that all extraterrestrial activity was a hoax.

Conrad didn't feel the same way about how the Doctor touched his life. Although he was struck with the same level of wonder as almost every human who first lays eyes on the TARDIS, various factors eventually soured his opinion of the Doctor and alien life in general. Because no one would initially believe Conrad about what he'd witnessed, he started to think that all extraterrestrial activity was a hoax. By the time of "Lucky Day," he's eventually revealed to be the leader of a group of extremist conspiracy theorists called Think Tank, and his damaging ideology causes chaos.

It May Not Be A Coincidence That The Fifteenth Doctor Has Bumped Into 2 Old Friends

Mrs. Flood could be to blame for the Doctor's successive reunions

As I mentioned earlier, this kind of storyline isn't original in Doctor Who. For example, Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor traveled with Amy Pond (Karen Gillan) years after Eleven first encountered his future companion as a young child. That said, Doctor Who's Disney era has placed increasing emphasis on there being a more compelling explanation behind things that seem like mere happenstance. So, season 15 bringing the Doctor face-to-face once more with Conrad and Omo in back-to-back episodes probably means more than it seems.

One of my best theories that could for this phenomenon ties into another the Doctor met "real-world" Doctor Who fans in "Lux," as they knew the Time Lord's life was a string of fictitious adventures. Alternatively, Doctor Who season 15 could be examining the impact of meeting the Doctor for another reason.