Although we may be only five episodes in, season 15 of Doctor Who has been one of the most compelling yet. So far, this season has given Whovians a new member of the Pantheon, more theories about the enigmatic Mrs. Flood, and even a callback to the mysterious Timeless Child plot. With only a few episodes left until the finale, we are counting down the weeks until these answers are finally revealed.

The most recent episode of Doctor Who might be the best of season 15 so far, as the Doctor and Belinda make a pit stop in Lagos, Nigeria in “The Story & the Engine.” Not only were fans treated to a bit of Nigerian culture, but also to its long-celebrated history of rich storytelling. The episode introduces a new villain, the Barber, and features a surprise cameo that caused speculation of possible new Doctor Who spinoff. Yet as much as I loved "The Story & the Engine," there was one moment in the episode that didn't sit right.

The Fifteenth Doctor Was Harsh About Omo's Betrayal In Season 15, Episode 5

His Anger Was Understandable, But Blaming Omo Was Unfair

When the Doctor arrives in the barbershop, his friend Omo is clearly glad to see him and invites him inside. He doesn’t warn the Doctor of the danger they are in, and the Doctor doesn’t realize that it’s a trap until he sits in the Barber’s chair. After his story fully recharges the ship’s engine, the Doctor feels betrayed by Omo and lashes out at him. Omo defends himself by saying he was only trying to get the other hostages home to their families, but the Doctor retaliates, saying, “And because I have no home, I’m what? I’m expendable?”

The Doctor then tries to leave the shop, but Omo and the others explain that it isn’t that easy. When Omo tries to stop him, the Doctor claps back: “Do not talk to me ever again. I trusted you with both of my hearts, with everything that I am. How could you?”

While I understand that the Doctor felt hurt by Omo’s actions, I think that his accusation is very unfair. Should Omo have told the Doctor what was happening right away? Probably - but his caution was understandable, as he was trying to keep the hostages safe. Besides, the Doctor walked into the shop of his own accord, and even if Omo had warned him to stay away, he probably wouldn't have listened.

Seeing the Doctor walking into the shop must have been a huge relief for Omo, who knows that the Doctor helps people, and is far more capable of dealing with dangerous circumstances than anyone else. By offering up the Doctor and his stories to the Barber, he was only trying to buy more time to help the others, and likely believed that the Doctor would come up with a plan.

Omo Was Only Doing What The Doctor Himself Usually Does

The Doctor Has Often Traded Himself For Other Hostages

The Doctor’s angry reaction to Omo was not only overly harsh, it also goes against what we know of the character. In any other situation, the Doctor has been quick to offer himself in exchange for the safety of others. One example is season 7’s “The Rings of Akhaten,” when the Eleventh Doctor saved the life of a little girl by offering his memories to a parasitic entity to feed from. In nearly every regeneration of the Doctor, there has been a moment when they were willing to sacrifice themselves for others.

Even more recently, the Fifteenth Doctor proved his willingness to trade himself for another in season 15, episode 1, “The Robot Revolution.” When Belinda Chandra is brought before the Great AI Generator, the Doctor tries to convince it to weld with him instead of her, insisting that he is more powerful and will survive the process where Belinda would not. Why, then, would he not willingly trade his life for the lives of the hostages in “The Story & the Engine,” when he has infinite stories to tell?

The Fifteenth Doctor's Reaction Shows How Important Omo's Palace Had Become To Him

Omo's Palace Was Like A Second Home For Him

While the Fifteenth Doctor’s angry response to Omo may not have been justified, it does stand to reason that he would be upset by the situation he finds himself in. As the Doctor points out to Belinda while still on the TARDIS, his new regeneration as a black man gives him limited places where he can feel safe. Omo’s Palace is a haven for him - a place where he can bond with other black people and find a sense of connection and community.

When the Doctor walked into Omo’s Palace, he never suspected the danger, and so he let his guard down. As he goes off on Omo, he says, “I love this shop. I loved you, Omo. I thought it was a home for me. I was safe.” His words hit Omo hard, and understandably so. And yet, the Doctor's lashing out at Omo was actually misplaced anger that he should have directed at the Barber, who was really the one responsible for turning a safe space into something horrifying.

Omo Was Right - The Doctor Figured Out A Way To Escape That The Others Couldn't

The Doctor Proved Omo's Instincts Right When He Saved Them All

While the Fifteenth Doctor may have felt betrayed by Omo, Omo was only proven right about allowing the Doctor into the barbershop when he inevitably saved the day. With the help of Abby, the Doctor and Belinda find the story engine and open it to reveal the ship’s heart. When the Barber arrives to stop them, the Doctor feeds his essence into the engine, showing the Barber how he is able to regenerate infinitely, thus creating a never-ending story to overpower the engine.

The situation is ironic, considering that the Doctor was angry at Omo for doing exactly what he eventually did on his own anyway.

Realizing that the engine will explode and kill them all with that much power, the Barber pleads with the Doctor to stop it, insisting that he is a protector, not a killer. The Doctor, however, points out that he is saving the rest of the world by allowing the engine to explode and kill them all - unless the Barber lets them all out. He finally agrees, and the group escapes just in time as the giant spider and the Nexus are destroyed.

The situation is ironic, considering that the Doctor was angry at Omo for doing exactly what he eventually did on his own anyway, which was to willingly sacrifice himself (along with everyone else in Omo’s Palace) to save humanity. I would almost go as far as calling the Fifteenth Doctor a hypocrite in that Doctor Who moment, but just as the Doctor later forgives Omo and the Barber, I suppose I can forgive him as well.