The Swords of Kali (comic story)

The Swords of Kali
Doctor:	Twelfth Doctor
Companion(s):	Clara
Main enemy:	Kali, Kaliratha
Main setting:	India, 1825 and 2315
Key crew
Publisher:	Titan Comics
Editor:	Andrew James
Writer:	Robbie Morrison
Cover by:	Brian Williamson (regular), AJ (subscription incentive)
Designer:	Rob Farmer
Artist:	Dave Taylor, Mariano Laclaustra
Colourist:	Luis Guerrero
Letterer:	Richard Starkings, Jimmy Betancourt
Release details
Printed in:	12D 3-5
Release date:	24 December 2014 - 25 February 2015
Cover date:	December 2014 - February 2015
Reprinted in:	[[reprint::Doctor Who Comic #3-5|'Doctor Who Comic #3-5]]
Traded in:	Terrorformer
Format:	Comic - 3 parts
Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor
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The Swords of Kali was the second story of the Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor comic strip series published in 2014.

Summary

In the distant past, the land that would be India played host to a war between ancient aliens, whose cross-temporal battles contributed to the country's rich myths and legends. Kali, oldest and deadliest of these creatures, was thought defeated long, long ago; her body scattered throughout time to prevent her return. But her psychic essence could not be killed... nor her millennia-long quest for vengeance.

Now, in the 23rd Century, she is on the brink of resurrection. And with India at the forefront of human spaceflight, it's not only Earth that falls to her predations if she succeeds – but the whole cosmos!

In a race against time, and across it, the Doctor and Clara must gather secrets, intelligence and allies from across India's past, present and future – if they are to survive... THE SWORDS OF KALI!

Plot

Part one

to be added

Part two

to be added

Part three

to be added

Characters

• Twelfth Doctor
• Clara Oswald
• Kali
• Rani Jhulka
• Tiger Maratha
• Priyanka Maratha
• Leonardo da Vinci
• Fourth Doctor

References

• Tiger Maratha previously met, and briefly travelled with, the Doctor in his fourth incarnation.

Notes

• An image of Danny Pink appears on one panel; to date, it is his only appearance in a Titan comic story.
• Priyanka's sexuality appears to be lesbian/ bisexual as she is holding hands with Rani.
• Clara appears to be borrowing a shirt from Priyanka at the end of the story, as Kali's top was too big for her; immediately after Clara changes back, the Doctor lends her his coat to cover herself. Though it appears Clara kept Kali's trousers until she can get to the TARDIS wardrobe.
• Kali was renamed Okti, and the story therefore renamed "The Swords of Okti", in the UK trade paperback, despite Doctor Who Comic running the story unchanged.

Original print details

to be added

Continuity

• The Doctor calls himself "more Scottish" than his previous incarnations. (TV: Deep Breath)
• Clara references multi-tasking her life, while thinking of Danny Pink. (TV: The Caretaker)
• The Doctor offers Priyanka jelly babies from his cigarette case. (TV: Mummy on the Orient Express)
• The Eleventh Doctor interacted with the Indian Space Agency in the 24th century to save Earth from the Silurian Ark. (TV: Dinosaurs on a Spaceship)
• It is revealed that Clara Oswald was the model for the Mona Lisa. The Fourth Doctor was involved in an affair revolving around the painting (TV: City of Death) and an alien presence at one point took over the painting and caused havoc for Sarah Jane Smith (TV: Mona Lisa's Revenge).
• The Doctor says he taught Harry Houdini everything he knows. In other occasions, he gave credit to Houdini for his escapology know-hows. (PROSE: The Sorcerer's Apprentice et al.)
• The Doctor mentions the Jagaroth. (TV: City of Death)
• Clara tells Priyanka to tell the TARDIS where to fly (TV: Hide) and she subsequently is granted access to the TARDIS' telepathic circuits (TV: Listen).
• Clara, who as Kali grows to Amazonian proportions, remarks that she enjoyed being taller without having to wear huge heels. (TV: Time Heist)