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'''Miniscopes''' were sideshow attractions displaying the lives of intelligent and nonintelligent creatures for the entertainment of others. The creatures on display were actually miniaturised and kept in secure micro-environments within the device itself.
{{First pic|Miniscope.jpg|A [[Cyberman]] in [[Vorg (Carnival of Monsters)|Vorg]]'s miniscope. ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'')}}
'''Miniscopes''' were sideshow attractions which displayed the lives of intelligent and nonintelligent creatures for entertainment. The creatures on display were actually miniaturised and kept in secure micro-environments within the device itself.


==Technology==
== Technology ==
===Appearance===
=== Appearance ===
A Miniscope appeared as a cylindrical plinth topped by a control panel and an audio-visual display resembling a dome turned on its side. ([[DW]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters]]'')
A miniscope was a cylindrical plinth topped by a control panel. It had an audio-visual display like a dome turned on its side. ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'')


===Technology===
=== Workings ===
Within the Miniscope were a number of sealed habitats, often intended to replicate the native time and place of the specimens within it, though in some cases the environment mixed and matched specimens from different times and/or places in order to maximise the habitat's entertainment value.
Within the miniscope were a number of sealed habitats, often intended to replicate the native time and place of the specimens inside, though in some cases the environment mixed and matched specimens from various times and/or places to maximise the habitat's entertainment value.


The specimens were reduced in size by a factor of about 72 and kept this way by a [[compression field]] generated by the Miniscope itself. Specimens extracted from the field resumed their original size.  
The specimens were reduced in size by a factor of about 72 and kept this way by a [[compression field]] generated by the miniscope. Specimens extracted from the field resumed their original size.


Sentient specimens were hypnotically conditioned not to notice any signs that they might have been extracted from their native environment (such as access panels in their habitat) and generally lived through a specific set of events over and over again. (The presence of this artificial [[time loop]] further suggests that the Miniscope was the product of an extremely advanced civilisation.) The behaviour of the specimens could also be modified to a limited degree by the Scope's operator, although the fact that (for example) artificially induced aggression affected intruders in the Miniscope as well as specimens indicates that this was a separate mechanism to the conditioning. This control was only effective for creatures of some intelligence, with creatures such as [[Drashig]]s being too unintelligent to control.
Sentient specimens were hypnotically conditioned not to notice any signs that they might have been extracted from their native environment (such as access panels in their habitat) and generally lived through a specific set of events over and over again. The behaviour of the specimens could also be modified to a limited degree by the scope's operator, although the fact that (for example) artificially induced aggression affected intruders in the miniscope as well as specimens indicates that this was a separate mechanism to the conditioning. This control was only effective for creatures of some intelligence. Creatures like [[Drashig]]s were too unintelligent to control. ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'')


:''The method by which individual scopes were initially populated is not known, though it most likely involved the use of technology analogous to the [[Time Scoop]].''
== History ==
=== Ban on use ===
Before leaving [[Gallifrey]], [[the Doctor's early life|the Doctor]] knew of the miniscopes and was outraged by their cruelty to the specimens. He campaigned to have them banned. Despite the [[non-interference policy]] of the [[Time Lord]]s, he was successful and the miniscopes were henceforth expressly forbidden by [[intergalactic law]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'') This ban, which happened some time before the [[Eternal War]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'') won him great respect in the galactic community. By the reckoning of the wider [[universe]], this occurred before [[1609]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Empire of Glass (novel)|The Empire of Glass]]'')


==History==
Most miniscope operators ceased trading following the ban, but a few continued to run their peepshows, particularly shady individuals of dubious character. ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Goth Opera (novel)|Goth Opera]]'')
:''It is not known if Miniscopes were a unique technology, or independently developed by a number of different civilisations.''


===Ban on use===
Later versions of the miniscope could only store inanimate objects and digital representations. ([[GAME]]: ''[[The Edge of Reality (video game)|The Edge of Reality]]'')
Prior to leaving [[Gallifrey]], [[First Doctor|the Doctor]] learned of the existence of the Miniscopes and was outraged by their cruelty to the specimens held within. He campaigned to have them banned, and despite the [[non-interference policy]] of the [[Time Lord]]s was eventually successful ([[DW]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters]]''). This course of action won him great respect in the galactic community. By the reckoning of the wider [[universe]], this occurred prior to [[1609]]. ([[MA]]: ''[[The Empire of Glass]]'')


Most Miniscope operators ceased trading following the ban, but a few continued to run their peepshows, normally shady individuals of dubious character. ([[DW]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters]]'', [[MA]]: ''[[Goth Opera]]'')
=== Individual miniscopes ===
In his [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]], the Doctor found himself inside the miniscope of the [[Lurman]] showman [[Vorg (Carnival of Monsters)|Vorg]], who was having difficulty in Customs on the [[planet]] [[Inter Minor]]. Vorg's miniscope contained a [[human]] sea vessel, the ''[[SS Bernice]]'', its passengers and crew from [[1926]] [[Earth]], and a [[plesiosaurus]] from the same planet's prehistory. It also contained [[Ogron]]s, [[Cyberman|Cybermen]], [[Drashig]]s ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'') and [[Sontaran]]s. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Peepshow (audio story)|Peepshow]]'') The Doctor extricated himself from the miniscope and returned all the specimens to their original times and places. Vorg claimed his miniscope contained the only humans in captivity. ([[TV]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters (TV story)|Carnival of Monsters]]'')


===Individual Miniscopes===
[[Romana II]] was later stranded in another miniscope by the renegade Time Lord [[Ruath]]. This scope was in the possession of the adventurer [[Sabalom Glitz]] at the time. It also contained a Drashig habitat, suggesting this was a standard or popular feature of many miniscopes. Romana escaped. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Goth Opera (novel)|Goth Opera]]'')
In his [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]], the Doctor found himself within the Miniscope of the [[Lurman]] showman [[Vorg]], who was having difficulty in Customs on the [[planet]] [[Inter Minor]]. Vorg's miniscope contained a [[Human]] sea vessel, the ''[[SS Bernice]]'' and its passengers and crew from [[1926]] [[Earth]], and also a [[plesiosaurus]] from the same planet's prehistory. It also contained [[Ogron]]s, [[Cybermen]], and [[Drashig]]s. The Doctor was ultimately able to extricate himself from the miniscope and returned all the specimens to their original times and places. Vorg claimed his miniscope contained the only Humans in captivity. ([[DW]]: ''[[Carnival of Monsters]]'')


:''The Doctor was aware of the disappearance of the ''Bernice'' despite the fact that he later effectively prevented it from happening - thus creating a [[temporal paradox]]. It may be that the ship never made it back to Earth although there was nothing to suggest this at the time. It is certainly possible that, as a Time Lord, the Doctor could be aware of the existence of multiple timelines, even if natives of Earth were not.''
Sometime after [[2122]], [[Rana Salienti]] outbid [[Eileen (Space Invaders!)|Eileen]] in an [[auction]] and won a storage pod which contained a miniscope. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Space Invaders! (comic story)|Space Invaders!]]'')


[[Romana]] was later stranded in another Miniscope by the renegade Time Lord [[Ruath]]. This Scope was in the possession of the adventurer [[Sabalom Glitz]] at the time. It also contained a Drashig habitat, suggesting this was a standard or popular feature of many Miniscopes. Romana was also able to escape. ([[MA]]: ''[[Goth Opera]]'')
== References ==
Upon encountering the supposedly mythical [[Robin Hood]] and his [[Merry Men]] in [[Sherwood Forest]], the [[Twelfth Doctor]] suggested to [[Clara Oswald]] that they might be inside a miniscope. ([[TV]]: ''[[Robot of Sherwood (TV story)|Robot of Sherwood]]'')
 
A Time Lord [[Boy (Heaven Sent)|author]] mentioned banning the miniscopes as one of the Time Lords' many accomplishments before they surrendered to decadence and stasis. He also noted that such a ban was quite ironic given how similar the miniscopes were to a Time Lord [[stasis cube]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords (novel)|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'')


With a thought printed in his mind with the [[Dalek]]s, Vorg's son Vorgenson created a similar device called the Minimiser. He used it to head a travelling show dedicated to The Doctor, so he could attract [[Eleventh Doctor|the Doctor]] to the show with his monsters, and capture him in the Minimiser. This plan worked, although later Vorgenson learned the truth and the plot was foiled. ([[SP]]: ''[[Doctor Who: The Monsters Are Coming!|The Monsters Are Coming!]]'')
[[Category:Devices]]
[[Category:Devices]]
[[Category:Miniaturisation technology]]
[[Category:Entertainment]]

Latest revision as of 13:08, 20 August 2023

A Cyberman in Vorg's miniscope. (TV: Carnival of Monsters)

Miniscopes were sideshow attractions which displayed the lives of intelligent and nonintelligent creatures for entertainment. The creatures on display were actually miniaturised and kept in secure micro-environments within the device itself.

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Appearance[[edit] | [edit source]]

A miniscope was a cylindrical plinth topped by a control panel. It had an audio-visual display like a dome turned on its side. (TV: Carnival of Monsters)

Workings[[edit] | [edit source]]

Within the miniscope were a number of sealed habitats, often intended to replicate the native time and place of the specimens inside, though in some cases the environment mixed and matched specimens from various times and/or places to maximise the habitat's entertainment value.

The specimens were reduced in size by a factor of about 72 and kept this way by a compression field generated by the miniscope. Specimens extracted from the field resumed their original size.

Sentient specimens were hypnotically conditioned not to notice any signs that they might have been extracted from their native environment (such as access panels in their habitat) and generally lived through a specific set of events over and over again. The behaviour of the specimens could also be modified to a limited degree by the scope's operator, although the fact that (for example) artificially induced aggression affected intruders in the miniscope as well as specimens indicates that this was a separate mechanism to the conditioning. This control was only effective for creatures of some intelligence. Creatures like Drashigs were too unintelligent to control. (TV: Carnival of Monsters)

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

Ban on use[[edit] | [edit source]]

Before leaving Gallifrey, the Doctor knew of the miniscopes and was outraged by their cruelty to the specimens. He campaigned to have them banned. Despite the non-interference policy of the Time Lords, he was successful and the miniscopes were henceforth expressly forbidden by intergalactic law. (TV: Carnival of Monsters) This ban, which happened some time before the Eternal War, (PROSE: A Brief History of Time Lords) won him great respect in the galactic community. By the reckoning of the wider universe, this occurred before 1609. (PROSE: The Empire of Glass)

Most miniscope operators ceased trading following the ban, but a few continued to run their peepshows, particularly shady individuals of dubious character. (TV: Carnival of Monsters, PROSE: Goth Opera)

Later versions of the miniscope could only store inanimate objects and digital representations. (GAME: The Edge of Reality)

Individual miniscopes[[edit] | [edit source]]

In his third incarnation, the Doctor found himself inside the miniscope of the Lurman showman Vorg, who was having difficulty in Customs on the planet Inter Minor. Vorg's miniscope contained a human sea vessel, the SS Bernice, its passengers and crew from 1926 Earth, and a plesiosaurus from the same planet's prehistory. It also contained Ogrons, Cybermen, Drashigs (TV: Carnival of Monsters) and Sontarans. (AUDIO: Peepshow) The Doctor extricated himself from the miniscope and returned all the specimens to their original times and places. Vorg claimed his miniscope contained the only humans in captivity. (TV: Carnival of Monsters)

Romana II was later stranded in another miniscope by the renegade Time Lord Ruath. This scope was in the possession of the adventurer Sabalom Glitz at the time. It also contained a Drashig habitat, suggesting this was a standard or popular feature of many miniscopes. Romana escaped. (PROSE: Goth Opera)

Sometime after 2122, Rana Salienti outbid Eileen in an auction and won a storage pod which contained a miniscope. (COMIC: Space Invaders!)

References[[edit] | [edit source]]

Upon encountering the supposedly mythical Robin Hood and his Merry Men in Sherwood Forest, the Twelfth Doctor suggested to Clara Oswald that they might be inside a miniscope. (TV: Robot of Sherwood)

A Time Lord author mentioned banning the miniscopes as one of the Time Lords' many accomplishments before they surrendered to decadence and stasis. He also noted that such a ban was quite ironic given how similar the miniscopes were to a Time Lord stasis cube. (PROSE: A Brief History of Time Lords)

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