Light (Ghost Light): Difference between revisions

|alias       = The Burning One

|species     = Eternal

|first      = Ghost Light (TV story)

|appearances = [[PROSE]]: ''[[Light (short story)|Light]]''

|actor       = John Hallam (actor)

}}{{dab page|Light (disambiguation)}}

'''Light''' was a traveller who journeyed through the [[universe]] making a ''[[Catalogue of Life]]'', described by the [[Seventh Doctor]] as an "evil older than [[Time]] itself."

== Characteristics ==

Light's form depended upon his environment. When he awoke, he "naturalised" in an [[angel]]ic [[human]] form, majestic and imposing, glowing with a [[yellow]] light and wearing a yellow robe.

In [[1883]], the [[Seventh Doctor]] told [[Ace]] that he moved at the {{w|Nerve conduction velocity|speed of thought}}, [[teleport]]ing in a flash of [[lightning]] and [[thunder]]. Additionally, he possessed [[telekinesis]]; and could [[telepathically]] kill someone, causing them to glow blue with [[electricity]] — and promptly did so to one of [[Pritchard (Ghost Light)|Mrs. Pritchard]]'s [[maid]]s who raised a [[gun]] towards him. He could also highlight microscopic organisms and dismember, petrify, and convert humans into [[primordial soup]].

His angelic appearance wildly contrasted with his bewildered, frustrated behaviour, doddering speech pattern and screeching timbre. Depending on his mood, he could speak in a timid warble or an angered snarl. Light had an all-consuming detestation of change, even finding the idea of himself changing to be nonsense. ([[TV]]: ''[[Ghost Light (TV story)|Ghost Light]]'')

Light was an [[Eternal]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties (novel)|Divided Loyalties]]'') who travelled the universe, taking it upon himself to catalogue all organic life. Assisting him in his [[Catalogue of Life]] was the [[Josiah Samuel Smith|Survey]] kept under [[Control (Ghost Light)|Control]], and all three travelled in [[Light's ship]].

On [[Distant past|prehistoric]] [[Earth]], initially expecting to find only bacteria, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Light (short story)|Light]]'') he faithfully catalogued all life, including taking the [[Neanderthal]] [[Nimrod]] as a specimen, having been worshipped by Neanderthals as "the Burning One." But no sooner had he finished cataloguing life on Earth than it all started [[evolution|changing]]. For unknown reasons Light went into [[suspended animation|hibernation]] and the ship remained in what would become [[Africa]]. Meanwhile, the Survey got out of control and began adopting [[Husk|different forms of dominant life]], but remained fearful of Light's return.

While hunting in Africa, [[Redvers Fenn-Cooper]] claimed to have seen a dazzling light, noting that it had wings and other features. Afterwards, the ship was moved below [[Gabriel Chase]] in [[Perivale]]. Survey became "[[Josiah Samuel Smith]]" and ran the house, keeping Control locked in the ship.

After the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Ace]] arrived, Ace accidentally awoke Light and the Doctor "promised" Control her "freeness". Asleep for millennia, Light didn't believe he was on Earth because it was different. To determine this, he killed a maid and took her apart to see how she worked. He became angry that even microbes were evolving; everything on Earth had changed and his Catalogue was ruined. He then killed [[Alfred Mackenzie|Inspector Mackenzie]], turning him into [[primordial soup]], which he planned to do to Earth.

After turning Lady [[Pritchard (Ghost Light)|Pritchard]] and her daughter [[Gwendoline Pritchard|Gwendoline]] to stone, he decided Earth's fate. Since the primordial soup would start to evolve again, he would stop the change, eradicating all organic life in the "firestorm program." The [[Seventh Doctor]] showed Light that he himself was evolving since he was no longer his original shape. He asked Light why his Catalogue didn't include {{w|gryphons}}, {{w|basilisks}}, {{w|dragons}}, {{w|bandersnatch}}es, {{w|slithy toves}}, the [[Victoria|crowned Saxe-Coburg]] and other creatures Light didn't know. Confused as to why these weren't in his Catalogue, Light refused to accept that even he had evolved. To prevent himself from changing, Light dispersed himself. ([[TV]]: ''[[Ghost Light (TV story)|Ghost Light]]'')

* The Doctor's comment that Light travels at the {{w|Nerve conduction velocity|speed of thought}} is a play on the fact that [[thought]] supposedly travels at the [[speed of light]].

* A scene set in Gabriel Chase's upper observatory featuring Josiah, Nimrod and Light was rehearsed for ''Ghost Light'' part three, but was cut from the script and never actually recorded. This featured Nimrod informing Josiah that he wishes to resign his position as butler; after Josiah storms off angrily, Light appears and tells Nimrod "I think we shall be late for dinner." ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Ghost Light (script)|Doctor Who: The Scripts - Ghost Light]]'') However, [[Marc Platt]] reinstated this scene for the [[Ghost Light (novelisation)|novelisation]].