Romana III (The Shadows of Avalon): Difference between revisions

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|origin      = [[Gallifrey]]
|origin      = [[Gallifrey]]
|first      = The Shadows of Avalon (novel)
|first      = The Shadows of Avalon (novel)
|appearances = {{Il|[[PROSE]]: ''[[The Ancestor Cell (novel)|The Ancestor Cell]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)|The Gallifrey Chronicles]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Tomb of Valdemar (novel)|Tomb of Valdemar]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Crimes Against History (short story)|Crimes Against History]]''}}
|appearances = {{Il|[[PROSE]]: ''[[The Ancestor Cell (novel)|The Ancestor Cell]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)|The Gallifrey Chronicles]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Crimes Against History (short story)|Crimes Against History]]''}}
}}
}}
{{romanas}}
{{romanas}}
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Two years before [[the Cataclysm]], she was ceremonially given the title of [[War Queen]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cite source|Crimes Against History (short story)|var=first edition}}) Identifying that [[Compassion]] would be a valuable resource in the War, she dispatched [[Cavis]] and [[Gandar]] to [[Avalon (The Shadows of Avalon)|Avalon]] to capture her. Eventually, however, Romana came to Avalon herself so that she could take possession of the first successful humanoid-sentient [[TARDIS]]. These attempts uniformly failed, as the [[Eighth Doctor]] and [[Fitz]] fled inside Compassion. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}})  
Two years before [[the Cataclysm]], she was ceremonially given the title of [[War Queen]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cite source|Crimes Against History (short story)|var=first edition}}) Identifying that [[Compassion]] would be a valuable resource in the War, she dispatched [[Cavis]] and [[Gandar]] to [[Avalon (The Shadows of Avalon)|Avalon]] to capture her. Eventually, however, Romana came to Avalon herself so that she could take possession of the first successful humanoid-sentient [[TARDIS]]. These attempts uniformly failed, as the [[Eighth Doctor]] and [[Fitz]] fled inside Compassion. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}})  


As [[War in Heaven|the War]] approached, [[the Edifice (The Ancestor Cell)|The Edifice]] appeared in the skies of [[Romana III's Gallifrey]]. The structure created temporal pulses that began washing over the planet, causing civil disorder and mass superstition. In her 150th year as President, she was challenged by former President [[Greyjan the Sane|Greyjan]] in a [[Faction Paradox]] scheme to take over [[Gallifrey]] and re-write its history. The Eighth Doctor destroyed the planet to prevent this. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Ancestor Cell (novel)}}) [[Marnal]] later showed the amnesiac Eighth Doctor these events, where Romana and one of her soldiers, [[Mali]], tried to restore Gallifrey from one of the Nine Gallifreys. They discovered that Faction Paradox had wiped their Nine Gallifreys from history. Romana wept, knowing that her planet was doomed, and she sent [[K-9 Mark II|K-9]] into [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] to kill the Doctor and prevent his future self from destroying Gallifrey. Soon after, Faction Paradox [[skulltrooper]]s closed in on Romana and Mali and fired two shots. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)}})
=== Presumed death ===
 
As [[War in Heaven|the War]] approached, [[the Edifice (The Ancestor Cell)|The Edifice]] appeared in the skies of [[Romana III's Gallifrey]]. The structure created temporal pulses that began washing over the planet, causing civil disorder and mass superstition. In her 150th year as President, she was challenged by former President [[Greyjan the Sane|Greyjan]] in a [[Faction Paradox]] scheme to take over [[Gallifrey]] and re-write its history. The Eighth Doctor destroyed the planet to prevent this. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Ancestor Cell (novel)}}) [[Marnal]] later showed the amnesiac Eighth Doctor these events, where Romana and one of her soldiers, [[Mali]], tried to restore Gallifrey from one of the Nine Gallifreys. They discovered that Faction Paradox had wiped their Nine Gallifreys from history. Romana wept, knowing that her planet was doomed, and she sent [[K-9 Mark II|K-9]] into [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] to kill the Doctor and prevent his future self from destroying Gallifrey. Soon after, Faction Paradox [[skulltrooper]]s closed in on Romana and Mali and fired two shots. The Doctor and Fitz presumed that they were killed. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)}})
=== Death and regeneration ===
According to one account, Romana III survived and lived to be an old woman. She visited [[Ponch]] on a [[planet]] orbiting the last [[sun]] before the universe's [[heat death]], where he lived among the last [[human]]s. She described it as a [[post-War universe|"godless age"]]. She hadn't seen the Doctor in centuries, and she didn't know where he was.
 
Romana disguised her [[TARDIS]] as the inn [[Janua Foris]] so she could tell Ponch about his past life as [[Huvan]] during her earlier incarnation's encounter with [[Valdemar]]. She used a [[psychic]] attack to convince [[Ofrin]] to let her keep telling the story, though she died in the snow before she could finish. Later, Ponch found her in her TARDIS in a [[Romana IV|younger body]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Tomb of Valdemar (novel)|Tomb of Valdemar]]'')


== Personality ==
== Personality ==
Romana III could be manipulative and ruthless, justifying her actions as doing the best for her people, and acting as a servant of history. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Shadows of Avalon (novel)|The Shadows of Avalon]]'') A part of her was guilt about her actions, musing whether corruption was the curse of the Presidency. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Shadows of Avalon (novel)|The Shadows of Avalon]]'')
While initially more idealistic and compassionate, Romana III grew be manipulative and ruthless as her tenure as Head of the Presidency wore on. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}}, {{cs|Crimes Against History (short story)}}) A part of her felt guilty about her more desperate actions, musing whether corruption was simply the curse of the Presidency, but she would justify her actions as doing what was best for her people and in the service of history itself. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}})


== Appearance ==
== Appearance ==
As War Queen, Romana was petite, with black hair and a snub nose. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)|The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'') She had a fringe, fierce green eyes, and a [[tattoo]] of the [[Prydonian Seal]] on her left [[ankle]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Shadows of Avalon (novel)|The Shadows of Avalon]]'')
As War Queen, Romana was petite, with black hair and a snub nose. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)}}) She had a fringe, fierce green eyes, and a [[tattoo]] of the [[Prydonian Seal]] on her left [[ankle]].   ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}})


She typically dressed in a set of scarlet chinoise pyjamas with a high square collar, [[pearl]]s, and oriental clogs. Around her left wrist she wore a set of bangles. Her toenails were often painted in the swirling colours of the [[time vortex]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Shadows of Avalon (novel)|The Shadows of Avalon]]'') On one occasion, Romana wore a long green grown, pearls, and an opal-jewelled headband. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Shadows of Avalon (novel)|The Shadows of Avalon]]'')
She typically dressed in a set of scarlet chinoise pyjamas with a high square collar, [[pearl]]s, and oriental clogs. Around her left wrist she wore a set of bangles. Her toenails were often painted in the swirling colours of the [[time vortex]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}}) On one occasion, Romana wore a long green grown, pearls, and an opal-jewelled headband.   ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Shadows of Avalon (novel)}})


On the day of her [[Reaffirmation Ceremony]], Romana wore a long and beaded beaded black dress with cuffed sleeves, and pointed stiletto heels. On each ear, she wore a tjakelian earring with a chip of pure drublix in the dangling teardrop of precious metal. Around her neck, she wore two ropes of pearls. Her fingernails were long and painted with a glittering finish. During the Ceremony itself, she wore the [[Coronet of Rassilon]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Ancestor Cell (novel)|The Ancestor Cell]]'')
On the day of her [[Reaffirmation Ceremony]], Romana wore a long and beaded beaded black dress with cuffed sleeves, and pointed stiletto heels. On each ear, she wore a tjakelian earring with a chip of pure drublix in the dangling teardrop of precious metal. Around her neck, she wore two ropes of pearls. Her fingernails were long and painted with a glittering finish. During the Ceremony itself, she wore the [[Coronet of Rassilon]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Ancestor Cell (novel)|The Ancestor Cell]]'')


Romana told [[Ponch]] that she had copied her appearance from [[Miranda Pelham]], noting that she'd done it before and would probably do it again and that Miranda was "such a lovely-looking woman". Ponch ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Tomb of Valdemar (novel)|Tomb of Valdemar]]'') and [[Cuthbert Simpson]] both regarded Romana as "beautiful"; ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Banquo Legacy (novel)|The Banquo Legacy]]'') the [[Eighth Doctor]] noted that she looked like [[the Doctor's mother|his mother]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Ancestor Cell (novel)|The Ancestor Cell]]'')
While [[Cuthbert Simpson]] regarded Romana as "beautiful"; ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Banquo Legacy (novel)}}) the [[Eighth Doctor]] noted that she looked like [[the Doctor's mother|his mother]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Ancestor Cell (novel)}})
 
Having survived the War in Heaven into old age, this incarnation's hair had grown a thick chestnut colour, and her skin had developed dark creases from the intense heat. Her movements were hindered by [[arthritis|arthritic pain]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Tomb of Valdemar (novel)|Tomb of Valdemar]]'')


== Behind the scenes ==
== Behind the scenes ==

Latest revision as of 14:11, 5 September 2024

Continuing the Presidential duties of her previous incarnation, the third incarnation of Romana was much “more ruthless and desperate” than her predecessor. (PROSE: Crimes Against History [+]Loading...["Crimes Against History (short story)"]) Taking on titles like the War Queen and Mistress of the Nine Gallifreys, this incarnation found herself willing to do whatever it took to serve history and ensure the longevity of Gallifrey, putting her at odds with the Eighth Doctor. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"])

Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]

Post-regeneration[[edit] | [edit source]]

Within the first decades of her inauguration, Romana II regenerated into her third incarnation. (PROSE: "Modern Times: The Paradox Era" [+]Part of Crimes Against History (second edition), Loading...{"namedpart":"Modern Times: The Paradox Era","var":"second edition","1":"Crimes Against History (short story)"}) This incarnation would become “more ruthless and desperate” than her predecessor and was considerably less friendly toward the Eighth Doctor in particular. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"]; Crimes Against History [+]Loading...["Crimes Against History (short story)"])

In anticipation of the oncoming War, Romana sets about to ensure that her people are prepared for the conflict. She instructed “her people” to put most of their resources into identifying this future menace, and begins research on type 103 TARDIS capsules as a means of developing better weapons in the ships’ systems. (PROSE: "Modern Times: The Paradox Era" [+]Part of Crimes Against History (second edition), Loading...{"namedpart":"Modern Times: The Paradox Era","var":"second edition","1":"Crimes Against History (short story)"}; The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"]) Additionally, at her instruction, eight colony worlds were crypto-formed into “cloneworlds” of Gallifrey. Her implementation of former President Greyjan’s plans resulted in her being dubbed the “Mistress of the Nine Gallifreys”. (The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"]; The Ancestor Cell [+]Loading...["The Ancestor Cell"])

The War Queen of the Nine Gallifreys[[edit] | [edit source]]

According to some accounts, Romana continues to lead Gallifrey as the War in Heaven becomes imminent. (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell [+]Loading...["The Ancestor Cell"]; The Gallifrey Chronicles [+]Loading...["The Gallifrey Chronicles"]) During her 55th year in office, however, other accounts suggest that she had instead retired from the Presidency and another President took her place. These accounts suggest that her Homeworld was merely a sheath echo that believed itself to be the original, and that she had left the original Gallifrey of her own accord to keep up the pretense that it was the real one. (PROSE: "Modern Times: The Paradox Era" [+]Part of Crimes Against History (second edition), Loading...{"namedpart":"Modern Times: The Paradox Era","var":"second edition","1":"Crimes Against History (short story)"}; The Story So Far... [+]Loading...["The Story So Far... (short story)"])

Inspired by brief glimpses into the future, the Lady President sanctioned research into the feasibility of sentient TARDISes. Ultimately, this research was unsuccessful and the Type-101 was quickly concealed while Romana instead focused on the production of Type-90 military vessels and gathering information from the outside universe. (PROSE: Crimes Against History (first edition) [+]Loading...{"var":"first edition","1":"Crimes Against History (short story)"})

Two years before the Cataclysm, she was ceremonially given the title of War Queen. (PROSE: Crimes Against History (first edition) [+]Loading...{"var":"first edition","1":"Crimes Against History (short story)"}) Identifying that Compassion would be a valuable resource in the War, she dispatched Cavis and Gandar to Avalon to capture her. Eventually, however, Romana came to Avalon herself so that she could take possession of the first successful humanoid-sentient TARDIS. These attempts uniformly failed, as the Eighth Doctor and Fitz fled inside Compassion. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"])

Presumed death[[edit] | [edit source]]

As the War approached, The Edifice appeared in the skies of Romana III's Gallifrey. The structure created temporal pulses that began washing over the planet, causing civil disorder and mass superstition. In her 150th year as President, she was challenged by former President Greyjan in a Faction Paradox scheme to take over Gallifrey and re-write its history. The Eighth Doctor destroyed the planet to prevent this. (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell [+]Loading...["The Ancestor Cell (novel)"]) Marnal later showed the amnesiac Eighth Doctor these events, where Romana and one of her soldiers, Mali, tried to restore Gallifrey from one of the Nine Gallifreys. They discovered that Faction Paradox had wiped their Nine Gallifreys from history. Romana wept, knowing that her planet was doomed, and she sent K-9 into the Doctor's TARDIS to kill the Doctor and prevent his future self from destroying Gallifrey. Soon after, Faction Paradox skulltroopers closed in on Romana and Mali and fired two shots. The Doctor and Fitz presumed that they were killed. (PROSE: The Gallifrey Chronicles [+]Loading...["The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)"])

Personality[[edit] | [edit source]]

While initially more idealistic and compassionate, Romana III grew be manipulative and ruthless as her tenure as Head of the Presidency wore on. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"], Crimes Against History [+]Loading...["Crimes Against History (short story)"]) A part of her felt guilty about her more desperate actions, musing whether corruption was simply the curse of the Presidency, but she would justify her actions as doing what was best for her people and in the service of history itself. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"])

Appearance[[edit] | [edit source]]

As War Queen, Romana was petite, with black hair and a snub nose. (PROSE: The Gallifrey Chronicles [+]Loading...["The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)"]) She had a fringe, fierce green eyes, and a tattoo of the Prydonian Seal on her left ankle. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"])

She typically dressed in a set of scarlet chinoise pyjamas with a high square collar, pearls, and oriental clogs. Around her left wrist she wore a set of bangles. Her toenails were often painted in the swirling colours of the time vortex. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"]) On one occasion, Romana wore a long green grown, pearls, and an opal-jewelled headband. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon [+]Loading...["The Shadows of Avalon (novel)"])

On the day of her Reaffirmation Ceremony, Romana wore a long and beaded beaded black dress with cuffed sleeves, and pointed stiletto heels. On each ear, she wore a tjakelian earring with a chip of pure drublix in the dangling teardrop of precious metal. Around her neck, she wore two ropes of pearls. Her fingernails were long and painted with a glittering finish. During the Ceremony itself, she wore the Coronet of Rassilon. (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell)

While Cuthbert Simpson regarded Romana as "beautiful"; (PROSE: The Banquo Legacy [+]Loading...["The Banquo Legacy (novel)"]) the Eighth Doctor noted that she looked like his mother. (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell [+]Loading...["The Ancestor Cell (novel)"])

Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]