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{{Title_dab_ital}}
{{Dab_page|Mira}}
{{Infobox Individual
{{Infobox Individual
|name= Soothsayer
|alias       =  
|alias=  
|image       = Soothsayer pompei.jpg
|image=Soothsayer_pompei.jpg
|species     = Human
|species=Human
|origin     = [[Earth]]
|origin= [[Earth]]
|death date  = [[24 August]], [[79]] [[AD]], [[Pompeii]]
|only= The Fires of Pompeii
|first cs    = The Fires of Pompeii (TV story)
|actor= Karen Gillan  
|appearances = {{il|[[PROSE]]: {{cs|Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia (reference book)|ed=2011}}|[[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)}}}}
|actor       = Karen Gillan  
}}
}}
This''' Soothsayer''' was a member of the [[Sibylline Sisterhood]] in Pompeii in [[79]] AD. She had eyes painted on the back of her hands - a sign of the cult. She was the first of the Sisterhood to see the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]], or "Blue Box", that had appeared in a prophecy. She had psychic powers from breathing in dust from Vesuvius that was converting her into a [[Pyrovile]], and could see through time because of the rift activity there. It is likely that she died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Fires of Pompeii]]'').
'''Mira the Soothsayer''' ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)}}) was a member of the [[Sibylline Sisterhood]] in Pompeii in [[79]] AD.
 
== Biography ==
=== Early life ===
Mira remembered being an observant child. Her family were often ridiculed for their beliefs. She was five years old when the [[Pyrovile]]s arrived, and saw the sudden change in culture: when the visions of [[augur]]s became accurate, they were suddenly revered. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)}})
 
=== Arrival of the Blue Box ===
Mira had eyes painted on the back of her hands, a sign of the cult. She had psychic powers from breathing in dust from [[Vesuvius]] that was converting her into one of the Pyroviles, and could see through time because of the rift activity there.
 
She was the first of the Sisterhood to see [[The Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]], or "Blue Box", which had appeared in one of their original [[prophecy|prophecies]]. She communed with [[Spurrina]] telepathically to alert the Sisters about the arrival of the Blue Box. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (TV story)}})
 
Mira doubted her Sisters' judgement for the first time when the [[High Priestess (The Fires of Pompeii)|High Priestess]] dismissed the [[Sibylline Oracles]] as outdated, and promised an endless [[empire]] of [[Pompeii]], despite the recent omens, and gained approval from Spurrina. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)}}) She was killed during the [[eruption of Mount Vesuvius]] the following day. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia (reference book)|ed=2011}})
 
== Appearance ==
One account described the Soothsayer's appearance as having a "[[Amy Pond|Pond]]-y air to her". ([[GAME]]: {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (game)}})
 
== Behind the scenes ==
== Behind the scenes ==
* Actress Karen Gillan was later cast as [[Amy Pond]], first companion of the [[Eleventh Doctor]], played by [[Matt Smith]], beginning in [[Series 5 (Doctor Who)|Series 5]]. This is the second most recent example of an actor being cast in an ongoing role in ''Doctor Who'' after making a one-off guest appearance as another character, similar to [[Freema Agyeman]]'s one-off character [[Adeola Oshodi]] before her appearance as the Doctor's companion [[Martha Jones]] and [[Eve Myles]] as the character [[Gwyneth (The Unquiet Dead)|Gwyneth]], before her role on ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]'' as [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen Cooper.]]  
[[File:HistoryHunt.jpg|thumb|Amy Pond, who learnt of the Doctor's involvement in the destruction of Pompeii. ([[GAME]]: {{cs|Amy's History Hunt (video game)|namedpart=Amy's Profile: Pompeii}})]]
* Coincidentally, Karen Gillan earlier played as a Roman soothsayer in her first appearance, and a character that has a penchant for Romans, similar to [[Amy Pond]].
* Karen Gillan was later cast as [[Amy Pond]], first companion of the [[Eleventh Doctor]], beginning in [[Series 5 (Doctor Who 2005)|series 5]]. Coincidentally, Amy had an affinity for Romans. Unlike other guest actors who later played more prominent characters (such as [[Lalla Ward]] or [[Freema Agyeman]]), no attempt was made, either on-screen or in behind-the-scenes interviews, to connect Mira the Soothsayer to Amy. Incidentally, {{cs|Amy's History Hunt (video game)}} establishes that the [[Eleventh Doctor]] had told Amy of the events of ''The Fires of Pompeii''.
* Mira is only named in [[James Moran]]'s {{cs|The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)}}. This was not derived from any information given in the televised version.
* An introduction to ''The Fires of Pompeii'' published in [[TCH 57]] speculated that [[spatial genetic multiplicity]] could explain any in-universe resemblance between Mira and Amy Pond.<ref>[[TCH 57]], p. 106</ref>
 
== Footnotes ==
=== References ===
{{reflist}}
 
{{NameSort}}
{{NameSort}}


<references/>
[[Category:1st century individuals]]
[[Category:1st century individuals]]
[[Category:Humans with psychic powers]]
[[Category:Humans with psychic powers]]
[[Category:Human cult members]]
[[Category:Human cult members]]
[[Category:Humans with unknown names]]
[[Category:Pyrovile hosts]]
[[Category:Pompeii residents]]

Latest revision as of 15:53, 2 October 2024

You may wish to consult Mira for other, similarly-named pages.

Mira the Soothsayer (PROSE: The Fires of Pompeii [+]Loading...["The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)"]) was a member of the Sibylline Sisterhood in Pompeii in 79 AD.

Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]

Early life[[edit] | [edit source]]

Mira remembered being an observant child. Her family were often ridiculed for their beliefs. She was five years old when the Pyroviles arrived, and saw the sudden change in culture: when the visions of augurs became accurate, they were suddenly revered. (PROSE: The Fires of Pompeii [+]Loading...["The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)"])

Arrival of the Blue Box[[edit] | [edit source]]

Mira had eyes painted on the back of her hands, a sign of the cult. She had psychic powers from breathing in dust from Vesuvius that was converting her into one of the Pyroviles, and could see through time because of the rift activity there.

She was the first of the Sisterhood to see the TARDIS, or "Blue Box", which had appeared in one of their original prophecies. She communed with Spurrina telepathically to alert the Sisters about the arrival of the Blue Box. (TV: The Fires of Pompeii [+]Loading...["The Fires of Pompeii (TV story)"])

Mira doubted her Sisters' judgement for the first time when the High Priestess dismissed the Sibylline Oracles as outdated, and promised an endless empire of Pompeii, despite the recent omens, and gained approval from Spurrina. (PROSE: The Fires of Pompeii [+]Loading...["The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)"]) She was killed during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius the following day. (PROSE: Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia [+]Loading...{"ed":"2011","1":"Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia (reference book)"})

Appearance[[edit] | [edit source]]

One account described the Soothsayer's appearance as having a "Pond-y air to her". (GAME: The Fires of Pompeii [+]Loading...["The Fires of Pompeii (game)"])

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

Amy Pond, who learnt of the Doctor's involvement in the destruction of Pompeii. (GAME: "Amy's Profile: Pompeii" [+]Part of Amy's History Hunt, Loading...{"namedpart":"Amy's Profile: Pompeii","1":"Amy's History Hunt (video game)"})
  • Karen Gillan was later cast as Amy Pond, first companion of the Eleventh Doctor, beginning in series 5. Coincidentally, Amy had an affinity for Romans. Unlike other guest actors who later played more prominent characters (such as Lalla Ward or Freema Agyeman), no attempt was made, either on-screen or in behind-the-scenes interviews, to connect Mira the Soothsayer to Amy. Incidentally, Amy's History Hunt [+]Loading...["Amy's History Hunt (video game)"] establishes that the Eleventh Doctor had told Amy of the events of The Fires of Pompeii.
  • Mira is only named in James Moran's The Fires of Pompeii [+]Loading...["The Fires of Pompeii (novelisation)"]. This was not derived from any information given in the televised version.
  • An introduction to The Fires of Pompeii published in TCH 57 speculated that spatial genetic multiplicity could explain any in-universe resemblance between Mira and Amy Pond.[1]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

References[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ TCH 57, p. 106
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