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{{Infobox Individual
{{Infobox Individual
|individual name= Light
|image      = Light (Ghost Light).jpg
|alias = The Burning One
|alias       = The Burning One
|image=
|species    = Eternal
|race=
|first cs    = Ghost Light (TV story)
|home planet=
|appearances = [[PROSE]]: {{cs|Light (short story)}}
|home era=
|actor      = John Hallam (actor)
|appearances= [[DW]]: ''[[Ghost Light]]''
}}{{dab page|Light (disambiguation)}}
|actor= [[John Hallam]]
'''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."
}}


'''Light''' was an alien species who traveled through the universe making a catalogue of all life. He had taken [[Nimrod (Ghost Light)|Nimrod]] last of the Neanderthal race as a specimen. [[Redvers Fenn-Cooper]] claimed to have seen a dazzling light while hunting in [[Africa]], he says it had wings and other features similar to that of Light, but it is not proven that this was Light. Light had been asleep for centuries while in his spaceship and while he had, life had been evolving.
== Characteristics ==
[[Josiah Samuel Smith]] was lights survey run under the auspices of another alien on [[Light's ship]], [[Control]]. Josiah changed to mimic the different life on earth and in doing so leaves behind [[Husks]]. Light's form depended on his environment and so when he awakes he was human in appearance but glows with a yellow light.
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.
Light was angry that his catalogue was ruined due to life evolving and so he decided to destroy all organic matter so that it will stop and his catalog will be complete. He killed a maid and took apart a maid in order to see how her body works. He killed Inspector [[Mackenzie]] and turns him into soup and also turned [[Lady Pritchard]] and her daughter [[Gwendoline]] to stone. When the [[Seventh Doctor| The Doctor]] shows Light that he too is evolving and that all life does evolve Light realizes that he is wrong and is dispersed.


In appearance Light was human in figure while on [[Earth]] he had a metal shoulder plates that hold his yellow cloak in place. His hair was golden and his face white. When Light moves golden light surrounds him.
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]].
The Doctor told [[Ace]] that Light travelled at the speed of thought. ([[DW]]: ''[[Ghost Light]]'')


{{season 26 aliens}}
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]]: {{cs|Ghost Light (TV story)}})


[[Category:Mysterious beings]]
== Biography ==
[[Category:Seventh Doctor enemies]]
Light was an [[Eternal]] ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Divided Loyalties (novel)}}) 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]]: {{cs|Light (short story)}}) 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 [[gryphon]]s, [[basilisk]]s, [[dragon]]s, [[bandersnatch]]es, [[slithy tove]]s, 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]]: {{cs|Ghost Light (TV story)}})
 
== Behind the scenes ==
* 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]].
* It was originally intended that when Light emerged from the lift, he would walk straight through the Doctor standing in his path. Unfortunately, this effect proved impossible to achieve on-screen, but was reinstated by [[Marc Platt]] for his [[Ghost Light (novelisation)|novelisation]] of the story. In the finished programme, the Doctor is forced aside — presumably by Light's telekinesis — as the tall, thin angel-like figure passes.
* 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]].
 
{{Eternals}}
{{NameSort}}
[[Category:Energy beings]]
[[Category:Energy beings]]
[[Category:Scholars]]
[[Category:Travellers]]
[[Category:Eternals]]
[[Category:19th century individuals]]
[[Category:Murderers]]
[[Category:Distant past individuals]]
[[Category:Light]]
[[Category:Residents of Perivale]]

Latest revision as of 20:17, 14 November 2024

You may wish to consult Light (disambiguation) for other, similarly-named pages.

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[[edit] | [edit source]]

Light's form depended upon his environment. When he awoke, he "naturalised" in an angelic 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 speed of thought, teleporting 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 Mrs. Pritchard's maids 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 [+]Loading...["Ghost Light (TV story)"])

Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]

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

On prehistoric Earth, initially expecting to find only bacteria, (PROSE: Light [+]Loading...["Light (short story)"]) 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 changing. For unknown reasons Light went into hibernation and the ship remained in what would become Africa. Meanwhile, the Survey got out of control and began adopting 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 Inspector Mackenzie, turning him into primordial soup, which he planned to do to Earth.

After turning Lady Pritchard and her daughter 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 gryphons, basilisks, dragons, bandersnatches, slithy toves, the 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 [+]Loading...["Ghost Light (TV story)"])

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

  • The Doctor's comment that Light travels at the speed of thought is a play on the fact that thought supposedly travels at the speed of light.
  • It was originally intended that when Light emerged from the lift, he would walk straight through the Doctor standing in his path. Unfortunately, this effect proved impossible to achieve on-screen, but was reinstated by Marc Platt for his novelisation of the story. In the finished programme, the Doctor is forced aside — presumably by Light's telekinesis — as the tall, thin angel-like figure passes.
  • 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: Doctor Who: The Scripts - Ghost Light) However, Marc Platt reinstated this scene for the novelisation.
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