The Three Paths (short story): Difference between revisions

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
No edit summary
 
(78 intermediate revisions by 18 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{title dab away}}
{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{TitleShortStory}}
{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Short Story|
|range                  = Short Trips (series)
name=The Three Paths|
|series in range        = Short Trips: Farewells
series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|ST short stories]]|
|series number in range = 16
doctor=[[First Doctor]]|
|number in series      = 14
companions=[[Ben Jackson]]<br />[[Polly Wright]]|
|doctor   = First Doctor
year=[[Gallifrey]], the [[Rassilon Era]]|
|featuring = [[The Hermit]]
writer=[[Ian Potter]]|
|setting  = [[Mount Lung]], [[Gallifrey]]
publication=[[Short Trips: Farewells]]|
|writer   = Ian Potter
prev=The Wickerwork Man (short story)|
|anthology = Short Trips: Farewells
next=}}
|release date = 29 April 2006
|series    = [[Short Trips (series)#In print|''Short Trips'' short stories]]
|prev     = The Wickerwork Man (short story)
|next     = Prologue (ST short story)
}}
'''''The Three Paths''''' was the fourteenth and final short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: Farewells]]''. It was written by [[Ian Potter]]. It featured the [[First Doctor]].


== Summary ==
== Summary ==
''to be added''
Everyone has a purpose and everyone has a meaning to life, but what is [[the Doctor]]'s purpose? Ever since he left his homeworld of [[Gallifrey]], the Doctor has been [[Time travel|drifting through]] [[Time]]. But now, it's time to face what he has become, because today, the Doctor returns home to face his past... and his present... and possibly his future.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
* [[First Doctor]]
* [[First Doctor]]
* [[K'anpo Rimpoche]]
* [[The Hermit]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* [[Steven Taylor|Steven]] didn't take [[HiFi]] when he left the Doctor.
* [[Steven Taylor|Steven]] didn't take [[HiFi]] when he left the Doctor.
* The TARDIS's [[Fault locator]] has broken down.
* [[The Doctor's TARDIS|The TARDIS]]'s [[fault locator]] has broken down.
* The Doctor's ring had a part in his escape from [[Gallifrey]].
* [[The Doctor's signet ring]] had a part in his escape from [[Gallifrey]].
* [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] is mentioned, and she is said to take after her mother.
* [[Susan Foreman|Susan]] is mentioned, and she is said to take after [[Susan Foreman's mother|her mother]].
* K'anpo calls the Doctor 'snail', when he declines being called Theta.
* The Hermit gave the Doctor back his [[Five Hundred Year Diary]].
* Ben and Polly are sleeping in the TARDIS.
* The Doctor's [[House of Lungbarrow|family house]] is located halfway down the mountain, and below that is the [[Time Lord Academy]]. At the base of the mountain is the [[Capitol]].
* The Doctor returns to Gallifrey on the same night in which he departed.
* Lady [[Nine Teeth]] told the young Doctor that the mountain is call Plutarch. She also told him tales of the [[Dark Times]].
* The Doctor expects the [[Celestial Intervention Agency]] to be waiting for him when he arrives on Gallifrey.
* Plants on Gallifrey include [[weanskrike]] and [[tristort]]. Animals include [[tafelshrew]]s and a [[cobblemouse|cobblemice]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* This story contains a short flashback to a previous meeting of the Doctor with his mentor at the age of thirty.
* This story contains a short flashback to a previous meeting of the Doctor with his mentor at the age of thirty.
* At the end of ''[[The Smugglers (TV story)|The Smugglers]]'', the Doctor states that the TARDIS has landed in "the coldest place in the [[world]]." In 1966, this was intended to be [[Antarctica]] to lead into ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]''. ''The Three Paths'' effectively retcons this by having the TARDIS land in several [[snow]]y locations after the events of ''The Smugglers'', this time arriving in the [[mountain]]s on [[Gallifrey]]. As such, it creates more narrative breathing space for stories featuring [[Ben Jackson|Ben]] and [[Polly Wright|Polly]] as [[companion]]s of the First Doctor before [[First Doctor's regeneration|his regeneration]]. Before ''The Three Paths'' was published, ''[[Food for Thought (comic story)|Food for Thought]]'', ''[[Ten Little Aliens (novel)|Ten Little Aliens]]'' and ''[[Five Card Draw (short story)|Five Card Draw]]'' had already depicted further adventures of the First Doctor, Ben and Polly than the [[Doctor Who|TV series]] had originally accommodated for.
* Ben and Polly do not accompany the Doctor in this story; they remain in the TARDIS, [[sleep]]ing.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* [[Robert Zierath|Bobby Zierath]] is remembered by the Doctor. ([[ST]]: ''[[The Schoolboy's Story]]'')
* [[Robert Zierath|Bobby Zierath]] is remembered by the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Schoolboy's Story (short story)|The Schoolboy's Story]]'')
* The Doctor wears his fingerless gloves, worn by him previously in [[BE]]: ''[[Roses]]'' and [[DW]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]''.
* The Hermit mentions "[[Chronotis|a chap I know in Cambridge]]".
* The Doctor is referred to by his Academy nickname, Theta. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor]]'', ''[[The Happiness Patrol]]'')
* The Doctor wears his [[finger]]less gloves. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Roses (short story)|Roses]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'')
* K'anpo gave the Doctor back his [[Five Hundred Year Diary]].
* The Doctor is referred to by his nicknames Theta ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]'', ''[[The Happiness Patrol (TV story)|The Happiness Patrol]]'') and snail. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'')
* The Doctor is initially afraid of regeneration, similar to his [[Tenth Doctor|tenth incarnation]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
* The Doctor is initially afraid of [[regeneration]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Twice Upon a Time (TV story)|Twice Upon a Time]]''), similar to his [[Tenth Doctor|tenth]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') and [[Twelfth Doctor|twelfth]] incarnations. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'', [[Twice Upon a Time (TV story)|Twice Upon a Time]]'')
* The Doctor drew pictures of [[Torvic]] in his diary. ([[BFA]]: ''[[Master (audio story)|Master]]'')
* In his story of the [[Penultimate Evil]], the Hermit mentions the [[Quark]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dominators (TV story)|The Dominators]]'')
 
* The Doctor is given back his diary. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Power of the Daleks (TV story)|The Power of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'' et al) He wrote about riding [[skimmer]]s with a [[Drax|friend]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Divided Loyalties (novel)|Divided Loyalties]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Paradise of Death (audio story)|The Paradise of Death]]'') and drew pictures of [[Torvic]] in his diary. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Master (audio story)|Master]]'')
== Timeline ==
* ''The Three Paths'' occurs after [[BE]]: ''[[The Meeting]]''
* ''The Three Paths'' occurs before [[DW]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet]]''


== External links ==
== External links ==
* [http://www.drwhoguide.com/whotrip19.htm#14 Doctor Who Reference Guide - synopsis for '''The Three Paths''']
* [http://www.drwhoguide.com/whotrip19.htm#14 Doctor Who Reference Guide - synopsis for '''The Three Paths''']
{{prose stub}}
{{ST prose}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:First Doctor short stories|Three Paths]]
[[Category:First Doctor short stories]]
[[Category:Stories set on Gallifrey|Three Paths]]
[[Category:Short stories set on Gallifrey]]
[[Category:Stories released in 2006]]
[[Category:Short Trips: Farewells short stories]]
[[Category:ST short stories]]
[[Category:Time Lord short stories]]

Latest revision as of 18:23, 1 March 2024

RealWorld.png

The Three Paths was the fourteenth and final short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: Farewells. It was written by Ian Potter. It featured the First Doctor.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Everyone has a purpose and everyone has a meaning to life, but what is the Doctor's purpose? Ever since he left his homeworld of Gallifrey, the Doctor has been drifting through Time. But now, it's time to face what he has become, because today, the Doctor returns home to face his past... and his present... and possibly his future.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This story contains a short flashback to a previous meeting of the Doctor with his mentor at the age of thirty.
  • At the end of The Smugglers, the Doctor states that the TARDIS has landed in "the coldest place in the world." In 1966, this was intended to be Antarctica to lead into The Tenth Planet. The Three Paths effectively retcons this by having the TARDIS land in several snowy locations after the events of The Smugglers, this time arriving in the mountains on Gallifrey. As such, it creates more narrative breathing space for stories featuring Ben and Polly as companions of the First Doctor before his regeneration. Before The Three Paths was published, Food for Thought, Ten Little Aliens and Five Card Draw had already depicted further adventures of the First Doctor, Ben and Polly than the TV series had originally accommodated for.
  • Ben and Polly do not accompany the Doctor in this story; they remain in the TARDIS, sleeping.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]