Revolutions of Terror (comic story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story
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|name              = Revolutions of Terror
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image            = Revolutions of Terror.jpg
|image            = Revolutions of Terror Gabby monsters.jpg
|doctor            = Tenth Doctor
|doctor            = Tenth Doctor
|companions        = [[Gabby Gonzalez|Gabby]]
|companions        = [[Gabby Gonzalez|Gabby]]
|enemy            = The [[Cerebravore]]s  
|featuring        = Cindy Wu
|year              = [[Brooklyn]], [[New York City]], [[30 October|30]]-[[31 October]], [[21st century]]
|featuring2        = Trinity Wells
|writer            = [[Nick Abadzis]]
|enemy            = [[Cerebravore]]s  
|year              = [[New York City]] and [[Planet (Revolutions of Terror)|planet]] of [[Fleshkind (Revolutions of Terror)|Fleshkind]], [[30 October|30]]-[[31 October]], [[21st century]]
|writer            = Nick Abadzis
|editor            = [[Andrew James]]
|editor            = [[Andrew James]]
|penciller        =  
|penciller        =  
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|cover inker      =
|cover inker      =
|cover colourist  =
|cover colourist  =
|publication      = ''[[Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor]]'' #1-3
|publication      = [[10D]] [[10D 1|1]]-[[10D 3|3]]
|anthology        =
|anthology        =
|reprint          =
|reprint          = DWCT 1
|traded            =
|reprint2          = DWCT 2
|release date      = [[23 July (releases)|23 July]] - [[8 October (releases)|8 October]] [[2014 (releases)|2014]]
|reprint3          = DWCT 3
|cover date        = [[August (releases)|August]] - [[October (releases)|October]] [[2014 (releases)|2014]]
|traded            = ''[[Revolutions of Terror (graphic novel)|Revolutions of Terror]]''
|release date      = 23 July - 24 September 2014
|cover date        = August - November 2014
|publisher        = Titan Comics
|publisher        = Titan Comics
|format            = Comic
|format            = Comic, 3 parts
|series            = ''[[Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor]]''
|series            = ''[[Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor]]''
|prev              = none
|next              = The Arts in Space (comic story)
|next              = The Arts in Space (comic story)
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|series2          =  
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}}'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the three-part premiere story of ''[[Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor]]'' comic strip series published in [[2014]]. It introduced the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s new companion, [[Gabby Gonzalez|Gabriella "Gabby" Gonzalez]].
|trailer          = Doctor Who The Tenth Doctor Vol. 1 Revolutions of Terror - Comic Book Series - Doctor Who
}}'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the three-part premiere story of ''[[Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor]]'' comic book series published in [[2014 (releases)|2014]]. It introduced the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s new companion, [[Gabby Gonzalez|Gabriella "Gabby" Gonzalez]], as well as her friend [[Cindy Wu]], who would become a companion later.


== Summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
Gabriella Gonzalez is stuck in a dead-end job in her family's New York Laundromat, dreaming of college and bigger, better and brighter things.
[[Gabby Gonzalez|Gabriella Gonzalez]] is stuck in a dead-end job in her family's [[New York City|New York]] [[Laundromat (Revolutions of Terror)|Laundromat]], dreaming of college and bigger, better and brighter things.


So when a strange man with an even stranger big blue box barges into her life on the eve of the Day of the Dead celebrations - talking about an infestation of psychic aliens - she seizes her chance for adventure with both hands.
So when a [[Tenth Doctor|strange man]] with an even stranger [[The Doctor's TARDIS|big blue box]] barges into her life on the eve of the [[Day of the Dead]] celebrations - talking about an infestation of [[Cerebravore|psychic aliens]] - she seizes her chance for adventure with both hands.


After [[Donna Noble|Donna]]'s tragic exit, the Doctor thought he was done with new companions. But Gabby Gonzalez is going to prove him wrong... if she survives the night!
After [[Donna Noble|Donna]]'s tragic exit, the Doctor thought he was done with new companions. But Gabby Gonzalez is going to prove him wrong... if she survives the night!
Line 49: Line 52:
== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
=== Part one ===
The day before [[Halloween]], and the annual [[Day of the Dead]] celebration by Mexicans, Gabby is working at her father's laundromat together with her friend, Cindy, when the tumble dryers go haywire. Gabby sees a sort of monster-like shadow coming out of the machines, but they evaporate before her eyes.
The day before [[Halloween]], and the eve of [[Day of the Dead]] celebration by Mexicans, [[Gabby Gonzalez|Gabby]] is working late at the [[Laundromat (Revolutions of Terror)|laundromat]] of her father, [[Miguel Gonzalez]]. Her friend [[Cindy Wu|Cindy]] is visiting her, when the washing machines simultaneously go into the spin cycle and the wet laundry explodes onto the floor. Gabby sees a sort of a monster-like shadow coming out of the machines, but it evaporates just as [[Hector (Revolutions of Terror)|Hector]] walks in stunned by the sight of wet clothes and water everywhere.


Later that day, while Gabby is having an argument with her parents in the kitchen of their restaurant, "[[The Castillo Mexicano]]", the Doctor orders some food from her sister. Before he can eat it, he dashes out of the restaurant after receiving a signal on a device of his. Shortly afterwards, Gabby's grandmother claims to have seen her deceased husband's soul writing in agony in a photograph of him. Her future brother-in-law, Hector, also sees a monster.
Later that day, while Gabby is having an argument with her family and Hector, her sister's [[fiancé]], in the kitchen of their restaurant, "[[The Castillo Mexicano]]". At the same time, the [[Tenth Doctor|Doctor]] orders some food from her sister [[Blanca Gonzalez|Blanca]]. Before he can eat it, he dashes out of the restaurant after receiving a signal on a device of his. Shortly afterwards, Gabby's maternal grandmother, [[Fernanda (Revolutions of Terror)|Fernanda]] claims to have seen the soul of her deceased husband [[Juan (Revolutions of Terror)|Juan]] writhing in agony in a photograph of him. Hector also sees it for a moment and later, in the laundromat, is accosted by a monstrous figure he describes as "the [[Satan|Devil]]".


In the city, while following the signal, the Doctor sees a baby change into a horrific creature, before abruptly reverting to normal when the Doctor's device registers a signal coming from it.
In the city, while following the signal, the Doctor sees people running away screaming in horror for no apparent reason. He sees a baby named [[Carlos (Revolutions of Terror)|Carlos]] become suddenly disfigured in front of his [[Carlos' mother|mother]] and her friends, before abruptly reverting to normal when the Doctor's device registers a strong signal. The Doctor advises the mother to lock herself and the baby in their apartment for several days.


When taking the subway back from accounting class the same evening, a monstrous creature overtakes the subway, and Gabby runs into the Doctor, who takes her hand and pulls out his [[sonic screwdriver]].
As the Gonzalez family watches a [[NY1 journalist|journalist]] take an interview with the local councillor [[Ricardo Mendoza]] on [[NY1]] news, the man himself walks into their restaurant and implores them to attend the celebration of the eve of [[Day of the Dead]] tomorrow at the [[Green-Wood Cemetery]]. He is worried of the low attendance of the first event celebrating Mexican culture, which he worked so hard to organise.
 
Having found Hector, back from the laundromat and cowering in the corner in horror, Gabby's father, Miguel Gonzalez goes to check if Hector locked the doors while Gabby takes the [[R train|subway]] to her night accountancy class taught by an extremely boring [[Lecturer (Revolutions of Terror)|lecturer]].
 
When taking the subway back from the class near midnight, she hears an ominous announcement. Other passengers run past her screaming, and a monstrous creature walks into the car. It sees Gabby and turns into a horror version of her. Now Gabby is running herself and shouts to attract attention of a seemingly oblivious passenger reading a newspaper. It is the Doctor, who takes her hand and pulls out his [[the Doctor's sonic screwdriver|sonic screwdriver]].


=== Part two ===
=== Part two ===
The sonic has no effect on the monster (a horrific manifestation of Gabby), and as the train approaches the platform they run and leap off onto the station. It uses a psychic field to create the illusion of no escape, however by not looking at the monster and reflecting its face onto itself, she shortens out the psychic field. Gabby is intrigued by who the Doctor is, however he leaves for his TARDIS, telling her to forget about him.
The sonic has no effect on the monster, and as the train approaches a station, the Doctor and Gabby run along the train until they reach its end. Another passenger is already standing there. As the monster approaches, the passenger jumps off the train to his death despite the Doctor's pleading. The Doctor locks the outer door of the [[3 train]] with the sonic screwdriver right in front of the monster's face, asks Gabby's name and tells her to jump onto the platform not waiting for the train to stop completely. The monster follows them onto the platform when the regular doors open and chases them up the stairs to the turnstile exit from the station. The turnstile is jammed, and the emergency exit is nowhere to be seen. As the Doctor busies himself with his device and the sonic screwdriver, instructing Gabby not to look at the monster, she pulls out a mirror and shows the monster its own reflection. This shorts out the [[psychic field]]. The monster turns back into the [[Train guard (Revolutions of Terror)|train guard]], who falls down unconscious but breathing. In addition, the turnstile is not jammed anymore and the emergency exist is clearly visible. The Doctor explains that a [[perception filter|perceptual filter]] prevented them from seeing it before. They leave the 45th Street station before an [[MTA employee (Revolutions of Terror)|MTA employee]] can question them. Gabby is intrigued by who the Doctor is, however he leaves for his [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] parked in Sunset Park, telling her to lock herself at home for a couple of days and to forget about him.
 
The next day, on Halloween, Gabby is sent to the laundromat to cover the shift of Hector, who is still reeling from his encounter with the Devil. The streets are eerily empty. On her way to the laundromat, she passes by the TARDIS, tries to knock on the door but gets no answer. She finds the laundromat unlocked, picks up a baseball bat, and tries to find the intruders. The Doctor emerges from the backroom wearing some strange headgear. Not recognising him, Gabby whacks him on the head, damaging the headgear. Apologetic, she still confronts him for breaking in thinking he is a policeman because of the signs on the TARDIS. As he heads to the TARDIS to get replacement parts for the damaged headgear, she follows and, feeling he knows more than he says, Gabby continues her inquires until he admits that he works alone, has nothing to do with the police and introduces himself as the Doctor. In the park, he passes Gabby the headgear with still working ocular circuit, and she sees non-corporeal [[psi-form]] natives of Earth who evolved alongside humans, exist in a [[Psychosphere (psychic layer)|psychosphere]] surrounding Earth and feed off human empathy. The Doctor calls them [[Pranavore]]s. Then she sees other lizard-like shapes attacking Pranavores. The Doctor dashes to the TARDIS to get a replacement psychic comms booster for the headgear instead of the one broken by Gabby. When he returns, he challenges these interlopers, the [[Cerebravore]]s, by the articles of the [[Shadow Proclamation]]. The defiant Cerebravores say that they have already consumed the [[Fleshkind (Revolutions of Terror)|Fleshkind]] from their own [[Planet (Revolutions of Terror)|planet]] who tried to interfere with their silent hunt, that Earth is now their second hunting grounds and that all flesh beings and all psi-forms are their prey. Then they use worst fears of a group of park workers to take over their bodies and use them as hosts, just like they did earlier with the train guard in the subway. Outnumbered, Gabby and the Doctor run and hide behind the bushes until the monstrous shapes pass. The Doctor deduces that Cerebravores first use a person's fear against the person to get control over the body, and then project fears of others onto this body, simultaneously depleting the host's body of energy due to extreme physical stress. Gabby and Doctor think that the alien Cerebravores can easily push out the native Pranavores and then devastate the whole planet.


On Halloween, Gabby avoids her work shift and goes exploring, knocks on the TARDIS in the park but backs out. She finds the laundromat is unlocked, and raises a baseball bat. The Doctor emerges from the backroom wearing a headset, as she whacks him on the head. Gabby asks more questions, and he says that he is the Doctor. In the park, he passes Gabby the headset to see the Pragnavores, a non-corporeal alien that exists in a interdimensional psychosphere  surrounding the earth at various faults and feeds off human empathy. The Cerebravores attack the Pragnavores, and the Doctor takes back the headset and grabs a microphone to confront the Pragnavores, telling them the planet is protected under the [[Shadow Proclamation]].  
While the Doctor ponders how these intruders came to Earth, Gabby provides him with an answer: she witnessed their arrival two nights ago in her father's laundromat. Finally, the Doctor understands how they used the synchronised rotary motion of washing machines as an entry point for their interdimensional bridge enter and to cloak their entrance . The problem is that the bridge is still operational from the other side, and any rotation here on Earth can potentially be used as an entry point.


The Pragnavores manifest themselves within a group of city workers, turning them into their worst fears. Gabby theorises that they came through the washing machines, so they head to the laundromat. Suddenly, a Cerebravore attacks Gabby's mind, and she and the Doctor flee from monsters into the laudromat. The Doctor realises that the kinetic movement of the washing machine creates a bridge into their world, and if they increased their power, they would be able to invade the earth from multiple points. The Doctor travels through the portal, only to find murdered Fleshkind hosts of the Cerebravores. Whilst Gabby barricades herself from a possessed version of her friend Cindy, a Cerebravore wraps its tongue around the Doctor.
To prevent a full-scale invasion, the Doctor and Gabby run back to the laundromat through the empty streets. Suddenly, Gabby becomes depressed. Putting the headgear on, the Doctor sees a huge Cerebravore shape behind her. Gabby manages to fight the attack off by holding on to her fears as her own, but a whole mob of Cerebravore hosts arrives, and she and the Doctor have to flee into the laudromat. The Doctor opens the door with his sonic screwdriver, and they manage to pull down the steel security screen locking the monstrous mob outside just in time. The Doctor decides to travel through the portal to close the bridge from the other end and asks Gabby to keep the washing machines spinning long enough for him to return, leaving her the headgear to protect her from further telepathic attacks. In return, remembering her trick in the subway, he takes her mirror with him. On the other side of the bridge he finds only devastation and a lot of Fleshkind, completely consumed by Cerbravores. Whilst Gabby, distracted by a possessed version of her friend Cindy, suddenly remembers that the back door needs to be locked too, a Cerebravore wraps its tongue around the Doctor's arm holding the screwdriver.


=== Part three ===
=== Part three ===
The Cerebravore searches through the Doctor's memories, however he is able to defeat the Cerebravore using his sonic screwdriver, freeing a Fleshkind. She was forced to weaponise the Cerebravore, removing their benignity and hive mind and turning them into telepathic hunters - who in turn destroyed her own world.
Gabby locks the back door using all the locks, chains and stick she can find and barricades it with heavy furniture. Just in time as heavy blows make dents in the metal doors.
 
As the Cerebravore explores the horrors from his memories, the Doctor waits till it gets close enough and then activates his sonic and the psychic comms booster, freeing [[Scientist (Revolutions of Terror)|a Fleshkind]] possessed by the Cerebravore.


On Earth, Gabby's family is wondering where she is; she is faced by telepathic projections in the laundromat. Singing, she enters her wallet into the washing machine to extend the portal. The Doctor falls through the portal, narrowly avoiding a Cerebravore. Passing the headset to the Doctor, they run from the laundromat roof back to the TARDIS. In the TARDIS, Gabby asks the Doctor if he is an alien. The Doctor makes adjustments to the headset to use it as an Empathetic Field Amplifier. Trinity Wells warns New York residents to avoid the Brooklyn area, particularly Sunset Park, with public transport and communications shut-off. The Doctor tells Gabby she needs to keep singing.  
She is surprised to see an offworlder and tries to warns him to run while he still can. She says that Cerebravores were designed to be unstoppable, to be telepathic weapons. She foresaw the dangers but her superiors did not listen. Under their guidance, a peaceful telepathic species was weaponised, the connection to their hive mind, to their conscience, to any higher sense of self was severed. As a result, they became hunters and even a small group of Cerebravores was sufficient to kill a whole world.


Evading Cerebravores, they are able to locate her family celebrating the Day of the Dead ceremony in the cemetery. She introduces the Doctor to her family, but the festivities are soon interrupted by the approaching Cerebravores. Creating an orchestra of song, the Cerebravores are contained within the cemetery and by punching the button on the Empathetic Field Amplifier, it  amplifies the song, destroying the laundromat and removing the spirits of the Cerebravores across the city. Gabby is scared to face up to her father, however he is proud of her and tells her to follow her dreams. The Doctor speculates that the Pragnavores may have made him kinder. Having accepted a meal with the family, Gabby has worked out that the TARDIS can travel through space and wants to travel with him, seeing him as a better teacher than any college. However, the Doctor is wary as "friends of mine have been hurt" recently and they agree to part ways, telling her to have a "brilliant life" and to "keep singing". However, when she says a saying of her grandmother's, [[The End of Time (TV story)|"no song should end too soon"]], resembling Carmen's prophecy ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]''), he agrees to one trip.
Cerebravores were supposed to be unleashed on Fleshkind's neighbours via a dimensional bridge that the scientist had designed. But something went wrong and the other end of the bridge connected their planet to Earth instead. Before staging a revolution against their creators and overrunning their own world, Cerebravores sent an advance party through the bridge. For now Cerebravores cannot redirect the bridge, but the scientist is afraid they will learn.
 
The Doctor needs to destroy the bridge, but it was designed to be self-sustaining in case Fleshkind are wiped out. The Doctor figures that Gabby's mirror can be used to reflect the recursive inflow helix back on itself. The scientist agrees to help him reprogram the holographic mainframe functions.
 
On Earth, Gabby's family is watching [[Ruschell (Revolutions of Terror)|Ruschell]] and [[Cheryl (Revolutions of Terror)|Cheryl]] discussing on NY1 News that Sunset Park is mysteriously deserted despite the planned celebrations at the Green-Wood Cemetery and parade along [[5th Avenue (Brooklyn)|5th Avenue]]. Miguel's wife [[Maria Gonzalez|Maria]] dresses [[Gino Gonzalez|their son]] to go to the celebrations, as they had promised to Mendoza but Miguel is spooked by the empty streets and strange roaming people. In the end, Miguel, Maria, their son and Blanca leave for the celebrations, taking back streets just in case. They live Maria's mother, Fernanda asleep and sedated at home and expect Gabby to show up at the cemetery too.
 
Meanwhile, Gabby, still protected from psychic attacks by the headgear, continues feeding quarters to the washing machines to keep the bridge open. She sings to herself to keep her spirits up and barricades the front of the laundromat with whatever furniture she can move, while monsters surround the laundromat trying to get in.
 
The Doctor and the scientist finish their preparations. A push of a button can now destroy the bridge within thirty seconds. The Doctor implores the Fleshkind to come to Earth with him, but as she is ready to agree, she becomes possessed by a Cerebravore again. Resisting its psychic attack, the Doctor presses the button and jumps through the bridge. He makes it not a second too late, pursued by two Cerebravores, just as Gabby feeds her last quarter and a mere second before the the bridge is destroyed. Gabby quickly passes the headgear to the Doctor shielding him from the psychic attack.
 
At the same time, people possessed by Cerebravores, among them Cindy, finally manage to break through the front. Gabby suggests the only remaining escape route, through the roof, and closes a steel door behind them. They use the fire escape to get down from the roof and head to the TARDIS: the Doctor needs another gadget, which still may turn out useless without some important ingredient. With the Doctor protected by the headgear and Gabby seemingly protecting herself with her singing, they safely make to to the TARDIS. While clearly impressed by the TARDIS's interior, Gabby does not lose her wits. It's time for her to get some answers. She asks the Doctor if he is an alien, which he confirms. He also dispels her worry that he is not what he looks like. However, he ignores her question about his home planet, all the while working on turning the headgear into an [[empathic field amplifier]]. The only thing he needs now is good vibes to magnify and project at the Cerebravores. Gabby proposes to go to Green-Wood Cemetery where everyone brave enough to be out would be. As they set out through the deserted Sunset Park, the Doctor tells Gabby to continue singing the pop song she's been singing earlier.
 
Meanwhile, Sunset Park descends into chaos. Ruschell and Cheryl on NY1 News announce the Sunset Park, [[Windsor Terrace]] and [[Borough Park]] a no-go zone due to a sudden communications blackout. [[Trinity Wells]] on [[AMNN]] reports of a rumoured riot of Halloween revellers. Carlos' mother feels thankful to the Doctor when she hears on TV a warning for [[New York City|New York]] residents to avoid the [[Brooklyn]] area, particularly [[Sunset Park]]. Subway and bus services to Sunset Park are down, celebrations are cancelled, and the cops cannot tell people in costumes from people possessed by Cerebravores. At the edge of the park, two policemen watch in horror as their compatriots, [[Orr (Revolutions of Terror)|Orr]] and [[Misckiewicz]], change into monsters in front of their eyes. Surrounded by horrible shapes, the Doctor and Gabby continue their perilous journey, protected seemingly only by his headgear and her singing.
 
They reach Green-Wood Cemetery and decide to scale the fence rather than walk several more blocks to the entrance. Gabby is surprised that, despite the resulting delay, the hosts, who clearly noticed them, do not approach and do not try following them into the cemetery grounds. The Doctor looks at them through the headgear and seems surprised too. Gabby and the Doctor run to the sounds of music and find the crowd of Day of the Dead revellers, Gabby's family among them. She introduces the Doctor to them, but her little brother soon notices the Cerebravore hosts finally breaking through the fence. He guesses that they themselves may be soon turned into such monsters.
 
The Doctor tells the people to continue singing no matter what, to resist the fear. As they all sing a [[Cielito Lindo|Mexican song]], he prepares his device and asks for help, to box all the hosts in, to keep them nearby. Gabby is unsure how to achieve that but connects the wires as agreed. The Doctor presses a button on his empathic field amplifier, and the whole city is submerged under an amplification wave of positive psychic energy. People standing around the Doctor, especially Gabby, are thrown off their feet by the enormous wave, but otherwise it achieves its purpose. Cerebravores are gone. People possessed by them become themselves again.
 
The only casualty seems to be the laundromat. Gabby is scared her father would blame her for this, however, when the Doctor tells him that Gabby helped him save the world at the cost of the laundromat, Miguel is very proud of his daughter, tells her to follow her dreams and even suggests that she go to art school. Gabby is flabbergasted by the sudden change in her father's attitudes. But the Doctor thinks it must be the influence of the Pranavores who are swarming all around them. He explains that ever since they left the laundromat, they have been following them, attracted by Gabby's singing, that her refusal to submit to fear was a beacon for them. It was them who protected them on their way to Green-Wood Cemetery. It was them he asked to box the Cerebravores in to subject them to the full power of the blast.
 
Gabby's family are very interested in her new friend, and Maria invites him for a family dinner, cooked by her and Fernanda, where Cindy is also present. On the way back to the TARDIS, the Doctor hints that luck will soon turn her face on Miguel, to make up for the loss of the laundromat: perhaps, a lottery ticket?
 
As he starts saying goodbye, Gabby, who has figured out that TARDIS is really a spaceship, implores him to take her with him, to teach her, seeing him as a better teacher than any college. However, the Doctor is wary to put her in harms way as happened with his prior friends, and they agree to part ways. He tells her to have a brilliant life and to keep singing. However, when she repeats a saying of her grandmother's, "no song should end too soon", resembling [[Carmen (Planet of the Dead)|Carmen]]'s prophecy, he agrees to take her on one trip only and admits that TARDIS is also a time machine.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
* [[Tenth Doctor]]
* [[Tenth Doctor]]
* [[Gabby Gonzalez]]
* [[Gabby Gonzalez]]
* [[Cerebravore]]s
* [[Pranavore]]s
* [[Scientist (Revolutions of Terror)|Scientist]]
* [[Cindy Wu|Cindy]]
* [[Miguel Gonzalez]]
* [[Miguel Gonzalez]]
* [[Maria Gonzalez]]
* [[Maria Gonzalez]]
* [[Blanca Gonzalez]]
* [[Blanca Gonzalez]]
* [[Gino Gonzalez]]
* [[Hector (Revolutions of Terror)|Hector]]
* [[Hector (Revolutions of Terror)|Hector]]
* [[Fernanda Gonzalez]]
* [[Fernanda (Revolutions of Terror)|Fernanda]]
* [[Ricardo Mendoza]]
* [[Ricardo Mendoza]]
* [[Cindy (Revolutions of Terror)|Cindy]]
* [[Trinity Wells]]
* [[Trinity Wells]]
* [[Carlos (Revolutions of Terror)|Carlos]]
* [[Carlos' mother]]
* [[NY1 journalist]]
* [[Lecturer (Revolutions of Terror)|Accountancy lecturer]]
* [[Train guard (Revolutions of Terror)|Train guard]]
* [[MTA employee (Revolutions of Terror)|MTA employee]]
* [[Ruschell (Revolutions of Terror)|Ruschell]]
* [[Cheryl (Revolutions of Terror)|Cheryl]]
* [[Orr (Revolutions of Terror)|Orr]]
* [[Misckiewicz]]
* [[Trick-or-treating]] children
* Friends of Carlos' mother
* Subway passengers
* Cerebravore hosts
* [[New York City Police Department|NYPD]] [[policemen]]
=== Visions ===
* [[Satan|The Devil]]
* {{Simm|c}}
* [[The Beast (The Impossible Planet)|The Beast]]
* [[Sutekh]]
* [[Cyberman]]
* [[Rassilon]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* [[Sunset Park]] is a public park in [[Brooklyn]].
* [[Sunset Park]] is a neighbourhood in [[Brooklyn]]. [[Green-Wood Cemetery]] is located next to it.
* Gabby says she was teased about [[wikipedia:Speedy Gonzalez|"cartoon mice with the same surname as me"]] in school.
* The [[Tenth Doctor|Doctor]] orders ''[[heuvos rancheros]]'' at "[[The Castillo Mexicano]]".
* Gabby describes the TARDIS as a [[Wiki:The U.S. Air Force (song)|"wildest, bluest yonder"]].
* The Doctor pretends to get a phone call from the [[President]] of [[Algeria]], whom he believes he might have met once.
* The Doctor's device has a [[trioctic oscillator]] and a thigh bone.
* [[Gabby Gonzalez]] uses [[45th Street subway station|45th Street]] and [[Court Street subway station]]s.
* The Doctor reads a newspaper with an article about the sinking of ''[[RMS Titanic|Titanic]]'', mentioning ''[[Carpathia]]'' taking part in the rescue and Mrs [[Madeleine Astor|Astor]] among the passengers.
* A [[MTA employee (Revolutions of Terror)|subway worker]] has an [[MTA]] badge on the sleeve.
* The Doctor refers to the [[Aztec]] god [[Tezcatlipoca]].
* The Doctor says that his home furnishings are full of [[Roundel|holes]].
* [[Maria Gonzalez|Maria]] and [[Blanca Gonzalez]] sing "[[Cielito Lindo]]".
* The Doctor compares the Cerebravore on the subway to [[Zuul]] and himself to [[Peter Venkman]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* [[Gabby Gonzalez]] is the Doctor's first companion of Mexican descent.
* [[Gabby Gonzalez]] is the Doctor's first companion of Mexican descent. Given the Hispanic origins of her family, a number of [[Spanish language|Spanish]] words are used by them, including:
** ''Culo'' - ass
** ''¿Neta?'' - Oh, really?
** ''Mija'' - daughter, dear
** ''Abuelita'' - granny
** ''Madre de dios'' - Mother of God
** ''Tata ''- nanny
** ''La dia de los meurtos ''- Day of the Dead (misspelled)
** ''Mi albondiguita'' - my little friend
* The scene of Gabby singing to herself in the face of monsters is a clear homage to the movie ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'', where Ellen Ripley sang to herself while preparing to flush the Xenomorph Queen into space. While Ripley sang the existing song called "You Are My Lucky Star", which opens with "You are my lucky star/I saw you from afar", Gabby's song is created for the comic and begins with "Hey you, my brightest star./ I seen you from afar".
* This series was originally intended to take place soon after the Doctor rejected [[Christina De Souza]] as a companion in ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]''.<ref>[https://www.cbr.com/bigger-on-the-inside-the-secrets-of-titans-doctor-who-comics/ Bigger on the Inside: The Secrets of Titan's "Doctor Who" Comics] Andrew James "He's just rejected Christina De Souza as a potential companion -- so what makes Gabriella Gonzalez from Brooklyn any different?"
</ref>
** [[COMIC]]: ''[[The Good Companion (comic story)|The Good Companion]]'' features the Doctor saving a planet from the "[[Circle of Transcendence|Red Carnivorous Maw]]", placing the series between ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'' and ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''.


=== Original print details ===
=== Original print details ===
Line 95: Line 175:


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* This series takes place in the period between [[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''.<ref>http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=58226
* The Doctor is reflective on [[Donna Noble]], whose memories he was forced to wipe. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'')
 
* The Doctor mentions he wants a device that goes "ding". ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'')
Andrew James "He's just rejected Christina De Souza as a potential companion -- so what makes Gabriella Gonzalez from Brooklyn any different?"
</ref> The Doctor is reflective on [[Donna Noble]], whose memories he was forced to wipe in that episode. The Doctor is hesitant to travel with Gabby, alluding to the fact that "recently... friends of mine have been hurt." The Doctor had a number of companions during this period, including [[Heather McCrimmon]], [[Majenta Pryce]], [[Emily Winter]] and [[Matthew Finnegan]].
* The Doctor mentions he wants a device that goes "ding". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'')
* The Doctor told Gabby that his "dear friend" [[Cameca]] was from [[Mexico]] and that he went back to visit her now and then. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Aztecs (TV story)|The Aztecs]]'')
* The Doctor told Gabby that his "dear friend" [[Cameca]] was from [[Mexico]] and that he went back to visit her now and then. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Aztecs (TV story)|The Aztecs]]'')
* The Doctor said he visited [[Frida Kahlo|Frida]] and [[Diego Rivera|Diego]] after the incident on the [[Day of the Dead]] in [[1941]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Way of All Flesh (comic story)|The Way of All Flesh]]'')
* The Doctor said he visited [[Frida Kahlo|Frida]] and [[Diego Rivera|Diego]] after the incident on the [[Day of the Dead]] in [[1941]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Way of All Flesh (comic story)|The Way of All Flesh]]'')
* The Doctor compares the Cerebravore on the subway to [[wiki:Zuul|Zuul]] and himself to [[wiki:Peter Venkman|Peter Venkman]], both characters from ''[[Ghostbusters]]''. He previously expressed interest in the film to [[Rose Tyler]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Army of Ghosts (TV story)|Army of Ghosts]]'')'' ''
* The Doctor cites convention fifteen of the [[Shadow Proclamation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]'')
* The Doctor cites convention fifteen of the [[Shadow Proclamation]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]'')
* In his mind battle with the [[Cerebravore]], the Doctor experiences visions of [[the Master]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]''), a [[Time Lord]], [[The Beast (The Impossible Planet)|The Beast]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Satan Pit (TV story)|The Satan Pit]]''), [[Sutekh]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Pyramids of Mars (TV story)|Pyramids of Mars]]''), a [[Cyberman]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Rise of the Cybermen (TV story)|Rise of the Cybermen]], et al''), and [[Rassilon]] pointing his [[Rassilon's gauntlet|gauntlet]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'').  
* The Doctor just encountered a predatory species of [[Stingray]]s on planet [[San Helios]] who, like Cerebravores, also consumed everything on one planet and then created a bridge to another. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|The Planet of the Dead]]'')
* The Doctor had once before been attacked by his fears, including being shown images of his old enemies. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mind of Evil (TV story)|The Mind of Evil]]'')
* The [[Cerebravore]] attacks the Doctor using his fears, including [[the Master]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'' / ''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]''), a [[Time Lord]], [[The Beast (The Impossible Planet)|The Beast]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Impossible Planet (TV story)|The Impossible Planet]]'' / ''[[The Satan Pit (TV story)|The Satan Pit]]''), [[Sutekh]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Pyramids of Mars (TV story)|Pyramids of Mars]]'') a [[Cyberman]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'', et al), and later [[Last Great Time War|Time-War]]-time [[Rassilon]] pointing his [[Rassilon's gauntlet|gauntlet]]. In the last stages of the Time War, this incarnation of Rassilon came into conflict with the Doctor over the fate of Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
* Later the Doctor will have to battle Sutekh once again. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]'')
* The Doctor gives a worried glance at an [[Weeping Angel|angelic statue covering its eyes]] while running through a park. ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'')
* The Doctor gives a worried glance at an [[Weeping Angel|angelic statue covering its eyes]] while running through a park. ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink (TV story)|Blink]]'')
* The Doctor tells Gabby to "go home" and "pretend you never met me." ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'')
* The Doctor tells Gabby to "go home" and "pretend you never met me" and when he finally invites Gabby onboard the TARDIS for her "Thank you" trip, he also says "Did I mention it also travels in time?", as he did to Rose Tyler. ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'')
* Gabby's sister Cindy suspects her and the Doctor are dating. Similarly, [[Jackie Tyler]] suspected [[Rose Tyler|Rose]] and the [[Ninth Doctor]] had a physical relationship in [[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]''.
* Gabby's friend Cindy suspects her and the Doctor are dating. Similarly, [[Jackie Tyler]] suspected [[Rose Tyler|Rose]] and the [[Ninth Doctor]] had a physical relationship. ([[TV]]: ''[[Aliens of London (TV story)|Aliens of London]]'')
* The Doctor says there is an [[Aliases of the Doctor|"oncoming storm"]], alluding to the epithet to describe the Doctor used by the Draconians and the Daleks ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Love and War (novel)|Love and War]], ''[[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'').
* The Doctor says there is an [[Aliases of the Doctor|"oncoming storm"]], alluding to the epithet to describe the Doctor used by the Draconians and the Daleks. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Love and War (novel)|Love and War]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'')
* Gabby says to the Doctor a phrase her grandmother taught her: "No song should end too soon." Carmen gave a similar prophecy ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]''), and it was later referenced in [[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]''.
* Gabby repeats a phrase her grandmother taught her: "No song should end too soon." It reminds the Doctor of a prophecy given to him by [[Carmen (Planet of the Dead)|Carmen]]: "...but you be careful, because your song is ending, sir!". ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'') Right before the Doctor's regeneration, [[Ood Sigma]] will tell him: "...this song is ending..." ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
* The Doctor calls the [[Earth]] a "second home". Gabby asks him what his [[Gallifrey|first home]] is, but he avoids the question, alluding to the [[Time War]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'' et al.)
* [[Gino Gonzalez]] wears a T-shirt with the image of [[3D glasses]] that look very similar to the ones the Tenth Doctor wore to detect objects that have been in contact with [[the Void]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Army of Ghosts (TV story)|Army of Ghosts]]'' / ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'')
* The Doctor calls the [[Earth]] a "second home". Gabby asks him what his [[Gallifrey|first home]] is, but he avoids the question. ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'' et al.)
* The Doctor accepts a meal with Gabby's family in return for saving the Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'')
* The Doctor accepts a meal with Gabby's family in return for saving the Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'')
* The Doctor is thinking about arranging a winning lottery ticket for [[Miguel Gonzalez]] to recuperate the loss of his laundromat. Later he will use this method to provide means for Donna. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')


== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Tenth Doctor Titan comics}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}


[[Category:2014 comic stories]]
[[Category:2014 comic stories]]
[[Category:DW10 comic stories]]
[[Category:10D comic stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 21st century]]
[[Category:Stories set in the 21st century]]
[[Category:Stories set in New York City]]
[[Category:Stories set in New York City]]
[[Category:Stories set at Halloween]]
[[Category:Three part comics]]

Latest revision as of 20:46, 3 May 2024

RealWorld.png

Revolutions of Terror was the three-part premiere story of Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor comic book series published in 2014. It introduced the Tenth Doctor's new companion, Gabriella "Gabby" Gonzalez, as well as her friend Cindy Wu, who would become a companion later.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gabriella Gonzalez is stuck in a dead-end job in her family's New York Laundromat, dreaming of college and bigger, better and brighter things.

So when a strange man with an even stranger big blue box barges into her life on the eve of the Day of the Dead celebrations - talking about an infestation of psychic aliens - she seizes her chance for adventure with both hands.

After Donna's tragic exit, the Doctor thought he was done with new companions. But Gabby Gonzalez is going to prove him wrong... if she survives the night!

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

The day before Halloween, and the eve of Day of the Dead celebration by Mexicans, Gabby is working late at the laundromat of her father, Miguel Gonzalez. Her friend Cindy is visiting her, when the washing machines simultaneously go into the spin cycle and the wet laundry explodes onto the floor. Gabby sees a sort of a monster-like shadow coming out of the machines, but it evaporates just as Hector walks in stunned by the sight of wet clothes and water everywhere.

Later that day, while Gabby is having an argument with her family and Hector, her sister's fiancé, in the kitchen of their restaurant, "The Castillo Mexicano". At the same time, the Doctor orders some food from her sister Blanca. Before he can eat it, he dashes out of the restaurant after receiving a signal on a device of his. Shortly afterwards, Gabby's maternal grandmother, Fernanda claims to have seen the soul of her deceased husband Juan writhing in agony in a photograph of him. Hector also sees it for a moment and later, in the laundromat, is accosted by a monstrous figure he describes as "the Devil".

In the city, while following the signal, the Doctor sees people running away screaming in horror for no apparent reason. He sees a baby named Carlos become suddenly disfigured in front of his mother and her friends, before abruptly reverting to normal when the Doctor's device registers a strong signal. The Doctor advises the mother to lock herself and the baby in their apartment for several days.

As the Gonzalez family watches a journalist take an interview with the local councillor Ricardo Mendoza on NY1 news, the man himself walks into their restaurant and implores them to attend the celebration of the eve of Day of the Dead tomorrow at the Green-Wood Cemetery. He is worried of the low attendance of the first event celebrating Mexican culture, which he worked so hard to organise.

Having found Hector, back from the laundromat and cowering in the corner in horror, Gabby's father, Miguel Gonzalez goes to check if Hector locked the doors while Gabby takes the subway to her night accountancy class taught by an extremely boring lecturer.

When taking the subway back from the class near midnight, she hears an ominous announcement. Other passengers run past her screaming, and a monstrous creature walks into the car. It sees Gabby and turns into a horror version of her. Now Gabby is running herself and shouts to attract attention of a seemingly oblivious passenger reading a newspaper. It is the Doctor, who takes her hand and pulls out his sonic screwdriver.

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

The sonic has no effect on the monster, and as the train approaches a station, the Doctor and Gabby run along the train until they reach its end. Another passenger is already standing there. As the monster approaches, the passenger jumps off the train to his death despite the Doctor's pleading. The Doctor locks the outer door of the 3 train with the sonic screwdriver right in front of the monster's face, asks Gabby's name and tells her to jump onto the platform not waiting for the train to stop completely. The monster follows them onto the platform when the regular doors open and chases them up the stairs to the turnstile exit from the station. The turnstile is jammed, and the emergency exit is nowhere to be seen. As the Doctor busies himself with his device and the sonic screwdriver, instructing Gabby not to look at the monster, she pulls out a mirror and shows the monster its own reflection. This shorts out the psychic field. The monster turns back into the train guard, who falls down unconscious but breathing. In addition, the turnstile is not jammed anymore and the emergency exist is clearly visible. The Doctor explains that a perceptual filter prevented them from seeing it before. They leave the 45th Street station before an MTA employee can question them. Gabby is intrigued by who the Doctor is, however he leaves for his TARDIS parked in Sunset Park, telling her to lock herself at home for a couple of days and to forget about him.

The next day, on Halloween, Gabby is sent to the laundromat to cover the shift of Hector, who is still reeling from his encounter with the Devil. The streets are eerily empty. On her way to the laundromat, she passes by the TARDIS, tries to knock on the door but gets no answer. She finds the laundromat unlocked, picks up a baseball bat, and tries to find the intruders. The Doctor emerges from the backroom wearing some strange headgear. Not recognising him, Gabby whacks him on the head, damaging the headgear. Apologetic, she still confronts him for breaking in thinking he is a policeman because of the signs on the TARDIS. As he heads to the TARDIS to get replacement parts for the damaged headgear, she follows and, feeling he knows more than he says, Gabby continues her inquires until he admits that he works alone, has nothing to do with the police and introduces himself as the Doctor. In the park, he passes Gabby the headgear with still working ocular circuit, and she sees non-corporeal psi-form natives of Earth who evolved alongside humans, exist in a psychosphere surrounding Earth and feed off human empathy. The Doctor calls them Pranavores. Then she sees other lizard-like shapes attacking Pranavores. The Doctor dashes to the TARDIS to get a replacement psychic comms booster for the headgear instead of the one broken by Gabby. When he returns, he challenges these interlopers, the Cerebravores, by the articles of the Shadow Proclamation. The defiant Cerebravores say that they have already consumed the Fleshkind from their own planet who tried to interfere with their silent hunt, that Earth is now their second hunting grounds and that all flesh beings and all psi-forms are their prey. Then they use worst fears of a group of park workers to take over their bodies and use them as hosts, just like they did earlier with the train guard in the subway. Outnumbered, Gabby and the Doctor run and hide behind the bushes until the monstrous shapes pass. The Doctor deduces that Cerebravores first use a person's fear against the person to get control over the body, and then project fears of others onto this body, simultaneously depleting the host's body of energy due to extreme physical stress. Gabby and Doctor think that the alien Cerebravores can easily push out the native Pranavores and then devastate the whole planet.

While the Doctor ponders how these intruders came to Earth, Gabby provides him with an answer: she witnessed their arrival two nights ago in her father's laundromat. Finally, the Doctor understands how they used the synchronised rotary motion of washing machines as an entry point for their interdimensional bridge enter and to cloak their entrance . The problem is that the bridge is still operational from the other side, and any rotation here on Earth can potentially be used as an entry point.

To prevent a full-scale invasion, the Doctor and Gabby run back to the laundromat through the empty streets. Suddenly, Gabby becomes depressed. Putting the headgear on, the Doctor sees a huge Cerebravore shape behind her. Gabby manages to fight the attack off by holding on to her fears as her own, but a whole mob of Cerebravore hosts arrives, and she and the Doctor have to flee into the laudromat. The Doctor opens the door with his sonic screwdriver, and they manage to pull down the steel security screen locking the monstrous mob outside just in time. The Doctor decides to travel through the portal to close the bridge from the other end and asks Gabby to keep the washing machines spinning long enough for him to return, leaving her the headgear to protect her from further telepathic attacks. In return, remembering her trick in the subway, he takes her mirror with him. On the other side of the bridge he finds only devastation and a lot of Fleshkind, completely consumed by Cerbravores. Whilst Gabby, distracted by a possessed version of her friend Cindy, suddenly remembers that the back door needs to be locked too, a Cerebravore wraps its tongue around the Doctor's arm holding the screwdriver.

Part three[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gabby locks the back door using all the locks, chains and stick she can find and barricades it with heavy furniture. Just in time as heavy blows make dents in the metal doors.

As the Cerebravore explores the horrors from his memories, the Doctor waits till it gets close enough and then activates his sonic and the psychic comms booster, freeing a Fleshkind possessed by the Cerebravore.

She is surprised to see an offworlder and tries to warns him to run while he still can. She says that Cerebravores were designed to be unstoppable, to be telepathic weapons. She foresaw the dangers but her superiors did not listen. Under their guidance, a peaceful telepathic species was weaponised, the connection to their hive mind, to their conscience, to any higher sense of self was severed. As a result, they became hunters and even a small group of Cerebravores was sufficient to kill a whole world.

Cerebravores were supposed to be unleashed on Fleshkind's neighbours via a dimensional bridge that the scientist had designed. But something went wrong and the other end of the bridge connected their planet to Earth instead. Before staging a revolution against their creators and overrunning their own world, Cerebravores sent an advance party through the bridge. For now Cerebravores cannot redirect the bridge, but the scientist is afraid they will learn.

The Doctor needs to destroy the bridge, but it was designed to be self-sustaining in case Fleshkind are wiped out. The Doctor figures that Gabby's mirror can be used to reflect the recursive inflow helix back on itself. The scientist agrees to help him reprogram the holographic mainframe functions.

On Earth, Gabby's family is watching Ruschell and Cheryl discussing on NY1 News that Sunset Park is mysteriously deserted despite the planned celebrations at the Green-Wood Cemetery and parade along 5th Avenue. Miguel's wife Maria dresses their son to go to the celebrations, as they had promised to Mendoza but Miguel is spooked by the empty streets and strange roaming people. In the end, Miguel, Maria, their son and Blanca leave for the celebrations, taking back streets just in case. They live Maria's mother, Fernanda asleep and sedated at home and expect Gabby to show up at the cemetery too.

Meanwhile, Gabby, still protected from psychic attacks by the headgear, continues feeding quarters to the washing machines to keep the bridge open. She sings to herself to keep her spirits up and barricades the front of the laundromat with whatever furniture she can move, while monsters surround the laundromat trying to get in.

The Doctor and the scientist finish their preparations. A push of a button can now destroy the bridge within thirty seconds. The Doctor implores the Fleshkind to come to Earth with him, but as she is ready to agree, she becomes possessed by a Cerebravore again. Resisting its psychic attack, the Doctor presses the button and jumps through the bridge. He makes it not a second too late, pursued by two Cerebravores, just as Gabby feeds her last quarter and a mere second before the the bridge is destroyed. Gabby quickly passes the headgear to the Doctor shielding him from the psychic attack.

At the same time, people possessed by Cerebravores, among them Cindy, finally manage to break through the front. Gabby suggests the only remaining escape route, through the roof, and closes a steel door behind them. They use the fire escape to get down from the roof and head to the TARDIS: the Doctor needs another gadget, which still may turn out useless without some important ingredient. With the Doctor protected by the headgear and Gabby seemingly protecting herself with her singing, they safely make to to the TARDIS. While clearly impressed by the TARDIS's interior, Gabby does not lose her wits. It's time for her to get some answers. She asks the Doctor if he is an alien, which he confirms. He also dispels her worry that he is not what he looks like. However, he ignores her question about his home planet, all the while working on turning the headgear into an empathic field amplifier. The only thing he needs now is good vibes to magnify and project at the Cerebravores. Gabby proposes to go to Green-Wood Cemetery where everyone brave enough to be out would be. As they set out through the deserted Sunset Park, the Doctor tells Gabby to continue singing the pop song she's been singing earlier.

Meanwhile, Sunset Park descends into chaos. Ruschell and Cheryl on NY1 News announce the Sunset Park, Windsor Terrace and Borough Park a no-go zone due to a sudden communications blackout. Trinity Wells on AMNN reports of a rumoured riot of Halloween revellers. Carlos' mother feels thankful to the Doctor when she hears on TV a warning for New York residents to avoid the Brooklyn area, particularly Sunset Park. Subway and bus services to Sunset Park are down, celebrations are cancelled, and the cops cannot tell people in costumes from people possessed by Cerebravores. At the edge of the park, two policemen watch in horror as their compatriots, Orr and Misckiewicz, change into monsters in front of their eyes. Surrounded by horrible shapes, the Doctor and Gabby continue their perilous journey, protected seemingly only by his headgear and her singing.

They reach Green-Wood Cemetery and decide to scale the fence rather than walk several more blocks to the entrance. Gabby is surprised that, despite the resulting delay, the hosts, who clearly noticed them, do not approach and do not try following them into the cemetery grounds. The Doctor looks at them through the headgear and seems surprised too. Gabby and the Doctor run to the sounds of music and find the crowd of Day of the Dead revellers, Gabby's family among them. She introduces the Doctor to them, but her little brother soon notices the Cerebravore hosts finally breaking through the fence. He guesses that they themselves may be soon turned into such monsters.

The Doctor tells the people to continue singing no matter what, to resist the fear. As they all sing a Mexican song, he prepares his device and asks for help, to box all the hosts in, to keep them nearby. Gabby is unsure how to achieve that but connects the wires as agreed. The Doctor presses a button on his empathic field amplifier, and the whole city is submerged under an amplification wave of positive psychic energy. People standing around the Doctor, especially Gabby, are thrown off their feet by the enormous wave, but otherwise it achieves its purpose. Cerebravores are gone. People possessed by them become themselves again.

The only casualty seems to be the laundromat. Gabby is scared her father would blame her for this, however, when the Doctor tells him that Gabby helped him save the world at the cost of the laundromat, Miguel is very proud of his daughter, tells her to follow her dreams and even suggests that she go to art school. Gabby is flabbergasted by the sudden change in her father's attitudes. But the Doctor thinks it must be the influence of the Pranavores who are swarming all around them. He explains that ever since they left the laundromat, they have been following them, attracted by Gabby's singing, that her refusal to submit to fear was a beacon for them. It was them who protected them on their way to Green-Wood Cemetery. It was them he asked to box the Cerebravores in to subject them to the full power of the blast.

Gabby's family are very interested in her new friend, and Maria invites him for a family dinner, cooked by her and Fernanda, where Cindy is also present. On the way back to the TARDIS, the Doctor hints that luck will soon turn her face on Miguel, to make up for the loss of the laundromat: perhaps, a lottery ticket?

As he starts saying goodbye, Gabby, who has figured out that TARDIS is really a spaceship, implores him to take her with him, to teach her, seeing him as a better teacher than any college. However, the Doctor is wary to put her in harms way as happened with his prior friends, and they agree to part ways. He tells her to have a brilliant life and to keep singing. However, when she repeats a saying of her grandmother's, "no song should end too soon", resembling Carmen's prophecy, he agrees to take her on one trip only and admits that TARDIS is also a time machine.

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Visions[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Gabby Gonzalez is the Doctor's first companion of Mexican descent. Given the Hispanic origins of her family, a number of Spanish words are used by them, including:
    • Culo - ass
    • ¿Neta? - Oh, really?
    • Mija - daughter, dear
    • Abuelita - granny
    • Madre de dios - Mother of God
    • Tata - nanny
    • La dia de los meurtos - Day of the Dead (misspelled)
    • Mi albondiguita - my little friend
  • The scene of Gabby singing to herself in the face of monsters is a clear homage to the movie Alien, where Ellen Ripley sang to herself while preparing to flush the Xenomorph Queen into space. While Ripley sang the existing song called "You Are My Lucky Star", which opens with "You are my lucky star/I saw you from afar", Gabby's song is created for the comic and begins with "Hey you, my brightest star./ I seen you from afar".
  • This series was originally intended to take place soon after the Doctor rejected Christina De Souza as a companion in Planet of the Dead.[1]

Original print details[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. Bigger on the Inside: The Secrets of Titan's "Doctor Who" Comics Andrew James "He's just rejected Christina De Souza as a potential companion -- so what makes Gabriella Gonzalez from Brooklyn any different?"