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{{Infobox Individual
{{Infobox Individual
|name= Za  
|image      = Za-an-unearthly-child.jpg
|image= Za.jpg
|species    = Human
|alias=
|affiliation = Tribe of Gum
|species=Human
|mother      = Old Mother
|origin= [[Earth]]  
|father      = The Firemaker{{!}}Gor
|appearances= [[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Eight Doctors (novel)|The Eight Doctors]]'', [[COMIC]]: ''[[Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)|Hunters of the Burning Stone]]''
|spouse      = Hur
|actor= Derek Newark |}}'''Za''' was the leader of a [[Tribe of Gum|primitive tribe]] circa [[BC#Prehistory|100,000 BC]]. To preserve their power and authority, the tribal leaders kept a monopoly on the secret of making [[fire]]. The secret and leadership was passed down from father to son. Unfortunately, [[The Firemaker|Za's father]] was killed during a hunt before he could pass on the secret. Unable to make fire for his people, Za found his leadership in jeopardy, more so with [[Kal]], an outsider taken in by the tribe, hoping to take over.
|origin     = [[Earth]]
|first cs    = An Unearthly Child (TV story)
|appearances = {{il|[[PROSE]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (short story)}}|[[PROSE]]: {{cs|The Eight Doctors (novel)}}|[[COMIC]]: {{cs|Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)}}}}
|actor       = Derek Newark
}}
'''Za''' was the leader of the [[Tribe of Gum]] circa [[BC#Prehistory|100,000 BC]].


Za's fears seemed confirmed once Kal had captured the [[First Doctor]], claiming that he had seen the old man make fire. Za ordered the stranger and his three [[companion]]s imprisoned in the [[Cave of Skulls]], hoping to wrest the secret of fire from them before Kal could and so stay in power. The strangers escaped, Za pursuing them together with his mate [[Hur]].
== Biography ==
=== Early life ===
Za was the son of [[Old Mother|the old woman]] and [[the Firemaker|Gor]], the firemaker of the [[Tribe of Gum]]. ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child (novelisation)}}) Gor taught him how to make weapons and how to make traps for [[bear]]s and [[tiger]]s. Za's [[mate]] was [[Hur]].


Za was attacked by a forest animal. The Doctor and his friends tended to his wounds and took him back to the tribe.
Gor was killed in a [[hunt]] before he could pass on the secret of how to make fire to Za. Although Za inherited his father's mantle of leader of the tribe, his leadership was contested due to his inability to make fire. The issue was exacerbated by [[Kal]], an outsider that the tribe had taken in who wished to take over. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}})


Despite this, Za still had the strangers reimprisoned. Even after they taught him the secret of fire and helped him defeat the would-be usurper Kal, Za still refused to release them.
=== The secret of fire ===
After Kal captured the [[First Doctor]], who he claimed could make fire, Za had the Doctor, [[Susan Foreman]], [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright]] imprisoned in the [[Cave of Skulls]] with the aim of learning the secret from them before Kal could, ensuring that he would stay in power. Upon their escape, Za and Hur pursued them.


Eventually the strangers managed to escape again, and when Za led the tribe in pursuit of them, he saw the strangers enter [[the Doctor's TARDIS]], which vanished. ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'')
In the forest, Za was attacked by [[Sabre-toothed tiger (An Unearthly Child)|an animal]] and had his wounds tended to by the strangers, who returned him to the tribe. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}}) However, the Doctor considered killing him with a rock because he was holding them up, although Ian stopped him in time. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}}, [[AUDIO]]: {{cs|To the Death (audio story)}}) Kal accused him of killing the old woman, but the Doctor proved that Kal had been the murderer, prompting the tribe to drive him out. Despite this, Za had the strangers imprisoned once more and, even after learning the secret of fire from them, he refused to release them.


Shortly afterward, Za and the tribe were approached by the [[Promethean]]s, who gave them the "burning stone", a psychic metal, which imbued them with power and immortality.
Kal returned for revenge and Za fought him, killing him. The strangers escaped a second time, after which Za led the tribe in pursuit of them. He saw them enter [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]], which dematerialised before them. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}})


In the present, the Prometheans used their tribe in their bid to rule humanity, reduced the modern-day humans' intellect to primal levels, and had Za become "leader of the many tribes", acting as the Prometheans' emissary.  
=== Immortality and death ===
[[File:Tribe of Gum Hunters of the Burning Stone.jpg|thumb|left|Za with Hur and Horg. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)}})]]
Not long after the disappearance of the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara, Za and the tribe were approached by the [[Promethean]]s. They gave the tribe the "burning stone", a [[psychic power|psychic]] [[metal]] which they fashioned weapons out of, allowing them to conquer various other tribes, and their armour allowed them to withstand [[faster-than-light travel]], slowing their ageing. They went in search of more of the "burning stone" and for Ian and Barbara.


After the [[Eleventh Doctor]] foiled the Promethean's plan, Za and the tribe attacked him. [[Ian Chesterton]] and [[Barbara Wright]] managed to convince Za that there was more to humans then desire and revenge, like love. Za, realising he loved Hur (and vice-versa) stopped his attack on the Doctor. The Prometheans attacked Ian and Barbara, incensed by their interference. Za realised the Prometheans had lied to him, and led the tribe in attacking them. In the ensuing battle, both the Tribe of Gum and the Prometheans perished, Za being one of the last to fall. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)|Hunters of the Burning Stone]]'')
By [[2013]], the tribe were used by the Prometheans in their bid to rule humanity. The intellect of humans was reduced to primal levels and Za had become "leader of the many tribes", acting as the Prometheans' emissary. He and the tribe attacked the [[Eleventh Doctor]] after he foiled the Prometheans' plan, but was convinced by Ian and Barbara that there was more to humans than desire and revenge, namely his love for Hur. Za and the tribe instead attacked the Prometheans in a battle which killed both sides, with Za being one of the last to die. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)}})
 
== Personality ==
Upon becoming leader of the [[Tribe of Gum]], Za was desperate to retain power and spent his time sitting and trying to make [[fire]] rather than getting [[meat]] for the tribe as [[Kal]] did, saying that it was more important that they had fire. He told [[Old Mother|his mother]] that she should have died with [[The Firemaker|his father]] and threw her to the ground when she helped the strangers escape.
 
Za showed more respect to his mate, [[Hur]]. He listened to her advice ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}}) and it was his love for her that turned him against the [[Promethean]]s. ([[COMIC]]: {{cs|Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)}}) [[Ian Chesterton|Ian]] helped him realise that the tribe was stronger as one when they chased away Kal. ([[TV]]: {{cs|An Unearthly Child (TV story)}})


{{NameSort}}
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[[es:Za]]
[[Category:Human leaders]]
[[Category:Human leaders]]
[[Category:Distant past individuals]]
[[Category:Distant past individuals]]
[[Category:Members of the Tribe of Gum]]
[[es:Za]]

Latest revision as of 20:42, 17 October 2024

Za was the leader of the Tribe of Gum circa 100,000 BC.

Biography[[edit]]

Early life[[edit]]

Za was the son of the old woman and Gor, the firemaker of the Tribe of Gum. (PROSE: Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["Doctor Who and an Unearthly Child (novelisation)"]) Gor taught him how to make weapons and how to make traps for bears and tigers. Za's mate was Hur.

Gor was killed in a hunt before he could pass on the secret of how to make fire to Za. Although Za inherited his father's mantle of leader of the tribe, his leadership was contested due to his inability to make fire. The issue was exacerbated by Kal, an outsider that the tribe had taken in who wished to take over. (TV: An Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["An Unearthly Child (TV story)"])

The secret of fire[[edit]]

After Kal captured the First Doctor, who he claimed could make fire, Za had the Doctor, Susan Foreman, Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright imprisoned in the Cave of Skulls with the aim of learning the secret from them before Kal could, ensuring that he would stay in power. Upon their escape, Za and Hur pursued them.

In the forest, Za was attacked by an animal and had his wounds tended to by the strangers, who returned him to the tribe. (TV: An Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["An Unearthly Child (TV story)"]) However, the Doctor considered killing him with a rock because he was holding them up, although Ian stopped him in time. (TV: An Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["An Unearthly Child (TV story)"], AUDIO: To the Death [+]Loading...["To the Death (audio story)"]) Kal accused him of killing the old woman, but the Doctor proved that Kal had been the murderer, prompting the tribe to drive him out. Despite this, Za had the strangers imprisoned once more and, even after learning the secret of fire from them, he refused to release them.

Kal returned for revenge and Za fought him, killing him. The strangers escaped a second time, after which Za led the tribe in pursuit of them. He saw them enter the TARDIS, which dematerialised before them. (TV: An Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["An Unearthly Child (TV story)"])

Immortality and death[[edit]]

Za with Hur and Horg. (COMIC: Hunters of the Burning Stone [+]Loading...["Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)"])

Not long after the disappearance of the Doctor, Susan, Ian and Barbara, Za and the tribe were approached by the Prometheans. They gave the tribe the "burning stone", a psychic metal which they fashioned weapons out of, allowing them to conquer various other tribes, and their armour allowed them to withstand faster-than-light travel, slowing their ageing. They went in search of more of the "burning stone" and for Ian and Barbara.

By 2013, the tribe were used by the Prometheans in their bid to rule humanity. The intellect of humans was reduced to primal levels and Za had become "leader of the many tribes", acting as the Prometheans' emissary. He and the tribe attacked the Eleventh Doctor after he foiled the Prometheans' plan, but was convinced by Ian and Barbara that there was more to humans than desire and revenge, namely his love for Hur. Za and the tribe instead attacked the Prometheans in a battle which killed both sides, with Za being one of the last to die. (COMIC: Hunters of the Burning Stone [+]Loading...["Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)"])

Personality[[edit]]

Upon becoming leader of the Tribe of Gum, Za was desperate to retain power and spent his time sitting and trying to make fire rather than getting meat for the tribe as Kal did, saying that it was more important that they had fire. He told his mother that she should have died with his father and threw her to the ground when she helped the strangers escape.

Za showed more respect to his mate, Hur. He listened to her advice (TV: An Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["An Unearthly Child (TV story)"]) and it was his love for her that turned him against the Prometheans. (COMIC: Hunters of the Burning Stone [+]Loading...["Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)"]) Ian helped him realise that the tribe was stronger as one when they chased away Kal. (TV: An Unearthly Child [+]Loading...["An Unearthly Child (TV story)"])

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