Romana I's regeneration: Difference between revisions
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NateBumber (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{Infobox Event or Conflict |image = |type = Regeneration |participants = Romana I, Romana II, the TARDIS |first = Destiny of the Daleks (TV story) |appearances = {{il|PROSE: ''Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)''|PROSE: ''The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)''}} }}'''Romana I's regeneration''' occurred around the time that she and the Fourth Doctor arrived on Skaro. (TV: ''Destiny...") |
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{{Infobox Event or Conflict | {{Infobox Event or Conflict | ||
|image = | |image = | ||
<gallery> | |||
Astra romana screenshot.jpg|Astra | |||
Short romana screenshot.jpg|Short | |||
Amazon romana screenshot.jpg|Amazon | |||
Tall romana screenshot.jpg|Tall | |||
Astra romana ii screenshot.jpg|Astra (Romana II) | |||
</gallery> | |||
|type = [[Regeneration]] | |type = [[Regeneration]] | ||
|participants = [[Romana I]], [[Romana II]], [[the TARDIS]] | |participants = [[Romana I]], [[Romana II]], [[the TARDIS]] | ||
|first = Destiny of the Daleks (TV story) | |first = Destiny of the Daleks (TV story) | ||
|appearances = {{il|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]''}} | |appearances = {{il|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]''}} | ||
}}'''[[Romana I]]'s [[regeneration]]''' occurred around the time that she and the [[Fourth Doctor]] arrived on [[Skaro]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') She briefly tried on several bodies but was intent on copying the appearance of | }}'''[[Romana I]]'s [[regeneration]]''' occurred around the time that she and the [[Fourth Doctor]] arrived on [[Skaro]] in the [[Movellan Incident]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') She briefly tried on several bodies but was intent on copying the appearance of Princess [[Astra of Atrios]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') whom she and the Doctor had recently met while searching for the [[Key to Time]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]'') | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| Line 18: | Line 25: | ||
=== Physical appearances === | === Physical appearances === | ||
During her regeneration, Romana appeared to try out | During her regeneration, Romana appeared to "try out" four different bodies before settling on a fifth, which was identical to the first save for the outfit. The Doctor attributed Romana's surprising casualness and level of control over regeneration to her success at the [[Time Lord Academy]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') and this level of control was another known trait of the [[Newblood]] Houses such as [[House Dvora]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') The [[Seventh Doctor]] described this to [[Bernice Summerfield]] as "trying out various genetic configurations before she settled on one." ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Original Sin (novel)|Original Sin]]'') | ||
By another account, however, Romana was "still a long way" from the control over regeneration that Gallifreyans in some of the newer Houses demonstrated. In this account, the many forms were assumed by [[Iraj]], a [[shapeshifter]] whom Romana met in the [[TARDIS wardrobe]], as a prank on the Doctor. Upon seeing Iraj take the form of Astra, Romana remarked that copying someone else's appearance was "probably against a dozen laws", ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') echoing the Doctor's concerns. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') | |||
Romana | [[File:Astra romana closeup screenshot.jpg|thumb|right|Romana, when first assuming Astra's form, also replicated Astra's clothing. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'')]] | ||
* The first body, by all accounts, was identical to the princess [[Astra of Atrios]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') The Doctor disapproved of this choice because it was a copy of someone they knew. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') | |||
[[File:Short romana comparison.jpg|thumb|right|The Doctor looks down on the "short" Romana. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'')]] | |||
* By all accounts, the second was a very diminutive body, ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') usually depicted with a blue bodysuit over silver skin ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') or actually blue skin, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') although one account made no mention of her alien appearance even though it did describe another one of the variant bodies as belonging to an "alien race". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') She wore a "bizarre, [[silver]], filigreed" outfit ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') including a helmet and cape. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') Romana quite liked this form, but complained that it was "a bit short". ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') Romana thought the Doctor would "hate" this, as he would always be tripping over her. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') By one account, this body was described only as "a very small girl", and the Doctor did not bother looking up from his work to see her. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') | |||
[[File:The Rejection of the Amazon Romana.JPG|thumb|right|The "Amazon" Romana, rejected by the Doctor, turns to leave the console room. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'')]] | |||
* By most accounts, the third body was a buxom woman with an elaborate outfit that revealed her midriff and included several necklaces, as well as a headdress hung with chains of gold rings. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') She was described as "a towering [[Amazons|Amazon]] with rich, red hair", wearing "a bizarre two-piece outfit covered by a long, see-through robe". Romana thought the Doctor would find this body "much too intimidating". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') By one account, however, this "exotic female" was visibly "of some alien race" instead of human-like, and was the ''fourth'' body tried. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') | |||
[[File:Tall romana comparison.jpg|thumb|right|The Doctor is cowed by the "tall" Romana. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'')]] | |||
* By most accounts, the fourth body was an "incredibly tall" woman, "imposing" and "imperious-looking", ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') a throwback to [[Ancient Gallifreyan]] [[Gallifreyan physiology|physiology]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible (novel)|Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible]]'') She wore "something white and classical" ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') which Romana found "very fetching". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') By one account, however, this "enormously tall girl" was the ''third'' body tried. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks]]'') | |||
Romana ultimately returned to the form of Astra of Atrios, saying that the body had "looked very good" on Astra. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') Some accounts referred to this form as Romana's second incarnation; ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Warfare (audio story)|Warfare]]'', et al.) indeed, by some accounts, a Time Lord's form could remain fluid for multiple hours after their regeneration, going as far as regrowing limbs. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'', ''[[Let's Kill Hitler (TV story)|Let's Kill Hitler]]'') However, other accounts showed that it was possible to regenerate multiple times in a short span of time. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fatal Death (TV story)|The Curse of Fatal Death]]'', ''[[Hell Bent (TV story)|Hell Bent]]'', ''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'') The apparent waste of regenerations would have been consistent with the recklessness of Newblood Houses regarding regeneration. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Book of the War (novel)|The Book of the War]]'') | |||
=== Completion === | === Completion === | ||
According to most accounts, Romana had completed her regeneration by the time she finished trying on different forms for the Doctor. They then proceeded to [[Skaro]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') | According to most accounts, Romana had completed her regeneration by the time she finished trying on different forms for the Doctor. They then proceeded to [[Skaro]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') This was [[Romana]]'s first regeneration. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Original Sin (novel)|Original Sin]]'') | ||
However, according to another account where it was the shapeshifter [[Iraj]] who assumed the different forms, Romana I was still in the [[TARDIS wardrobe]], where Iraj then froze her in a stasis. Iraj revealed herself to be [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] itself, upset about the Doctor's installation of a [[randomiser]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') to avoid the [[Black Guardian]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]'', et al.) and jealous of the Doctor's [[companion]]s. Iraj intended to replace Romana permanently. | However, according to another account where it was the shapeshifter [[Iraj]] who assumed the different forms, Romana I was still in the [[TARDIS wardrobe]], where Iraj then froze her in a stasis. Iraj revealed herself to be [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] itself, upset about the Doctor's installation of a [[randomiser]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') to avoid the [[Black Guardian]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]'', et al.) and jealous of the Doctor's [[companion]]s. Iraj, choosing Astra's form because she "could tell" that the Doctor "liked this one", intended to replace Romana permanently. | ||
However, after going on an adventure with the Doctor and [[Davros]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') where she was taken prisoner by Daleks during the [[ | However, after going on an adventure with the Doctor and [[Davros]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') where she was taken prisoner by Daleks during the [[Movellan Incident]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'') Iraj exasperatedly freed Romana, remarking, "I could be the most stunning woman in all the universe, and he'd still only think of me as a particularly clever piece of hand luggage". Romana reassured Iraj that the Doctor cared for the TARDIS most of all, and in return for not telling the Doctor, Iraj helped Romana complete her regeneration. Waking in a body just like Astra's, and hearing the Doctor calling for her ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') to join him in [[Paris]], ([[TV]]: ''[[City of Death (TV story)|City of Death]]'') Romana thought of what Iraj said about the Doctor liking Astra's appearance, and she chose a "schoolgirl outfit". ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe (short story)|The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe]]'') | ||
== Behind the scenes == | == Behind the scenes == | ||
[[File:Short romana photo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Yvonne Gallagher]] as the "short" Romana]] | |||
[[File:Exotic romana photo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Lee Richards]] as the "Amazon" Romana]] | |||
[[File:Tall romana photo.jpg|thumb|right|[[Maggy Armitage]] as the "tall" Romana]] | |||
* While ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'' was mostly written by [[Terry Nation]], Romana's regeneration sequence was written by [[Douglas Adams]], who wrote it as a parody of the [[Fourth Doctor]]'s post-regeneration costume changes in ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]''.<ref name="5j" /> | * While ''[[Destiny of the Daleks (TV story)|Destiny of the Daleks]]'' was mostly written by [[Terry Nation]], Romana's regeneration sequence was written by [[Douglas Adams]], who wrote it as a parody of the [[Fourth Doctor]]'s post-regeneration costume changes in ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]''.<ref name="5j" /> | ||
* [[Mary Tamm]] had agreed to play Romana after being convinced she wouldn't just be a "damsel in distress". However, by the end of [[Season 16]], Tamm felt her character had fallen into that category. This, along with the fact her character had no room to grow in such a small format, left Tamm unwilling to carry on,<ref name="5f">[http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/serials/5f.html A Brief History of Time (Travel): ''The Armageddon Factor'']</ref> prompting the character's unexpected regeneration in the first story of [[Season 17]]. As Tamm was several months pregnant at the time of filming, she couldn't appear in the brief regeneration sequence.<ref name="5j">[http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/serials/5j.html A Brief History of Time (Travel): ''Destiny of the Daleks'']</ref> | * [[Mary Tamm]] had agreed to play Romana after being convinced she wouldn't just be a "damsel in distress". However, by the end of [[Season 16 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 16]], Tamm felt her character had fallen into that category. This, along with the fact her character had no room to grow in such a small format, left Tamm unwilling to carry on,<ref name="5f">[http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/serials/5f.html A Brief History of Time (Travel): ''The Armageddon Factor'']</ref> prompting the character's unexpected regeneration in the first story of [[Season 17 (Doctor Who 1963)|Season 17]]. As Tamm was several months pregnant at the time of filming, she couldn't appear in the brief regeneration sequence.<ref name="5j">[http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/serials/5j.html A Brief History of Time (Travel): ''Destiny of the Daleks'']</ref> | ||
*The three actresses who physically portray the intermediary bodies are uncredited both on-screen and in ''Radio Times'', but were identified in [[DWM 283]] as [[Yvonne Gallagher]] (the "short" incarnation), [[Lee Richards]] ("Amazon"), and [[Maggy Armitage]] ("tall"). Of the three iterations, only the "short" Romana has dialogue, but Gallagher's single line is redubbed by Lalla Ward; the character is turned away from the camera for the duration of the shot, and Gallagher's face is glimpsed only in the following shot for a fraction of a second. However, photos of all three actresses in costume and make-up were taken, in particular providing a markedly clearer look at the "short" Romana. | |||
== Footnotes == | == Footnotes == | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist|2}} | ||
[[Category:Romana]] | [[Category:Romana]] | ||
[[Category:Regenerations]] | [[Category:Regenerations]] | ||
Latest revision as of 19:52, 22 April 2024
Romana I's regeneration occurred around the time that she and the Fourth Doctor arrived on Skaro in the Movellan Incident. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks, PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) She briefly tried on several bodies but was intent on copying the appearance of Princess Astra of Atrios, (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) whom she and the Doctor had recently met while searching for the Key to Time. (TV: The Armageddon Factor)
History[[edit] | [edit source]]
Motivation[[edit] | [edit source]]
Various accounts gave different reasons for Romana's first regeneration.
One account claimed that she had regenerated purely "for the fun of it". (PROSE: City of Death) The Doctor had noted how oddly casual she seemed with her regeneration. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks) This cavalier attitude to regeneration was not uncommon among children of Newblood houses such as House Dvora, (PROSE: The Book of the War) Romana's house. (AUDIO: Panacea)
However, other accounts, while agreeing that she voluntarily chose to regenerate, ascribed it a more utilitarian motive: to purge the malicious influence of Pandora, which had begun to resurface after her ordeal with the Shadow. (AUDIO: Lies) Yet another account claimed that the strain of the Key to Time was absorbed into her upon leaving Princess Astra of Atrios, prompting her regeneration; (AUDIO: The Chaos Pool) Romana's later incarnation was unaware of the exact details of her regeneration for most of her life. (AUDIO: The Chaos Pool, Lies)
By another account, the quest for the Key to Time had worn down Romana's body to the point that her exposure to chronodyne, (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) which the Doctor had used to briefly simulate the sixth segment of the Key, (TV: The Armageddon Factor) had started her regeneration. (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe)
Physical appearances[[edit] | [edit source]]
During her regeneration, Romana appeared to "try out" four different bodies before settling on a fifth, which was identical to the first save for the outfit. The Doctor attributed Romana's surprising casualness and level of control over regeneration to her success at the Time Lord Academy, (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks) and this level of control was another known trait of the Newblood Houses such as House Dvora. (PROSE: The Book of the War) The Seventh Doctor described this to Bernice Summerfield as "trying out various genetic configurations before she settled on one." (PROSE: Original Sin)
By another account, however, Romana was "still a long way" from the control over regeneration that Gallifreyans in some of the newer Houses demonstrated. In this account, the many forms were assumed by Iraj, a shapeshifter whom Romana met in the TARDIS wardrobe, as a prank on the Doctor. Upon seeing Iraj take the form of Astra, Romana remarked that copying someone else's appearance was "probably against a dozen laws", (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) echoing the Doctor's concerns. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks)
Romana, when first assuming Astra's form, also replicated Astra's clothing. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks)
- The first body, by all accounts, was identical to the princess Astra of Atrios. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks, PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks, The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) The Doctor disapproved of this choice because it was a copy of someone they knew. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks, PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks)
- By all accounts, the second was a very diminutive body, (TV: Destiny of the Daleks, PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks, The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) usually depicted with a blue bodysuit over silver skin (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) or actually blue skin, (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) although one account made no mention of her alien appearance even though it did describe another one of the variant bodies as belonging to an "alien race". (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks) She wore a "bizarre, silver, filigreed" outfit (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) including a helmet and cape. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) Romana quite liked this form, but complained that it was "a bit short". (TV: Destiny of the Daleks, PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks) Romana thought the Doctor would "hate" this, as he would always be tripping over her. (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) By one account, this body was described only as "a very small girl", and the Doctor did not bother looking up from his work to see her. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks)
The "Amazon" Romana, rejected by the Doctor, turns to leave the console room. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks)
- By most accounts, the third body was a buxom woman with an elaborate outfit that revealed her midriff and included several necklaces, as well as a headdress hung with chains of gold rings. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) She was described as "a towering Amazon with rich, red hair", wearing "a bizarre two-piece outfit covered by a long, see-through robe". Romana thought the Doctor would find this body "much too intimidating". (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) By one account, however, this "exotic female" was visibly "of some alien race" instead of human-like, and was the fourth body tried. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks)
- By most accounts, the fourth body was an "incredibly tall" woman, "imposing" and "imperious-looking", (TV: Destiny of the Daleks, The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) a throwback to Ancient Gallifreyan physiology. (PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible) She wore "something white and classical" (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe, TV: Destiny of the Daleks) which Romana found "very fetching". (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) By one account, however, this "enormously tall girl" was the third body tried. (PROSE: Doctor Who and the Destiny of the Daleks)
Romana ultimately returned to the form of Astra of Atrios, saying that the body had "looked very good" on Astra. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) Some accounts referred to this form as Romana's second incarnation; (AUDIO: Warfare, et al.) indeed, by some accounts, a Time Lord's form could remain fluid for multiple hours after their regeneration, going as far as regrowing limbs. (TV: The Christmas Invasion, Let's Kill Hitler) However, other accounts showed that it was possible to regenerate multiple times in a short span of time. (TV: The Curse of Fatal Death, Hell Bent, The Doctor Falls) The apparent waste of regenerations would have been consistent with the recklessness of Newblood Houses regarding regeneration. (PROSE: The Book of the War)
Completion[[edit] | [edit source]]
According to most accounts, Romana had completed her regeneration by the time she finished trying on different forms for the Doctor. They then proceeded to Skaro. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) This was Romana's first regeneration. (PROSE: Original Sin)
However, according to another account where it was the shapeshifter Iraj who assumed the different forms, Romana I was still in the TARDIS wardrobe, where Iraj then froze her in a stasis. Iraj revealed herself to be the Doctor's TARDIS itself, upset about the Doctor's installation of a randomiser (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) to avoid the Black Guardian (TV: The Armageddon Factor, et al.) and jealous of the Doctor's companions. Iraj, choosing Astra's form because she "could tell" that the Doctor "liked this one", intended to replace Romana permanently.
However, after going on an adventure with the Doctor and Davros (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) where she was taken prisoner by Daleks during the Movellan Incident, (TV: Destiny of the Daleks) Iraj exasperatedly freed Romana, remarking, "I could be the most stunning woman in all the universe, and he'd still only think of me as a particularly clever piece of hand luggage". Romana reassured Iraj that the Doctor cared for the TARDIS most of all, and in return for not telling the Doctor, Iraj helped Romana complete her regeneration. Waking in a body just like Astra's, and hearing the Doctor calling for her (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe) to join him in Paris, (TV: City of Death) Romana thought of what Iraj said about the Doctor liking Astra's appearance, and she chose a "schoolgirl outfit". (PROSE: The Lying Old Witch in the Wardrobe)
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
Yvonne Gallagher as the "short" Romana
Lee Richards as the "Amazon" Romana
Maggy Armitage as the "tall" Romana
- While Destiny of the Daleks was mostly written by Terry Nation, Romana's regeneration sequence was written by Douglas Adams, who wrote it as a parody of the Fourth Doctor's post-regeneration costume changes in Robot.[1]
- Mary Tamm had agreed to play Romana after being convinced she wouldn't just be a "damsel in distress". However, by the end of Season 16, Tamm felt her character had fallen into that category. This, along with the fact her character had no room to grow in such a small format, left Tamm unwilling to carry on,[2] prompting the character's unexpected regeneration in the first story of Season 17. As Tamm was several months pregnant at the time of filming, she couldn't appear in the brief regeneration sequence.[1]
- The three actresses who physically portray the intermediary bodies are uncredited both on-screen and in Radio Times, but were identified in DWM 283 as Yvonne Gallagher (the "short" incarnation), Lee Richards ("Amazon"), and Maggy Armitage ("tall"). Of the three iterations, only the "short" Romana has dialogue, but Gallagher's single line is redubbed by Lalla Ward; the character is turned away from the camera for the duration of the shot, and Gallagher's face is glimpsed only in the following shot for a fraction of a second. However, photos of all three actresses in costume and make-up were taken, in particular providing a markedly clearer look at the "short" Romana.
