Heart of the TARDIS: Difference between revisions

From Tardis Wiki, the free Doctor Who reference
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
(99 intermediate revisions by 41 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Heart of the TARDIS.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The console opens, revealing the Heart.]]
{{Infobox Object
[[Image:Heartsheath.png|thumb|right|250px|The Sheath that protects the heart of the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]].]]
|image      = Heart of the TARDIS 2.jpg
The '''Heart of the [[TARDIS]]''' is a core element of TARDIS technology, described by the [[Ninth Doctor|Doctor]] as the ship's "soul." The connection to the [[Eye of Harmony]] is unclear. Whether it changes positions like other rooms in the TARDIS is unclear, but for the [[Fifth Doctor|fifth]], [[Ninth Doctor|ninth]], and [[Eleventh Doctor|eleventh]] Doctors, it was located beneath the central console.
|aka        = Space-time element
|made by    =
|used by    = [[TARDIS]]es
|first      =
|appearances =
|clip        = The heart of the TARDIS - Doctor Who - Boom Town - Series 1 - BBC
|clip2      = The Heart of the TARDIS - Doctor Who - Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS - Series 7 - BBC
}}{{you may|Heart of TARDIS (novel)|n1=the similarly-named novel}}
The '''Heart of the TARDIS''' — also known as the '''space-time element''' and the '''power source of the TARDIS''' — was a core element of [[TARDIS]] technology.


When trying to get [[Vislor Turlough]] to sabotage the TARDIS, the [[Black Guardian]] directed him to the heart of the TARDIS, describing it as a space-time element, and ordering him to rip it out. While he could not remove it completely, he tampered with it enough to cause the TARDIS to begin to break up. ([[DW]]: ''[[Terminus (TV story)|Terminus]]'')
== Characteristics ==
It was the basic life and mind, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Falls the Shadow (novel)|Falls the Shadow]]'') the "[[soul]]" of the ship. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Boom Town (TV story)}})


On one occasion it opened as if by itself because [[Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen|Blon Slitheen]] had programmed a [[Tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator]] to tap into the greatest power source available, in this case the TARDIS. ([[DW]]: ''[[Boom Town]]'') On another occasion it was forcibly opened by [[Rose Tyler]], [[Jackie Tyler]], and [[Mickey Smith]], using an attached chain and the pull of a large,yellow tow truck. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'')
The [[Eighth Doctor]] claimed that the [[Eye of Harmony]] was "the power source of the heart of the TARDIS." ([[TV]]: {{cs|Doctor Who (TV story)}})


The Heart appears to be bright energy which has varied in colour from milky-white to orange.
Whether it changed positions like other rooms in [[the Doctor's TARDIS]] was unclear, but during the times of the [[Fifth Doctor|Fifth]], [[Ninth Doctor|Ninth]], [[Tenth Doctor|Tenth]] and [[Eleventh Doctor]]s, it was apparently located beneath the [[TARDIS control console|central console]].


:''It is possible that the latter colour was due to the presence of [[Time Vortex|vortex energy]].''
A regular pulse, the heart worked to the keep occupants in the same time frame as their surroundings during [[materialisation]]; too slow and the TARDIS would be lost in the past, too fast and it would head into the future. If it suffered problems, such as a skipped beat, the TARDIS would materialise at a point in time to allow for repairs. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[1963 (audio story)|1963]]'')


The Heart is telepathic; it can grant people's inner wishes for them, but it is unknown how far its power extends or how it works. The heart may also be responsible for the translation effect of the TARDIS. The Heart is also said to contain the last traces of Huon particles ([[DW]]: ''[[The Runaway Bride]]'').
The Heart appeared to be bright energy which varied in colour from milky-white to orange. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Parting of the Ways (TV story)}}) It was known to be dangerous if looked into. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Memorandum (short story)|Memorandum]]'')


When Blon Slitheen looked into the Heart she regressed back to a [[Raxacoricofallapatorian]] egg, fulfilling her wish for a clean slate. ([[DW]]: ''[[Boom Town]]'')
The Heart was also said to contain the last traces of [[Huon]] particles in the universe. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Runaway Bride (TV story)}})


When Rose Tyler looked into the Heart it fulfilled her wish to save the Doctor and infused her with the Bad Wolf entity, so she could telepathically operate the [[TARDIS]], sending it to [[Satellite Five]] and use [[Bad Wolf entity|god-like powers]]. In the process she was also infused with [[Time Vortex|vortex energy]]. To save her life, the Ninth Doctor took the energy upon himself at the cost of his own life, regenerating into the [[Tenth Doctor]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'')
== History ==
Commander [[Maxil]] removed the space-time element from the [[TARDIS console (Planet of Evil)|TARDIS console]] to stop the [[Fifth Doctor]] from leaving [[Gallifrey]] to avoid his [[execution]]. [[Damon (Arc of Infinity)|Damon]] was asked by the Doctor to find a new one, possibly without the [[recall circuit]] who let the Time Lords summon the TARDIS on the planet; eventually Damon reassembled and replaced it to allow the Doctor to continue his travels. ([[TV]]: ''[[Arc of Infinity (TV story)|Arc of Infinity]]'')


Following a highly damaging crash landing, the TARDIS reconstructed itself. Subsequently, the Heart of the TARDIS was relocated to a small sphere beneath the main console, which was itself partially submerged in a blue oily liquid. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour]]'')
When trying to get [[Vislor Turlough|Turlough]] to sabotage the TARDIS, the [[Black Guardian]] directed him to the heart of the TARDIS, describing it as a space-time element and ordering him to rip it out. While he could not remove it completely, he tampered with it enough to make the TARDIS begin to break up. It was this tampering that led to [[Nyssa]] leaving the TARDIS. ([[TV]]: ''[[Terminus (TV story)|Terminus]]'')
 
After being tortured by [[Tobias Vaughn]], the [[Seventh Doctor]] used the heart of the TARDIS to heal himself of his injuries. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Original Sin (novel)|Original Sin]]'')
 
On one occasion, with [[TARDIS console (Rose)|a later console]], it opened as the TARDIS was being ripped apart after [[Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen|Blon Slitheen]] had programmed a [[tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator]] to tap into the greatest power source available, in this case the TARDIS. When Blon Slitheen looked into the Heart, she regressed to a [[Raxacoricofallapatorian]] egg, fulfilling her wish for a clean slate. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Boom Town (TV story)}})
 
On another occasion it was forcibly opened by [[Rose Tyler]], [[Jackie Tyler]] and [[Mickey Smith]], who used an attached chain and the pull of a large, yellow tow truck to rip the console apart.
 
When Rose Tyler looked into the Heart, it fulfilled her wish to save the Doctor and infused her with [[Bad Wolf entity|god-like powers]]. She took the TARDIS to [[Satellite Five]], where she saved the Doctor and destroyed an army of [[Dalek]]s, including the Emperor. She was also infused with [[Time Vortex|vortex energy]]. To save her life, the [[Ninth Doctor]] took the energy into himself at the cost of his own life. He regenerated into the [[Tenth Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Parting of the Ways (TV story)}})
 
[[UNIT United Kingdom|UNIT]], who had launched [[Operation Big Bad Wolf]] to monitor the Ninth Doctor, found their surveillance to be disrupted ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Memorandum (short story)|Memorandum]]'') after an [[extermination]] attempt on the Doctor by the Daleks ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Case File A13 (short story)|Case File A13]]'') and in the following [[memorandum]] by [[General]] [[Muriel Frost]], she stated that if the TARDIS was to ever come into UNIT's possession, that the [[central control console]] must be dismantled under [[supervision]] of [[UNIT Sci-Corps]] given the dangers of looking into it. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Memorandum (short story)|Memorandum]]'')
 
After the Tenth Doctor's [[regeneration]] ([[TV]]: {{cs|The End of Time (TV story)}}) caused massive damage to the control room and forced a crash-landing, the console room was repaired and remodelled into [[TARDIS control room (The Eleventh Hour)|a new design]]. Now the Heart was relocated right below [[TARDIS console (The Eleventh Hour)|the console]], covered by a protective bubble, instead of inside it. The cover also helped hold up the glass floor. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour (TV story)|The Eleventh Hour]]'')
 
When [[the Silence]] took control of the TARDIS and made it explode in their efforts to kill the Doctor, the explosion seemed to start at the heart. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Pandorica Opens (TV story)}}/{{cs|The Big Bang (TV story)}})
 
When the TARDIS [[Alternate timeline (Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS)|collided with a salvage ship]] used by [[Van Baalen Bros.]], the [[TARDIS engine|engine]] was critically damaged, exploded, and opened a [[time rift]], visually reminiscent to a [[time rift|crack in time]], through which the past and future began to leak. The TARDIS managed to freeze the explosion in time, but the Doctor stated that it was merely a temporary fix. The explosion was later prevented when the Doctor used a [[magno-grab remote]] to prevent the collision and negate the timeline preventing it from happening. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (TV story)}})
 
Faced with [[the Flux]] drawing close to the TARDIS, with no ideas left, the [[Thirteenth Doctor]] unleashed [[vortex energy]] by smashing [[glass]] in [[TARDIS console (The Ghost Monument)|the TARDIS console]]. However, to the Doctor's surprise, this seemed to have little effect on the Flux, which continued to advance. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Halloween Apocalypse (TV story)}}) However, [[Awsok Tecteun|Tecteun]] revealed that it did actually halt the Flux and prevented it from destroying all of the universe. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Survivors of the Flux (TV story)}})  


It seemed that the entity which took control of the TARDIS caused its explosion from the heart. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Pandorica Opens (TV story)|The Pandorica Opens]]''/''[[The Big Bang]]'')
[[Category:TARDIS]]
[[Category:TARDIS components]]
[[Category:TARDIS components]]
[[Category:Life force]]
[[Category:Mind]]
[[Category:Space-time]]
[[Category:Energy and radiation]]
[[Category:Longevity and ageing]]
[[es:Corazón de la TARDIS]]

Latest revision as of 15:04, 3 April 2024

You may be looking for the similarly-named novel.

The Heart of the TARDIS — also known as the space-time element and the power source of the TARDIS — was a core element of TARDIS technology.

Characteristics[[edit] | [edit source]]

It was the basic life and mind, (PROSE: Falls the Shadow) the "soul" of the ship. (TV: Boom Town [+]Loading...["Boom Town (TV story)"])

The Eighth Doctor claimed that the Eye of Harmony was "the power source of the heart of the TARDIS." (TV: Doctor Who [+]Loading...["Doctor Who (TV story)"])

Whether it changed positions like other rooms in the Doctor's TARDIS was unclear, but during the times of the Fifth, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Doctors, it was apparently located beneath the central console.

A regular pulse, the heart worked to the keep occupants in the same time frame as their surroundings during materialisation; too slow and the TARDIS would be lost in the past, too fast and it would head into the future. If it suffered problems, such as a skipped beat, the TARDIS would materialise at a point in time to allow for repairs. (AUDIO: 1963)

The Heart appeared to be bright energy which varied in colour from milky-white to orange. (TV: The Parting of the Ways [+]Loading...["The Parting of the Ways (TV story)"]) It was known to be dangerous if looked into. (PROSE: Memorandum)

The Heart was also said to contain the last traces of Huon particles in the universe. (TV: The Runaway Bride [+]Loading...["The Runaway Bride (TV story)"])

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

Commander Maxil removed the space-time element from the TARDIS console to stop the Fifth Doctor from leaving Gallifrey to avoid his execution. Damon was asked by the Doctor to find a new one, possibly without the recall circuit who let the Time Lords summon the TARDIS on the planet; eventually Damon reassembled and replaced it to allow the Doctor to continue his travels. (TV: Arc of Infinity)

When trying to get Turlough to sabotage the TARDIS, the Black Guardian directed him to the heart of the TARDIS, describing it as a space-time element and ordering him to rip it out. While he could not remove it completely, he tampered with it enough to make the TARDIS begin to break up. It was this tampering that led to Nyssa leaving the TARDIS. (TV: Terminus)

After being tortured by Tobias Vaughn, the Seventh Doctor used the heart of the TARDIS to heal himself of his injuries. (PROSE: Original Sin)

On one occasion, with a later console, it opened as the TARDIS was being ripped apart after Blon Slitheen had programmed a tribophysical waveform macro-kinetic extrapolator to tap into the greatest power source available, in this case the TARDIS. When Blon Slitheen looked into the Heart, she regressed to a Raxacoricofallapatorian egg, fulfilling her wish for a clean slate. (TV: Boom Town [+]Loading...["Boom Town (TV story)"])

On another occasion it was forcibly opened by Rose Tyler, Jackie Tyler and Mickey Smith, who used an attached chain and the pull of a large, yellow tow truck to rip the console apart.

When Rose Tyler looked into the Heart, it fulfilled her wish to save the Doctor and infused her with god-like powers. She took the TARDIS to Satellite Five, where she saved the Doctor and destroyed an army of Daleks, including the Emperor. She was also infused with vortex energy. To save her life, the Ninth Doctor took the energy into himself at the cost of his own life. He regenerated into the Tenth Doctor. (TV: The Parting of the Ways [+]Loading...["The Parting of the Ways (TV story)"])

UNIT, who had launched Operation Big Bad Wolf to monitor the Ninth Doctor, found their surveillance to be disrupted (PROSE: Memorandum) after an extermination attempt on the Doctor by the Daleks (PROSE: Case File A13) and in the following memorandum by General Muriel Frost, she stated that if the TARDIS was to ever come into UNIT's possession, that the central control console must be dismantled under supervision of UNIT Sci-Corps given the dangers of looking into it. (PROSE: Memorandum)

After the Tenth Doctor's regeneration (TV: The End of Time [+]Loading...["The End of Time (TV story)"]) caused massive damage to the control room and forced a crash-landing, the console room was repaired and remodelled into a new design. Now the Heart was relocated right below the console, covered by a protective bubble, instead of inside it. The cover also helped hold up the glass floor. (TV: The Eleventh Hour)

When the Silence took control of the TARDIS and made it explode in their efforts to kill the Doctor, the explosion seemed to start at the heart. (TV: The Pandorica Opens [+]Loading...["The Pandorica Opens (TV story)"]/The Big Bang [+]Loading...["The Big Bang (TV story)"])

When the TARDIS collided with a salvage ship used by Van Baalen Bros., the engine was critically damaged, exploded, and opened a time rift, visually reminiscent to a crack in time, through which the past and future began to leak. The TARDIS managed to freeze the explosion in time, but the Doctor stated that it was merely a temporary fix. The explosion was later prevented when the Doctor used a magno-grab remote to prevent the collision and negate the timeline preventing it from happening. (TV: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS [+]Loading...["Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (TV story)"])

Faced with the Flux drawing close to the TARDIS, with no ideas left, the Thirteenth Doctor unleashed vortex energy by smashing glass in the TARDIS console. However, to the Doctor's surprise, this seemed to have little effect on the Flux, which continued to advance. (TV: The Halloween Apocalypse [+]Loading...["The Halloween Apocalypse (TV story)"]) However, Tecteun revealed that it did actually halt the Flux and prevented it from destroying all of the universe. (TV: Survivors of the Flux [+]Loading...["Survivors of the Flux (TV story)"])

Retrieved from "https://tardis.wiki/w/index.php?title=Heart_of_the_TARDIS&oldid=3759965"