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{{Infobox Species
{{Infobox Species
|image = [[Image:Empty_child.jpg|250px]]
|image       = The Empty Child Plague (TDD).jpg
|Species name = Empty Child plague
|type        = [[Human]] with altered [[DNA]]
|type = Plagued human
|affiliation  = Nanogene{{!}}Nanogenes
|aka= Gas mask zombie
|origin      = [[Earth]]
|affiliation = [[Nanogene|Nanogenes]]
|first cs    = The Empty Child (TV story)
|origin =
|appearances = [[TV]]: {{cs|The Doctor Dances (TV story)}}<br>[[PROSE]]: {{cs|Shortness of Breath (short story)}}
|appearances = <ul><li>[[DW]]: ''[[The Empty Child]]'' / ''[[The Doctor Dances]]
|individuals = [[Jamie (The Empty Child)|Jamie]], [[Constantine (The Empty Child)|Constantine]]
|Mentions= [[DW]]: ''[[School Reunion]]''
|clip        = Gas Mask Transformation (HD) The Empty Child Doctor Who
}}
|clip2      = Are you my mummy? - Doctor Who - The Doctor Dances - Series 1 - BBC
|clip3      = The Doctor's Victory Speech (HD) The Doctor Dances Doctor Who
|bts        = Bombs and zombies - Dr Who Confidential - BBC sci-fi
}}{{you may|Jamie (The Empty Child)|The Empty Child (TV story)|n1=Jamie, the first individual affected|n2=the television story}}
The '''Empty Child Syndrome''' ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Amarillo Hoax (short story)}}, {{cs|Hitler's Last Secret? (short story)}}) was a technological plague which spread around a part of [[East London]] ([[PROSE]]: {{cs|Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia (reference book)}}) in [[1941]]. The [[Ninth Doctor]] and [[Rose Tyler]] encountered the Empty Child and helped play a part in its cure. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Empty Child (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Doctor Dances (TV story)}})


The '''"Empty Child" plague''' was a [[technological plague]] which spread around a part of [[London]] in [[1941]].
== History ==
When conman [[Captain]] [[Jack Harkness]] planted a [[Chula ambulance]] in [[1941]] London, the [[Chula]] [[nanogene]]s, who had never previously encountered [[human]]s, infected a dying human boy named [[Jamie (The Empty Child)|Jamie]] caught in the [[The Blitz|London Blitz]]. Assuming that the [[gas mask]] he was wearing was part of his face, they "healed" him, and unintentionally created the "Empty Child," a "[[zombie]]" based on Jamie's characteristics and injuries at death. Thus, everyone affected by the plague inherited a gas mask in place of their faces, severe [[head trauma]] on the left side, partial collapse of the right side of their [[chest cavity]], and a gash on the back of their right hands.


==History==
The nanogenes also gave the child the standard abilities of Chula soldiers, specifically super-human strength, [[Telepathy|telepathic abilities]], and the ability to [[Om-Com|communicate]] using anything with a speaker grill.
[[Chula]] [[nanogene]]s, who had never encountered [[Human]]s before, interacting with a dying human boy caught in [[the Blitz]], created the so-called "Empty Child" with a [[gas mask]] for a face. The nanogenes also gave the child the standard abilities of Chula soldiers, specifically super-Human strength, [[Telepathy|telepathic abilities]] and the ability to communicate using [[:Category:Communications devices|other items]]. Unfortunately, the Empty Child still had a child-like mentality and escaped to search for its mother.


The Empty Child compulsively sought the company of others, searching for his mother, and in doing so contaminated them with the nanogenes. Those who were infected did likewise so that the nanogenes spread in a similar fashion to a virus. All of the victims grew faces like gas masks and developed the same wounds as the original child, as well as the same compulsion. This plague was eventually stopped when the Empty Child was reunited with his mother and the nanogenes recognized the proper sequence for a Human in [[1943]] [[London]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Empty Child]]'', ''[[The Doctor Dances]]'').
The Empty Child still had a child-like mentality and escaped to search for [[Nancy (The Empty Child)|its mother]]. In doing so, it contaminated other humans with the nanogenes. When Nancy was chained to a chair next to an infected soldier called [[Jenkins (The Doctor Dances)|Jenkins]], she explained the process of the infection to him as she had seen it happen before. It started with the gash slowly appearing on the back of the infected's hand. Then the victim would incorporate the word "mummy" into their sentences by pure unaware instinct as Jenkins had done to [[Algy]] before he left the tent. Then, the victim would lose all mental awareness of who they were, like when Jenkins started to forget things about his life when Nancy questioned him. Then, the victim would feel as if something was "forcing its way up [their] throat". Then the physical transformation would begin. Afterwards, the now transformed victim would remain docile until called into action.


[[Rose Tyler]] later described the victims as "gas-masked zombies" ([[DW]]: ''[[School Reunion]]'').
Those who were infected by the virus infected others likewise to how the Child had done so that the nanogenes spread in a fashion similar to a virus. The child, and all victims of it, were infamous for repeating the phrase, "Are you my Mummy?". At first, people were only infected if touched by someone who was already infected, though the plague soon became airborne. If not resolved, the Doctor calculated that the virus could convert the whole of humanity in mere hours.


{{Stub}}
The Empty Child plague was finally stopped when the [[Ninth Doctor]] reunited the Empty Child with his mother and the [[nanogene]]s understood, recognising the mother as the superior source, the proper sequence for a human of that era. Jamie was fully restored by the nanogenes and the Doctor sent the reprogrammed nanogenes to the other infected humans. Now knowing what a proper human was supposed to look like, the nanogenes restored the people back to their original selves and repaired all of their injuries and ailments in the process. The Doctor also programmed the nanogenes to shut themselves down once they repaired the damage they created to stop them from being a problem again in the future. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Empty Child (TV story)}}, {{cs|The Doctor Dances (TV story)}})


[[Category:Events]]
Shortly afterwards, Jamie's gasmask was collected and stored in the [[Leamington Spa Lifeboat Museum]]. It still contained traces of nanogenes in [[2007]]. ([[GAME]]: {{cs|Security Bot (video game)}})
[[Category:Ninth Doctor enemies]]
 
== References ==
[[Rose Tyler]] mentioned having seen "Gas Mask Zombies" when competing with [[Sarah Jane Smith]] over their adventures with [[the Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|School Reunion (TV story)}})
 
The [[Tenth Doctor]], after having assumed the identity of [[John Smith (Tenth Doctor)|John Smith]], drew a picture of two Empty Child victims in ''[[A Journal of Impossible Things (Human Nature)|A Journal of Impossible Things]]''. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Human Nature (TV story)}})
 
When given a [[gas mask]] during the [[Sontaran invasion of Earth]], the Tenth Doctor jokingly asked, "Are you my mummy?," as a reference to these events. ([[TV]]: {{cs|The Poison Sky (TV story)}})
 
When confronted with the [[Foretold]], a [[mummy]] on the [[Orient Express (spacecraft)|Orient Express]] in space, the [[Twelfth Doctor]], attempting to find out how and why the mummy was present, blurted out, "Are you my mummy?". ([[TV]]: {{cs|Mummy on the Orient Express (TV story)}})
 
== Behind the scenes ==
Victims of the Empty Child "plague" under the name "Gas Mask Zombies" are used as enemies in the ''[[Legacy (video game)|Doctor Who: Legacy]]'' mobile game.
 
== External links ==
{{Dwlx|Gas Mask Zombie|Gas Mask Zombie}}
 
[[Category:20th century Earth history]]
[[Category:Diseases and illnesses]]
[[Category:London history]]

Latest revision as of 13:13, 8 December 2024

The Empty Child Syndrome (PROSE: Amarillo Hoax [+]Loading...["Amarillo Hoax (short story)"], Hitler's Last Secret? [+]Loading...["Hitler's Last Secret? (short story)"]) was a technological plague which spread around a part of East London (PROSE: Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia [+]Loading...["Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia (reference book)"]) in 1941. The Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler encountered the Empty Child and helped play a part in its cure. (TV: The Empty Child [+]Loading...["The Empty Child (TV story)"], The Doctor Dances [+]Loading...["The Doctor Dances (TV story)"])

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

When conman Captain Jack Harkness planted a Chula ambulance in 1941 London, the Chula nanogenes, who had never previously encountered humans, infected a dying human boy named Jamie caught in the London Blitz. Assuming that the gas mask he was wearing was part of his face, they "healed" him, and unintentionally created the "Empty Child," a "zombie" based on Jamie's characteristics and injuries at death. Thus, everyone affected by the plague inherited a gas mask in place of their faces, severe head trauma on the left side, partial collapse of the right side of their chest cavity, and a gash on the back of their right hands.

The nanogenes also gave the child the standard abilities of Chula soldiers, specifically super-human strength, telepathic abilities, and the ability to communicate using anything with a speaker grill.

The Empty Child still had a child-like mentality and escaped to search for its mother. In doing so, it contaminated other humans with the nanogenes. When Nancy was chained to a chair next to an infected soldier called Jenkins, she explained the process of the infection to him as she had seen it happen before. It started with the gash slowly appearing on the back of the infected's hand. Then the victim would incorporate the word "mummy" into their sentences by pure unaware instinct as Jenkins had done to Algy before he left the tent. Then, the victim would lose all mental awareness of who they were, like when Jenkins started to forget things about his life when Nancy questioned him. Then, the victim would feel as if something was "forcing its way up [their] throat". Then the physical transformation would begin. Afterwards, the now transformed victim would remain docile until called into action.

Those who were infected by the virus infected others likewise to how the Child had done so that the nanogenes spread in a fashion similar to a virus. The child, and all victims of it, were infamous for repeating the phrase, "Are you my Mummy?". At first, people were only infected if touched by someone who was already infected, though the plague soon became airborne. If not resolved, the Doctor calculated that the virus could convert the whole of humanity in mere hours.

The Empty Child plague was finally stopped when the Ninth Doctor reunited the Empty Child with his mother and the nanogenes understood, recognising the mother as the superior source, the proper sequence for a human of that era. Jamie was fully restored by the nanogenes and the Doctor sent the reprogrammed nanogenes to the other infected humans. Now knowing what a proper human was supposed to look like, the nanogenes restored the people back to their original selves and repaired all of their injuries and ailments in the process. The Doctor also programmed the nanogenes to shut themselves down once they repaired the damage they created to stop them from being a problem again in the future. (TV: The Empty Child [+]Loading...["The Empty Child (TV story)"], The Doctor Dances [+]Loading...["The Doctor Dances (TV story)"])

Shortly afterwards, Jamie's gasmask was collected and stored in the Leamington Spa Lifeboat Museum. It still contained traces of nanogenes in 2007. (GAME: Security Bot [+]Loading...["Security Bot (video game)"])

References[[edit] | [edit source]]

Rose Tyler mentioned having seen "Gas Mask Zombies" when competing with Sarah Jane Smith over their adventures with the Doctor. (TV: School Reunion [+]Loading...["School Reunion (TV story)"])

The Tenth Doctor, after having assumed the identity of John Smith, drew a picture of two Empty Child victims in A Journal of Impossible Things. (TV: Human Nature [+]Loading...["Human Nature (TV story)"])

When given a gas mask during the Sontaran invasion of Earth, the Tenth Doctor jokingly asked, "Are you my mummy?," as a reference to these events. (TV: The Poison Sky [+]Loading...["The Poison Sky (TV story)"])

When confronted with the Foretold, a mummy on the Orient Express in space, the Twelfth Doctor, attempting to find out how and why the mummy was present, blurted out, "Are you my mummy?". (TV: Mummy on the Orient Express [+]Loading...["Mummy on the Orient Express (TV story)"])

Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Victims of the Empty Child "plague" under the name "Gas Mask Zombies" are used as enemies in the Doctor Who: Legacy mobile game.

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