Potential (short story): Difference between revisions
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{{title | {{title dab away}} | ||
{{Infobox | {{real world}} | ||
{{Infobox Story SMW | |||
series= | |series=[[Short Trips (series)#In print|Short Trips short stories]] | ||
doctor= | |doctor = Third Doctor | ||
|companions= | |||
|setting= | |||
|writer=Stephen Dunn (writer) | |||
|anthology = Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life | |||
|release date = 30 September 2008 | |||
|prev=Curiosity (short story) | |||
|next = Second Chances (ST short story) | |||
}} | |||
'''''Potential''''' was the fourth short story in the [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology ''[[Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life]]''. It was written by [[Stephen Dunn (writer)|Stephen Dunn]]. It featured the [[Third Doctor]]. | |||
==Summary== | == Summary == | ||
' | At [[Bowman's Grammar School]], [[Student (Potential)|one student]] witnesses a [[fight]]. The bully, [[Thompson (Potential)|Thompson]], accosts [[Scott (Potential)|Scott]] for his appearance. The watching pupils is reluctant to become involved. However, he then sees [[Third Doctor|a strange teacher]] appear who seems to pay the fight no heed. The student directs his attention towards the altercation, to which the teacher merely responds: " | ||
:"Don't look at him as he is now. Look at him as he has the potential to be." | |||
The man then enters a room and [[The Doctor's TARDIS|vanishes without a trace]]. The student digests the experience and summons the courage to tell the [[headmaster]], [[Barraclough (Potential)|Mr Barraclough]], about the [[bullying]]. It eventually stops, although the student suffers some retribution. | |||
In his later life, the former pupil continues to look back on this snapshot of his life. He never found out what became of Thompson or Scott but feels the important part is that he tried to make a difference. In that time, he considers that the mysterious teacher's words were not about Thompson or Scott but about him. | |||
== | == Characters == | ||
* [[Student (Potential)|Student]] | |||
* [[Thompson (Potential)|Thompson]] | |||
* [[Scott (Potential)|Scott]] | |||
* [[Barraclough (Potential)|Mr Barraclough]] | |||
* [[Third Doctor]] | |||
* [[Jamieson (Potential)|Jamieson]] | |||
== | == Worldbuilding == | ||
* Mr Barraclough is nicknamed [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] by the pupils. | |||
* The Doctor reminds the student of [[Austin Powers]] or [[Jimi Hendrix]]. | |||
== | == Notes == | ||
' | * The story's main character remains unidentified. | ||
== Continuity == | |||
* The Doctor is believed to be a [[teacher]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Dream Devils (short story)|Dream Devils]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[School Reunion (TV story)|School Reunion]]'') | |||
{{ST prose}} | |||
{{TitleSort}} | |||
[[Category:Third Doctor short stories]] | [[Category:Third Doctor short stories]] | ||
[[Category:Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life short stories]] | |||
Latest revision as of 13:22, 15 March 2024
Potential was the fourth short story in the Short Trips anthology Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life. It was written by Stephen Dunn. It featured the Third Doctor.
Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]
At Bowman's Grammar School, one student witnesses a fight. The bully, Thompson, accosts Scott for his appearance. The watching pupils is reluctant to become involved. However, he then sees a strange teacher appear who seems to pay the fight no heed. The student directs his attention towards the altercation, to which the teacher merely responds: "
- "Don't look at him as he is now. Look at him as he has the potential to be."
The man then enters a room and vanishes without a trace. The student digests the experience and summons the courage to tell the headmaster, Mr Barraclough, about the bullying. It eventually stops, although the student suffers some retribution.
In his later life, the former pupil continues to look back on this snapshot of his life. He never found out what became of Thompson or Scott but feels the important part is that he tried to make a difference. In that time, he considers that the mysterious teacher's words were not about Thompson or Scott but about him.
Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]
Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Mr Barraclough is nicknamed Hitler by the pupils.
- The Doctor reminds the student of Austin Powers or Jimi Hendrix.
Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The story's main character remains unidentified.
Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]
- The Doctor is believed to be a teacher, (PROSE: Dream Devils, TV: School Reunion)
