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{{Infobox Species
{{Infobox Species
|image = [[Image:Family of Blood.jpg|250px]]<br /><small>The natural form of one of the Family (foreground), two [[Human]]s possessed by the Family (background).</small>
|image       = Family of Blood.jpg
|Species name = The Family of Blood
|type        = [[Telepathic]] creatures
|aka = The Family
|aka          =
|type = Incorporeal [[hive mind|group mind]]
|affiliation  = [[Host body|Human hosts]], [[Animated scarecrow (Human Nature)|Scarecrows]]
|affiliation = [[Human]] hosts, [[Scarecrow]]s
|origin      = [[Family of Blood's home planet]]
|origin = Unknown
|first        = Human Nature (TV story)
|appearances = [[DW]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'' / ''[[The Family of Blood]]''
|appearances  = {{il|[[TV]]: ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]''|[[PROSE]]: ''[[Blood Will Out (short story)|Blood Will Out]]''|[[AUDIO]]: ''[[Shadow of a Doubt (audio story)|Shadow of a Doubt]]''|[[WC]]: ''[[The Shadow in the Mirror (webcast)|The Shadow in the Mirror]]''}}
|Mentions =
|individuals  = [[Son of Mine]], [[Daughter of Mine]], [[Father of Mine]], [[Mother of Mine]]
}}
|clip        = The Doctor's Ultimatum - Human Nature - Doctor Who - BBC
|clip2        = The fury of the Timelord - Doctor Who - Human Nature - Series 3 - BBC
}}{{you may|The Family of Blood (TV story)|n1=the TV story}}
The '''Family of Blood''' were a family of hunters who hunted the [[Tenth Doctor]] in order to take his near-[[immortality]]. They tended to refer to one another by their relationship to each other within the family. For example, the patriarch of the Family was called "Father of Mine" by his children, and "Husband of Mine" by his wife.


The '''Family of Blood''' was a group of hunters who followed [[Tenth Doctor|the Doctor]] in order to take his near-immortality.  
== Biology ==
The Family of Blood were green, gaseous predators that could inhabit and control [[human]] bodies. Before taking human form, the members of the Family were kept in small, spherical receptacles. ([[TV]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'') They had very short lifespans, and would naturally perish in just three months, "like mayflies". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]'')


==Biology==
While possessing humans, the Family could [[Telepathy|telepathically]] communicate with each other from a distance. They could also access the minds and memories of their hosts, though these were mostly obliterated during the possession process, making it difficult for the Family to successfully pose as their victims without arousing suspicion.
The Family of Blood were green, gaseous entities that could inhabit and control [[Human]] bodies. Before taking human form, the members of the Family of Blood were kept in small, spherical receptacles. They had very short-lifespans, lasting only 3 months. ([[DW]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'')


The members that were chasing the Doctor were made of a mother, father, son and daughter. While in Human form the Family could [[telepathic]]ally communicate together from a distance. They also had access to the Host's memory, though they had some difficultly pretending to be Humans. ([[DW]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'' / ''[[The Family of Blood]]'')
They also had an incredible sense of smell, tracking the Doctor wherever the TARDIS took him by his scent alone. ([[TV]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'')


==Technology==
== Technology ==
The Family had a spaceship, with various features and switches as green as the beings themselves. They used technology to render their craft invisible to Humans.  
The Family utilised a [[spacecraft]] that held their 'essence' within it prior to them assuming human form. The interior contained green lights, pillars and paddle-like switches and seaweed-like plants dangling from the ceiling. The spacecraft had a considerable arsenal of technology — the most notable of which was a [[Family of Blood's vortex manipulator|vortex manipulator]] (stolen from a [[Time Agency|Time Agent]]) that allowed the craft to travel through time. It could also project force fields, render itself invisible and had bomb-shooting cannons.


The Family also had [[scarecrow]]-like soldiers created by the son and placed into various fields. They were composed of straw, their molecules animated via a scientific process. Even after being shot down, they could still reanimate by the command of the Family. ([[DW]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'' / ''[[The Family of Blood]]'')
[[File:Family of Blood energy gun firing.jpg|thumb|left|[[Father of Mine]] fires his energy gun at [[Chambers (Human Nature)|Chambers]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'')]] On hand, the Family of Blood used energy guns that fired green energy that disintegrated humanoid tissue — the weapons apparently consisted of a living creature within a shell that shot the beam when pierced by the trigger. They were somewhat difficult for humanoids to hold.


:''The scarecrows could have some relation to the [[Slab]]s.''
The Family also had [[Animated scarecrow (Human Nature)|scarecrow-like soldiers]], created by [[Son of Mine]], that were placed in various fields. They were composed of straw, their molecules animated via a scientific process. Even after being shot down, they could still reanimate by the command of the Family. ([[TV]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'' / ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]'')


==History==
== History ==
The Family encountered [[Tenth Doctor|the Doctor]] and [[Martha Jones]] in [[2007]] and chased them throughout [[time]] and [[space]] with a stolen [[Time Agency|Time Agent]] [[vortex manipulator]] in order to steal from the Doctor some means of ensuring that they would live longer lifespan. The Doctor was forced to turn himself into a [[Human]] using the [[Chameleon Arch]] in [[the Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] in order to escape them. The Doctor changed himself into [[John Smith]], a teacher at a boy's school in [[England]] in [[1913]]. The Family, landing nearby, activated animated scarecrows to round up humans to use as bodies. ([[DW]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'')
The Family encountered the [[Tenth Doctor]] and [[Martha Jones]], and chased them throughout [[time]] and [[space]] with a stolen [[Family of Blood's vortex manipulator|vortex manipulator]], hoping to steal from the Doctor some means of ensuring that they would live a longer lifespan. ([[TV]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'') According to [[Son of Mine]], on the Family's travels through time and space in search of the Doctor, they saw many things, including the [[First World War]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]'')


The Family's quests for immortality ended when the Doctor was returned to his [[Time Lord]] state with the help of Martha, school nurse [[Joan Redfern (TV story)|Joan Redfern]] and the telepathic [[Timothy Latimer]]. He fooled the Family with an [[olfactory misdirection]] and destroyed their spaceship by moving several switches in an act devised to look like an accident, destroyed the ship. The Doctor then punished the family by:
The Doctor was forced to turn himself into a [[human]] using the [[Chameleon Arch]] in [[the Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] in order to escape them. The Doctor changed himself into [[John Smith (Tenth Doctor)|John Smith]], a teacher at a boy's school in [[England]], [[1913]]. The Family eventually tracked him there and landed nearby. They then used animated scarecrows to round up humans for the Family to possess. ([[TV]]: ''[[Human Nature (TV story)|Human Nature]]'')
[[File:Family of blood hosts.jpg|thumb|The Family of Blood confronts "[[Tenth Doctor|John Smith]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]'')]]
The Family's quests for immortality ended when the Doctor was returned to his [[Time Lord]] state with the help of Martha, school nurse [[Joan Redfern (TV character)|Joan Redfern]], and student [[Tim Latimer]]. He fooled the Family by pretending to still be John Smith and using an olfactory misdirection to trick them into thinking that he was still human. Moments later, an act devised to look like a clumsy accident by "John Smith" resulted in the Family's ship overheating and exploding. The Doctor subsequently punished the Family, each receiving different punishments;


* Trapping the father in an unbreakable chain forged from [[dwarf star alloy]].
* [[Father of Mine]] was wrapped in supposedly unbreakable chains forged from a [[dwarf star alloy]], and left in an underground chamber.
* Sending the mother into the [[Event horizon|event horizon]] of a collapsing [[galaxy]].  
* [[Mother of Mine]] was thrown into the event horizon of a collapsing [[galaxy]], imprisoning her there for all eternity.
* Trapping the daughter within every mirror (the Doctor would still visit her once a year).
* [[Daughter of Mine]] was trapped within every [[mirror]] in existence, where the Doctor would visit her once a year.
* Trapping the son in the body of a scarecrow to watch over the fields as their protector for all eternity.  
* [[Son of Mine]] was suspended in time, and dressed as a scarecrow to watch over the fields of England as their protector.{{clear}}
{{Quote|We wanted to live forever. So the Doctor made sure that we did.|Son of Mine on the Family's fates.}}


In a way, their quest for immortality was won, although not in the way they would have liked. It was also learnt why the Doctor decided to flee rather then fight the Family of Blood - he had shown mercy upon them. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Family of Blood]]'')
In a sense, the Family's quest for immortality was won, although not in the manner they wished. They also discovered from this why the Doctor decided to flee rather than fight them — he was showing them mercy by allowing them the chance to live out their lives then die, rather than killing them or dooming them with immortality. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Family of Blood (TV story)|The Family of Blood]]'')


However, every member of the Family apart from Mother of Mine managed to later escape their imprisonment with the help of Daughter of Mine, who managed to escape first from her entrapment in the mirror. It was implied that she first broke out Son of Mine from his temporal suspension then managed to break the [[dwarf star alloy]] chains which were holding Father of Mine. However, the Doctor later managed to recapture the Family, and placed Father and Son of Mine into the event horizon of the collapsing galaxy to be trapped alongside Mother of Mine, and trapped Daughter of Mine inside a glass bottle within the TARDIS. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Blood Will Out (short story)|Blood Will Out]]'')
All these events were one iteration of a "story" which played out many times, each time differently. In another iteration of the story, the [[Seventh Doctor]] was pursued by the [[Aubertide]]s, who filled the same role as the Family of Blood. ([[WC]]: ''[[Shadow of a Doubt (audio story)|Shadow of a Doubt]]'')
At least some members of the Family of Blood were entombed on [[Occasus]] and being exploited by the [[Incorporation]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Planet of the End (audio story)|Planet of the End]]'')
== Other references ==
The [[Twelfth Doctor]] expressed regret for bringing the Family of Blood to England. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dead Media (audio story)|Dead Media]]'')
== Behind the scenes ==
=== ''The Visual Dictionary'' ===
The [[Tardis:Valid sources|non-narrative]] source ''[[Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary]]'' gave further information about the Family of Blood. Their telepathic communication means that when in very high trauma, others can feel this pain. When taking over human bodies, the Family's gaseous form enters them through the eyes.
== External links ==
{{Dwlx}}
[[Category:Family of Blood| *]]
[[Category:Hive minds]]
[[Category:Hive minds]]
[[Category:Incorporeal species]]
[[Category:Incorporeal species]]
[[Category:Tenth Doctor enemies]]
[[Category:Families]]
[[Category:Aliens which disguise as humans]]
[[Category:Time-travelling species]]
[[Category:Time-travelling species]]
[[Category:Gaseous species]]
[[Category:Parasitic species]]
[[Category:Psychic species]]
[[Category:Binary-sex species]]

Latest revision as of 16:49, 21 October 2024

You may be looking for the TV story.

The Family of Blood were a family of hunters who hunted the Tenth Doctor in order to take his near-immortality. They tended to refer to one another by their relationship to each other within the family. For example, the patriarch of the Family was called "Father of Mine" by his children, and "Husband of Mine" by his wife.

Biology[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Family of Blood were green, gaseous predators that could inhabit and control human bodies. Before taking human form, the members of the Family were kept in small, spherical receptacles. (TV: Human Nature) They had very short lifespans, and would naturally perish in just three months, "like mayflies". (TV: The Family of Blood)

While possessing humans, the Family could telepathically communicate with each other from a distance. They could also access the minds and memories of their hosts, though these were mostly obliterated during the possession process, making it difficult for the Family to successfully pose as their victims without arousing suspicion.

They also had an incredible sense of smell, tracking the Doctor wherever the TARDIS took him by his scent alone. (TV: Human Nature)

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Family utilised a spacecraft that held their 'essence' within it prior to them assuming human form. The interior contained green lights, pillars and paddle-like switches and seaweed-like plants dangling from the ceiling. The spacecraft had a considerable arsenal of technology — the most notable of which was a vortex manipulator (stolen from a Time Agent) that allowed the craft to travel through time. It could also project force fields, render itself invisible and had bomb-shooting cannons.

Father of Mine fires his energy gun at Chambers. (TV: Human Nature)

On hand, the Family of Blood used energy guns that fired green energy that disintegrated humanoid tissue — the weapons apparently consisted of a living creature within a shell that shot the beam when pierced by the trigger. They were somewhat difficult for humanoids to hold.

The Family also had scarecrow-like soldiers, created by Son of Mine, that were placed in various fields. They were composed of straw, their molecules animated via a scientific process. Even after being shot down, they could still reanimate by the command of the Family. (TV: Human Nature / The Family of Blood)

History[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Family encountered the Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones, and chased them throughout time and space with a stolen vortex manipulator, hoping to steal from the Doctor some means of ensuring that they would live a longer lifespan. (TV: Human Nature) According to Son of Mine, on the Family's travels through time and space in search of the Doctor, they saw many things, including the First World War. (TV: The Family of Blood)

The Doctor was forced to turn himself into a human using the Chameleon Arch in his TARDIS in order to escape them. The Doctor changed himself into John Smith, a teacher at a boy's school in England, 1913. The Family eventually tracked him there and landed nearby. They then used animated scarecrows to round up humans for the Family to possess. (TV: Human Nature)

The Family of Blood confronts "John Smith". (TV: The Family of Blood)

The Family's quests for immortality ended when the Doctor was returned to his Time Lord state with the help of Martha, school nurse Joan Redfern, and student Tim Latimer. He fooled the Family by pretending to still be John Smith and using an olfactory misdirection to trick them into thinking that he was still human. Moments later, an act devised to look like a clumsy accident by "John Smith" resulted in the Family's ship overheating and exploding. The Doctor subsequently punished the Family, each receiving different punishments;

  • Father of Mine was wrapped in supposedly unbreakable chains forged from a dwarf star alloy, and left in an underground chamber.
  • Mother of Mine was thrown into the event horizon of a collapsing galaxy, imprisoning her there for all eternity.
  • Daughter of Mine was trapped within every mirror in existence, where the Doctor would visit her once a year.
  • Son of Mine was suspended in time, and dressed as a scarecrow to watch over the fields of England as their protector.

We wanted to live forever. So the Doctor made sure that we did.Son of Mine on the Family's fates.

In a sense, the Family's quest for immortality was won, although not in the manner they wished. They also discovered from this why the Doctor decided to flee rather than fight them — he was showing them mercy by allowing them the chance to live out their lives then die, rather than killing them or dooming them with immortality. (TV: The Family of Blood)

However, every member of the Family apart from Mother of Mine managed to later escape their imprisonment with the help of Daughter of Mine, who managed to escape first from her entrapment in the mirror. It was implied that she first broke out Son of Mine from his temporal suspension then managed to break the dwarf star alloy chains which were holding Father of Mine. However, the Doctor later managed to recapture the Family, and placed Father and Son of Mine into the event horizon of the collapsing galaxy to be trapped alongside Mother of Mine, and trapped Daughter of Mine inside a glass bottle within the TARDIS. (PROSE: Blood Will Out)

All these events were one iteration of a "story" which played out many times, each time differently. In another iteration of the story, the Seventh Doctor was pursued by the Aubertides, who filled the same role as the Family of Blood. (WC: Shadow of a Doubt)

At least some members of the Family of Blood were entombed on Occasus and being exploited by the Incorporation. (AUDIO: Planet of the End)

Other references[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Twelfth Doctor expressed regret for bringing the Family of Blood to England. (AUDIO: Dead Media)

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

The Visual Dictionary[[edit] | [edit source]]

The non-narrative source Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary gave further information about the Family of Blood. Their telepathic communication means that when in very high trauma, others can feel this pain. When taking over human bodies, the Family's gaseous form enters them through the eyes.

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