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| {{title|"The Doctor"}}{{Infobox Individual
| | The Doctor is a b-adass! He needs a medal! |
| |timelord= {{Docpic}} <!-- This template facilitates an automatic slideshow of all Doctors, per community consensus on the talk page. -->
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| |alias= ''[[Aliases of the Doctor|'''see list''']]''
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| |species= Time Lord
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| |origin= [[Gallifrey]]
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| |first= An Unearthly Child (TV story)
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| |appearances= [[The Doctor - list of appearances|'''''see list''''']]
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| }}{{doctors}}
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| '''"The Doctor"''' was the primary alias of a [[renegade Time Lord]] from [[Gallifrey]] who journeyed through [[time]] and [[space]] with various [[companion]]s in his obsolete and "borrowed" [[The Doctor's TARDIS|Type 40 TARDIS]]. He was the universe's "greatest defender", having saved the cosmos thousands of times throughout his long life, becoming a great legend across the whole universe.
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| Though largely a believer in [[Pacifism|non-violent]] conflict resolution, he was, when absolutely necessary, a great warrior. Indeed, some civilisations in [[Normal Space|the universe]] (e.g. the denizens of the [[Gamma Forests]]) translated the word ''doctor'' as ''warrior'', ([[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War]]'') whilst others saw him as a compassionate benefactor, worthy of their admiration and compassion. ([[TV]]: ''[[Last of the Time Lords]]'', ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'')
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| Although he had saved millions on his travels, he was indisputably responsible for billions of deaths at his conclusion to the [[Last Great Time War]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'') He was virtually the only [[Time Lord]] survivor of that great conflict with the [[Dalek]]s, largely because he ended it by obliterating both races. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') However, the Daleks kept returning despite his actions. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways (TV story)|The Parting of the Ways]]'', ''[[Doomsday]]'', ''[[Daleks in Manhattan]]'', ''[[The Stolen Earth]]'', ''[[Victory of the Daleks]]'')
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| From the latter years of his [[first Doctor|first incarnation]] onward, he had a pronounced affinity for [[Earth]] and the [[human]] race. After departing Gallifrey, he voluntarily chose to spend time on the planet, ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Summer (audio story)|Summer]]'', ''[[The Haunting of Thomas Brewster]]'') choosing it as the [[Exile to Earth|place of his exile]] during most of his [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]] - [[The Three Doctors]]'') and even owning [[Smithwood Manor|property in Kent]] ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Fellow Travellers (comic story)|Fellow Travellers]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Verdigris (novel)|Verdigris]]'', ''[[Warlock (novel)|Warlock]]'', ''[[Warchild]]'', ''[[The Dying Days]]'', ''[[Mad Dogs and Englishmen]]'') and [[New York City]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Forgotten Army]]'') He favoured [[Great Britain]] as a frequently visited location, taking most of his companions from there. ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'', ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'', ''[[The Time Monster]]'', ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', ''[[Smith and Jones]]'', ''[[Partners in Crime]]'', etc.) Even before the destruction of Gallifrey, the Doctor spent much more time on Earth than on his homeworld.
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| == Name ==
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| The Doctor's true name remained unknown to all but a very few individuals, such as [[Samantha Jones]], [[River Song]] and possibly [[Clara Oswald]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Vanderdeken's Children]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Forest of the Dead]]'', ''[[Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS]]'') His real name was not used by the Time Lords, even in the formal setting of legal trials. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'', ''[[The Trial of a Time Lord]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') According to {{Simm|}}, he chose this name according to a Gallifreyan custom to reflect his constant need to make people better. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'')
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| The title "Doctor" was not undeserved; he ''did'' hold one or more doctorates of some sort, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor]]'', ''[[The God Complex]]'') formally studied medicine on at least [[19th century]] [[Earth]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Moonbase]]'') and frequently displayed detailed medical knowledge. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ark]]'', ''[[Frontios (TV story)|Frontios]]'', ''[[The Empty Child]]'', ''[[New Earth (TV story)|New Earth]]'', ''[[The Time of Angels]]'', ''[[The Curse of the Black Spot]]'' et al.) At least some versions of his [[sonic screwdriver]] performed medical scans and healed minor wounds. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Empty Child]]'', ''[[The Vampires of Venice]]'', ''[[A Good Man Goes to War]]'') He showed knowledge on how to help someone thrown by an explosion recover quickly. ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks]]'') Although his [[First Doctor|first]] and [[Fifth Doctor|fifth incarnations]] had claimed not to be a doctor of medicine, ([[TV]]: "[[The Forest of Fear]]", "[[Mighty Kublai Khan]]", [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Red Dawn (audio story)|Red Dawn]]'') and his [[Third Doctor|third]] and [[Tenth Doctor|tenth]] incarnations claimed to be a doctor of "everything", ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'', ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'') by his [[Eleventh Doctor|eleventh life]] the Doctor claimed to hold doctorates in at least medicine and cheese-making. ([[TV]]: ''[[The God Complex (TV story)|The God Complex]]'')
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| According to [[Pompeii]]an [[soothsayer]]s, his name was written in the stars of the [[Medusa Cascade]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Fires of Pompeii]]'') This was at least metaphorically true, as it was here that [[Davros]] "named" him as ''The Destroyer of Worlds''. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]'') Members of an unidentified race of pan-dimensional beings also knew the Doctor's real name at one point. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Last Voyage (audio story)|The Last Voyage]]'') In one account, he had taken the moniker after his first contact with [[human]]s. Colonists on the medical/penal colony of [[Iwa]] began calling him "Doctor" after his arrival. He failed to correct them. After they left the planet, "the Doctor" simply kept the name he had been given by the humans. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Frayed]]'') In contrast however, he did answer to the name "Doctor" before stealing his TARDIS on Gallifrey. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'') [[River Song]] believed that the Doctor had influenced the etymology of the noun ''doctor'', and was, in several languages, the original source of the word. ([[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War]]'')
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| According to [[Dorium Maldovar]] and [[the Silence]], the oldest and most dangerous question in the universe was "Doctor Who?" The Doctor's true name was apparently the answer; it could be used to open his grave on [[Trenzalore]]. Dorium claimed the Doctor had been running from the question all his life. According to the Silence, "silence must fall when the question is asked," because if the question was answered, the Doctor's timeline could be accessed and corrupted, which could in turn lead to the destruction of the universe by reversing all of the times the Doctor has saved it. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'', ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'') At some point River Song learned his name, but the Doctor claimed there was only one reason he would ever reveal it. ([[TV]]: ''[[Forest of the Dead]]'')
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| [[Clara Oswin Oswald|Clara Oswald]] viewed the Doctor's name in a book contained in the TARDIS library on the [[Last Great Time War|Time War]], but subsequently lost the information when time was rewound. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS (TV story)|Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS]]'') Her memories were restored, at least partially, on Trenzalore, though whether she remembered his name is unknown. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'')
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| The Seventh Doctor mentioned to [[Trevor Sigma]] that his nickname at college was Theta Sigma. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Happiness Patrol]]'') His classmate [[Drax]] called him by this nickname. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor (TV story)|The Armageddon Factor]]'')
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| == Age ==
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| {{main|The Doctor's age}}
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| The Doctor's age was a matter of great confusion, largely caused by his own statements. The [[Second Doctor]] once gave his age in Earth terms as 450 ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen (TV story)|The Tomb of the Cybermen]]''). On two separate occasions, the [[Third Doctor]] implied that he may have been several thousand years old. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians (TV story)|Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'' , ''[[The Mind of Evil (TV story)|The Mind of Evil]]'') Immediately after his [[Sixth Doctor|sixth]] [[regeneration]], his [[seventh Doctor|seventh self]] claimed to be 953. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani]]'') The [[Tenth Doctor]] later claimed to be 903 ([[TV]]: ''[[Voyage of the Damned]]'') and in The End of Time he was 906. Also, at least prior to leaving [[Amy Pond|Amy]] and [[Rory Williams|Rory]] behind, ([[TV]]: ''[[The God Complex]]'') the [[Eleventh Doctor]] maintained an age less than his seventh incarnation. ([[TV]]: ''[[Flesh and Stone]]'', ''[[The Impossible Astronaut]]'')
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| The [[Eleventh Doctor|eleventh incarnation]] of the Doctor later claimed to the Ponds that he was 1200 years old ([[TV]]: ''[[A Town Called Mercy (TV story)|A Town Called Mercy]]'') but then later claimed to Clara Oswin Oswald that he was 1000 years old. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Bells of Saint John (TV story)|The Bells of Saint John]]'')
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| [[Romana I]] once caught him "rounding down" his age, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ribos Operation]]'') while the [[Eighth Doctor]] once flatly admitted that he didn't necessarily use the same definition of the word ''year'' each time he gave his age to someone. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Orbis (audio story)|Orbis]]'')
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| == Family ==
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| === Before the Time War ===
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| The Doctor's familial relations were unclear at best. According to one account, the Doctor was one of the forty-five cousins created by the [[Loom]] of the [[House of Lungbarrow]] on Gallifrey. When the House disowned him, he said he had "other families." ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow]]'') However, the [[Eighth Doctor]] once let it be understood that he was born to a human mother. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'')
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| According to some accounts, the Doctor's father was a renegade Time Lord named [[Daniel Joyce|Ulysses]] and his mother was a human from the late [[19th century]], [[Penelope Gate]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Infinity Doctors]]'', ''[[The Gallifrey Chronicles (novel)|The Gallifrey Chronicles]]'')
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| The Eighth Doctor told [[Grace Holloway]] he had a father. ([[TV]]: [[Doctor Who (1996)|''Doctor Who'']]) The [[Tenth Doctor]] told [[Sally Sparrow]] he had had several weddings, ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink]]'') and told [[Ood Sigma]] that one of them was to [[Elizabeth I]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') An earlier incarnation had also been wed, ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cold Fusion]]'') probably to [[Patience]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Infinity Doctors]]'') One brother was [[Irving Braxiatel]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Tears of the Oracle]]'') The Doctor had, in his own words, been "a dad". ([[TV]]: ''[[Fear Her]]'') These children were "sons or daughters, or both." ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Eleventh Tiger]]'')
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| He had at least one grandchild, [[Susan Foreman]], ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child (TV story)|An Unearthly Child]]'') and two others, [[John and Gillian]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Klepton Parasites]]'')
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| At one point, the Doctor became the adoptive father of a female Time Lord named [[Miranda Dawkins]], whom his [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]] reared until her mid-teens. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Father Time (novel)|Father Time]]'') Miranda later gave birth to a daughter, [[Zezanne]], and died while trying to protect the Doctor. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Sometime Never...]]'')
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| The Doctor also had a great-grandson named [[Alex Campbell|Alex]], the son of Susan and [[David Campbell]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[An Earthly Child]]'') Alex went on several adventures with the Eighth Doctor and backpacked around the [[Earth]] with [[Lucie Miller]], who were both killed by the [[Dalek]]s. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Lucie Miller (audio story)|Lucie Miller]]'', ''[[To the Death]]'') Susan and David also had adopted children, [[Barbara Campbell|Barbara]], [[Ian Campbell|Ian]] and [[David Campbell Junior|David]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Legacy of the Daleks]]'') — meaning that the Doctor was an adoptive great-grandfather as well as a biological one.
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| When Dr [[Constantine (The Empty Child)|Constantine]] said that he used to be a father and a grandfather before [[Second World War|the war]], the [[Ninth Doctor]] said that he was the same, implying all his family had been lost. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Empty Child (TV story)|The Empty Child]]'') Some may have been killed at his own hand at the conclusion of the [[Last Great Time War|Time War]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') though some had died, or at least gone missing, earlier. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tomb of the Cybermen]]'', ''[[The Curse of Fenric]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[To the Death]]'')
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| === After the Time War ===
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| Genetic material from the Doctor in his tenth incarnation was used to create a daughter, [[Jenny (The Doctor's Daughter)|Jenny]]. Although initially spurning her, he soon considered Jenny his daughter and invited her to travel with him in the TARDIS. Before she could join him, however, she was shot. The Doctor believed Jenny to have died, but, unbeknownst to him, she underwent a partial regeneration after his departure and survived, at which point she set out on her own life of adventure. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Doctor's Daughter]]'')
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| When the Earth was relocated to the [[Medusa Cascade]], a [[Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor|clone of the Doctor]] was created; this clone later was exiled by the Doctor to [[Pete's World]]. Technically, the clone could be considered a relative of the Doctor's. Also, [[Sarah Jane Smith]] referred to the Doctor's companions as his family, saying, "You act like such a lonely man, but you've got the biggest family on Earth!" ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End]]'')
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| The [[Eleventh Doctor]] married [[River Song]], making [[Amy Pond]] and [[Rory Williams]] his mother- and father-in-law. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'') He also shared an adventure with [[Brian Williams (Dinosaurs on a Spaceship)|Brian Williams]], his grandfather-in-law. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dinosaurs on a Spaceship (TV story)|Dinosaurs on a Spaceship]]'')
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| === Marriages ===
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| The [[First Doctor]] was accidentally engaged to [[Cameca]] in the [[15th century]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Aztecs (TV story)|The Aztecs]]'')
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| After Gallifrey was destroyed in the [[Second War in Heaven]], the [[Eighth Doctor]] married [[Scarlette]] in order to ceremonially tie himself to the planet [[Earth]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Adventuress of Henrietta Street (novel)|The Adventuress of Henrietta Street]]'')
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| During an encounter with [[Ood Sigma]], the [[Tenth Doctor]] claimed to have married 'Good Queen Bess', or [[Elizabeth I]], a decision that didn't end well and led to her declaring him an enemy. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Shakespeare Code]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'', ''[[The Beast Below]]'', ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'') This does not appear to be the Doctor's only marriage, as he remarked to [[Sally Sparrow]] about being "rubbish at weddings, especially my own." ([[TV]]: ''[[Blink]]'') In his [[Eleventh Doctor|eleventh incarnation]], the Doctor accidentally became engaged to [[Marilyn Monroe]], and married her the same night in what he later claimed was not a real chapel. ([[TV]]: ''[[A Christmas Carol (TV story)|A Christmas Carol]]'')
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| [[River Song]] often hinted that she and the Doctor had a physical relationship somewhere in her past and his future relative to the Eleventh Doctor's encounter with [[the Silence]] in [[Florida]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Silence in the Library]]'' / ''[[Forest of the Dead]]'', ''[[The Time of Angels]]'' / ''[[Flesh and Stone]]'', ''[[The Pandorica Opens (TV story)|The Pandorica Opens]]'' / ''[[The Big Bang]]'', ''[[Day of the Moon]]'')
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| A'' [[Teselecta]]'' version of the Eleventh Doctor with him hiding inside married her in an alternate timeline shortly before his "death". Later in their individual timelines, they spoke as if they considered themselves husband and wife. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'', ''[[The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story)|The Angels Take Manhattan]]'', ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'')
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| == Languages ==
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| The Doctor said he could speak five billion languages. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'') His native language was probably [[Gallifreyan (language)|Modern Gallifreyan]], but he seemed to prefer speaking British English, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mind Robber]]'') always with an accent that was similar to accents used in the British Isles. ([[TV]]: ''[[An Unearthly Child]]'', ''[[The Power of the Daleks]]'', ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'', ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]'', ''[[Castrovalva (TV story)|Castrovalva]]'', ''et al''.) This accent changed from incarnation to incarnation. For example, the Doctor's [[Seventh Doctor|seventh incarnation]] spoke with an accent similar to one used in [[Scotland]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani]]'') Both [[Rose Tyler]] and [[Harriet Jones]] noted the accent of his [[Ninth Doctor|ninth self]] sounded like he came from "the north" or was "a northern accent", referring to the north of England. ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', ''[[World War Three]]'') [[American]] [[Grace Holloway]] once told a [[San Francisco|San Franciscan]] [[police]]man that the [[Eighth Doctor]] was "[[British]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'')
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| He could read and write [[Gallifreyan (language)|Old High Gallifreyan]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Time of Angels]]'') a skill unusual even among Time Lords. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'') He spoke the [[Judoon language|language]] of the [[Judoon]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth]]'') [[Delphon]] (a language "spoken" using only eyebrow movements), ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'') several [[China|Chinese]] languages, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Mind of Evil]]'', ''[[The Talons of Weng-Chiang]]'') [[Ancient North Martian]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars]]'') and [[Tritovore]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]''). He knew at least some [[Sycoraxic]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'') He did not seem to understand [[French language|French]] in his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'') but later became fluent in it across several periods of French history. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Girl in the Fireplace]]'') He also spoke "[[sabre-toothed tiger]]" ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Sick Building]]''), "[[baby (language)|baby]]" ([[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War]]'', ''[[Closing Time (TV story)|Closing Time]])'', "[[cat]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lodger (TV story)|The Lodger]]'') and "[[horse (language)|horse]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[A Town Called Mercy (TV story)|A Town Called Mercy]]'')
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| == Influence ==
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| The Doctor belonged to the [[Prydonian Chapter]], the most important chapter of Time Lord society. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin]]'') He had a profound influence on many worlds and was written into their histories ([[TV]]: ''[[Forest of the Dead]]''); as a result, he was the recipient of many honours including being made a noble of [[Draconia]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Frontier in Space]]'') and a knight of the [[British Empire]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Tooth and Claw (TV story)|Tooth and Claw]]'')
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| Having broken the Time Lords' [[non-interference policy]], in his [[Second Doctor|second incarnation]] he was put on trial as a [[Renegade Time Lord|renegade]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'') Subsequently, for a time, he acted as agent of the Time Lords' [[Celestial Intervention Agency]] before the beginning of his sentence on [[20th century]] [[Earth]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Players (novel)|Players]]'', ''[[World Game]]'') Following his defeat of [[Omega]], which saved Gallifrey, he was granted a pardon and given his freedom. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Three Doctors]]'')
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| In his [[Fourth Doctor|fourth incarnation]], as part of a ploy to outwit invaders of Gallifrey, he was a candidate for the position of [[Lord President]] of the [[High Council]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Invasion of Time]]'') In his [[Fifth Doctor|fifth incarnation]], he was put on trial again for recklessness. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Stockbridge Horror (comic story)|The Stockbridge Horror]]'') He was later given the title of Lord President by Councillor [[Flavia]], against his wishes. He pretended to accept the office but ran away in his [[the Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'') Prior to the Doctor's trial during his [[Sixth Doctor|sixth incarnation]], he was deposed in absentia and put on trial for breaking the non-interference policy and later in the same trial, for [[genocide]]. The validity of the trial was called into question when it was discovered it had been orchestrated by an evil future manifestation of the Doctor, [[the Valeyard]], and mooted. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Trial of a Time Lord]]'')
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| == Biographical summary ==
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| :''For more detailed biographical information see articles for each of the individual incarnations of the Doctor. For information on the Doctor's earliest life, see [[First Doctor]].''
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| The Doctor left Gallifrey and became a hero who fought evil and injustice across the [[universe]] in violation of the Time Lords' [[non-interference policy]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'') Technically, he explored only with the intention of experiencing the wonders of the universe and having fun, but frequently became embroiled in machinations and crises that ended with him defeating the foe and saving the planet he was visiting. He travelled with many [[companion]]s, beginning with his granddaughter, [[Susan Foreman]], who also came from Gallifrey. ([[TV]]: "[[An Unearthly Child (episode)|An Unearthly Child]]", "[[A Desperate Venture]]", ''[[Gridlock]]'')
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| Eventually, he was called to account for his crimes against the Time Lords during his second incarnation. His punishment was a forced regeneration, exile to Earth, and the loss of his knowledge of how to control the TARDIS. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'') This knowledge was restored to him after he helped to defeat [[Omega]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Three Doctors]]'')
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| Afterwards, he resumed having adventures with many [[companion]]s in his following incarnations. He kept the [[Black Guardian]] from obtaining the [[Key to Time]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The Armageddon Factor]]'') achieved the office of Lord President of [[Gallifrey]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Invasion of Time]]'', ''[[The Five Doctors]]'') and was again put on trial in his [[Sixth Doctor|sixth incarnation]] for breaking the non-interference policy again. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Trial of a Time Lord]]'')
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| The Doctor fought in the Last Great Time War between the Time Lords and the [[Dalek]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'') He ultimately ended the war by obliterating Gallifrey when the Time Lords threatened to destroy the universe. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') This caused the extinction of both races, besides the Doctor himself, the Master, and a few of the Daleks. Gallifrey and the war were sealed in a [[time-lock]], making it impossible to time travel to either. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth]]'')
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| :''For details on the Last Great Time War and its survivors, see the separate [[Last Great Time War|article]].''
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| ==== The Doctor's incarnations ====
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| Through the power of [[regeneration]], the Doctor's personality and outer form changed greatly over time, although all his incarnations were essentially the same person, from the [[Second Doctor]] onward having the same outward playfulness, and other general aspects. He continued to be a heroic figure, fighting the evils of the universe wherever he found them, even if his values and motives were often alien to humankind. The Doctor is known to have regenerated on ten occasions. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet]]'', ''[[The War Games]]'', ''[[Planet of the Spiders]]'', ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'', ''[[The Caves of Androzani]]'', ''[[Time and the Rani]]'', ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'', ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') He also had [[The Doctor (The Name of the Doctor)|another incarnation]] sometime before his eleventh, who broke "the promise" of the name 'the Doctor'. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'')
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| * The [[First Doctor]] was an unreadable, guarded figure who was, at first, slow to trust newcomers who learnt of him. This Doctor was often irascible. He made his anger obvious. He was protective of the young women he took on as companions; they reminded him of his granddaughter, Susan. This Doctor was a brilliant, often short-tempered scientist and keen strategist. He used his [[signet ring]] to help get himself through ordeals due to his physical age impeding him. He stole a TARDIS and took his granddaughter with him, joyriding through all space and time, without a clue as to how to drive the thing.
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| * The [[Second Doctor]], in contrast to his preceding incarnation, was warm and wise. He was as surprised and frightened of alien menaces as those who faced them with him. He had a knack for manipulation and deception. His predecessor would refer to him as a "clown" due to his bumbling nature. He loved tootling on his [[recorder]] and carried around a 500-year diary, trying to record his travels, but ended up discarding it. He wore a [[The Doctor's fur coat|big fur coat]] that dwarfed him, tying it closed with twine. A "cosmic hobo," he was forever getting himself in and out of trouble.
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| * The [[Third Doctor]] was a more dashing figure than his predecessors. He was described by his first incarnation as a "dandy". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Three Doctors]]'') He had a penchant for inventing gadgets and was skilled at martial arts, particularly [[Venusian aikido]], and owned a vintage car named [[Bessie]]. His initially contentious relationship with [[Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart|Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] softened into a close friendship during his [[exile on Earth]], lasting through his future regenerations, despite not always agreeing with his actions. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Silurians]]'') He also displayed great affection for his female companions, particularly [[Jo Grant]]. He was a gallant action hero who was very protective of his companions.
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| * The [[Fourth Doctor]] was more eccentric than his previous incarnations and was the first to seem "young." Rarely without his very long [[The Doctor's scarf|scarf]], he always carried [[jelly baby|jelly babies]] in his pockets, using them as bluffs, gifts and distractions—and occasionally snacks. He relied on his considerable charm, luck, and experience to get through bad situations. Although he retained his fondness for Earth ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stones of Blood]]''), he ended his regular association with [[Unified Intelligence Taskforce|UNIT]] almost immediately upon his regeneration and only occasionally returned to the planet. However, he had not properly resigned from the position. ([[TV]]: ''[[Pyramids of Mars]]'') He hated to work and preferred travelling ([[TV]]: ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]'') but liked history. He usually travelled with only one companion at a time.
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| * The [[Fifth Doctor]] was fond of [[cricket]] and wore a stick of [[celery]] on his lapel. After a difficult regeneration, this Doctor displayed energy, compassion and innocence not seen in his predecessors. His character was very human and vulnerable. Like them, he used improvisation as the best way out of a tricky situation. The Fifth Doctor was the first incarnation since the First Doctor to go "hands free" and forgo the usage of a [[sonic screwdriver]] after having it destroyed. He occasionally wore glasses, even though he didn't need them; he only wore them to make himself look clever. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time Crash]]'') He was the first Doctor to sacrifice himself for another, when he and [[Peri Brown]] were dying from [[Spectrox toxaemia]]; with only one dose of the antidote available, he gave her the cure rather than taking it himself.
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| * The [[Sixth Doctor]] was a grandiose and eloquent incarnation. He sported a multi-coloured wardrobe that looked like it was designed by [[Wikipedia:Christian Lacroix|Christian Lacroix]]; it was often commented upon, occasionally leading to him being mistaken for a jester. This Doctor loved a good quote, often making one he deemed appropriate during an adventure. He also proved to have great acting skills on numerous occasions. ([[TV]]: ''[[Mindwarp]]'', ''[[The Ultimate Foe]]'') His manic personality and acerbic wit could shade into moral passion, but his lack of concern for little things disgusted his companions. He was also capable of violent action, much more so than his past lives, even seeing logic in murder. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Two Doctors]]'') Like the [[Fourth Doctor]], he spent most of his travels with a single companion.
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| * The [[Seventh Doctor]] had a voice touched by a [[Scottish]] burr. A keen strategist and scientist and especially early in his life, lighthearted, this Doctor was a planner of the highest order. Embracing the complexities of time travel and his ability to manipulate and plan for the future, the Seventh fully embraced his role of [[Time Lord]], even if it risked alienating his companions. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric]]'') However, he wished to help heal psychological scars which his companions suffered from. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Greatest Show in the Galaxy]]'', ''[[Ghost Light]]'') He spent most of his later travels with a single companion.
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| * The [[Eighth Doctor]] showed a romantic and sensitive side not displayed by previous Doctors. Less morally flexible than his immediate predecessor, the Eighth Doctor suffered from bouts of amnesia, first after his regeneration and again after the first destruction of Gallifrey, following [[the War]] with [[the Enemy]]. Unlike other Doctors, the Eighth spent his travels crossing between parallel universes and amidst time paradoxes, making his personal timeline hard to piece together. Also, unlike the other Doctors, the specific circumstances of the cause of his regeneration remain unknown, even though one of his future incarnations said that it happened during the [[Last Great Time War|Time War]].
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| * The [[Ninth Doctor]] was the sole [[Time Lord]] survivor of the Time War. He displayed much of the playfulness of his previous incarnations, but was emotionally and psychologically scarred by the war and his role in it, which sometimes resulted in a detachment that was interpreted by some as cruelty. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of the World (TV story)|The End of the World]]'', ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'') When asked about his voice and accent, he responded, "Lots of planets have a North". ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'') He cared deeply for [[Rose Tyler|Rose]]; he began to heal thanks to her. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dalek (TV story)|Dalek]]'') Similar to his first incarnation, this Doctor liked to tease others by pretending not to remember names. ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', ''[[Aliens of London]]'', ''[[Boom Town]]'') He also made dry jokes when facing danger or to diffuse tension.
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| * The [[Tenth Doctor]] had a manic personality with a fondness for [[human]] pop culture references. However, his more outgoing personality traits largely existed to hide leftover emotional trauma from the Time War. While he had a bright, playful side, he was frequently ruthless, and at times seemed like an egomaniac coward. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Christmas Invasion]], [[Tooth and Claw (TV story)|Tooth and Claw]], [[School Reunion]], [[The Runaway Bride (TV story)|The Runaway Bride]]'') He continued his previous incarnation's fondness and possibly love for [[Rose Tyler]], though he was unable to express his feelings. ([[TV]]: ''[[Journey's End]]'') He experienced other romances on occasion, including with historic figures [[Madame de Pompadour]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Girl in the Fireplace]]'') and [[Elizabeth I|Queen Elizabeth I]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') However, they all ended badly. He was also the first Doctor to explicitly fear and dodge regeneration, because he had grown attached to his attributes and felt like it was a form of death and loss of identity showing how torn apart he has become over the events of his long life, becoming in a way depressed and fed up of continuously living and dying over and over again. When the time came for him to regenerate, he was completely heartbroken and on the verge of tears before accepting his destiny. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
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| * The [[Eleventh Doctor]] was smug about his abilities and exhibited a renewed youthful enthusiasm for adventure. He had keen observational skills, an obsession with seeming trivia. This Doctor could quickly turn frantically angry and ruthless when events demanded. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Eleventh Hour]]'', ''[[The Beast Below]], [[A Town Called Mercy]]'') He frequently referred to himself as being old, showing his age on more than a few occasions. ([[TV]]: ''[[Vincent and the Doctor]]'', ''[[The Big Bang]]'', ''[[The Impossible Astronaut]]'', ''[[Closing Time (TV story)|Closing Time]]'') He offered to sacrifice himself if it meant saving others on a universal scale. This Doctor's concern for his companions was greater than his predecessors; he left [[Amy Pond]] and [[Rory Williams]] back home to protect them, ([[TV]]: ''[[The God Complex]]'') though eventually resumed travels with them, which ended in heartbreak. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Power of Three (TV story)|The Power of Three]]'', ''[[The Angels Take Manhattan (TV story)|The Angels Take Manhattan]]'') After this, the Doctor became darker and more depressed, claiming he was "retired." His attitude changed as he got to know [[Clara Oswald]], whom he then invited to join him in the TARDIS before she fell to her death, breaking the Doctor's hearts again. He later became aware that Clara was, impossibly, scattered through time and decided to find her. ([[TV]]:''[[The Snowmen (TV story)|The Snowmen]])
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| ::* [[The Valeyard]] shared the characteristics and dress sense of [[the Master]]. The Master explained that the Doctor's darker side became personified during [[Twelfth Doctor|the Time Lord's twelfth regeneration]]. He sought to take the [[Sixth Doctor]]'s seven remaining regenerations and have them for himself. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ultimate Foe (TV story)|The Ultimate Foe]]'') He was finally defeated in [[Victorian era]] [[London]]. (''[[PROSE]]'': ''[[Matrix (novel)|Matrix]]'')
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| An interesting aspect of the Doctor's personality was that he occasionally expressed a personal liking for particular incarnations, though this opinion depended on the incarnation making the assessment. The Doctor's tenth incarnation expressed a deep fondness for his fifth incarnation. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time Crash]]'') The Fifth Doctor was disliked by his immediate successor, ([[TV]]: ''[[The Twin Dilemma]]'') though this may have been due to his particularly traumatic regeneration. In another instance, the fourth made reference to the third, saying, "Some people liked it, but I prefer this one." ([[TV]]: ''[[The Brain of Morbius]]'') The Seventh Doctor was also annoyed when he had to work with the Fifth Doctor, seeing him as "not even one of the good ones". The Fifth Doctor was equally disgusted by what he would become. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Cold Fusion]]'') Immediately before his regeneration, the Tenth Doctor stated, "I don't want to go", showing he had become overly attached to his current self. Immediately after his tenth regeneration, the Eleventh Doctor remarked upon his new nose, stating that, "I've had worse"—possibly a reference to multiple incarnations, including his third, who was once described as a "long-shanked fellow with a mighty nose". ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]], [[The Time Warrior]]'') The Eleventh Doctor also at one point expressed loathing for his first incarnation's initial personality, considering himself at that time a foolish and arrogant liar and a selfish coward. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Hunters of the Burning Stone (comic story)|Hunters of the Burning Stone]]'') The Eleventh Doctor expressed an even greater hate for [[The Doctor (The Name of the Doctor)|an incarnation]] that he considered a traitor, even stating that he went against "the name of the Doctor" in his actions. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Name of the Doctor (TV story)|The Name of the Doctor]]'')
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| ==== Regeneration ====
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| Due to the unique structure of Time Lord biology the Doctor had the ability to regenerate, to "cheat death". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'') A Time Lord was usually limited to twelve regenerations, making the "thirteenth Doctor" the last. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Deadly Assassin]]'', ''[[Mawdryn Undead (TV story)|Mawdryn Undead]]'', ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'') Later, however, the Eleventh Doctor stated that he could change his appearance five hundred and seven times. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death of the Doctor]]'') It is unknown if this is something which had changed or if the Doctor was simply being flippant. The High Council of the Time Lords could influence regenerations, treating them as punishment ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'') and reward. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'', ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'') At least twice, enemies coveted the Doctor's future regenerations and tried to take them for their own. ([[TV]]: ''[[Mawdryn Undead]]'', ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]])''
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| The exact circumstances surrounding the Doctor's regenerations were known with the exception of his eighth ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'', et. al.). Although vague at times as to how many incarnations he had in his lifetime, an incident during the Doctor's fifth incarnation clarified the point. When asked by the First Doctor what regeneration he was up to, the Fifth Doctor answered, "Fourth," leading his first incarnation to exclaim, "Good heavens, so there are five of me now!" ([[TV]]: ''[[The Five Doctors (TV story)|The Five Doctors]]'') Similarly, while he was [[Craig Owens]]' lodger in [[Aickman Road]], the Eleventh Doctor explicitly called himself the eleventh. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lodger (TV story)|The Lodger]]'')
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| The effect of regeneration on the Doctor in the time immediately following the event varied from incarnation to incarnation. In some cases the Doctor regained his faculties quickly, erratic behaviour notwithstanding. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Power of the Daleks]]'', ''[[The Twin Dilemma]]'', ''[[The Eleventh Hour]]'') On one occasion when the regenerative process was postponed for a long time, he was rendered amnesiac. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'') In most cases the Doctor was incapacitated for a period of time before ultimately recovering. ([[TV]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'', ''[[Robot (TV story)|Robot]]'', ''[[Castrovalva (TV story)|Castrovalva]]'', ''[[Time and the Rani]]'', ''[[The Christmas Invasion]]'') There was also a unique case where the Doctor (through will or the nature of his injury) was able to delay regeneration from setting in for an extended period of time - long enough to visit all of his past companions - though the resulting energy release was catastrophic for the TARDIS. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'', ''[[Death of the Doctor]]'')
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| ===== Causes of Regeneration =====
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| Details were known only about the cause of ten of the Doctor's full regenerative cycles, and a couple of "near-misses".
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| * The First Doctor was weakened by [[Mondas]] as it drained [[Earth|Earth's]] energy, succumbing to old age. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet]]'')
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| * The Second Doctor had regeneration forced upon him by the [[Time Lord]]s as part of his punishment for breaking the [[Laws of Time]]; his appearance was chosen for him after he rejected all choices. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games]]'')
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| * The Third Doctor suffered [[radiation]] poisoning from [[The Great One (Planet of the Spiders)|the Great One]]'s web of [[Metebelis crystal]]s, then got lost in the [[time vortex]] for a week before returning to [[UNIT]] HQ. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Spiders]]'')
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| * The Fourth Doctor plummeted from the [[Pharos Project]] radio telescope. ([[TV]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'')
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| * The Fifth Doctor suffered exposure to unrefined [[Spectrox]], sacrificing himself to give the bat's milk needed to cure it to [[Peri Brown|Peri]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Caves of Androzani]]'')
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| * The Sixth Doctor was injured when [[the Rani]] shot down [[the Doctor's TARDIS|his TARDIS]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani]]'') after being weakened from his battle with the [[Lamprey]], ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Spiral Scratch]]'') suffering a "bang to the head". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Four Doctors]]'')
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| * The Seventh Doctor was lightly injured after being caught in the middle of a gang war; his circulatory system was damaged by [[Grace Holloway]] during surgery to "fix" his abnormal heart-beat. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'')
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| * The Eighth Doctor regenerated from unknown causes, which ostensibly had to do with the [[Last Great Time War]]. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Forgotten]]'')
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| * The Ninth Doctor removed the [[Time Vortex]]'s energy from [[Rose Tyler]], channelling it back into the [[heart of the TARDIS]]. However, ''his'' brief possession of the energy very nearly destroyed his cellular structure completely. Because of the damage, he had to regenerate. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Parting of the Ways]]'')
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| * The Tenth Doctor absorbed the radiation from a nuclear vault supply to spare [[Wilfred Mott]] from it. Unlike the other Doctors, he held off the regeneration for a long time; the result was explosive damage to the TARDIS that caused it to crash and regenerate itself. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
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| The [[Third Doctor]] had a near-regeneration experience when he fell off a building during a struggle. He began to regenerate into the [[Fourth Doctor]]. Meanwhile, [[the Nurazh]] attempted to take over the Doctor's mind, but unable to cope with two Time Lord minds at the same time, it perished, thus healing the Doctor back to his third incarnation. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Touch of the Nurazh]]'')
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| The [[Tenth Doctor]] also had a brush with regeneration. He began, but did not finish, a genuine regenerative cycle after being shot by a [[Dalek]]. He used the regeneration to heal himself, but then siphoned off the rest of the cycle into [[the Doctor's hand|his extra hand]] to prevent the full regeneration into the next Doctor. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth]]''/''[[Journey's End]]'')
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| In addition, the Eleventh Doctor was seen seemingly beginning regeneration after being shot by [[River Song|the astronaut]], before it was interrupted with another shot, killing him. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Impossible Astronaut]]'') In truth, it was actually the ''[[Teselecta]]'' impersonating him and simulating regeneration, with the real, miniaturised Doctor inside. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Wedding of River Song]]'') The Eleventh Doctor also nearly died while his remaining regenerations were disabled. He was revived by [[River Song]], who used her own remaining regenerations, leaving it unclear not only if the Doctor was even capable of further regeneration, but also how many he had left. ([[TV]]: ''[[Let's Kill Hitler]]'')
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| == Behind the scenes ==
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| === "Doctor Who" ===
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| :''For a further in-universe reference of the Doctor's name, please see [[the "Doctor Who?" running joke]].''
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| The use of the name "[[Doctor Who]]" when referring to the Doctor is disapproved of by most fans. Despite this, the ending credits for [[Doctor Who|the series]] gave his name as "Doctor Who" or "Dr. Who", from 1963 until 1980, when new [[producer]] [[John Nathan-Turner]] changed this policy, making his name in the end credits "the Doctor". This remained in place through the end of the original series in 1989. [[Executive Producer]] [[Russell T Davies]] used "Doctor Who" when the series returned in 2005, but [[Tenth Doctor]] actor [[David Tennant]] asked to change it back to "the Doctor" beginning in 2006. This tradition has continued into the [[Matt Smith]] era.
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| Throughout the franchise's history it has been common for media and cast members to refer to the character as "Dr. Who".
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| In the series, only one character, [[WOTAN]] in [[1966]]'s ''[[The War Machines]]'', has ever directly referred to him by this name. In the [[2005]] episode ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'', a website called "Who is Doctor Who?" is introduced, though the name is presented as a question put forward by a conspiracy theorist and no one actually uses the name in dialogue. A line of dialogue written for [[TV]]: ''[[The Empty Child]]'', but cut, would have had the Doctor himself use the name as part of a joke involving ''[[w:c:Memory-Alpha:Star Trek|Star Trek]]'' (after being hailed as [[w:c:Memory-Alpha:Spock|Mr. Spock]] by Rose, the Doctor was to have muttered, "I'd rather be [[w:c:Memory-Alpha:Dr Who|Dr Who]] than [[Star Trek]]").
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| Other media, [[1960s]] and early [[1970s]] [[Doctor Who annual|''Doctor Who'' annuals]], comics and [[Target Books]] (most notably the ''[[Doctor Who and the Zarbi]]'', not technically a Target Books novelization, but reprinted by them) have called the Doctor "Doctor Who". Even then, dialogue between characters usually referred to him as "the Doctor".
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| === Casting ===
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| {{As of|2012|4}}, every actor to portray the Doctor has been male, white, and born in the [[United Kingdom]]. Despite the fact that the Doctor is not a native of Britain, or of Earth for that matter, every actor to play him so far has had a British accent, much in the way most aliens in the ''[[Star Trek (franchise)|Star Trek]]'' franchise tend to speak with an American accent. The type of English accent has varied from one incarnation to the next. The earliest incarnations used RP, whereas more recent incarnations have had Estuary accents. The [[Ninth Doctor]] was unique in that he had a Northern accent, causing Rose to ask why an alien would have a Northern accent, to which he replied, "Lots of planets have a north." ([[TV]]: ''[[Rose (TV story)|Rose]]'') At least one black actor ([[Paterson Joseph]]) was considered a leading contender for the role of the [[Eleventh Doctor]]. {{Fact}} Actors from the United States and Canada (in one case Australia) have been rumoured as contenders for the role over the years. Actors considered for the role have varied widely in age, from their twenties to sixties. To date the oldest actor to be cast as the Doctor has been [[John Hurt]], who was 73; the youngest has been [[Matt Smith]], who was 26 when cast. In [[2012]], [[Tom Baker]] was 78 after his appearance in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish Productions']] Fourth Doctor Adventures audio dramas was released, making him the oldest actor to play the part in an officially licensed capacity. [[Peter Davison]], [[Colin Baker]], [[Sylvester McCoy]] and [[Paul McGann]], all in their fifties or sixties, also continue to portray the Doctor in licensed audio dramas produced by Big Finish, with McGann also appearing in audio dramas produced by Big Finish and [[BBC Radio]] for broadcast on BBC7 radio. In the [[2000s]] and [[2010s]], Tom Baker also portrayed the Doctor in [[AudioGO|AudioGO's]] ''[[Hornets' Nest]]'', ''[[Demon Quest]]'' and ''[[Serpent Crest]]'' audio dramas.
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| Although the character is portrayed as white, there have been black actors who were considered for the role. Among them included comedian Eddie Murphy back in 1996, David Harewood, Charles Venn, Paterson Joseph and Robbie Gee. Colin Salmon was a strong contender to play the Eleventh Doctor.{{Fact}}
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| === Longest-serving Doctor ===
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| There are several different methods for calculating who was the "longest serving Doctor". The most commonsensical definition is simply that of the actor who played the role on television for the longest continuous period. This mantle goes to [[Tom Baker]], who was the [[Fourth Doctor]] from June 1974 to March 1981, or 7 years, 9 months. Baker is also the longest-serving Doctor in terms of number of individual episodes and amount of screen time. Thus he is ''generally'' considered to be the "longest-serving Doctor".
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| But there are other methods of measurement — all of which exclude ''[[Dimensions in Time]]''.
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| * For 92 of the 104 Saturdays that comprised [[1964]] and [[1965]], [[William Hartnell]]'s credit appeared after each episode of ''Doctor Who'' without fail. Sure, he did sometimes take a holiday and pre-film the odd insert, but, to paraphrase [[WOTAN]], "Dr. Who was required" for all but six weeks in both 1964 and 1965. Call Hartnell the "longest-serving-within-a-single-year-Doctor". Troughton is the closest Doctor to this record, but by 1966, ''Doctor Who'' was getting more like an eight- or nine-week gap each year.
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| * [[Peter Davison]] holds the record for the greatest length of time between his initial performance in the last episode of ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'', and ''[[Time Crash]] ''. The two events were separated by 26 years 8 months.
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| * [[Sylvester McCoy]] had the longest run between bookending [[regeneration]] scenes. The span from the premiere of the first episode of ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'' to his [[regeneration]] in ''[[Doctor Who (1996)|Doctor Who]]'' was approximately 8 years and 8 months.
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| * [[Paul McGann]] was ''notionally'' the longest-serving incumbent in the role, as he debuted in May 1996 and [[Christopher Eccleston]]'s premiere didn't happen until March 2005. Being very generous, therefore, McGann was the "current Doctor" for a total of 8 years and 10 months. However, this is probably stretching a point, since obviously he was actually replaced not once but twice by the BBC. He ''effectively'' lost his incumbency once [[Richard E. Grant]] was cast as the [[Shalka Doctor]].
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| * McGann is on more solid ground when all forms of media are considered. {{As of|2012|12}}, he's starred in more performed ''Doctor Who'', given his prolific run on audio, than anyone else. If audio is considered as an equal performed art to television, he has far surpassed even [[Tom Baker]] in terms of amount of recorded material featuring his Doctor — though the fact that Baker began recording audio adventures in 2010 threatens McGann's record.
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| * The [[Eighth Doctor]], though not McGann himself, is the longest-serving incumbent comic strip Doctor, in terms of the amount of time between his debut in ''[[Dreadnought (comic story)|Dreadnought]]'' on [[1 June]] [[1996]], and his final appearance in ''[[The Flood (comic story)|The Flood]]'' on [[2 March]] [[2005]]. Call it 8 years and 9 months.
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| * The [[Tenth Doctor]] is the longest-serving comic strip Doctor, in terms of the total number of stories which featured his incarnation. This is primarily due to the number of different publications that were granted comic licences during [[David Tennant]]'s tenure in the role.
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| * The situation with books is a very close battle between the [[Seventh Doctor|Seventh]] and [[Eighth Doctor]]s, both of whom had long-running series. However, the Eighth Doctor is the longest-running both in terms of time and number of books published, as seen at this [[list of novels per Doctor]].
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| The issue of the longest-serving Doctor was a source of controversy on British game show ''The Million-Pound Drop'', which asked the question with the choices of McCoy, McGann, Eccleston, and Tennant; the team split their £650,000 between McCoy and McGann, only to find out that the "correct" answer was Tennant. Once the error was discovered (partly since the question was fundamentally flawed due to the absence of Tom Baker), the team was brought back to continue where they left off with £325,000 and ended up winning £25,000.
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| ===Actors Ages===
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| The two closest actors who played the Doctor in age are [[Colin Baker]] (sixth doctor) and [[Sylvester McCoy]] (seventh doctor) with only 2 months and 12 days.
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| Of the three actors who played the Doctor that are dead ([[William Hartnell]], [[Patrick Troughton]], and [[Jon Pertwee]]) the two closest in age when they died are [[William Hartnell]] and [[Patrick Troughton]] who where both 67 when they died. Patrick was the closest to die near his birthday with only 3 days after. John Pertwee died 6 days after the [[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who TV movie]] premiered.
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| === Analogous characters ===
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| There have been several characters outside the confines of the [[DWU]] which have been broadly modelled on general aspects of the Doctor. [[Doctor Who pastiches#Pastiches of the Doctor|Such "pastiches" are examined in greater detail elsewhere.]]
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| [[Category:Renegade Time Lords]] | | [[Category:Renegade Time Lords]] |
