Untempered Schism: Difference between revisions

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|appearances = [[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'', [[COMIC]]: ''[[The Wishing Well Witch (comic story)|The Wishing Well Witch]]'', ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]''
|appearances = [[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'', [[COMIC]]: ''[[The Wishing Well Witch (comic story)|The Wishing Well Witch]]'', ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]''
|clip = The Legends of Gallifrey - Doctor Who - The Sound of Drums - BBC
|clip = The Legends of Gallifrey - Doctor Who - The Sound of Drums - BBC
}}The '''Untempered Schism''' was a natural opening in the space/time continuum, "a gap in the fabric of reality from which can be seen the whole of the [[Time Vortex|Vortex]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'') The Schism appeared to consist of an opening into the Vortex, contained in a circular ring. Before the Schism lay a plaque bearing the [[Seal of Rassilon]].
}}The '''Untempered Schism''' was a natural opening in the space/time continuum, "a gap in the fabric of reality from which can be seen the whole of [[Time Vortex|the Vortex]]". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') The Schism appeared to consist of an opening into the Vortex, contained in a circular ring. Before the Schism lay a plaque bearing the [[Seal of Rassilon]].


The Untempered Schism played a vital part in the initiation of young [[Gallifreyan]] children who would then stare into the Vortex, starting them off onto their journey to becoming [[Time Lord|Time Lords]].  
The Untempered Schism played a vital part in the initiation of young [[Gallifreyan]] children who would then stare into the Vortex, starting them off onto their journey to becoming [[Time Lord|Time Lords]].{{source}}


== History ==
== History ==
=== Ancient Gallifrey ===
The Schism was used by the [[Time Lord]]s in an initiation ceremony for children entering the [[Time Lord Academy]]. At the age of eight, the children would be taken to the Schism. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') The Doctor and the Master agreed that the experience was painful. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')
When the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s TARDIS brought him to ancient [[Gallifrey]], billions of years before his time, he and [[Cindy Wu]] witnessed young [[Gallifreyan]]s being forced into the schism by a group of [[Time Sentinel]]s. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]'')


The Doctor noted on more than one occasion that it was the direct exposure to the [[Time Vortex]] through the Untempered Schism that caused [[Gallifreyan]]s to develop more quickly than other societies. Through billions of years, it was what caused them to become [[Time Lord]]s. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War (TV story)|A Good Man Goes to War]]'', et. al)
When the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s TARDIS brought him to ancient [[Gallifrey]], billions of years before his time, he and [[Cindy Wu]] witnessed young [[Gallifreyan]]s being forced into the schism by a group of [[Time Sentinel]]s. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]'') During one initiation in the [[Dark Times]], a group of students were thrown into the Schism. Their physical forms were splintered by unprotected travel through the Time Vortex. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Wishing Well Witch (comic story)|The Wishing Well Witch]]'')


=== Use in Time Lord initiations ===
The Doctor said that, when subjected to the terrifying effects of the Schism, the children would react differently — "Some would be inspired, some would run away, and some would go mad." He identified himself as one of the ones who ran away and never stopped running; ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') others who ran away included [[Susan Foreman]], [[Romana I]], [[K'anpo Rimpoche]], [[Drax]], [[Azmael]], [[the Corsair]], and [[Outsider]]s such as [[Nesbin]], [[Ablif]], and [[Presta]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords (novel)|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'')
It was used by the [[Time Lord]]s in an initiation ceremony for children entering the [[Time Lord Academy]]. At the age of eight, the children would be taken to the Schism. When subjected to its terrifying effects the children would react differently — "Some would be inspired, some would run away, and some would go mad." ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') The Doctor and the Master agreed that the experience was painful. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') It was claimed prolonged exposure to the Schism over billions of years gave Time Lords their ability to [[regenerate]] and indeed was the primary factor in their evolution. ([[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War]]'')


During one initiation in the [[Dark Times]], a group of students were thrown into the Schism. Their physical forms were splintered by unprotected travel through the Time Vortex. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Wishing Well Witch (comic story)|The Wishing Well Witch]]'')
During [[the Master]]'s initiation, he saw the raw power of time and space. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') It was at this moment that [[the Drumming]], a signal sent back through time by the Time Lords in the final hours of the [[Last Great Time War]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') entered the Master's mind and plagued him throughout the rest of his lives. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'')


==== Initiation of the Master ====
Among those who were inspired were [[Savar]], [[Runcible]], [[Spandrell]], [[Engin]], [[Hilred]], [[Kelner]], [[Rodan]], [[Maxil]], [[Damon (Arc of Infinity)|Damon]], [[Talor]], [[Jerricho]], [[Thalia]], [[Hedin]], [[Zorac]], [[Flavia]], [[Darkel]], [[the Woman (The End of Time)|the Woman]], [[the Partisan]], [[Andro (The Name of the Doctor)|Andro]], [[Fabian (The Name of the Doctor)|Fabian]], [[Kenossium]], and [[Androgar]]. Some, such as [[the Monk]], [[the War Chief]], [[Goth]], [[the Rani]], [[Morbius]], [[Borusa]], [[Salyavin]], and [[the Visionary]], went mad. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords (novel)|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'')
As a child, during his initiation, [[the Master]] gazed into the Time Vortex through the Schism, and saw the raw power of time and space — "That's when the Master first saw eternity." ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'') It was at this moment that [[the Drumming]], a signal sent back through time by the Time Lords in the final hours of the [[Last Great Time War]], ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') entered the Master's mind and plagued him throughout the rest of his lives. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums]]'')


==== Initiation of the Doctor ====
The [[Tenth Doctor]] described looking into the Schism as the first time any young Time Lord "saw eternity". ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') The [[book of A]] included the quote, "When I was young, I looked through [[Eye of Eternity|eternity's eye]], and eternity created me!" ([[PROSE]]: ''[[What Keeps Their Lines Alive (short story)|What Keeps Their Lines Alive]]'')
The Doctor suggested his eight-year-old self was one of the ones who ran away — indeed, that he never stopped running. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]'') He also indicated that he found his experience painful. ([[TV]]: ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'')


==== Initiation of others ====
The Doctor noted on more than one occasion that it was direct exposure to the [[Time Vortex]] through the Untempered Schism that caused [[Gallifreyan]]s to develop more quickly than other societies. Through billions of years, it was what caused them to become [[Time Lord]]s. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Old Girl (comic story)|Old Girl]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[A Good Man Goes to War (TV story)|A Good Man Goes to War]]'', et al.)
Among those who were inspired were [[Savar]], [[Runcible]], [[Spandrell]], [[Engin]], [[Hilred]], [[Kelner]], [[Rodan]], [[Maxil]], [[Damon (Arc of Infinity)|Damon]], [[Talor]], [[Jerricho]], [[Thalia]], [[Hedin]], [[Zorac]], [[Flavia]], [[Darkel]], [[the Woman (The End of Time)|the Woman]], [[the Partisan]], [[Andro (The Name of the Doctor)|Andro]], [[Fabian (The Name of the Doctor)|Fabian]], [[Kenossium]], and [[Androgar]]. Those who ran away included [[Susan Foreman]], [[Romana I]], [[K'anpo Rimpoche]], [[Drax]], [[Azmael]], [[the Corsair]], and [[Outsider]]s such as [[Nesbin]], [[Ablif]], and [[Presta]]. Some, such as [[the Monk]], [[the War Chief]], [[Goth]], [[the Rani]], [[Morbius]], [[Borusa]], [[Salyavin]], and [[the Visionary]], went mad. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[A Brief History of Time Lords (novel)|A Brief History of Time Lords]]'')


== Behind the scenes ==
== Behind the scenes ==

Revision as of 21:06, 22 January 2019

The Untempered Schism was a natural opening in the space/time continuum, "a gap in the fabric of reality from which can be seen the whole of the Vortex". (TV: The Sound of Drums) The Schism appeared to consist of an opening into the Vortex, contained in a circular ring. Before the Schism lay a plaque bearing the Seal of Rassilon.

The Untempered Schism played a vital part in the initiation of young Gallifreyan children who would then stare into the Vortex, starting them off onto their journey to becoming Time Lords.[source needed]

History

The Schism was used by the Time Lords in an initiation ceremony for children entering the Time Lord Academy. At the age of eight, the children would be taken to the Schism. (TV: The Sound of Drums) The Doctor and the Master agreed that the experience was painful. (TV: The End of Time)

When the Tenth Doctor's TARDIS brought him to ancient Gallifrey, billions of years before his time, he and Cindy Wu witnessed young Gallifreyans being forced into the schism by a group of Time Sentinels. (COMIC: Old Girl) During one initiation in the Dark Times, a group of students were thrown into the Schism. Their physical forms were splintered by unprotected travel through the Time Vortex. (COMIC: The Wishing Well Witch)

The Doctor said that, when subjected to the terrifying effects of the Schism, the children would react differently — "Some would be inspired, some would run away, and some would go mad." He identified himself as one of the ones who ran away and never stopped running; (TV: The Sound of Drums) others who ran away included Susan Foreman, Romana I, K'anpo Rimpoche, Drax, Azmael, the Corsair, and Outsiders such as Nesbin, Ablif, and Presta. (PROSE: A Brief History of Time Lords)

During the Master's initiation, he saw the raw power of time and space. (TV: The Sound of Drums) It was at this moment that the Drumming, a signal sent back through time by the Time Lords in the final hours of the Last Great Time War, (TV: The End of Time) entered the Master's mind and plagued him throughout the rest of his lives. (TV: The Sound of Drums)

Among those who were inspired were Savar, Runcible, Spandrell, Engin, Hilred, Kelner, Rodan, Maxil, Damon, Talor, Jerricho, Thalia, Hedin, Zorac, Flavia, Darkel, the Woman, the Partisan, Andro, Fabian, Kenossium, and Androgar. Some, such as the Monk, the War Chief, Goth, the Rani, Morbius, Borusa, Salyavin, and the Visionary, went mad. (PROSE: A Brief History of Time Lords)

The Tenth Doctor described looking into the Schism as the first time any young Time Lord "saw eternity". (TV: The Sound of Drums) The book of A included the quote, "When I was young, I looked through eternity's eye, and eternity created me!" (PROSE: What Keeps Their Lines Alive)

The Doctor noted on more than one occasion that it was direct exposure to the Time Vortex through the Untempered Schism that caused Gallifreyans to develop more quickly than other societies. Through billions of years, it was what caused them to become Time Lords. (COMIC: Old Girl, TV: A Good Man Goes to War, et al.)

Behind the scenes

  • The "time tunnel" effect seen in the Untempered Schism, and reflected in the eyes of the young Master, is the same technique used in the opening title sequence of the Doctor Who TV series from series 1 to the 2009 specials and during certain episodes from 2005 onwards where the TARDIS is shown in flight through the vortex. It was also used at the opening of The Sound of Drums to represent the transit through the space-time continuum with Jack Harkness's vortex manipulator.
  • The Untempered Schism is similar to the caldera from The Book of the War, which is a place on the Homeworld that acts as a node point where all lines of historical influence converge and one can stare directly into the heart of time.

External links