Shadow Proclamation

The Shadow Proclamation was a galactic government concerned with upholding Galactic Law, as well as a set of rules governing it. In his ninth and tenth incarnations, the Doctor often called miscreants to account for themselves according to its dictates.

Overview

The Shadow Proclamation was situated on three asteroids, linked together by bridges, from which they planned their moves. (DW: The Stolen Earth)

The Shadow Proclamation may have rules against translators, as the Doctor had to speak with the Judoon without the help of the TARDIS.

Known Regulations

The Shadow Proclamation had several conventions and treaties.

• Convention 15 dealt with the end of hostile actions in order to parley. (DW: Rose, NSA: Peacemaker)
• Article 29.8 banned the use and creation of Gelem warriors. (NSA: Ghosts of India)
• Clause 374 of the Shadow Proclamation stated that "theft of an artefact of great cultural value legitimises the use of lethal force to ensure the artefact’s recovery". (TDL: The Colour of Darkness)

According to Shadow Proclamation "any legitimate trial form may be used in a Shadow Proclamation hearing". When the requested form of trial is impossible, judgement reverts to Shadow Proclamation standard. A maximum of two legal requests are allowed. Examples included;

• Trial by a jury of peers was a legal standard of 298 member planets and 39761 affiliated worlds.
• Innocent until proven guilty was a legal standard of 87 member planets and 12932 affiliated worlds. (TDL: The Pictures of Emptiness)

History

Ancient history

Evidently, the Shadow Proclamation has existed for some time. When Bubastion was tricked into murdering an innocent man in ancient Egypt, he was sealed in the body of a cat for failing to protect humanity, as per the Shadow Proclamation. The Doctor suggested reciting certain parts of the Proclamation would give him power over Bubastion. (IDW: Agent Provocateur)

Upon discovering that aliens were at work in 1st century Pompeii, The Doctor demanded that the alien identify its place of origin and species designation "as set down by the Shadow Proclamation". (DW: The Fires of Pompeii)

21st century

The Doctor invoked Convention 15 as he spoke with the Nestene Consciousness in London. (DW: Rose)

Rose would later make mention of the Shadow Proclamation while attempting to threaten the Sycorax Leader. (DW: The Christmas Invasion)

According to the Doctor, the breeding of Adipose children on Earth was a violation of the Proclamation since the "seeding" of Level 5 planets was prohibited. Miss Foster, the woman in charge of the breeding program, was concerned that the Doctor had alerted the Shadow Proclamation to her activities. (DW: Partners in Crime) The Adipose First Family (who were behind the breeding program) were later arrested and their children were taken into custody. (WEB: Captain Jack's Monster Files)

The Shadow Proclamation was actually visited by the Doctor and Donna Noble in order to alert them to the disappearance of Earth. The Proclamation was already aware of its disappearance along with 26 other worlds. He was asked to lead the Shadow Proclamation into war against the guilty parties, but refused. (DW: The Stolen Earth)

In 2012, the Doctor told a being inhabiting Chloe Webber that, "(he) request(ed) parlay in accordance with the Shadow Proclamation." He then asked the being to identify itself. (DW: Fear Her)

Following an incident in which the Doctor interfered with "a fixed point in time" - specifically events surrounding a film studio in Los Angeles, during which the Doctor saved the life of someone who had been fated to die (IDW: Silver Scream), the Shadow Proclamation apprehended the Doctor and put him on trial. For reasons as yet unclear, an enemy of the Doctor's, Lucas Finch, served as the prosecutor. The Shadow Architect found the Doctor guilty and sentenced him to lives imprisonment. (IDW: Fugitive)

When Sarah Jane Smith was transported to the Krulius' home planet, she left a signal behind her with the sonic lipstick. With this, Mr Smith was able to contact the Shadow Proclamation with their co-ordinates, and a team of Judoon were dispatched to apprehend the Krulius (WC: Monster Hunt)

Behind the Scenes

In original script for The Stolen Earth, the Shadow Proclamation was supposed to consist of many more different species of aliens, including law-abiding Raxacoricofallapatorians, a 2.4m tall Adipose, Vespiforms, Graskes, Krillitane, Hath and Sycorax but the scene was cut due to budget. Blon Fel-Fotch Passameer-Day Slitheen, now reverted to a younger age after the events of Boom Town, was also meant to make an appearance. Her line has been recorded and archived for future use , although most of these species appeared in the space bar in which the doctor visited Captain Jack (The End of Time)[1]

See also

• Galactic Law
• Convention 15 of the Shadow Proclamation