H.M.S. Tardis (short story)
H.M.S. TARDIS was a story in the 1968 Doctor Who Annual which featured the second Doctor, Ben and Polly. It was notable for featuring a rare instance of the Doctor actively trying to change something about the known history of Earth.
Summary
The Doctor, Ben and Polly land on the HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar. In the lull immediately before the fight with the Redoubtable, the trio must prove to Flag Captain Hardy that they are not spies or deserters. The Doctor, though, proposes to his companions that they try to do a bit more than that. He tells Polly that he aims to change history, but neither she nor Ben believe he is capable of that. He tries to give Nelson specific advice that will avert his death, but, in the end, Nelson dies, anyway. Still, Ben seems to have changed history a tiny bit, by encouraging Nelson to send a message to the whole British fleet: "England expects that every man this day will do his duty."
Characters
- Second Doctor
- Ben Jackson
- Polly Wright
- Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson
- Flag Captain Thomas Hardy
References
- The story mentions the following real ships and captains: the Bucentaure under Villeneuve; the Redoubtable; and the HMS Royal Sovereign under Collingwood. The story also mentions the Battle of the Nile, though it incorrectly asserts that there was a ship called the Indefatigable at that conflict.
Notes
- Like many early Doctor Who print stories, both comic and prose, the Doctor is referred to as "Doctor Who" or "Dr. Who". The word "doctor" is not even seen as a proper noun here when used on its own to refer to the character.
- The Doctor's stance on changing history seems unusual in the light of The Aztecs, and many historical stories thereafter. Here the Doctor is actively trying to ensure that Nelson will live into old age, instead of being killed in the Battle of Trafalgar. In fact, it's his companions who have to reign in his enthusiasm, which is decidedly jingoistic. He tries to enlist Ben's aid by saying it's "for the good of England" that they save Nelson. In the end, though, it's possible to interpret the Doctor's activities as scientific more than patriotic. "I had a feeling all through that it couldn't be that easy," he says, almost indicating that he was experimenting with changing history just to see if it could be done.
Continuity
- Ben claims not to have been at sea for a very long time. It's possible to construct a timeline for Ben in which this is the first time he's been at sea since long before we viewers met him at the Inferno nightclub.
Timeline
Relative to television stories, this story must happen between Power of the Daleks and The Highlanders, as Jamie is not a part of the TARDIS crew. Moreover, it must take place before any stories featuring the trio that take place on Earth, because Ben and Polly specifically state this is the first time they've been on Earth in a while. One arbitrary but acceptable placement is:
- This story occurs after DWA: World Without Night
- This story occurs before DWA: The King of Golden Death
External links
to be added
