Theory:Doctor Who prose discontinuity and plot holes/No Future

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This page is for discussing the ways in which No Future doesn't fit well with other DWU narratives. You can also talk about the plot holes that render its own, internal narrative confusing.

Remember, this is a forum, so civil discussion is encouraged. However, please do not sign your posts. Also, keep all posts about the same continuity error under the same bullet point. You can add a new point by typing:

* This is point one.
::This is a counter-argument to point one.
:::This is a counter-argument to the counter-argument above
* This is point two.
::Explanation of point two.
::Further discussion and query of point two.

... and so on. 

• There is nothing in either The Time Meddler or The Daleks Master Plan to suggest that 'The Monk' actually ever was a monk. it was just a disguise he used. Yet here there's a lengthy backhistory about his actually being a monk.

A coincidence to be sure, but not necessarily a continuity error. If anything it somewhat explains why the Monk keeps that alias after what was supposedly a one-off disguise.

• There is nothing in The Daleks Master Plan to suggest that The Monk was ever stranded on the ice planet. All that happened was that his directional control was ruined. He even states that he's now destined to wander the universe.

Perhaps the Monk stayed on the ice planet to try to fix his directional control unit and ended up blowing something more important. Or perhaps there was another adventure that coincidentally involved Ancient Egypt and ended with the Monk left on an ice planet. That is a really annoying error, though. It means the entire "Alternate Universe" cycle, and this book in particular, is based on a false/flawed concept.

• 4-Dimensional Vistas and Follow That TARDIS see the Monk meeting the Fifth and Seventh Doctors respectively, yet here, he states that this is the first time he's seen the Doctor since Ancient Egypt (in The Daleks Master Plan).

Perhaps those meetings were out-of-order, and as such, the Monk has yet to experience them.

But if you look at the DWM comics, it's clearly the Peter Butterworth incarnation. And in No Future he's regenerated into the "Robert Beltram" incarnation from the Peter Butterworth incarnation, saying this is the first time he's seen the Doctor since The Daleks' Master Plan(when he was supposedly "stranded on the ice planet").

I would say the incarnation is questionable in Follow That TARDIS, but moving on: Maybe the Monk lost those memories through a case of post-regenerative amnesia. Though let's face it, this is the guy that thought becoming Death's Champion was a good idea.

• Benny states that she's been there two weeks. Later, without ever having left, it's only one week.

I can't bring myself to care.

Wow. What a well-reasoned and intelligent rejoinder.

Very well then, perhaps Benny has in fact been there for two weeks, but spent half of that time in the TARDIS.Honestly though, you'd think the editor would have caught this error before the book was published.

This is Bernice Summerfield we're talking about; she's practically the definition of an unreliable narrator. She had a lapse in judgement and said two weeks when she meant one. Or thought one week when she meant two. I can't remember how that part went exactly.

• The Minyan has a thirteen-life(twelve regeneration) limit, yet it is explicitly stated in Underworld that the Minyans have no regeneration limit, and go on regenerating.

Perhaps this Minyan is of a group that have yet to evolve to that state/have evolved to a natural limit due to the possibility of overpopulation.

Actually, the Minyans were in those little regenerative boxes in Underworld, weren't they? Maybe they can only regenerate thirteen times outside of those boxes.

• No Future's main purpose seems to be to promote the new UNIT dating. However, Virgin UNIT Dating places the stories in 1969-1973, while No Future explicitly states that The Invasion took place in 1970, which is wrong by both dating systems.