They Think It's All Over (comic story)
Summary
The Doctor, Amy and Rory try to travel to Wembley Stadium in 1996 to watch a football match between England and Germany. The TARDIS lands in the exact location - but in 996.
The TARDIS crew, accompanied by Anglo-Saxons, visit Lord Wemba and his wife Frida, who thank the Doctor for helping King Alfred the Great escape from Somerset. Rangar the Strong, his son Henghist and several Vikings walk in to discuss peace with the Anglo-Saxons, but Rangar's son has other ideas. He plans to control the Anglo-Saxon "dogs". His father hits him and tells him to obey him, and Amy notices Henghist is only here to start an argument.
Frida, away from the others, tells Amy that she and Rory should leave while they can, as Henghist has expressed great interest in her. Amy assures her she'll be fine.
Meanwhile, Rory walks past a room where Henghist and Rangar are arguing. At the end of the argument, Rangar disowns Henghist and Henghist stabs Rangar in a fit of rage.
Rory tells the Doctor, Amy and Wemba, when Henghist walks towards them and pretends that Rangar was killed by the Saxons. Henghist tries to take Amy and Frida as "payment for his father's death" when the Doctor has another idea: he challenges him and one of his solders to a game of football. If he wins, he gets Frida, Amy and Wemba's land. If he loses, the Vikings leave.
The Doctor and Rory win the football match, much to Henghist's displeasure. He wants to kill the women and burn the village, but Rory punches him, knocking him out cold.
After their goodbyes, the TARDIS crew finally travel to Wembley Stadium at the right time, where they chant "Wemba's Lea!".
References
- The Doctor, Amy and Rory mention George Best, David Beckham, Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst and Bobby Moore.
Story Notes
- This story is a "pure historical" featuring no science fiction elements apart from the presence of the Doctor, Amy, Rory and the TARDIS.
Continuity
- The story is continuous with TV: The Lodger in that the Doctor mentions that he was once a star player for the King's Arms football club. But it also proves that the Doctor was only feigning ignorance of the game in The Lodger. The Doctor's knowledge of football is revealed here to be great. Indeed the Eleventh Doctor here has an enthusiasm for football that's highly reminiscent of the Eighth Doctor's in COMIC: Doctor Who and the Nightmare Game and AUDIO: Living Legend.
Cover Gallery
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