Roman Auton
The Roman Autons, named Plastic Romans by the Eleventh Doctor, were Nestene duplicates who posed as Roman soldiers as part of the Pandorica Alliance. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)
Characteristics
Following flawed facsimiles, (TV: Spearhead from Space, Rose) this perfected form of Auton was identical in appearance and actions to the originals, mimicking humans perfectly. These units were implanted with false memories and actually believed themselves to be the real subjects they duplicated, being indistinguishable. The Auton copy of Rory Williams was even able to remember being erased from existence in the time field. The Autons served as sleeper agents until the Nestenes later asserted their influence, although the Rory Auton partially resisted this control. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)
History
When the Nestene Consciousness joined the Pandorica Alliance (TV: The Pandorica Opens) following its invasion of Earth in 2005, (PROSE: Revenge of the Nestene) it produced Autons disguised as Roman soldiers in 102 (TV: The Pandorica Opens) as part of the Total Collapse Event Incident. (PROSE: Dalek Combat Training Manual) These, believing themselves to be genuine Roman soldiers, tricked the Eleventh Doctor, who realised too late what they were. They imprisoned him in the Pandorica. One of these Autons, fashioned after the late and time-erased Rory Williams using the memories of Amy Pond, did not want to fire on her and tried to resist the call to arms. However he was unable to prevent himself shooting her fatally. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)
Afterwards, the Auton Rory helped the Doctor resurrect Amy with the Pandorica and save the universe. After the Doctor reset the universe and time, the Alliance Autons were erased from existence. The real Rory Williams, though, recalled the life of his Auton copy. (TV: The Big Bang) However, the 1995 book A Directory of Impossibilties by Wilson Ryder and Harriet MacMillan later recalled the legend of the Lone Centurion which guarded the Pandorica, which was republished in The Secret Lives of Monsters. (PROSE: The Secret Lives of Monsters)
Behind the scenes
- A generic "Roman Auton" was released as an action figure by Character Options along with a Stone Roman Auton.
