Ghost

For the audio drama, see Ghosts (audio).

Ghosts are a phenomenon occurring in the collective mythology and popular culture of Earth and other worlds including, perhaps, Skaro. Those who believe in ghosts sometimes hold them to be souls that could not find rest after death, and so linger on in the world of the living. This inability to find rest is often explained as unfinished business.

A ghost is sometimes referred to as a fetch, and the woods around Fetch Priory were long believed to be haunted, the result of its being near a relative continual displacement zone, or hole in time. (DW: Image of the Fendahl)

Eugene Jones was able to interact with Gwen Cooper of Torchwood Three for a time after his death as a de facto ghost. Ultimately, he briefly became visible to not only Cooper, but other members of the Torchwood team, before "crossing over" and ceasing to be a ghost. (TW: Random Shoes)

A Cardiff building was haunted by three cowled men with scythes, it is unknown what these things actually are, but were considered ghosts. Toshiko Sato and Ianto Jones were sent by Torchwood Three to kill them. They appeared in front of them, and were shot dead by Tosh and Ianto. (TW: Exit Wounds)

The Doctor explained that psychic residue was a cause of ghost sightings. (DW: The Pandorica Opens)

Mistakenly identified as Ghosts

• When the Torchwood Institute began its studies of the breach created by the Void Sphere's entry into our universe, their attempts to harness the energy seeping through the breach drew in translucent, vaguely humanoid forms which were sighted all over the world and quickly identified by those who saw them as ghosts. Some, like Jackie Tyler, believed them to be the spirits of dead family members. A psychic link developed which the ghosts used to strengthen their presence in this world, enough that they were quickly embraced by Earth society and popular culture. Each time the Torchwood technicians drew energy through the breach, the wall separating realities grew weaker and the ghosts grew stronger and more solid. The Doctor realized too late that the other world these ghosts originated from was Pete's World, and that the ghosts were in fact the race of Cybermen from that alternate reality which he had encountered before. Once the Cybermen seized control of Torchwood, they used the institute's equipment to open the breach and usher an army of five million "ghosts," which quickly achieved corporeal form as Cybermen and began a ruthless takeover attempt of the planet which was complicated by the unexpected revival of a contingent of Daleks with the same goal, resulting in the two invading forces entering into battle with one another. Eventually, the Doctor was able to defeat both armies. (DW: Army of Ghosts, Doomsday)
• The Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith were once mistaken for ghosts. (MA: The Ghosts of N-Space)
• The Gelth were mistaken for ghosts, as their gaseous forms could fly and were a translucent blue. (DW: The Unquiet Dead)