Sonic lipstick
The sonic lipstick was a sonic device similar to the sonic screwdriver owned by the Doctor, and regularly employed by Sarah Jane Smith. Unlike the Doctor's version, Sarah Jane's resembled a genuine 21st century lipstick closely enough to avoid suspicion from casual observers.
After Sarah Jane's death, (WC: Farewell, Sarah Jane) accounts varied on who inherited the sonic lipstick; according to one account, Jo Jones inherited it (WC: Defenders of Earth) however, according to another account, Rani Chandra inherited it. (AUDIO: Here Today)
History[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Doctor made (PROSE: Super Sonic [+]Loading...{"page":"37","1":"Super Sonic (feature)"}) and gave Sarah Jane the sonic lipstick (PROSE: The Shining Man) in his tenth incarnation (PROSE: Alien Objects [+]Loading...{"page":"51","1":"Alien Objects (feature)"}) at some point prior to the Bane's attempted invasion of Earth. (TV: Invasion of the Bane)
Following the destruction of one of the devices by Sontaran Commander Kaagh, Sarah Jane later produced another though did not explain where she had acquired it. (TV: Enemy of the Bane) Although primarily used by Sarah Jane, it was also used by her companions as well as the Eleventh Doctor on occasion. (TV: Death of the Doctor, Revenge of the Slitheen, The Empty Planet)
Sarah Jane herself rarely wore actual lipstick, and almost used the sonic lipstick on herself instead of a normal one when preparing herself for a date with Peter Dalton; she remarked that she had to stop doing so. (TV: The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith)
Rani Chandra borrowed the lipstick whilst investigating unusual weather patterns. Whilst tied up she had Jac retrieve it from her pocket to release her. (AUDIO: The Turn of the Tides)
According to one account, Jo Jones inherited it from her. She used it to deactivate a Sea Devil's weapon. (WC: Defenders of Earth) Another account suggested that it was Rani Chandra who inherited the lipstick. (AUDIO: Here Today)
Features[[edit] | [edit source]]
The sonic lipstick looked like a normal lipstick on the outside. The lid came off and it twisted to reveal the emitter. When in use, the sonic lipstick generated a pinkish-red light, and produced several sounds. Like the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, it also remained ineffective against deadlock seals. The Slitheen described it as a sonic disruptor, (TV: Revenge of the Slitheen) and Sarah Jane once threatened to destroy a talisman with sonic disruption. (TV: Eye of the Gorgon) It ran on some sort of energy which could run out. (TV: Death of the Doctor)
Functions[[edit] | [edit source]]
Broadly the sonic lipstick could be used for activation or deactivation of a lock, device or system. Interfering or destroying a system or object. Along with general maintenance of an object like the Doctor's teleport device. (TV: Death of the Doctor) Or in rare occasions using it to defeat a sentient being. (WC: Defenders of Earth)
Activation-Deactivation[[edit] | [edit source]]
The sonic lipstick could be used to open, close, lock and unlock doors. (TV: Invasion of the Bane [+]Loading...["Invasion of the Bane (TV story)"], The Lost Boy [+]Loading...["The Lost Boy (TV story)"], The Eternity Trap [+]Loading...["The Eternity Trap (TV story)"]) Additionally it could open ventilation shafts. (TV: Death of the Doctor [+]Loading...["Death of the Doctor (TV story)"])
It could also be used to open locks, and chains. (TV: Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith [+]Loading...["Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)"], The Empty Planet [+]Loading...["The Empty Planet (TV story)"], The Vault of Secrets [+]Loading...["The Vault of Secrets (TV story)"]) And assist in breaking into buildings like theme parks. (TV: The Mad Woman in the Attic [+]Loading...["The Mad Woman in the Attic (TV story)"])
It could be used to activate teleports to teleport a Slitheen back to its home, and activate Ruby White's teleport. (TV: From Raxacoricofallapatorius with Love [+]Loading...["From Raxacoricofallapatorius with Love (TV story)"], Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith [+]Loading...["Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)"])
It could also reactivate technology like a radio (TV: Sky [+]Loading...["Sky (TV story)"]), androids like Mister Dread (TV: The Vault of Secrets [+]Loading...["The Vault of Secrets (TV story)"]),
It could be used to manipulate and activate Nanoforms, releasing them or locking onto them into the genetic system. (TV: Prisoner of the Judoon [+]Loading...["Prisoner of the Judoon (TV story)"])
It could also be used for the mundane such as spinning a light shade. (TV: The Empty Planet [+]Loading...["The Empty Planet (TV story)"])
Interference-Destruction[[edit] | [edit source]]
The sonic lipstick could be used to interfere with various systems and technologies, and be used to destroy those same systems, technologies and objects.
It could interfere with communications devices of Mark Grantham and UNIT. (TV: Warriors of Kudlak [+]Loading...["Warriors of Kudlak (TV story)"], Enemy of the Bane [+]Loading...["Enemy of the Bane (TV story)"])
It could disable and deactivate; security lasers at the Pharos Institute (TV: The Lost Boy [+]Loading...["The Lost Boy (TV story)"]), Sontaran ship cloaking fields and Kaagh's Sontaran control device. (TV: The Last Sontaran [+]Loading...["The Last Sontaran (TV story)"]), Blathereen's teleporters (TV: The Gift [+]Loading...["The Gift (TV story)"]) and [Melvin Minton|Minty]]'s alien detector (TV: The Vault of Secrets [+]Loading...["The Vault of Secrets (TV story)"])
It could disable road vehicles such as car and motorbike engines (including making the motorbike spark and disorientate the rider) (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith [+]Loading...["The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)"], The Lost Boy [+]Loading...["The Lost Boy (TV story)"], and causing Mister Dread's car to break down. (TV: The Vault of Secrets [+]Loading...["The Vault of Secrets (TV story)"])
It could be used as a tool for cutting; to cut a piece of meteorite. (TV: Template:The Day of the Clown (TV story) and sending and electrical charge and cutting cables. (TV: Eye of the Gorgon [+]Loading...["Eye of the Gorgon (TV story)"])
It also could be used for destructive methods; destroying sphere-shaped drones (TV: The Last Sontaran [+]Loading...["The Last Sontaran (TV story)"]), destroying the Tunguska Scroll (TV: Enemy of the Bane [+]Loading...["Enemy of the Bane (TV story)"], and a communication system (TV: Prisoner of the Judoon [+]Loading...["Prisoner of the Judoon (TV story)"]). Also seizing the joints of robot clowns. (TV: The Day of the Clown [+]Loading...["The Day of the Clown (TV story)"])
It could also be used to smash or shatter glass and glass mirrors. (TV: The Day of the Clown [+]Loading...["The Day of the Clown (TV story)"], Prisoner of the Judoon [+]Loading...["Prisoner of the Judoon (TV story)"])
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- According to the Data Files on the menu screen of the DVD release of series 1 of The Sarah Jane Adventures, Sarah Jane found the sonic lipstick inside K9.
- The Sonic Lipstick prop was made using a distinctive brass container from a lipstick made by manufacturer Estée Lauder.[1]
- Character Options released a sonic lipstick replica featuring lights and sounds. The toy was slightly different from the original, in that the ridges in the actual prop are less deep and the coat was shiny metal rather than gold plastic.
- The fate of the sonic lipstick after Sarah Jane's death varies between stories. In the 2023 mini-episode Defenders of Earth! [+]Loading...["Defenders of Earth! (webcast)"], Jo Jones is shown to have inherited the device, but in the Big Finish Productions audio drama Here Today [+]Loading...["Here Today (audio story)"], Rani Chandra is shown to have inherited it. A likely explanation for this discrepancy may be that Sarah Jane owned more than one sonic lipstick, as seen in the TV story Enemy of the Bane [+]Loading...["Enemy of the Bane (TV story)"].
External links[[edit] | [edit source]]
Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]
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