Bessie: Difference between revisions

'''Bessie''' was the [[Third Doctor]]'s main mode of transport during his [[exile on Earth]]. It was also used by his [[Fourth Doctor|Fourth]], [[Seventh Doctor|Seventh]] and (possibly) [[Ninth Doctor|Ninth]] incarnations.

Bessie was a canary-yellow roadster. It was acquired by [[the Brigadier]] for the [[Third Doctor]]'s use as part of the exiled [[Time Lord]]'s agreement to assist [[UNIT]] in its efforts to protect [[Earth]]. The Doctor had requested a car of this nature after taking a liking to a similar vehicle during his first fight against the [[Auton]]s ([[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'').

The Doctor made several modifications to Bessie during his time at UNIT. These included an [[anti-theft device|anti-theft]] [[force field]] ([[DW]]: ''[[The Ambassadors of Death]]''), which magnetically trapped anyone attempting to steal Bessie; a remote control ([[DW]]: ''[[The Dæmons]]''), with which the Doctor could steer the car from a distance; and a [[minimum inertia hyperdrive]], which allowed him to drive at breakneck speed and still come to a sudden stop without the car's occupants being tossed through the windscreen by inertia, which the brakes absorbed. The Doctor made use of this inertia absorption to overtake the Brigadier's [[Land Rover]] after Lethbridge-Stewart had declined to travel in Bessie in fear of the car's reliability. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Time Monster]]'')

When he began his exile on Earth, the [[Third Doctor]] (who had just [[regenerated]] and not fully recovered) stole an antique roadster parked in front of [[Ashbridge Cottage Hospital]] to get around. He liked it and while seeing the car returned to its rightful owner, the Brigadier said he thought he could get something like it. ([[DW]]: ''[[Spearhead from Space]]'')

Bessie proved instrumental in capturing [[the Master (UNIT years)|the Master]]. When he attempted to steal the Doctor's car and make good his escape following the events at [[Devil's End]], the Doctor used his remote control to steer the Master back to the waiting UNIT soldiers, who took him into custody. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Dæmons]]'') Bessie was briefly pulled into [[Omega]]'s [[Anti-matter universe|universe]] during his attempt to capture the Doctor. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Three Doctors]]'')

Shortly after his [[companion]] [[Jo Grant]] left him and the [[Third Doctor|third incarnation]] of the Doctor had temporarily left Earth, [[Fifth Doctor|his fifth incarnation]] arrived on Earth and borrowed Bessie while helping UNIT defeat the [[Xaranti]]. ([[PDA]]: ''[[Deep Blue]]'')

[[File:Seven brig bessie.jpg|thumb|[[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] is delighted to be reunited with Bessie. ([[DW]]: ''[[Battlefield]]'')]]

It was brought out briefly in [[1997]] as the Brigadier and UNIT worked with the Doctor's [[Seventh Doctor|seventh incarnation]] to battle [[Morgaine]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[Battlefield]]'').