The Vlinx
Vlinkstatic X-Form Robo-Neuro-Actoform Designation Number 5576, (AUDIO: Pantheon of Discord [+]Loading...["Pantheon of Discord (audio story)"]) who preferred to be known as simply the Vlinx, (TV: The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"], AUDIO: Pantheon of Discord [+]Loading...["Pantheon of Discord (audio story)"], etc.) was a robotic being who came to work in the UNIT HQ in the City of London.
Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]
Origins[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Vlinx was originally known as "Vlinkstatic X-Form Robo-Neuro-Actoform Designation Number 5576", suggesting it was but one individual of a widespread model. (AUDIO: Pantheon of Discord [+]Loading...["Pantheon of Discord (audio story)"]) At some point prior to November 2023, (PROSE: The Star Beast [+]Loading...["The Star Beast (novelisation)"]) a damaged Vlinx joined up with UNIT and began operating out of their London headquarters, working directly under UNIT head Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, and alongside scientific advisor Shirley Anne Bingham. (TV: The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"])
During the Giggle[[edit] | [edit source]]
When a waveform began driving the entire human race insane through a special giggle projected into their brains through every screen by the image of Stooky Bill, the first ever televised image, the Vlinx, unaffected by the Giggle due to being an alien, developed the Zeedex device that disrupted the effects of the giggle and calmed down the humans who wore it. It chose to refer to the Zeedex as such simply because it believed it to be a "good name". The Vlinx helped the Fourteenth Doctor track down the source of the Giggle, and was present when the Toymaker attacked the headquarters. (TV: The Giggle [+]Loading...["The Giggle (TV story)"])
Sutekh's Dust of Death[[edit] | [edit source]]
It was still part of UNIT when the Fifteenth Doctor came for help. By this time it had some of its casing upgraded. It helped Morris Gibbons perform analysis of The Doctor's TARDIS discovering something living around it. It was present at Sutekh's manifestation. (TV: The Legend of Ruby Sunday [+]Loading...["The Legend of Ruby Sunday (TV story)"]) After helping to defend UNIT with lasers from its eyes, it was initially killed by Sutekh, but, like the others who had been wiped out by the Dust of Death, was resurrected when the Doctor forced Sutekh to use his powers to bring "death to death" throughout Time and Space, undoing everything he had done. (TV: Empire of Death [+]Loading...["Empire of Death (TV story)"])
Operation Maestro[[edit] | [edit source]]
- Main article: Operation Maestro
Some time later, the Vlinx broadcast from UNIT HQ to the Royal Albert Hall to introduce the Fifteenth Doctor when he attempted to address the audience at a concert, only to detect an emergency: a member of the Pantheon of Discord was invading the venue. This turned out to be none other than Maestro, who forced the orchestra to begin playing terrible music to feast on the dissonance this produced within the minds of the audience. However, the Doctor contacted the Vlinx with a plan, which the Vlinx, managing to break through again, transmitted to the Royal Albert Hall audience: they must clap as loudly as possible, because in the symbolic logic by which Maestro's powers operated, applause, which "only occurs when the music has stopped", would counter-act Maestro's powers. After this worked, the Vlinx made way for the Doctor himself to deliver a parting speech. (AUDIO: Pantheon of Discord [+]Loading...["Pantheon of Discord (audio story)"])
Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]
- In the in-vision commentary for The Giggle, Phil Collinson theorised that the Vlinx had been recovered from a wreckage shortly before the Giggle, explaining its rusted appearance.