Evelyn Webster

Evelyn Webster in a promotional image for Season 36

**Evelyn Webster** was an SOE agent during the Second World War, and a companion of the Ninth and Tenth Doctors.

Meeting the Doctor after escaping from Nazi captivity, Evelyn briefly travelled with the Ninth Doctor and Lena Haigh before their travels were abruptly cut short.

## Biography

### Early life

When war broke out, Evelyn was studying for a degree in linguistics, something that helped her successfully join the SOE. When she was accepted into the SOE, she did not let her parents know, instead telling them she had signed up to join the WAAF. (PROSE: *Operation Werewolf*) She deemed her parents overprotective due to the length of time it took for them to accept her active role in the war effort. (TV: *Operation Werewolf*)

### SOE operations

Beginning late in 1943, (PROSE: *Operation Werewolf*) Evelyn was dispatched in France as part of the F Section as a saboteur and courier, though she also worked closely with the French Resistance. On one occasion, she and a Resistance member managed to derail a train in Nice carrying vital supplies to German barracks in Normandy. She and the Resistance member were arrested by members of the Milice, but escaped captivity.

Due to her knowledge of French and German, Evelyn was often used in espionage. She often gleaned German war plans from French collaborators, as well as from tapping into German phone calls with the Resistance. Six months before her capture, Evelyn leaked several vital German war plans over the course of three months under the guise of a secretary. The base was stormed by the Allies shortly after D-Day. (TV: *Operation Werewolf*)

### Capture and travels with the Ninth Doctor

Evelyn was sent on a mission to deliberately sabotage the efforts of SS-Obergruppenführer Deimling, who had close communication links with German high command. She attempted to tap into communications near the château Deimling was staying in with members of the Resistance, but were spotted by a German guard. Most of the group successfully escaped, but Evelyn twisted her ankle and ended up being apprehended by the Germans. She was interrogated as to the identities of her cohorts by Deimling, but refused to give any names. She was imprisoned in the château's cells awaiting execution at a later date. Despite the Allies being close to her location, Evelyn was not certain she would survive her time in captivity. (PROSE: *Operation Werewolf*)

After a few weeks, Evelyn was joined in her cell by Lena Haigh, who explained to her that she was a companion of the Doctor, and came from the future. The two quickly struck up a strong friendship, with Evelyn asking various questions about Lena's travels. After a short while of this, the two of them managed to figure out an escape plan through use of notes. They acted on it immediately, with Evelyn calling their guard over and distracting him long enough for Lena to steal the keys and knock him out. The two made their way through the château as stealthily as possible, avoiding guards as much as possible. After guarding Lena whilst she stole the plans for Operation Werewolf from Deimling's office, Evelyn was given directions to the TARDIS, only for the two to be quickly spotted by guards. Whilst the two of them made an escape, Evelyn returned fire. Rounding a few corners, Evelyn told Lena to hide in a wardrobe, allowing them to successfully evade capture, and Lena to steal a gun from a coat in the wardrobe. Resuming the stealthy approach, the pair made their way up a flight of stars to the TARDIS, where they found Deimling about to shoot the Doctor for insubordination. Lena restrained him, whilst Evelyn informed him of his capture on behalf of the Allies, an event which Lena took advantage of to introduce her to the Doctor. The trio travelled to an Allied outpost to deliver Deimling, and Evelyn and Lena were commended for their work. Before the Doctor and Lena went to leave, Evelyn asked whether she could join them, something Lena encouraged the Doctor to agree to. When he did so, Evelyn responded ecstatically, and reacted with confused wonder at the inside of the TARDIS.

Shortly after they took off, however, the Doctor received a message from Bernice Summerfield, informing him of a "problem" (TV: *Operation Werewolf*), in reality a wormhole connecting the Pyramid to Gallifrey. Upon arrival, Evelyn was introduced to Bernice, as well as Norman Manning, Brigadier Bambera and Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, the latter of whom she helped set up analysis equipment. She warned the Doctor about the wormhole's expansion into an Earth Empire vessel thanks to his own analysis, and later revealed to the UNIT team, as well as Romana and Veylon, that contact had been lost with the Doctor. Whilst assisting Veylon, Bernice and Kate in regaining contact with the Doctor, Evelyn acted as security against the incoming interdimensional monsters that were exiting the wormhole, even successfully shooting one down before it could enter the Pyramid. Later, Evelyn was present and helping set up communication equipment just as communication was re-established with the Doctor and the Tomorrow Men, learning of the Tomorrow Men's legend on Gallifrey from Veylon.

The Doctor split the forces into separate teams to channel energy into closing the wormhole, with Evelyn joining Lena and Bambera in channelling energy from the Earth Empire vessel. She followed the instructions given to her by Lena and Patroklos, and checked the gauge to ensure that the energy from the ship was being fully transferred to the engines. Ultimately, the combined force of the Earth Empire vessel, the Pyramid and the Capitol, coupled with energy from the TARDIS on the other side of the wormhole, began to force the wormhole shut, with Bambera managing to get safely back to Earth. However, whilst the TARDIS arrived on board the vessel safely, the Doctor was stuck in the middle of the wormhole as it re-opened. Seeing Lena and Evelyn's shock, the Doctor reassured them, before forcing himself to regenerate, closing the wormhole in the process. Patroklos assumed the Doctor dead, and went to drive off, however, Lena noticed a glowing object in space and persuaded Patroklos to pick it up. Once inside, Evelyn confirmed that the person was the Doctor, although his face looked nothing like the Doctor she knew. Upon the Doctor reawakening, Lena and Evelyn informed him of his success in closing the wormhole, and Lena revealed she had to leave. When the Doctor asked Evelyn if she needed to as well, she stated her plans to remain with the Doctor, wishing Lena all the best. After the two entered the TARDIS, the Doctor, insisting he was perfectly fine, attempted to pilot the TARDIS to an alien planet, only for leftover regeneration energy to cause him to knock a lever and send the TARDIS flying through space. (TV: *Visions of Tomorrow*)

## Personality

Evelyn was extraordinarily focused on her work as a spy, and this focus carried through to her time as a companion, often taking up jobs that ranged from dangerous (TV: *Operation Werewolf*) to menial. (TV: *Visions of Tomorrow*) She prided herself in her ability to accomplish, keeping her missions at the back of her mind during World War II as a method of telling herself she was playing a vital role in Allied victory. (PROSE: *Operation Werewolf*) She was quick to think up new plans and strategies to get out of a variety of issues, with Lena Haigh noting during their first adventure together that she had a good awareness of objects around her. (TV: *Operation Werewolf*)

In contrast, Evelyn was also an extraordinarily extroverted and affable individual, and a natural at making friends. If she felt due credit was not being given to those around her, she put in a good word for them. (TV: *Operation Werewolf*) She feared for those close to her if she found herself unable to make contact, or knew them to be in excessively dangerous situations. (TV: *Visions of Tomorrow*) Bernice Summerfield thought her rather intelligent. (TV: *Visions of Tomorrow*)

## Appearance

Evelyn had a round face with long, dark brown hair which she kept in a bun during her time in the SOE, but preferred to let down. (PROSE: *Operation Werewolf*)

## Appearances

### Season 35

* *Operation Werewolf*
* *Visions of Tomorrow*