Ruath

Julie Graham as Ruath in a promotional image for Goth Opera

**Ruathadvorophrenaltid** (**Ruath** for short) was a Time Lady who studied at the Prydonian Academy at the same time as the Doctor. She later became the consort of the vampire Messiah Yarven, and tried to take over Gallifrey with an army of vampires. When this failed, she attempted to take over the Doctor's mind with the Master using the Mind Wrest, though she eventually saw the error of her ways after the Master betrayed her.

## History

### Time at the Prydon Academy

Ruath was in the class of '92, the year above the First Doctor. (PROSE: *Goth Opera*) She and the Doctor used to break into capsules together. The Eighth Doctor said that Ruath had been the first person to lead him astray.

### After the Academy

Unlike the Doctor, Ruath decided to stay on Gallifrey. She developed an academic interest in vampires which grew into an obsession. Ruath was part of a research team studying texts from Rassilon's time. In a volume of the ROO texts, she found a story detailing how Rassilon was bitten by and converted into a vampire towards the end of his life. With other students of the Undead, she found vampire shrines in the Capitol. She learned of the Vampire Messiah from the Cult of Rassilon the Vampire. She later used Romana to steal a TARDIS, get to Earth and find Yarven.

### The Prydonian Lady

Ruath became the Prydonian Lady prophesised to help Yarven. She rescued him from the grave in which he had been buried alive. When her plan to give him the Eighth Doctor's blood failed, she gave him all her own. This triggered her second regeneration. Shortly after this, Yarven made her a vampire and she became his consort. She worked on a machine that would plunge Earth into a time freeze, creating an everlasting night. When she and the Doctor next met she expressed anger that he had left Gallifrey, feeling she had been betrayed.

The Doctor made her believe he wanted to join her cause, letting her turn him into a vampire. Ruath planned to make him her consort once Yarven had sacrificed himself, but she was caught before this could happen. After Yarven and the other vampires were destroyed, she escaped and confronted the Doctor aboard his TARDIS. The Doctor admitted that he had purposefully left Ruath behind on Gallifrey. He believed she couldn't handle the life of a renegade, which until then was a decision he hadn't regretted. When Bernice intervened, Ruath tried to kill her but Norman opened the doors of the TARDIS, and pushed Ruath out into the Time Vortex. The Doctor said that Ruath was most likely dead. (TV: *Goth Opera*)

### Revenge on the Doctor

After falling in the vortex for some time, Ruath was found by the Master, who offered her freedom from the vortex in exchange for her help. They travelled back to York, and repurposed some parts of Ruath's old machine to help repair the Mind Wrest, which the Master had commandeered previously on Gallifrey. (PROSE: *Mind Games*) On Gallifrey, Ruath helped the Master repair the Mind Wrest, and provided genetic material of the Doctor, Bernice and Norman to help the Master better control them. When the Doctor's TARDIS touched down on Gallifrey, Ruath and the Master contacted the Doctor, informing him of their plans to conquer Gallifrey together with him out of the way. Foreseeing that the Doctor would send his companions to contact Romana, Ruath left to intercept Bernice and Norman, who expressed disbelief at seeing her alive. She attacked them, but was eventually knocked to the floor by Bernice.

She received a transmission from the Master, explaining that with the Doctor possessed by the Body-snatchers and under his control, Ruath was no longer useful. Angered by this betrayal, Ruath entered the Capitol and found Bernice and Norman. Despite them being wary of her intentions, Ruath showed them that she meant no ill intent, and instead showed them a shortcut to the Mind Wrest. She appeared horrified at the Body-snatchers' possession of the Doctor, and helped to restrain the Master when he tried to attack them. She also tried to switch off the Mind Wrest, eventually causing the machine to explode. When the Chancellery Guard arrived, she allowed herself to be taken into custody. (TV: *Mind Games*)

## Personality

The Doctor had known Ruath to be sincere and compassionate during her first incarnation on Gallifrey, but in her subsequent lives she demonstrated little respect for life, allying herself with both the vampires and the Master, and attempting to kill Spandrell. She was a good leader, brave and confident. When her third incarnation got excited, her voice would rise in pitch. (TV: *Goth Opera*, *Mind Games*)

Ruath did not take betrayal lightly, going out of her way to cause the Master's plan to fail after he revealed he had no more use for her. The Master's betrayal also seemed to reawaken some of Ruath's earlier compassion, as she expressed horror at the Doctor's possession by the Body-snatchers and helped to release him and his companions from the Mind Wrest's control.

Ruath also seemed to be willing to take responsibility for past actions, telling Bernice and Norman that she understood if they did not trust her, and unquestioningly allowing herself to be taken into custody by the Chancellery Guard. (TV: *Mind Games*)

## Appearance

Ruath II was fairly tall and straight backed and bound her long, black hair severely. Her features were sharp and inquisitive. She wore a metal pendant, a black leather jacket with a grey t-shirt with the bottom of a black trouser suit and a silver belt with utility packs.

When Ruath regenerated, her clothes changed to a red velvet gown with pouches around its waist and matching velvet gloves. Ruath III had long, flowing black hair which reached her waist. Her voice was rich, languid, and full of laughter. Immediately after Ruath regenerated Yarven turned her into a vampire, and she grew fangs. (TV: *Goth Opera*)

Ruath returned to the clothing worn in her second incarnation when working alongside the Master. (TV: *Mind Games*)

## Behind the Scenes

* Ruath's full name includes *dvoro*; the similar syllables *dvora* appear in Romana's full name.
* Ruath was intially planned to only feature in *Goth Opera*. However, due to the popularity of the serial, Ruath was brought back as the secondary antagonist of *Mind Games.*