Seventh Doctor

The Seventh Doctor, as he appeared in The Curse of Fenric

Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart

Raine Cunningham

Originally a man with the demeanour of an eccentric, light-hearted buffoon, the **Seventh Doctor** darkened into a mysterious, cunning manipulator to combat Fenric's return.

Though he delighted in humorous reverie, it was only the surface layer of his true nature. Beneath, he was a Machiavellian and sombre genius of frightful calibre who could tactfully use his mind to manipulate almost any situation into reaching his favoured outcome. Despite this, every action he did "for the greater good", as this incarnation actively sought out evil to vanquish. He could also show profound warmth and affection to his companions, and built a strong bond with many of them.

Initially, the Seventh Doctor travelled with his predecessor's final companion, Melanie Bush. After several adventures with the new Doctor, she left to travel with Sabalom Glitz, prompting him to begin travelling with Ace, a troubled teenager from Earth in the 1980s. Treating her both as a protégé and initially as a pawn in Fenric's game, he did his best to help heal Ace's psychological wounds by helping her come to terms with her past misdeeds and fears, aiding her in maturing and supporting her in moments of difficulty. Although he initially planned to take Ace home, they ultimately travelled together for several years, only for their strong bond to grow increasingly strained as secrets tore them apart. Following this, he travelled with safecracker Raine Cunningham.

The Seventh Doctor lost his life on the planet Alixion after engaging in a battle of minds with the Abbot. Whilst trying to convince the Abbot to stand down, the two came to blows, and tumbled into a draining pod, where his mind was consumed to the point that he needed to regenerate into his next incarnation.

## Biography

### Post-Regeneration

After the laser attack, the TARDIS was caught in the Rani's tractor beam, and forced to make a landing on Lakertya's surface, where the Rani and her Tetrap servant, Urak, boarded the TARDIS and abducted the Doctor as his regeneration concluded, taking him to the Rani's laboratory. Awakening in the Rani's lab, the Doctor immediately recognised her, but was knocked out by Urak and injected with an amnesia-inducing drug, which allowed the Rani to trick him into assisting her with her project by pretending to be Mel. Upon regaining consciousness again, the partially amnesiac Doctor first decided to choose a new look, before returning to work on the Rani's machine, having been convinced by "Mel" that he had been working on it before an accident caused him to regenerate.

However, as the Doctor found what was wrong with it, the real Mel snuck into the lab and the two convinced each other of their identities, exposing the Rani's lies. Escaping, the Doctor discovered that several other geniuses from throughout time, including Albert Einstein and Hypatia, had been captured to act as components of the Rani's "time brain". Forced to become the final component, the Doctor's still recovering mind caused it to spout nonsense, though he also inadvertently provided the brain with the means to determine the needed substance: Loyhargil. The Lakertyan leader, Beyus, then sacrificed his life to destroy the brain and delay the launch long enough for the rocket to miss the asteroid. Rescuing the captives, the Doctor took them back to their own times. (TV: *Time and the Rani*)

Travelling to Paradise Towers so Mel could enjoy its swimming pool, the Doctor found that the staff and residents residing within the Towers had all become either anarchist Kangs, cannibalistic Rezzies or pompous Caretakers. Accused of being the "Great Architect" that built the Towers, the Doctor was nearly killed by the Chief Caretaker, who wanted the Tower to run the way he wanted. The real architect, Kroagnon, a madman who killed anyone who moved into his creations to keep them perfect, was still within the complex, and had been using the Cleaners to murder residents. As the Doctor and Mel investigated, Kroagnon became concerned, and transplanted his disembodied mind into the Chief, going on a murderous rampage through the complex. He was defeated when Pex, the only remaining male resident, pushed him to his death down a lift shaft, sacrificing himself to prove his bravery. (TV: *Paradise Towers*)

Winning a free vacation from G715, the Doctor and Mel found themselves part of an alien expedition to experience the Earth's "rock 'n' roll years" at 1959 Disneyland. After the tour was detoured to South Wales, the Doctor discovered that the last Chimeron queen, Delta, was amongst their party, hiding with her newborn from the vicious Bannermen, mercenaries set on genocide. After defeating the Bannermen by causing their leader, Gavrok, to fall into his own trap, he bid goodbye to Delta, her daughter and a human, Billy, who had fallen in love with Delta, as they departed for the Chimeron hatchery. (TV: *Delta and the Bannermen*)

The Doctor and Mel travelled to Iceworld, where they joined Sabalom Glitz and Ace, a teenage girl from 1987 Earth, on a search to find a treasure guarded by the "dragon" living in the caverns. During the search the Doctor ended up dangling over a sheer drop whilst travelling to follow the map to the supposed treasure, until Glitz came to his aid. The group discovered that the dragon was in fact a biomechanoid tasked with guarding the Dragonfire, a power source sought by exiled criminal Kane to power *Iceworld*, his prison ship, and return to his home planet to get revenge. However, Kane committed suicide when the Doctor showed him his planet no longer existed and that there was no-one for Kane to enact vengeance upon. He gained Ace as a new companion, with Mel staying behind with Glitz, offering to take her back home to Perivale through "the scenic route". (TV: *Dragonfire*)

### Travels with Ace

The Doctor returned to Shoreditch in November 1963 to take care of events he had set in motion during his first incarnation, first by retrieving the Hand of Omega. His mission was disrupted by the Renegade and Imperial Daleks, despite him anticipating one faction showing up, placing the Doctor, Ace and the Intrusion Counter-Measures Group in the crossfire of the Imperial-Renegade Dalek Civil War, prompting the Doctor to join forces with Counter Measures leaders, Group Captain Ian Gilmore and Professor Rachel Jensen. The Doctor briefly went to Harry's cafe for tea and to think over his next actions.

Discovering that Davros was now the Dalek Emperor, the Doctor used the his fanatical desire to give the Daleks the power of time travel against them, by goading Davros into using the Hand on Skaro's second sun to create a new Eye of Harmony, but instead resulted in Skaro's sun going supernova, destroying Skaro, as the Doctor had pre-programmed the stellar manipulator to do. With only the Supreme Dalek of the Renegade faction left to deal with, the Doctor managed to convince it that it no longer held a purpose, and it self-destructed. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*)

On Terra Alpha, where citizens were being executed by the Kandyman if they did not follow Helen A's happy dictatorship, the Doctor arranged the death of her beloved pet Stigorax to show Helen A that true happiness could only exist if balanced with negative emotions like sadness. Leaving citizen Daisy K and visiting Blues musician Trevor Sigma to help restore order to Terra Alpha, the Doctor and Ace departed. (TV: *The Happiness Patrol*)

Arriving in 20th century Windsor, the Doctor found the Nemesis statue, which he sent off into space every twenty five years, had returned. Deciding to end the chaos it caused, the Doctor intended to find its bow and arrow for his plan to be rid of it for good. During his search, he encountered Lady Peinforte and the Cybermen. Taking a trip back in time to see how Lady Peinforte got to the future, the Doctor discovered a chess board in her study, (TV: *Silver Nemesis*) and realised that Fenric was responsible. (TV: *The Curse of Fenric*) Pretending to comply with the Cyber-Leader's orders, the Doctor prepared to send the Nemesis statue straight into the Cyberfleet, prompting Peinforte to merge with it, before launching it into space, where it exploded, destroying the Cyberships. (TV: *Silver Nemesis*)

While travelling in the TARDIS, the Doctor received "junk mail" advertising the Psychic Circus. Deciding to attend after Ace admitted to her fear of clowns, the pair discovered that the circus had been taken over by the Gods of Ragnarok, who were forcing the patrons to perform for them until they were no longer amusing and killed. The Doctor took the fight to their home dimension, where he performed for them. Once he ran out of tricks, he used a medallion to reflect the Gods' blast back at them, destroying them. Their business concluded, the duo departed, leaving the sole-surviving troupe member, Kingpin, and the werewolf-like Mags to rebuild the Psychic Circus. (TV: *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*)

### Growing Darker

The Doctor and Ace arrived in England in the 18th century, and uncovered a plot by the Body-snatchers to try and take over the area. (PROSE: *Destiny*) They were chased into an open field by the Body-snatchers, but before they could be attacked, they were intercepted by a platoon of Cybermen, intending to destroy the Doctor's timeline. After the Body-snatchers possessed the Cybermen and attempted to shoot at and kill the Doctor, he was saved by Bernice Summerfield, who had been sent by a later incarnation to help him. He encountered Liz Shaw and his third incarnation, the latter of whom helped him bluff the Body-snatchers into retreating. The Doctor complied with Bernice's message to rendezvous with his other selves at Old Marley, reaching there alongside his Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth selves, and meeting his next incarnation. At Old Marley church, he helped the Fifth Doctor short-circuit the Cybermen's time capsules, and helped to telepathically turn them into time bombs. After evacuating, he left in the TARDIS with Ace. (TV: *Destiny*)

Tracing a signal being broadcast from another universe, the Doctor was reunited with the Brigadier as he joined forces with UNIT. Becoming embroiled in an adventure involving the inhabitants of an alternate Earth who mistook him for Merlin, the Doctor discovered that the sorceress Morgaine was waiting for a final battle with King Arthur. After the Brigadier defeated the Destroyer, the Doctor realised that Arthur was dead, and, informing Morgaine, prevented her from firing a nuclear missile by appealing to her sense of honour. (TV: *Battlefield*)

After learning of Ace's guilt over burning down a "haunted" mansion called Gabriel Chase, the Doctor brought her to the house a hundred years prior to its destruction. There, they found a menagerie of strange creatures, including a dangerously mentally unstable entity called Light. Light had slept for millennia, and, upon discovering that Earth's inhabitants had evolved while it had been in hibernation, rendering the exhaustive catalogue it had compiled centuries earlier worthless, planned to destroy the planet, ending its constant change forever. Able to use Light's childish logic against it, the Doctor convinced it to destroy itself, as it was constantly evolving as well. The Doctor then explained to Ace that the reason she burned down the mansion was because of the residual presence of Light, ending her guilt. (TV: *Ghost Light*)

Landing in a military base in 1943, the Doctor accidentally caused Ace to meet and interact with her grandmother and infant mother. After revealing to her that that he knew her arrival on Iceworld and Peinforte's time travelling had been arranged by Fenric, an evil entity he encountered before and trapped in another dimension, the Doctor discovered that it had managed to manipulate those who had come into contact with the flask which contained it, and witnessed its escape. Plagued by a horde of Haemovores it set loose on the base, the pair discovered that the creatures were repelled by faith, and managed to engage Fenric in a final contest. Convincing the Ancient One, one of Fenric's Haemovore servants, to kill his host in revenge for trying to trick it into creating its own apocalyptic future, the Doctor was forced to break Ace's faith in him in order to allow it access to Fenric. Revealing this to her, the Doctor regained her trust. (TV: *The Curse of Fenric*)

After a week of visiting places away from Earth, (PROSE: *Survival*) the Doctor decided to take Ace back home to Perivale. They found that people had been disappearing, and strange, cat-like creatures called Kitlings were on the prowl. The Doctor soon discovered that the Master was trapped on the Cheetah World, and had become infected with the Cheetah virus. Planning to escape by bringing people there, allowing them to partially change into Cheetah People and then using them to travel back to Earth, the Master kidnapped Ace and many of her old friends. After saving Ace and her friends, the Doctor fought with the Master, but refused to continue when he saw that the destruction of the Cheetah World had begun. He managed to return to Earth, seemingly leaving the Master trapped on the exploding planet. (TV: *Survival*)

The Doctor took Ace to Moscow and London in 1967, as part of a test to asses her potential to attend the Time Lord Academy, a test that involved the Ice Lord Hhessh and his quest to resurrect the legendary Martian warlord Sezhyr. During this, the Doctor met Sam Cunningham and Raina Kerenskaya, who were aiding Hhessh in his quest, Raina was also pregnant with Markus's child. After being taken on board the Ice Warrior's ship and helping to deliver Raina's baby, as she was being possessed by Sezhyr, the Doctor was forced to leave with Sam and the baby by the Time Lords. Ultimately, Ace found out, losing all her trust with the Doctor. She defeated Sezhyr and agreed to be enrolled in the Academy, but not without making the Doctor question his actions. (TV: *Ice Time*)

### Travels with Raine

The Doctor spent an undisclosed time visiting a young girl named Raine Cunningham, who he had delivered in 1988, before travelling to her future. In 1990, she was now a skilled thief who he recruited to steal alien technology from the USA and the Soviet Union, posing as a high-ranking UN official to make the job easier. The Russian premier, Felnikov, had already begun a takeover of the world with it, prompting the Doctor to alert the technology's owners, the Metatraxi, to what is going on. The Doctor managed to convince Felnikov to stand down, and the Metatraxi returned to their planet with the technology. (TV: *Crime of the Century*)

Taking Raine into a cabin after she fell into a lake, the pair witnessed a series of deaths amongst the group of academics staying there, and discovered that they were experimenting with time with a device they called "the Bartholomew Clock", so they could send a message back to warn their past selves about misdiagnosing a deceased girl named Sue O'Neil. However, the interference with the timeline caused Sue to be transformed into a psychotic monster, and the Doctor realised that the misdiagnosis had never been genuine, and that the whole series of events were part of a time experiment conducted by Major Dickens.

Intending to correct the academics' mistake, the Doctor travelled back to undo the damage, but was unable to bring himself to kill the child, allowing the psycho-Sue to come into being. Returning to the present, the Doctor discovered that the academics were now all deceased, and, theorising that Sue was responsible for the deaths, keeping herself "alive" through her own use of the Clock, the Doctor and Raine departed, though not before Sue could thank them for showing her kindness. (TV: *Night Thoughts*)

### Death

Whilst on the planet Alixion, the Doctor and Raine joined a tour group hosted by the monks, showing them around the abbey. However, the Doctor was taken to one side, and told that the Abbot wished to speak with him. The Doctor was escorted past several draining pods and realised that the Abbot wishes to put him into one, as he is a Time Lord, and so would create an elixir that would give the Abbot power over creation. He engaged in an argument with the Abbot, making him question the ethics of his actions. The Abbot then proceeded to attack the Doctor head-on, wrestling him until they both fell into a draining pod and had their minds consumed by Time Beetles. During the struggle, the Abbot managed to gain some of the Doctor's memories and reminded him of the times he manipulated Ace, with the Doctor fighting back with the memories of those he had helped, including Ray, Kingpin, the Brigadier, Bambera and Sue, as well as Mel, Ace and Raine.

Raine, the tourists and some of the monks managed to break into the Abbot's office and break the Doctor out. The Doctor convinced the monks to try a more passive method of income instead of murdering others and made it to the TARDIS, collapsing on the floor once inside. He told Raine to "Look after me. Make sure I don't do anything... stupid...", before dying and regenerating into his next incarnation. (TV: *Alixion*)

## Personality

The Seventh Doctor was originally light-hearted and prone to clownish behaviour. (TV: *Time and the Rani*, *Paradise Towers*, *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*) However, as he matured, he became a grumpy and melancholy manipulator who saw the battle between good and evil as a game of chess or a stage play, and everyone around him as pawns in the game of fighting evil that he directed, (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *Silver Nemesis*, *The Curse of Fenric*) though he hated himself for it. (TV: *Alixion*)

The Seventh Doctor was a consummate fan of chess, to the point of treating his companions and enemies as pieces on a chess board. (TV: *The Curse of Fenric*) Despite his tendency toward a dark personality, the Doctor was known for his use of words to resolve problems instead of violence. (TV: *Dragonfire*, *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *Silver Nemesis*, *Battlefield*, *Ghost Light*, *Survival*) Although his more whimsical tendencies disappeared over time, the Doctor maintained a fondness for idiosyncratic speeches that occasionally referred to literature, ordinary places and even food and drink amidst the weightier concerns on his mind. (TV: *Survival*) Other times, he would sombrely reflect the ramifications of time, and the consequences of interfering in history. (TV: *Dragonfire*, *Remembrance of the Daleks*)

The Seventh Doctor actively sought out villains to vanquish and dictatorships to dethrone, as opposed to his previous incarnations, who would stumble upon trouble by happenstance. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *The Happiness Patrol*) His actions resulted in him causing much grief, such as devastating Ace by labelling her an "emotional cripple" to weaken Fenric's power by making her abandon her belief in him. (TV: *The Curse of Fenric*) However, he was not totally unfeeling, appearing apprehensive about his decision to destroy Skaro, (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*) was genuinely agonised that he had to convince Ace that he did not care about her, (TV: *The Curse of Fenric*) and was apologetic that he did not tell her that the Time Lords were testing her. (TV: *Ice Time*)

The Doctor "[couldn't] stand" burned toast, loathed bus stations, calling them "terrible places full of lost luggage and lost souls", and hated unrequited love, tyranny and cruelty. (TV: *Ghost Light*)

Though the Doctor initially encouraged Ace not to call him "the Professor", (TV: *Dragonfire*) he later confessed that he liked her calling him by the nickname. (TV: *Ice Time*) He could also be critical of human nature, stating that humans had "the most amazing capacity for self-deception, matched only by [their] ingenuity when trying to destroy [themselves]", (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*) that "among all the varied wonders of the universe, [there was] nothing so firmly clamped shut as the military mind", (TV: *Battlefield*) In direct contrast to his previous incarnation, the Seventh Doctor was opposed to violence of any sort, although he proved capable of rendering an opponent unconscious with a touch. (TV: *Battlefield*, *Survival*) He was completely against the use of firearms. (TV: *The Happiness Patrol*)

The Seventh Doctor did care for his companions. (TV: *Battlefield*) Although he originally invited her to travel with him due to Fenric, the Doctor developed a paternal relationship with Ace. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *Silver Nemesis*, *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*, *Ghost Light*, *The Curse of Fenric*, *Survival, Ice Time*) Ace had described the Doctor as an "aging hippy" during their early travels. (TV: *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*)

### Habits and Quirks

Speaking with a Scottish accent, (TV: *Time and the Rani*) the Seventh Doctor occasionally rolled his 'R's and emphasised his 'P's and 'L's. (TV: *Paradise Towers*, *Delta and the Bannermen*, *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*) The Doctor occasionally displayed a tendency to mangle and combine Earth idioms, creating Dundrearyisms. (TV: *Time and the Rani*, *Delta and the Bannermen*)

The Doctor would often raise his hat to greet new people, smiling as he did so, (TV: *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*, *Survival*) or when he was departing from company. (TV: *Paradise Towers*) As a show of affection, the Doctor would gently press his forehead against a friend's forehead, (TV: *Time and the Rani*) or tap their nose. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*, *The Curse of Fenric*)

### Skills

The Seventh Doctor was a grand manipulator, often utilising his choice of words to persuade others into a decision of his choosing, (TV: *Paradise Towers*, *The Happiness Patrol*) or devising an unscrupulous scheme to defeat his adversaries. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *The Curse of Fenric*) When his plans went awry, or an unexpected element developed, the Doctor was efficient at improvising around it. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *Alixion*)

Despite his stature, the Doctor was capable of both directly and indirectly taking control of situations involving strangers, using his greater intelligence to assess and direct events. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*, *The Happiness Patrol*) While he loathed violence, the Doctor also showed a skill at unarmed combat, being able to briefly overpower a judo trained Mel, (TV: *Time and the Rani*), a Cheetah virus infected Master, (TV: *Survival*) and a superhumanly strong Abbot (TV: *Alixion*)

Something of a showman, the Doctor was an adept physical performer, and deployed a repertoire of magic tricks, illusions and escape artistry as part of his plans. (TV: *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*) He could also perfectly mimic the local fauna of his surroundings. (TV: *Silver Nemesis*, *Crime of the Century*) The Doctor also showed a knack for playing the spoons as a musical instrument, (TV: *Time and the Rani*, *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*)

## Appearance

The Seventh Doctor was a short man, who initially appeared to be in his mid-forties. With an animated face, the Doctor had expressive bulgy eyebrows.He had a full set of brown hair after his regeneration. (TV: *Time and the Rani*)

### Clothing

#### Main Attires

After many failed attempts to find a new look, the Seventh Doctor eventually settled on a single breasted ivory safari jacket with a red paisley handkerchief in his left pocket, a crimson/black tartan scarf under his lapels, with a beige pullover adorned with cherry question marks and turquoise zigzag patterns, with tan plaid trousers and a pair of burgundy braces either pulled over (TV: *Time and the Rani*) or tucked under the pullover. (TV: *Paradise Towers*) Under the pullover, he wore a white shirt with a scarlet paisley necktie, and completed his outfit with a pair of two-tone white and brown brogued spectator shoes. He also had a chained fob watch attached to his left lapel, while the watch rested in his upper left breast pocket. After losing his tartan scarf during his clash with the First Rani, (TV: *Time and the Rani*) he replaced it with a crimson paisley one. (TV: *Paradise Towers*)

As he matured into more of a schemer, the Doctor began wearing a chocolate brown jacket, and changed his capband, handkerchief and necktie to ones in more subdued shades of navy and burgundy. (TV: *Battlefield*) Occasionally, he would remove his pullover as well, (TV: *Night Thoughts*) and wear a tan brown duffle coat when caught in the rain. (TV: *The Curse of Fenric*) On his head, the Doctor wore battered cream optimo-styled Panama hat with an identical paisley handkerchief folded into a hatband and an upturned brim. (TV: *Time and the Rani*) He later replaced his battered hat with a newer one. (TV: *Remembrance of the Daleks*) He also wore a black Tank-styled wristwatch on his right wrist, (TV: *Time and the Rani*) which he later replaced with a sportier round watch, (TV: *Silver Nemesis*) and then with a rectangular faced tank watch. (TV: *Battlefield*)

#### Umbrellas

After his regeneration stabilised, the Doctor took to carrying around an umbrella as part of his day-to-day outfit, using them as physical props, usually to disarm and trip opponents, (TV: *Paradise Towers*, *Battlefield*, *Ghost Light*, *Survival*, *Crime of the Century*, *Alixion*)

He initially carried his previous incarnation's rainbow umbrella, but was forced to leave it in the First Rani's base on Lakertya where it was destroyed. (TV: *Time and the Rani*) He later carried a black umbrella with a whangee handle. (TV: *Paradise Towers*) The Doctor acquired a new umbrella, with an elaborate handle in the shape of a large wine question mark. (TV: *Delta and the Bannermen*)

## Behind the Scenes

### Casting

Actors considered for the role of the seventh incarnation before Sylvester McCoy was cast included Rowan Atkinson; McCoy's mentor Ken Campbell; Chris Jury; Tony Robinson; and Alexei Sayle. Sayle had previously played the DJ in TV: *Revelation of the Daleks*. Furthermore, Andrew Sachs and Dermot Crowley auditioned for the role.

### Cartmel Masterplan

Seasons 25,26 and 27 had broad hints that the Doctor was not simply a Time Lord, as previously shown and stated. This overarching plot, conceived by Script Editor Andrew Cartmel and referred to by fans as the Cartmel Masterplan, was designed to restore an element of mystery in the Doctor and his true nature as in the stories of the first and second incarnations. The Masterplan culminated in the Season 28 finale, *Lungbarrow*.

### Parodies and Pastiches

* In the BBC medical soap opera *Doctors* (2000-ongoing), McCoy guest-starred as Graham Capelli, an actor who had played the titular role in *The Amazing Lollipop Man*, a cult 1980s children's television series. The character of the Lollipop Man had many similarities to the Doctor.
* An Easter Egg referencing the Seventh Doctor appears in the seventh episode of the first season of the Nickelodeon children's horror series, *Are You Afraid of the Dark?* (1991-96, 1999-2000), "The Tale of the Captured Souls" . The Seventh Doctor's hat and coat can be seen hanging from a hatstand at two points in the episode.

## Appearances

### Season 24

* *Time and the Rani*
* *Paradise Towers*
* *Delta and the Bannermen*
* *Dragonfire*

### Season 25

* *Remembrance of the Daleks*
* *The Happiness Patrol*
* *Silver Nemesis*
* *The Greatest Show in the Galaxy*

### Season 26

* *Battlefield*
* *Ghost Light*
* *The Curse of Fenric*
* *Survival*

### Season 27

* *Ice Time*
* *Crime of the Century*
* *Night Thoughts*
* *Alixion*