Mortal Pomposity

Mortal Pomposity is the first episode of The Pompous Doctor's third wave Darker Paths.

Summary[]

After a mysterious force drives the TARDIS towards a white void, The Doctor is shown a vision that reveals his darkest fears.

Plot[]

The Doctor finds himself in the white void that featured in Jim - a dimension controlled by will power - to discover a future version of his incarnation has brought him there. His future self shows him a vision of the future in which The Doctor is joined by his new companions Tim and Wren Stark.

The vision shows this TARDIS team confronted by The Flickerer, who wishes to kill Wren. The Doctor offers himself in her place and The Flickerer accepts, kill The Doctor and causing him to regenerate.

When The Doctor reaches this part of the vision, he runs back to his TARDIS and flies away, vowing to "never stop running."

Characters[]

The Pompous Doctor[]

The Doctor is horrified when he sees his fate in the vision that his incarnation from the future shows him. He runs away after The Dynamite Doctor uses his catchphrase and vows that he will "never stop running."

Martin the Pug[]

The future Pompous Doctor says he misses Martin, but doesn't explain why the dog is now absent from his life. As the present Pompous Doctor rushes into the TARDIS at the end of the story, Martin is caught sleeping on the console.

The "Future" Pompous Doctor[]

This future version of The Pompous Doctor is kinder and considerably more polite. His cause of regeneration is The Flickerer, but he has time to visit his incarnation in the past to "reminisce."

Wren Stark[]

Wren is being targeted by The Flickerer, but The Doctor steps out and dies in her place. She is fond of The Doctor and is furious when she believes he will die, leaving her with a lifetime of guilt, before The Doctor explains what regeneration is.

Tim[]

Tim tries to persuade The Doctor to leave when they are being followed by The Flickerer, but is powerless to do anything. He has know-how on regeneration and helps Wren prepare when The Doctor begins to change.

The Flickerer[]

The Flickerer is a multi-dimensional being that ensures the balance of life and death. All it takes is one person - one person - to survive or die expectantly, and he must restore the balance. Either by bringing life to the dead or death to the living. The Flickerer reveals that it has been searching for Wren, but accepts The Doctor's life instead when offered.

The Dynamite Doctor[]

The Dynamite Doctor's first words after regenerating are "Where's my chin gone?", having a dig about how he used to have two. Within a minute of what Tim calls "obligatory recognition of new body features", The Doctor figures out his new catchphrase: "Dynamite!"