The Tony Lee Doctor Who 50th Anniversary IDW Proposal That Wasn’t

As soon as upon a time, Tony Lee wrote the Physician Who comedian books for IDW. Most of them anyway, I write one. However then, after mid-way by the Physician Who/Star Trek crossover comedian, he wasn’t anymore. However he nonetheless had plans.

And yesterday for the 59th anniversary, with Massive End saying a sixtieth anniversary seven-hour audio journey serialised by 2023 that sees the Physician de-generate by their earlier lives, he appeared again 9 years and gave us his pitch. Bleeding Cool has permission to reprint it beneath.

Tony Lee tweeted “So earlier I talked concerning the new @bigfinish particular. I am tremendous enthusiastic about it. However folks have famous a similarity to a pitch I did 10 years again for IDW, which I’ve talked about at cons. It is not the identical. And, for the primary time, I’ll present it to you. First off, a proof. I by no means anticipated this to be made, as I might fallen out with IDW after I walked off the Physician Who / Star Trek guide on situation 4, nevertheless it was the fiftieth anniversary, and I needed to strive. I additionally had an insane concept that was as “kitchen sink” as The Forgotten.  Second, I wrote this pitch when Amy and Rory have been nonetheless with 11. Clara wasn’t but named (she’s “New Lady” on this) and the “twelfth Physician” I point out is certainly not Capaldi. Additionally, it will look tremendous busy – this can be a pitch. The entire thing would have been 264 pages in whole.  And so, right here we go – an eleventh Physician and Clara journey (though when pitching we did not know her title) to return out each month of 2013, main to an enormous eleventh situation in November. I’ve not even checked out this for 10 years. Apologies for spelling points.”

Physician Who: Countdown, An 11-part story by Tony Lee for IDW Publishing

NOTE: Please remember as you learn this of a number of issues. 1) It is a utterly stand alone, ‘toys again within the field’ story within the fashion of The Forgotten — by the tip of the ultimate situation, every little thing that has occurred right here shall be washed away. There shall be no continuity points or something that would battle with the subsequent season, as that is all ‘in a model new, bubble universe’. 2) The 11 situation shall be a ‘double sized’ one to allow a 3rd TPB of the story. 3) As of the writing of this, I don’t know of what the companion’s title shall be, so we’ll be calling her ‘New Lady’ all through the guide.

Concern 1.

We start the story in a singularity bubble a number of incarnations of the Grasp have met up in — Delgado, Beever, Ainley and Roberts. Set earlier than the Time Struggle, they know that one thing dangerous is about to occur, and know that it is due to the Physician. Delgado brings out the one who’s informed him this — Emily Winter, the companion from the IDW tenth Physician sequence (and due to this fact nothing to do with the TV present). Compelled to surrender her secrets and techniques, she now tries to flee however is killed/shrunk by the Delgado Grasp as he welcomes his new allies — the Daleks — to the room. Ainley Grasp is suspicious however retains quiet, as Delgado Grasp picks up the doll with a smile.
In the meantime, the Physician and his new companion, ‘New Lady’ are escaping from one more journey, one thing thrilling but minimal. Nonetheless, after they get to the TARDIS, the Physician finds, nailed to the door, the Emily doll. Taking it into the TARDIS, the Physician finds a observe, saying ‘come and play’. The Physician, livid agrees — however not earlier than arranging just a few safeguards of his personal.
The Physician and New Lady arrive on the given location — the Time Ship Xenobia from ‘Trial of a Time Lord’, a forgotten remnant from earlier than the Time Struggle and one thing highly effective sufficient to scoop Masters out of a time stream — THIS is the place they have been seen within the first pages. fiyfi as they arrive they uncover that the Grasp is not in command of the ship — the Daleks are! And so they have an anti-time singularity in a stasis band, which warps the principles of time and area to permit the Masters to satisfy. The Physician (as ever) realises that the stasis subject is not working accurately and is about to implode, taking your entire ship (and half the cosmos) with it. He manages to trigger a fluctuation within the anti-time that stops this, however not earlier than a pulse ripples by the ship —
And the Eleventh Physician arrives, along with his companion Brannigan.
Two an identical Medical doctors, each as actual as the opposite but from divergent paths, they each realise that that is not the ‘Universe prime’ and by to cease it. However the Xenobia wants a minimal of three Time Lords to regulate the principle capabilities, and the Masters will not, no cannot imagine that the Physician could possibly be proper and retreat in their very own TARDIS to a secure distance because the Daleks transfer in for the kill.
Within the battle that follows, Each Medical doctors and Companions get blended up, with New Lady following Physician 2′ into his TARDIS as Brannigan and Physician ‘1’ get into theirs. The Daleks nevertheless handle to wound every of the Medical doctors earlier than they escape, the TARDISes tumbling by time and area, one phrase — RATTLESTONE — proven on the display screen.
In TARDIS 2, New Lady appears to be like in shock because the Physician regenerates into the twelfth Physician — however one thing’s mistaken, his face is completely caught within the regeneration cycle, as he begins to giggle…
In TARDIS 1, the eleventh Physician falls and regenerates into the tenth Physician ! He is regenerating backwards by his incarnations, however as a substitute of a straight regeneration, the anti time rippling by his physique implies that he is swapping chronal templates — he is abruptly as he was the final regenerated — swimsuit, tie, every little thing. And although he has the recollections of the eleventh Physician, he is every little thing that the tenth Physician was. And he must work out what RATTLESTONE means.

Concern 2.

In TARDIS 2, the twelfth Physician lands in 18th Century Scotland and dumps New Lady out earlier than leaving. Alone on the moors, New Lady finds herself hunted by Judoon, however is saved by Jamie McCrimmon, dragging her out of sight. However Jamie would not keep in mind the Physician — not that New Lady would anticipate him to — however he is cautious of those ‘demons’ that they struggle, the paid mercenary Judoon.
In the meantime the twelfth Physician seems on the Xenobia, explaining that he is the darkish facet of the Physician following the dimensional cut up — and he’d wish to rule the universe, please. The Daleks go to cease this, however the twelfth Physician halts them as he explains that he’s the Ka Faraq Gatri, the Destroyer of Worlds, who was there initially of their existence, the person who destroyed Skate — and who can now save
it.
The Daleks, sensing his change and realising that he’s an asset for the second, swear to him, tutting on the Masters. Ainley Grasp escapes, however the twelfth Physician, now named the ‘Ka Faraq Gatri’ as a place moderately than insult personally kills the Roberts Grasp along with his personal tissue compression eliminator. With the 2 remaining Masters and the Daleks behind him, the Ka Faraq Gatri decides {that a} begin once more, they should have a brand new plan. And he is aware of precisely the place to seek out one.
Within the 51st Century, the tenth Physician and Brannigan discover their method to the Library, the place they converse to the digitised River Music, now in a position to lastly converse to the Physician with out riddles. However whereas they hunt for clues to Rattlestone, a Dalek power arrives within the Ka Faraq Gate’s TARDIS, destroying the library as they transfer by it.
Digital Rive explains that this can be a collapsing world, and that Ka Faraq Gatri plans to make use of the Anti-Time to regain each regeneration ‘our Physician loses as he falls backwards. Rattlestone is the one method for the Physician to cease this. However the Physician would not know what it means. Unable to elucidate herself, she tells him to belief the TARDIS.
Because the klaxons go off, The Physician is warned by River that the library is on fireplace! The Physician strikes to save lots of her, however River tells him to save lots of himself, that the onerous drive that holds her essence is on a distinct planet. Nonetheless, as they go away, we see that she is mendacity, and mentioned this to save lots of her love. She goes to die.
As they get into the TARDIS, Brannigan and the Physician see the Ka Faraq Gatri they usually converse – The Ka Faraq Gatri too has seen Rattlestone and needs to know what it means, however because the Physician tries to get by to him, Daleks arrive and begin firing. Because the Physician is hit, Brannigan drags him into the TARDIS.
Able to die. River sends a message out into the 51st Century for a specific particular person because the Ka Faraq Gatri arrives. He has plans for her. She tells his that there is nothing he can do — that the Kids of Time will cease him. He laughs — he is already began to finish the companions of the Physician, casting the doll of Emily Winter to the ground to burn within the flames…
Within the TARDIS, the injured Physician regenerates into the ninth Physician …

Concern 3.

In the meantime, a Judoon discovers New Lady and Jamie! Jamie kills it in a battle however is stopped by one other Judoon that dies because it’s shot by Canton Delaware In poor health, standing like a hero, a Time Agent’s Vortex Manipulator on his wrist. He explains that he is been despatched to collect the companions of the Physician for an enormous tsar— however he bypasses New Lady and speaks to Jamie!
Within the 52nd Century, a youthful River Music is shopping for a Vortex Manipulator from a youthful Dorium Maldovar as she receives the message from her digital self. She explains it to Dorium —that the world will burn except the companions of the Physician will be discovered — he permits her to take the gadget quickly, however will not be part of the struggle. She makes use of this to journey to 1969, and to seek out Canton.
On New Earth, The ninth Physician and Brannigan discover the Face of Boe, who explains that it was prophesised that the Physician would die at Rattlestone, beside the Shaman Goed. He explains that there’s a key wanted, one the Physician hasn’t had since his exile on Earth, and that the Physician should discover it. As they go away, Brannigan explains that he desires to remain — this world has his spouse nonetheless alive, and he’d wish to dwell the final days together with her. The 95 Physician leaves and regenerates into the 815 Physician, as ever, alone.
nineteenth Century London and Madam Vastra and Jenny are preventing Ogrons within the late evening streets when the Ainley Grasp seems, explaining that he is a pal of the Physician they usually really want to return with hits. Killing the final of the aliens, they accomplish that.

On the Xenobia, the 2 remaining Masters determine that they should cease this, take management once more — however to pilot the Xenobia, they want three time lords. They use the news to collect up the Rani- however earlier than they will clarify something, the Ka Faraq Gatri arrives and destroys the Beever Grasp, leaving the Delgado one! The Rani eagerly takes to the Ka Faraq Gatri’s facet and means that they begin to scoop companions from the time stream — however the machine will not work. From this trial ship Solely Time Lords and their TARDIS will be scooped, however for some motive the Physician is not seen on it. The Ka Faraq Gatri is livid, however then he wires within the holographic River Music, taken from the library and, with a holographic type of torture, he forces her to inform him what she is aware of about Rattlestone. She would not know a lot, however he works out from her phrases what it means and with the data, he is aware of now
what to do. He has to return to the place it began.

Concern 4.

4th Century England — and Centurion Rory is picked up by Amy and River — Amy explains that she’ll nonetheless be right here after they return, and that they want the Auton warrior greater than the love of her life, and with him beside them, they go away.
The ninth Physician arrives at UNIT HQ, in the course of the three ‘lacking weeks’ on the finish of Planet of the Spiders. He picks up the important thing, however is interrupted by the Brigadier and Sarah Jane who, though they do not recognise him, recognise the TARDIS. The eighth Physician has to fake that sure, he has regenerated…
Jamie is reminded by Canton of the Physician, and agrees to return with him to a specific place and time, the place, after they arrive they discover earlier companions gathering for warfare.
Adric and Zoe focus on math computations. Martha and Micky are inspecting weapons. The time is 1963. The place is Coal Hill Faculty, Shoreditch. And the Daleks have simply arrived to assault…
Within the UNIT HQ, the Physician, Brigadier and Sarah Jane are shocked to see the world change round them into one in all wasted desolation. The Physician realises that one thing has occurred up to now — an previous newspaper exhibits that the Daleks received the warfare. Earth was destroyed. Solely the individuals who travelled with the Physician in the course of the present — Sarah Jane, the Brigadier, Benton. and Mike Yates are nonetheless conscious. That and a confused Harry Sullivan, who would not know what the hell is happening. However, seeing a reputation within the paper, the Physician now is aware of what RATTLESTONE is. It;s TOTTERS LANE, the place he escaped to after leaving Gallifrey. And SHAMAN GOED is OMEGA’S HAND, which the first Physician brings there when he first arrives – an space and time now managed by the Daleks and his evil Ka Faraq Gatri twin. Grabbing the others, they go away for 1963, as he alters into the seventh Physician.
1963 London — and River has constructed fairly a power collectively from Al closing dates; the Cleric military from Byzantium, UNIT, a Roman legion, numerous preventing companions led by fighters like Micky, Martha, Leela and Ace, skirmishing in opposition to the invading Dalek empire. They’ve managed to defend a number of sq. miles from the Ka Faraq Gatri, stopping his from gaining his prize — Foreman’s Yard the place, someday within the subsequent few days the Physician, in his 1st ncarnation will arrive, along with his granddaughter and the Stellar Manipulator referred to as The Hand of Omega. That is Ka Faraq Gatri’s prize. With this, a tool that created the black gap the Time Lords managed time with, Ka Faraq Gatri can use this on Earth to energy his personal Time Lord Empire. And no person goes to cease him.

Concern 5.

The battle begins in earnest, with Daleks, Ogron, Silurians, Judoon and Autons managed by the Rani and Sea Devils led by Delgado preventing the courageous defenders. At this level the Ainley Grasp arrives with an entire host of companions, picked up — most of whom know hits and mistrust his — Tegan, Jo Grant and Vastra Jenny amongst them. They meet the commander of the forces, Winston Churchill, and head engineers — Bracewell and K9.
Rory stops the Autons, displaying that he’s one, convincing them to facet with him. Because the Dalek ships transfer in orbit to assault, a joint Sontaran and Draconian fleet assaults them — neither ally wanting Dalek domination!
The seventh Physician arrives with Sarah Jane, the Brigadier, Harry, Benton. and Yates. Because the Brigadier joins with Churchill, the others take up locations. Nevertheless it’s a dropping battle. The bottom is being misplaced. New Lady meets again up with the Physician, scorching would not fairly perceive how he is modified.
Canton brings in Madam Kozarian and her troopers — it is a conflicting choice, however she’s there to struggle Ka Faraq Gatri, the one she all the time knew the Physician would change into.
The seventh Physician, Ace and New Lady go to Ratcliffe Builders Yard, now empty, the place underground they discover components of the Dalek gear from Remembrance of the Daleks. Grabbing this, they hope to make a jamming gadget.
River makes use of the TARDIS and the Vortex Manipulator mixed to attract vitality from a bussing star, utilizing Adric’s calculations, ir,order.to create a wormhole in area.
Madam Vastra confronts the Silurians, difficult the chief to a duel. They struggle, and Vastra wins. Taking command of the Silurians, Vastra orders them on the Judoon…
On the Xenobia, Ka Faraq Gatri is livid! He desires that defend down! He prepares to maneuver his forces from the battle with the Sontaran / Draconian alliance, an alliance that’s doing badly — as by the wormhole fly the Nosferatu II, captained by Sabalom Glitz and Mel Bush, a power of ships commanded by King Yrcanos and Queen Peri, The Fancy II, commanded by Captain Avery and a squadron of ships from Trion, led by Prince Turlough!

Tony Lee concluded “By now you see how loopy it was. And, because it was a “self contained” sequence I may do what I needed, and finish with every little thing again within the field. Personally, I beloved writing the concept, however I perceive why it wasn’t taken. And now, you possibly can see that it IS totally different to @bigfinish. Phew. It truly feels therapeutic to place that up 🙂 I hope you loved it, and might see, a minimum of, the place I needed to go along with it. I now go away you to your common programming.” Thanks Tony! Say, perhaps Titan Comics would have an interest?