Origins

"Those abominations are not of Gallifrey!"

Writer: Jody Houser

Format: Comic Strip

Released: June-September 2022

Printed in: DWC: Fugitive Doctor 1-4

Featuring: Fugitive Doctor

Synopsis

The Doctor, in a previously forgotten regeneration, has been sent on a mission by the clandestine Time Lord agency known as Division. Partnered with an eager new recruit, Taslo, she must eliminate a terrorist organisation intent on destroying the Time Lords. However, upon arrival at their home planet, they are greeted by a seemingly peaceful tribe...

Verdict

Origins was an excellent comic strip adventure! Ever since this mini series from Titan Comics was announced, I loved the idea and had each issue on pre-order from Forbidden Planet. I eagerly anticipated the fourth issue being released so I could read the story all in one and it certainly did not disappoint! I think venturing into the days of Division and the Fugitive Doctor is wonderful and with some Big Finish audios to come in the future, it seems life for this most fascinating of incarnations of the Doctor is only just getting started. There is so much to explore and whilst I still don't really know where the Fugitive Doctor fits in the timeline given the presence of the TARDIS in police box form and that only being the case since An Unearthly Child, it's fun to speculate. I'm still going with it being between the Second and Third Doctors but it's just a fascinating time. Gallifrey is very early on and we know how important the Doctor was to the Time Lords obtaining the ability to regenerate, but Tecteun had her own mission for the Doctor here without her knowing that she was subject to the regenerative ability. There was still work to be done which was mightily intriguing at just how early on this would be for Gallifrey if even the regeneration process hadn't been perfected yet. This was not the Doctor we know and having her just accept a mission to wipe out a planet with no questions asked seemed weird, but that was the beauty of it. This was supposed to be that way in a fashion similar to that of the War Doctor. This is the Doctor, but not as we usually know her and that opens up a lot of potential and excitement. Visiting different Time Lord colonies was great and admittedly I was hugely surprised by the first reveal that these were Time Lords, but as we ventured to more and more the truth became clear. Someone was after Gallifreyan purity and they believed that was firmly in one shape and look. We never did get the name of the Gallifrey Council member that tasked Division in wiping out these colonies, but the Doctor stood up to him brilliantly before the twist with Taslo. She was a lovely character and made for a strong companion throughout the story, but the shock reveal of her working for the Council member the whole time was something I didn't see coming and it actually made me smile. It worked well and just as the Doctor had faked to the Division member providing the missions that they were wiping out the planets, Taslo had been leaving the means to destroy them every step of the way. The Doctor was horrified, but once Gat made a triumphant appearance the game was up and Taslo showed true companion material in providing the Doctor with the means to save everyone she thought had died at the staggering part three cliffhanger. That was really nice and Taslo knew she had done wrong, but was just carrying out the Division mission. A further exploration of the Division would be tremendous but for now this was a fascinating insight and look into that strange and forgotten time in the Doctor's life. Tecteun using it as research for regeneration was excellent and as a whole this was just a great comic strip! 

Rating: 9/10