Skip to main content

doctor who - Is regeneration a natural event?




Is regeneration a naturally biological trait of the timelords, or is it a result of timelord science? I've seen conflicting stories, especially with the ability to give new cycles and force regeneration it does seem to be more of an unnatural ability but I'm unclear.



Answer



Regeneration is one of those aspect about Doctor Who that isn't entirely clear on its own rules, and isn't always portrayed consistently from episode to episode. (Other similar aspects include the rest of Doctor Who).


However, to the best of our knowledge, the ability to regenerate upon near-death is a Time Lord capability that is bestowed on new Time Lords by their high Council. The basic idea is that Time Lords are all from the race of people called Gallifreyans, but not all Gallifreyans are Time Lords. At some point in their past, Rassilon (and some others, but he's the one that's usually name-dropped) developed all kinds of awesome technology that let to the creation of the Time Lords.


One of those things was the ability to regenerate, but the process was strictly regulated: each Time Lord got 13 of them, after which they died for good.


The primary reason we have to believe this is, as you pointed out, because the High Council has been shown, on more than once occasion, to gift bonus regenerations to Time Lords as reward for their service. For example, they once offered to give The Master a new set of regenerations for helping The Doctor; they also resurrected him to fight in the Time War, and he's regenerated at least twice since then.


They've also been shown to be able to force a regeneration even when the Time Lord was in perfect health, as they did with the Second Doctor into the Third.


Finally, in the mini-episode "Night of the Doctor", The Eighth Doctor lands on Karn, which is inhabited by Gallifreyan exiles called the Sisterhood of Karn, and dies in a crash. The Sisterhood revive him, and tell him they have the ability to control his regeneration because, in their words:




Time Lord science is elevated on Karn.



All of this strongly implies that the ability to regenerate is a scientific/technological advancement given to the Time Lords, and not an ability they naturally developed.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more