The Flood (comic story)

The Flood was the last regular Eighth Doctor comic strip to be published in Doctor Who Magazine. It saw the reappearance of the Cybermen in the strip, as well as several other people from the strip's history.

The strip became notable years after it's release as, if all had gone to plan, it was originally going to be a regeneration story. The original ending for the strip would have shown the regeneration of the Eighth Doctor into the Ninth Doctor, possibly as a teaser for the return of the series in 2005, as well as helping to explain why the previously Eighth Doctor was now the Ninth Doctor, this would have made The Flood the second comic story to have shown a regeneration from one incarnation to another after The Night Walkers had done the same for the Second Doctor. However, certain conditions set by both Russell T Davies and the BBC on how the regeneration could be done, as well as not wanting the Ninth Doctor to have had any other companion except for Rose Tyler, lead to the original ending to be abandoned. Instead The Flood ended with the Eighth Doctor surviving and both him and Destrii still together, and it wouldn't be until the 50th anniversary specials The Night of the Doctor and The Day of the Doctor in 2013 that the origins, and the conclusion of the Ninth Doctor's predecessor and the Eighth Doctor's successor, the War Doctor would be shown.

Summary
The Doctor and Destrii arrive on Earth to find rain falling on a market place, rain that radically alters emotions. It is a test being conducted by the Future Cybermen...

Part one
The Doctor and Destrii arrive in Camden Market, in London, on Earth, in 2005. He is noticed by two MI6 agents. The Doctor and Destrii separate, and while the Doctor sets about browsing and examining the stores, Destrii (with her lack of common interaction with humans) sets about offending everyone, including the owner of a Chinese food stall (called Tony), who soon decides to chase after Destrii when she offends him as well, intent on revenge, his wife Linda warning him to desist, because of his Heart problems. The doctor and Desrtii soon re-unite, just in time for the doctor to see the vengeful stall owner being rendered unconscious by Destrii. The doctor, checking to see if Tony is still in a stable condition, notices his pulse is spiraling out of control, commenting that he's never seen anything like it. The two MI6 agents find the TARDIS, and proceed to tell their superior that all is well, just as a pair of Cybermen emerge from thin air behind them.

Part two
The Doctor and Destrii set up amending the problems they've caused, taking the Tony and Linda to "The World's End" pub for a drink. However, they are being listened to by North, another MI6 agent. While the doctor is distracted by more erratic behaviour, North plants a listening device on him and proceeds to walk outside and listen to his conversation. This turns out to be a trap, and Destrii comes up behind him and forces him to sit at the table alongside the doctor and co. While the doctor examines North's devices, Destrii spots two Cybermen walking amongst citizens in the pub (Who cannot be seen by normal eyesight due to "Refraction shields", however Destrii can see more spectrums of light than humans, and so can spot them). She questions who they are, and upon receiving blank faces (as nobody can see them), she notices they're walking towards her. She picks up North's Taser and fires it at the Cybermen, rendering them visible. The doctor recognises them, and as everyone flees Tony distracts them. as The Doctor and his friends run into an alley, to get to North's transport, Cybermen enter from both exits, cornering them. The doctor says he has a plan, and desperately tinkers and tweaks his sonic screwdriver as the Cybermen close in.

Part three
to be added

Characters

 * Eighth Doctor
 * Destrii
 * The Cybermen
 * North
 * Leighton Woodrow
 * Carter
 * Morris
 * Julie
 * Emily Rice

Bars and pubs

 * The Doctor and Destrii visit The World's End.
 * The Doctor mentions "last orders".

The Doctor's items

 * The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to confuse a group of Cybermen.

Individuals

 * North is an MI6 agent.

Continuity

 * The story features the return of MI6 and its director, Leighton Woodrow. They previously appeared in COMIC: The Fallen.
 * Technology from this incident would be used by MI6 to launch themselves into space and create Annabel Lake's suit. (COMIC: Hunters of the Burning Stone)
 * The Cyber-Controller returns, having last been seen in TV: Attack of the Cybermen.
 * The Cybermen again travel through time (TV: Earthshock, Attack of the Cybermen).
 * The Doctor mentions that radiation exposure is a good way to trigger a regeneration. He knows this because that was how the Third Doctor regenerated in TV: Planet of the Spiders. Exposure to radiation would also be the cause of the Tenth Doctor's regeneration. (TV: The End of Time)
 * Cybermen from another universe invade Earth a few years after this attempt in the episodes TV: Army of Ghosts / Doomsday.
 * The Doctor absorbs energy from the Time Vortex again in TV: The Parting of the Ways.
 * The Doctor's blue jacket, which he gained in COMIC: Ophidius, is destroyed, only to be replaced with a green one before the events of AUDIO: Blood of the Daleks.
 * Izzy Sinclair, Maxwell Edison and Grace Holloway have cameo appearances. (TV: Doctor Who, COMIC: Endgame)