Theory:Timeline - Ben & Polly

This page lists appearances of Ben Jackson and Polly Wright in the order in which theu experienced them. This timeline is based upon observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events that occur during each of these stories. From these observations we have attempted to build a concise timeline. It is assumed, much like its TV story counterparts that for each novel, comic story and audio series their published/numbered order is the order they occur in. This does not apply to short stories which are often ambiguous about their placement. There are also many gaps between stories.

The layout of this timeline is in part based on the observations on Doctor Who Reference Guide and Doctor Who - The Complete Adventures, as well as information in Lance Parkin's AHistory which allow us to make observations on placement of stories, such as Doctor Who Reviews, The History of Doctor Who, The Discontinuity Guide, Clive Banks Databank, the Big Finnish forums, The Whoniverse and the Divergent Universe forums. None of these sources should be used solely as a source or considered a "true" timeline for stories.

Additionally there are statements on the back of Virgin Missing Adventures and BBC Past Doctor Adventures novels that state between which TV stories the novel takes place between. These can be used to narrow the field, and should be viewed as the only placing for these novels.

Travels with the First Doctor

 * TV: The War Machines
 * Ben Jackson and Polly Wright board the Doctor's TARDIS while attempting to return the Doctor's spare key.


 * TV: The Smugglers
 * Ben and Polly's first journey in the TARDIS, and the First Doctor accepts their company.


 * AUDIO: The Bonfires of the Vanities
 * Set immediately after The Smugglers. Time briefly becomes distorted.


 * COMIC: Food for Thought
 * Ben is wearing his sailor outfit from The Smugglers.


 * PROSE: Ten Little Aliens
 * The Doctor comments that he shall soon feel a whole new person, referring to his upcoming regeneration.


 * PROSE: Five Card Draw
 * The Doctor feels he will regenerate soon.


 * AUDIO: The Plague of Dreams
 * The time distortions are revealed to be caused by the Daleks trying to invade the First Doctor's timeline and prevent his regeneration at the South Pole. The Player is able to prevent the Daleks' victory, setting things up for The Tenth Planet.


 * AUDIO: Falling
 * An older Polly recalls how this was her last trip in the TARDIS before The Tenth Planet.


 * TV: The Tenth Planet
 * The Doctor regenerates into his second incarnation.


 * TV: Twice Upon a Time
 * Ben & Polly are seen in a recap of The Tenth Planet: Episode 4.

A New Doctor

 * TV: The Power of the Daleks
 * Set immediately after The Tenth Planet, with the Doctor adjusting to his new body.


 * AUDIO: The Light at the End
 * Whilst leaving Vulcan, the Doctor, Ben and Polly briefly encounter an apparition of a Charley Pollard from an alternate timeline.


 * COMIC: The Chameleon Factor
 * The Doctor has only just regenerated, and is mourning the loss of his old signet ring.


 * PROSE: Pluto
 * Set almost immediately after The Power of the Daleks, with Ben finally accepting the Doctor's change of appearance.


 * PROSE: The Sour Note


 * PROSE: The Dream Masters


 * COMIC: The Tests of Trefus


 * PROSE: Only a Matter of Time
 * References are made to the Doctor's recent regeneration.


 * PROSE: Planet of Bones


 * PROSE: When Starlight Grows Cold
 * The Doctor claims this is the first time the TARDIS has ever managed a short hop.


 * COMIC: World Without Night


 * PROSE: H.M.S. TARDIS


 * PROSE: The King of Golden Death


 * AUDIO: Lost and Found


 * PROSE: Invasion of the Cat-People
 * Three weeks have passed since The Power of the Daleks.


 * PROSE: The Murder Game
 * The Doctor creates a temporary sonic device, and resolves to begin work on a permanent version when he gets back to the TARDIS, leading to the creation of the sonic screwdriver.


 * PROSE: Dying in the Sun
 * Ben and Polly are well adjusted to the Second Doctor, setting this shortly before The Highlanders. The Doctor says that he has not been in America for some time, setting this before Wonderland as well.


 * PROSE: The Feast


 * PROSE: Wonderland
 * The Doctor unlocks a door with a prototype sonic screwdriver, setting this after The Murder Game.

The Highlander

 * TV: The Highlanders
 * The Doctor, Ben and Polly meet Jamie McCrimmon, who joins them aboard the TARDIS.


 * TV: The Underwater Menace
 * Jamie is marvelling at the sight of the TARDIS interior, setting this immediately after The Highlanders.


 * TV: The Moonbase
 * Set immediately after The Underwater Menace, and the ending leads directly into The Macra Terror.


 * COMIC: Prologue: The Second Doctor
 * In an alternate timeline created by Rassilon and the Cybermen, the Doctor is partially converted into a Cyberman during The Moonbase.


 * TV: The Macra Terror


 * PROSE: Something at the Door
 * Ben and Polly are showing Jamie around the inside of the TARDIS.


 * AUDIO: Resistance
 * The Doctor has only recently regenerated.


 * AUDIO: The Mouthless Dead


 * AUDIO: The Three Companions: Polly's Story
 * Polly's Story takes place between Resistance and The Faceless Ones.


 * PROSE: The Slave War


 * AUDIO: The Forbidden Time


 * AUDIO: The Selachian Gambit
 * Jamie and Ben refer to their escape from the Milice during Resistance.


 * AUDIO: House of Cards
 * Jamie refers to the events of the The Selachian Gambit.


 * AUDIO: The Yes Men
 * The Doctor is trying to return Polly and Ben to 1966, setting this close to The Faceless Ones.


 * AUDIO: The Night Witches
 * The Doctor is teaching his companions how to fly the TARDIS, and they recall the events of The Yes Men.


 * PROSE: The Roundheads
 * Jamie has started to consider the TARDIS to be home, setting this late in his early travels.


 * AUDIO: The Forsaken


 * AUDIO: The Outliers


 * TV: The Faceless Ones
 * Having landed on the day they left, Ben and Polly decide to remain behind at Gatwick Airport.

After the Doctor

 * COMIC: The Love Invasion
 * As witnessed by the Ninth Doctor and Rose Tyler, Ben proposes to Polly.


 * PROSE: Mondas Passing
 * Ben and Polly reunite in 1986.


 * AUDIO: The Five Companions
 * An older Polly meets four other companions and the Fifth Doctor.