A deadlock seal was a form of lock or a device added to a lock that was almost impregnable. It was more secure than most locks. The Doctor's sonic screwdriver could not open regular deadlock seals, (TV: Bad Wolf) but these locks could be keyed to specific sonic devices, as Matron Cofelia did with her sonic pen. (TV: Partners in Crime [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008).) Deadlock encryption could be used to protect electronic files. (COMIC: The Sound of Our Voices)
It was invented by Arthur Deadlock. (AUDIO: Thoughts and Prayers)
Features[]
Deadlocking made locks more difficult to open, at least with sonic devices. More sonic devices could be used in concert to break deadlock seals. (TV: Partners in Crime [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008).) Additional deadlocking could be applied, from double (TV: Voyage of the Damned [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2007 (BBC One, 2007).) to triple. (TV: Partners in Crime [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008)., GAME: TARDIS) If a sonic screwdriver is being used as a deadlock seal is activated, the screwdriver will backfire. (TV: The Star Beast [+]Russell T Davies, adapted from Doctor Who and the Star Beast (Pat Mills and John Wagner), Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One and Disney+, 2023).)
It was possible to create deadlock seals with a sonic device. The Doctor "locked" several things during their travels, particularly the controls of their own TARDIS, which even the Saxon Master could not unlock. (TV: 42 [+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007)., Utopia [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007)., The Sound of Drums [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007)., Last of the Time Lords [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007).', Invasion of the Bane)
Deadlocking did not make glass unbreakable. (TV: The Poison Sky [+]Helen Raynor, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008).) It did, however, make metal incapable of being melted, or at least heated, and could prevent cords and doors from being separated or opened physically. (TV: The Time of Angels [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 5 (BBC One, 2010).) On at least one occasion, laser cutters proved successful in penetrating a deadlock seal. (AUDIO: The High Price of Parking)
Uses[]
The Big Brother House on the Game Station was fitted with deadlock seals after the contestants of an earlier edition of the show walked out. (TV: Bad Wolf [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 1 (BBC One, 2005).)
The Krillitanes used deadlock seals on several objects in Deffry Vale High School. (TV: School Reunion [+]Toby Whithouse, Doctor Who series 2 (BBC One, 2006).)
The SS Pentallian's doors had deadlock seals that activate upon secure closure. (TV: 42 [+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007).)
The Saxon Master deadlocked the TARDIS from inside to prevent the Tenth Doctor entering to stop his escape. (TV: Utopia [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007).)
The Heavenly Hosts on board the Titanic were constructed with double deadlocked circuitry. (TV: Voyage of the Damned [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2007 (BBC One, 2007).)
Midshipman Alonso Frame used a "maximum deadlock" to seal the bridge of the Titanic. (TV: Voyage of the Damned [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2007 (BBC One, 2007).)
Adipose Industries Headquarters could be deadlocked, including the doors and windows. The deadlocks there could be activated remotely on command. The Inducer built into the building was said to be triple deadlocked. However, the Doctor was able to open these locks after acquiring the sonic pen of the owner of the building, Miss Foster. (TV: Partners in Crime [+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008).)
ATMOS devices developed by Luke Rattigan for the Sontarans were deadlocked to their respective cars. They could deadlock the entire car. (TV: The Sontaran Stratagem [+]Helen Raynor, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008)./The Poison Sky [+]Helen Raynor, Doctor Who series 4 (BBC One, 2008).)
John Hart's hypersteel handcuffs had a deadlock seal. He used them to lock himself to Gwen Cooper. (TV: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang)
Torchwood Three's Torchwood SUV was triple-deadlock sealed. (TV: Children of Earth: Day One)
One particular Weeping Angel created deadlock seals on structures that weren't equipped with any such device. (TV: The Time of Angels [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 5 (BBC One, 2010).)
GSO Arctic Drilling Station had deadlocks in its security locks. (GAME: Blood of the Cybermen)
The vase containing the Entity had a "triple-deadlock forcefield". (GAME: TARDIS)
A time ship had a deadlock seal on its activation console. (TV: The Lodger [+]Gareth Roberts, adapted from The Lodger (Gareth Roberts), Doctor Who series 5 (BBC One, 2010).)
The Flydon Maxima Research Base used a series of deadlock seals for protection. (PROSE: The Depths of Despaire)
The Pandorica used deadlocks as a security bypass. (TV: The Pandorica Opens [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 5 (BBC One, 2010).)
The lock for the cashier's office in a 21st century theatre had a deadlock seal. The Eleventh Doctor found this improbable, considering the technology level of Earth and such an unnecessary need for security. (PROSE: Snowfall)
The headquarters for Lyttle Monsters Inc had deadlock seals for their doors. (PROSE: Snowfall)
Cass Fermazzi, refusing to join the Eighth Doctor in his TARDIS because he was a Time Lord, closed and deadlocked a door on her gunship, preventing the Doctor from reaching her. (TV: The Night of the Doctor [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Specials minisode (BBC One, 2013).)
The Drum had a suspended animation chamber the was locked with a deadlock seal. (TV: Under the Lake [+]Toby Whithouse, Doctor Who series 9 (BBC One, 2015).)
River Song asked Flemming to deadlock the baggage hold of the Harmony and Redemption containing the Doctor's TARDIS and the body of her husband Hydroflax. According to her, only a genius could escape from it. (TV: The Husbands of River Song [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Christmas Special 2015 (BBC One, 2015).)
The vault-like laboratory door at the SERVEYOUinc-operated United System Research Base was protected by a tenth-generation quantum-liquid-deadlock seal encryption. In addition, most sensitive files were deadlock-encrypted. (COMIC: The Sound of Our Voices)
The Master deadlocked a bomb to prevent the Thirteenth Doctor from disarming it. (TV: Spyfall [+]Chris Chibnall, Doctor Who series 12 (BBC One, 2020).)
Jack Harkness's office at the Hub was fitted with a deadlock seal. (AUDIO: "Prodromal: Love") The Disaster Recovery Committee sealed the Hub with a deadlock, but Jack had learnt from Arthur Deadlock how to get past them. (AUDIO: Thoughts and Prayers)
Beep the Meep activated a deadlock seal while their ship was preparing to launch, which suddenly prevented the Fourteenth Doctor from using a sonic screwdriver against it. (TV: The Star Beast [+]Russell T Davies, adapted from Doctor Who and the Star Beast (Pat Mills and John Wagner), Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One and Disney+, 2023).)
Rogue deadlocked his Triform when the Fifteenth Doctor was trapped in it (TV: Rogue [+]Kate Herron and Briony Redman, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)