The Trial of Doctor Who was a story in 1972's The Making of Doctor Who which is notable for featuring an extensive account of the Doctor Who universe as it was seen at that time. Presented as the Time Lords' "secret files", it tells in document format the story of the Doctor's trial and subsequent exile on Earth, with a summary of every televised story up to The Sea Devils. The story notably gave the Doctor's real name as ∂³Σx².
Summary[]
to be added
Characters[]
- Prosecutor ᔑx²-›‾‹
- Counsel for the Defense Δ:ʮ≠β
- Official Court Reporter ⵋᵅ/₆↑∝
- Court Archivist Øμ³-∝
- A. Lethbridge-Stewart
Worldbuilding[]
- The Doctor's real name is a mathematical formula: ∂³Σx².
Notes[]
- In the book's table of contents, this story is split into two chapters: "The Trial of Doctor Who by the Time Lords" and "The Travels of Doctor Who". However, these chapters form a single story which is introduced with the title "The Trial of Doctor Who".
- The Time Lord court which prosecuted the Doctor in The War Games is here established as the "High Court of the Time Lords". A few years later , Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons would instead establish that the High Council prosecuted the Doctor. In the Council's first appearance in The Deadly Assassin, it would be referred to as a court.
- The Brigadier signs his letters "A. Lethbridge-Stewart", aligning with an out-of-universe portion of The Making of Doctor Who which gives his first name as "Alastair". The Brig's first name would not be mentioned as "Alistair" on television until Planet of the Spiders.
- DWM 80 contained a short story, Shades of Piccolo, which used this story's format to explore later UNIT stories.
Continuity[]
- The Doctor's trial is said to be held at the High Court of the Time Lords. (PROSE: World Game)
- In their documents, the Time Lords commonly use "My Lords" as an address to fellow members of the Court. (PROSE: War Crimes)