Favorite Characters: Romana II (Doctor Who)

You really can’t go wrong with Romanas.  True, we only see two incarnations of her on the show, but both of them are slamdunks.  And, just like with Doctors, both are very different from each other while still being recognizably the same Time Lady.

I don’t know how common a practice it is or isn’t on Gallifrey, but Romana is the only instance we really see of an elective regeneration.  When Romana I generates, there’s no indication at all that she’s near death, whether due to injury, age, or any other reason.  Instead, she changes bodies the way someone might change their hairstyle, on a whim and by choice.  She simply steps into the console room one day announcing that she’s regenerated.  Furthermore, she not only has control over what she looks like (taking on the form of Princess Astra, who she and the Doctor met a previous adventures,) she also seems able to try out several different appearances before settling into her permanent Romana II body.  Again, maybe a lot of Time Lords do this, but after having mainly seen the fatally-injured Doctor regenerate into bodies he has no say over, it’s interesting to see how coolly and casually Romana does it.

The new Romana is similar to the previous one in plenty of ways.  Her intellect is still the first thing you notice about her, although she mostly trades her psychological observations for scientific/technical knowhow – the woman even makes her own sonic screwdriver!  She also continues to have a high opinion of said intellect.  While not quite as imperious as Romana I, she definitely knows she’s the smartest person in nearly every room and isn’t shy about saying so.  I love the exchange in “City of Death” where Duggan says, “You know what I don’t understand?” and Romana simply replies, “I expect so”; best nonchalant burn ever!  Another similarity between the two Romanas is their tendency to be fairly cool under pressure.  When captured, Romana is as likely to give the baddies a withering side-eye as anything else.

But every regeneration, of course, has differences from the iteration that came before it, and Romana II is no exception.  To some extent, she feels like a reflection of how her time with the Doctor is changing her, because she picks up some more Four-ish traits with her regeneration.  She’s more adventurous, doesn’t take herself as seriously, and isn’t as much of a stickler for protocol/convention.  She’s a little more impish, with more of a mischievous glint in her eye and a bit more of a habit for stirring up trouble.  This can be seen even in her dress.  Like Romana I, she has a penchant for new ensembles, but while Romana I generally chooses the most fitting (and glamorous) outfit for the occasion, Romana II’s style is always a bit off the mark.  It’s just a little quirky, a little out of place – much more experimental and not so concerned with whether it’s “right.” 

All in all, it adds up to a somewhat looser, freer Romana very different from the one fresh out of the Academy who’d never left Gallifrey before.  Really, she’s something of a literal demonstration of how people are shaped and changed by their experiences and those around them.