"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Top Five Big Damn Hero Moments: Romana II (Doctor Who)


I love both Romanas so much. Romana II isn’t quite as chilly as Romana I, but she’s no less self-assured and capable in a crisis. Here are my favorite instances of her using her smarts and cool nerve to save the day (spoilers.)


Escaping the Daleks (Series 17, Episode 2 – “Destiny of the Daleks:  Episode 2”)

A big part of any companion’s function on the show is to get captured, and what they do in these situations is a major signifier of who they are. Romana, newly regenerated, almost immediately finds herself imprisoned by the Daleks. After getting through a terrifying interrogation, she’s put to work with other humanoids in hard labor. She’s determined to escape, but her fellow prisoners warn that, even if someone successfully gets away, five remaining captives are killed in retribution. So, instead of running, Romana plays a smart game that gets her out without endangering anyone else – she pretends to have died from the exertion of the labor and the planet’s radiation, using a trick of her Gallifreyan physiology to temporarily stop her hearts. The Daleks order her “corpse” carried away from the work site, and she’s home free!


Escaping the Huntsmen (Series 17, Episode 9 – “The Creature from the Pit:  Episode 1”)

Another capture bit – pound for pound, Romana’s “cool under pressure” attitude when captured is as impeccable as Liz Shaw’s. Here, she’s kidnapped by huntsmen and held for ransom. She quickly takes complete control of the situation, to the point where they sit and stand at her order, and she even makes them the instrument of her rescue – literally. She produces K9’s dog whistle, and when they puzzle over the object and Romana explains that “you blow into it,” they do just that, summoning the robot dog to come free his mistress. As Romana and K9 leave, she breezily tosses the exit line, “I hope we don’t meet again. I can’t honestly say it’s been a pleasure.”


Throwing the Switch (Series 17, Episode 15 – “Nightmare of Eden:  Episode 3”)

The Doctor is in the power room, readying to separate the two fused ships, and he needs Romana to operate the drive for him from the control room. As she prepares to do her bit, she’s first attacked by Rigg and then held at gunpoint by Fisk, but no threat or danger will keep her from doing what the Doctor needs her to do. She’s steely as she faces off against Fisk, calmly calling his bluff and throwing the power switch, then escaping in the resulting commotion. That’s my girl!


Communicating with the Professor (Series 17, Episode 22 – “Shada:  Episode 2”)

Clever Romana for the win (although, really, is there any other kind?) When Skagra leaves Professor Cronotis in a coma, Romana uses a Gallifreyan med kit to technologically take over his autonomic functioning, freeing up his autonomic brain for conscious thought. Despite being repeatedly told that the professor still won’t be able to communicate with them, Romana recognizes a way. She gets K9 to amplify the sound of the professor’s heartbeats and realizes he’s beating his hearts in Gallifreyan Morse. This allows them to receive the professor’s warning.


Escaping Her Captors (Series 18, Episode 7 – “Meglos:  Episode 3”)

The Gazteks nab Romana and demand that she lead them back to the TARDIS. After giving them quite the run-around and in general low-key acting like she has the run of the place, Romana sics some carnivorous flora on them and hightails it out of there. Nice way to see her use her own dangerous run-in with the plants earlier in the story to her advantage, and I love it when the Doctor and/or a companion is captured and still act like they’re the one holding all the cards. Both Romanas are basically the queens of this attitude, and I am here for it.

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