Doctor Who: Series 13 Spoilers – “Flux” Arc Characters

*Spoilers ahead.*

Obviously, there’s plenty to love about the best episodes of Doctor Who. The wild alien plots, the sparkingly-quirky dialogue, the big emotional moments, the dynamite Doctor-companion relationships—I could go on and on. But one of those things is the engaging one-shot characters. People who flit briefly into the Doctor’s life and leave an impact, for good or bad. Characters like Jabe from “The End of the World,” Mr. Jefferson from “The Impossible Planet” / “The Satan Pit,” Rosanna from “The Vampires of Venice,” or Cass from “Under the Lake” / “Before the Flood.” The Flux storyline of series 13 is a little different for new Who because all six episodes are under the same arc. This means, that while we still have some one-shot characters in any given episode, there’s also a small collection of characters who appear in multiple episodes in the season, and I’m quite the fan of most of them.

This discussion simply must begin with Vinder and Bel, who are both fabulous and wonderful. Vinder drew my attention from the first. A weary/lonely man assigned to an isolated outpost station, he’s managed to keep his spirit from breaking in the solitude, and when the Flux hits, he proves himself to be capable and resourceful in a crisis. We don’t get the details of his backstory until episode 3, but all along the way, we’re shown who he is through small moments and touchstones.

Similarly, Bel pops onscreen immediately, a badass/lonely woman who’s managed to stay sanguine amid a nigh-impossible search through a broken universe. She has a Doctory way about her (albeit with a greater willingness to use guns) and this undeniable spark of life and hope. When it’s revealed that the loved one she’s looking for across the wild remains of the universe is Vinder? All the feels and all the tears! Bel/Vinder forever for the win!

Then there’s Karvanista, a figure from the Doctor’s forgotten past. Much of his conception is down to the reveal partway through the season premiere that the gruff alien soldier who’s been evading the Doctor/abducting Dan actually has the face of an adorable pupper. And yeah, it’s a cheap surprise, but it works well. I love the idea of the Lupari being “species bonded” with the human race, with each Lupar assigned a specific human to protect from the Flux—as the Doctor points out, the Lupari are literally man’s best friend. But this character is more than just sight gags featuring his cranky/imposing personality at odds with his pettable face. I enjoy getting to know him over the course of the season. I like that, even though he’s bonded to Dan, he’s endlessly annoyed by him, and I’m really intrigued by the hints we get of his past with the Nth Doctor.

We have Dan’s friend-and-maybe-more Diane, who initially appears to be an unfortunate fridging victim, then a damsel. But in fact, she’s a whip-smart woman who can keep her head amid an impossible situation. When Vinder winds up in the same Passenger Form she’s trapped in, the two work together to escape.

We also have Claire, who initially appears to be an old friend that the Doctor hasn’t met yet, a la River Song or Lorna Bucket from “A Good Man Goes to War.” I love the reveal that she’s actually psychic, and when she sees the TARDIS on the street and runs up calling to the Doctor, it’s in response to a vision she had. She handles getting transported to the past by a Weeping Angel well (and she looks utterly groovy in the ‘60s fashions,) and in the end, she’s put through a tremendous ordeal to help the Doctor protect what’s left of the universe.

Next up is Joseph Williamson, a real person who built a series of tunnels under Liverpool in the 1800s (for apparently unknown reasons.) Naturally, this being Who, the in-show reason turns out to be, “The tunnels lead to doors that open to various points in time and space.” For much of the season, Williamson is just the thread that doesn’t quite fit yet, the incongruous detail who pops up everywhere when he shouldn’t, but when Dan, Yaz, and Jericho run into him, he’s able to come into his own. With a slightly manic edge, he explains his massive undertaking of the tunnels and the incredible things he’s seen behind the doors, while also warning them of the endless death awaiting them behind door #9! I spent a lot of the season being pretty unsure about him, but by the end, I was quite a fan.

Last of all, we have Professor Jericho. We meet him in the 1960s, studying Claire. He’s puzzled by the explicable details of her mind (not knowing she’s been time displaced from the 21^st century,) but when the Doctor shows up and drops some knowledge about the Weeping Angels, Jericho takes this revelation fairly in stride. He explains that he was one of the first soldiers to liberate Belsen after WWII, and after seeing the worst that humanity is capable of, he won’t be easily shocked by impossible alien monsters. When he’s displaced in time himself, he teams up with Yaz and Dan, and the three of them form a pretty capable little band. The season finale reunites him with Claire and they infiltrate the Sontarans together, where he’s tragically cut off from making a last-minute escape. It’s the kind of death that has weight on Doctor Who. We know him, we care about him, and he goes out with his head held high.

There you have it, seven excellent reasons to appreciate the Flux arc. I came to really like/love all of these characters, and it was a treat to get to know them over the course of series 13.

New Year’s special next week! Looking forward to it!