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TARDIS Index File

Alternate timeline

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An alternate timeline was a reality that diverged from the "true" timeline due to the actions of time travellers or other temporal phenomena. They were different from parallel universes in that they did not separate cleanly at the point of creation resulting in the new timeline destroying the old one. (PROSE: Imperial Moon) The phenomenon was also described as an "interstitial spillage of time." (AUDIO: Project: Lazarus)

Contents

Physics

Alternate timelines could be visited accidentally by contact with a time track (TV: The Space Museum, AUDIO: The Mutant Phase) or other anomalies (AUDIO: Colditz) in the Time Vortex. Deliberate travel to these timelines was possible if the traveller possessed something, such as the sigil ring, that allowed them to change time streams. (PROSE: Goth Opera)

They may have diverged from points in history when there was temporal fluctuation. The power required to adjust the timeflow and overcome temporal inertia on such a scale couldn't fit on a single planet, but beings with enough power were capable of doing so, such as Sutekh, the Guardians of Time, Rassilon, and the Chronovores. Even the Doctor or the Master could have the know-how or inclination to create them. Because the universe only had a finite amount of mass and energy to exist as one universe, the creation of an alternate timeline adversely affected the real timeline, causing chaos throughout the universe; releasing enough energy could destroy the timeline and set history back on its correct course. (PROSE: Blood Heat)

Though a timeline could be negated, memories of it could still be retained. (TV: The Big Bang, The Impossible Astronaut)

Metaphysics

From a metaphysical viewpoint, alternate timelines were always being extinguished as fewer and fewer choices became open. This was particularly affected by time travellers who changed the future whenever they arrived in a new time. This was the cosmic pain of the universe and in this manner Gabriel and Tanith were personifications of the timelines that never existed. (PROSE: Falls the Shadow)

Terminology

The phrase "alternate/alternative timeline/universe" was sometimes used interchangably with "parallel universe"; however, alternate timelines usually changed after a single moment in time, whereas parallel universes usually had more than one difference from the "normal" universe.

Timelines encountered by the Doctor

Timeline Negated By Featured in
The First Doctor and his companions became exhibits in the Moroks' Space MuseumFirst Doctor, Ian Chesterton, Barbara Wright, VickiTV: The Space Museum
Barbara Wright married Ptolemy I and became Queen of AlexandriaAlternate BarbaraPROSE: The Book of Shadows
WOTAN conquered Earth (this was the correct timeline before it was changed by the Doctor)First DoctorPROSE: The Time Travellers, TV: The War Machines
Nancy Grover used Grold technology to become a goddessThird Doctor and Liz ShawPROSE: The Eye of the Giant
The Power Elite took over EarthThird DoctorPROSE: Prisoners of the Sun
Freedom fighters from the 22nd century assassinated Sir Reginald StylesThird Doctor and Jo GrantTV: Day of the Daleks
Theodore Cassells's experiments led to a global war which devastated EarthThird DoctorCOMIC: A Stitch in Time
The Third Doctor died on Dust and regeneratedEighth Doctor by destroying Gallifrey (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell)PROSE: Interference - Book One, Interference - Book Two
Sutekh was freed and devastated EarthFourth Doctor and Sarah Jane SmithTV: Pyramids of Mars
Daleks underwent the Mutant PhaseDalek EmperorAUDIO: The Mutant Phase
Melanicus created the Millennium WarsFifth Doctor, Sir Justin and ShaydeCOMIC: The Tides of Time
Walter Raleigh went back in time and encountered aliensSixth DoctorAUDIO: Voyage to the New World
CyberversePossibly negated when Evelyn Smythe left the Sixth DoctorWC: Real Time/AUDIO: Real Time
Humans evolved into HaemovoresSeventh Doctor and AceTV: The Curse of Fenric
The Dark Matrix terrorised EnglandSeventh Doctor and AcePROSE: Matrix
The Nazis won World War II after a piece of laser technology was left at Colditz CastleAlternate Eighth Doctor and Elizabeth Klein (inadvertantly)AUDIO: Colditz, Klein's Story
Vladimir Khrushgov succeeded Konstantin Chernenko as leader of the Soviet Union, causing World War III to occur in 1989Seventh DoctorAUDIO: Protect and Survive
Adolf Hitler used the Timewyrm's power to enable Nazi Germany to conquer EarthSeventh Doctor and AcePROSE: Timewyrm: Exodus
Chad Boyle killed Dorothy McShane with a brick to the headAcePROSE: Timewyrm: Revelation
The Process enslaved the Time Scaphe crewSeventh DoctorPROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible
Silurian EarthDestroyed, not negated, by Seventh DoctorPROSE: Blood Heat
Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart was shot and killed by a Vardan in 1976Artemis the ChronovorePROSE: No Future
Alternate timeline (Time & Time Again)Seventh Doctor, Ace and Bernice SummerfieldCOMIC: Time & Time Again
The Knights of Velyshaa conquered GallifreyFifth Doctor, Sixth Doctor, Seventh Doctor, the TemperonAUDIO: The Sirens of Time
Elizabeth Klein created the Galactic Reich after stealing the Doctor's TARDIS and making repeated corrections to the timelineSeventh Doctor and Elizabeth Klein and the Selachians (both inadvertantly after being manipulated by the Doctor)AUDIO: The Architects of History
Humans didn't evolve and Earth was a Tractis colony known as ParatractisEighth Doctor, Sam Jones, Jo GrantPROSE: Genocide
Sato Katsura formed the Church of the Glorious Dead; the Church, led by Sato, conquered Earth and renamed it Dhakan; the Church began invading and massacring other planets they viewed as "unbelieving"KrotonCOMIC: The Glorious Dead
Pete Tyler didn't die and Reapers began consuming humanityPete TylerTV: Father's Day
The Year That Never WasTenth Doctor, Martha Jones and Captain Jack Harkness TV: Last of the Time Lords
Donna's Worldalternate Donna Noble, with assistance from Rose TylerTV: Turn Left
The Progenitor Daleks repopulated Skaro and exterminated humanity to extinction in 1963Eleventh Doctor and Amy PondGAME: City of the Daleks
The Doctor's TARDIS exploded, creating Cracks in Time which began erasing the universe's historyEleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, Rory Williams (Auton) and River Song (TV: The Big Bang)TV: Series 5
Amy Pond was stranded on Apalapucia for 36 yearsEleventh DoctorTV: The Girl Who Waited
River Song's WorldEleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song, the TeselectaTV: The Wedding of River Song
The Silurians attempted to pump poison onto Earth's surface to reclaim itEleventh Doctor and River SongGAME: The Eternity Clock
The Progenitor Daleks invaded and destroyed London in or before 2106Eleventh Doctor and River SongGAME: The Eternity Clock
The Cybermen conquered the galaxyEleventh Doctor and Jean-Luc PicardCOMIC: Assimilation²
Rory Williams remained imprisoned in Winter Quay for the rest of his lifeRory Williams, Amy PondTV: The Angels Take Manhattan
The TARDIS was damaged and self-destructedEleventh DoctorTV: Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS

Timelines encountered by others

Timeline Negated By Featured in
The Seventh Doctor defeated the Vardan invasion of Earth by leaving clues for his past selfThe MonkPROSE: No Future
Insects of the Mind evolved as the dominant life on EarthThe existence of time travelPROSE: Falls the Shadow
Britain was a conformist republicThe existence of time travelPROSE: Falls the Shadow
Andrea Yates' Worldalternate Andrea YatesTV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?
The Trickster's WorldEddie and Barbara SmithTV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith
Ship erased Sarah Jane Smith, Luke Smith and Clyde LangerAdam LloydTV: The Mad Woman in the Attic
Deindum from the future conquered the galaxyBernice SummerfieldPROSE: Present Danger, AUDIO: Escaping the Future

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