Not since the days of the First Doctor, had three seperate companions travelled with the Doctor – for an extended period; all at the same time.
With Adric, Nyssa and Tegan, it meant that – for a while, the Tardis was full and had to generate a number of extra bedrooms to cope with the extra contingent.
In terms of characters, you couldn’t of had a more diverse trio, in diversity and outlook – and at times all three companions had to jockey for position -in the stories, as a kind of power-struggle took place, to be ‘head boy’.
Adric
Origin : Alzaria
“I thought the whole point of this Pharos [Earth radio telescope] Project of yours, was to track down alien intelligences. We thought we’d save you the trouble and come to you!” Adric – Castrovalva
Adric (Matthew Waterhouse), was a humanoid ‘Alzerian’ teenager – from an alternate universe (known as E-Space). His family was dead and he roamed the Alzerian swamps, on his homeworld – in a teenage gang.
His character was originally written and intended, as a space-version of the ‘Artful Dodger’ but in practice – came over more like a precocious but on the spectrum – mathematical genius.
The Alzerian’s were more adaptable than their Earth human counterparts, having the ability to rapidly evolve. They were stronger and healed quicker from injury.
The Alzerians had apparently crashlanded on planet Alzeria, from whereabouts unknown. They used their crashed spaceship as refuge from the aquatic gill-men of the swamp, who attacked them, during the seasonal “mistfall”, in Full Circle – 1980.
It was here, that Adric met the Fourth Doctor and companions – Romana and K9. Who themselves, were stuck in the alternate reality of E-Space and were attempting to get back to (regular) N-Space.
They also uncovered the hidden truth, that Adric’s race had evolved directly from the Marshmen – and the crashed ship that had apparently bought them here, was actually a lie; built to make the Alzerian’s believe they were off-world’ers.
Adric secretly stowed away aboard the Tardis and for a time, travelled with the Fourth Doctor, Romana and K9; before leaving E-Space, returning to N-Space.
After the Fourth Doctor regenerated into the Fifth Doctor, Adric found himself travelling – with Nyssa and Tegan.
His relationship with the two girls was something of a disapproving big sister affair but he grew close to the Fifth Doctor in particular, who was more open with him (than his predecessor had been) – and even showed Adric elements of Tardis operation.
Adric was a brilliant mathematician but incredibly naive, as he was led by logic. It was in Four To Doomsday that Adric was persuaded to help the evil Monarch – with a strong logical argument, that Adric could not see was actually clever manipulation.
In Earthshock – 1982, Adric found himself at the centre of a Cybermen led plot to destroy primitive life – on Earth and he sacrificed himself, to detonate a huge space freighter in the atmosphere; which was credited as killing off the Dinosaurs – and eventually allowed the human race to evolve.
Adric had been fond of wearing his gold Sheriff’s badge and it was this badge, that the Fifth Doctor used to dispatch a Cyberleader, by jamming it in into his breathing apparatus.
The Fifth Doctor felt guilty for having removed Adric from his own Universe (and getting him killed) – and upon regenerating into the Sixth Doctor, in Caves Of Androzani – 1984, uttered “Adric!” – as his final words.
Nyssa
Origin : Traken
“You’re needed. You mustn’t die, Doctor!” Nyssa – Caves Of Androzani
Nyssa, (Sarah Sutton) was a young female Trakenite from the planet of Traken, whose homeworld was destroyed and her parents killed – by the Master.
Nyssa’s father – Tremas, was killed by the Master and his body was stolen – and possessed in The Keeper Of Traken – 1980.
As a result of the Master’s actions, a being known as – “The Watcher” transported Nyssa to planet Logopolis – to meet the Fourth Doctor again, in Logopolis – 1980.
Nyssa requested that the Doctor take her with him, to see the Universe but more secretly Nyssa wished to see (and save) her possessed father – somehow; from the Master.
She was a brilliant Biochemical Engineer and the Doctor found her useful time-and-again, for getting out of a scrape. She had experience of flying the Tardis, (as Adric did) – but she was definitely a more rounded intelligence than Adric – due to having more common-sense.
Nyssa was to meet her double in N-space universe, on 1920’s Earth – young high society flapper – ‘Ann Talbot’ in The Black Orchid- 1982. Nyssa replqced Talbot for a time.
Nyssa left the Doctor in Terminus – 1982, after contracting a disease on board a space-station where (once treated) – she decided to stay behind and help the Scientists look for a final cure.
Tegan
Origin : Earth
“What was that you always told me Doctor? Brave heart? You’ll survive, Doctor!” Tegan – Caves Of Androzani
Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding), was an Australian female from Earth and Gatwick flight stewardess – who made the mistake of wandering into the Tardis, in Logopolis – 1980; on her way to work, believing the Tardis – to be a real police-phone box.
Tegan wasn’t particularly happy to be stuck travelling with the Fourth Doctor and wanted to return to Garwick, to make her flight.
The Fifth Doctor, made several unsuccessful attempts to return Tegan to Gatwick – in her own time period, usually missing the mark considerably Four To Doomsday – 1982, The Visitation- 1982 and Time Flight – 1982. – the latter saw Tegan finally returned to Heathrow, in the correct time period eventually.
She wasn’t particularly gifted, when taken alongside the alien intelligences of Adric and Nyssa. Tegan acted more as a morality point, to the three aliens in the Tardis. Especially if the Doctor’s schemes or plans – ever involved the loss of any life; whether good or bad.
Tegan also, was an important plot-anchor to Doctor Who; due to being the one to ask for a simple explanation to the sci-fi babble. Especially useful, as the Fifth Doctor era got very scientifically muddy – in terms of plot.
Tegan also had a run in with a powerful snake-like entity – called the Mara, which possessed her in The Kinda – 1982 and re-established a link again – in Snakedance – 1983.
Tegan was brash and short tempered – and frequently bickered with Adric, Nyssa and later Turlough – the latter who she mistrusted intensely. But this was a really a coping mechanism to deal with the high-stakes adventures, she found herself in. The Doctor frequently comforted her by calling her “Braveheart!”.
After returning to her correct time-period. Tegan got fired from her stewardess job and rejoined the Fifth Doctor’s crew again, bumping into him in a Dutch airport in Arc Of Infinity – 1983 .
She eventually left the Doctor’s company for good, after the battle between Human and Daleks – in Resurrection Of The Daleks – 1984, sickened by the carnage and needless waste of life.
