Vortis (Doctor Who)

Infobox fictional planet
name=Vortis


imagesize=
caption=
universe=Whoniverse
locations=Isop Galaxy
races=Menoptra
Optera
Venom Grubs
Zarbi
people=
creator=Bill Strutton
genre=Science fiction television

Vortis is a fictional planet in the (equally fictional) Isop galaxy, created by Bill Strutton and originally featuring in six 1965 BBC episodes of the British science fiction television series "Doctor Who", collectively titled "The Web Planet", and featuring William Hartnell as the First Doctor. It also appeared in an original "Doctor Who" novel, "Twilight of the Gods", one of the Virgin Missing Adventures range. [Bulis, C. (1996). Virgin Books] and an audio drama "Return to the Web Planet" produced by Big Finish Productions.

The popularity of "The Web Planet" meant that two of the species inhabiting Vortis, the ant-like Zarbi and the butterfly Menoptra, appeared twice in the 1966 "Doctor Who Annual". One story, "Lair of the Zarbi Supremo" by David Whitaker, was released as an audio feature on the 2006 DVD release of the original adventure, read by one of its stars, William Russell.cite news | title = The Web Planet DVD | work = Doctor Who – News | publisher = BBC | date = 2005-09-29 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2005/09/29/25038.shtml | accessdate = 2008-03-18]

History of Vortis

The planet appears to be cold, dark and lifeless, but nevertheless supports a breathable atmosphere, water and presumably food. Before the sinister Animus took control of the planet, Vortis was covered in a flower forest, which the Menoptra hoped would return. [According to the Menoptra, Prapillus: "The Menoptra have no wisdom for war. Before the Animus came, the flower forest covered the planet in a cocoon of peace." "The Web Planet".]

Many years later after the Animus was apparently vanquished, Vortis drifted into the neighboring Rhumos system and was fought over by the Rhumons, who considered it a disputed territory. The Animus had also survived, until the intervention of a time traveller once more brought peace to the troubled world.

pecies of Vortis

Menoptra

Doctorwhorace


name=Menoptra
type=Bipedal insects
Resembling giant, humanoid butterflies and able to achieve space flight with their wings alone, the Menoptra were the original masters of Vortis until the Animus inveigled itself within the minds of the Zarbi. The Menoptra fled to Pictos, one of the moons of Vortis, eventually planning an invasion. Those that were captured were either killed or forced to work, once their wings had been removed by the Zarbi. That their attempt to retake their home world was a success was largely down to the efforts of the aforementioned party of time travellers.

Optera

Doctorwhorace


name=Optera
type=Multipedal insectsIn an apparent example of emerging speciation, some of the Menoptra fled underground, adapting to a subterranean environment and calling themselves the Optera. This species have lost the ability to fly, and resemble upright caterpillars, indicating that they had evolved through neoteny. They also have larger eyes than their Menoptra brethren. However, they have numerous arms and appear to 'hop' in a stylised way. With the Animus defeated, they appeared to believe that future generations of Optera would redevelop flight.

Venom Grubs

Unlike the other bipedal species of Vortis, Venom Grubs crawl along the ground. They were used as mobile weapons by the Zarbi, able to shoot venom from their snouts that proved fatal to all it touched. The Grubs were rendered harmless once the Zarbi were freed from the Animus's influence.

Venom Grubs were mentioned in the 2005 episode Boom Town, where it is implied that they are used to punish disobedient Slitheen. [cite episode
title = Boom Town
episodelink = Boom Town (Doctor Who)
series = Doctor Who
serieslink = Doctor Who
airdate = 2005-06-04
season = 27
number = 11]

Zarbi

Doctorwhorace


name=Zarbi
type=InsectoidThe Zarbi resemble giant ants, and according to the Menoptra have been used as cattle in the planet's history. These insectoids lack intelligence, and so were easily enslaved by the malevolant Animus and used against the Menoptra. When the Animus's evil influence was lifted through the intervention of a mysterious time traveller and his human companions, the Zarbi returned to their docile state.

According to the novelisation of "The Web Planet", [Strutton, B. (1965). "Doctor Who and the Zarbi."] the Zarbi reproduce through the "Zarbi Supremo", who acts like a queen bee. The Supremo also appeared in the 1966 "Doctor Who Annual".

Trivia

*"The Web Planet" was the first story in the history of "Doctor Who" to feature a completely alien supporting cast. [cite news | title = Web Planet author dies | work = Doctor Who – News | publisher = BBC | date = 2003-12-01 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/news/cult/news/drwho/2003/12/01/8284.shtml | accessdate = 2008-03-18]

*As well as the ambitious goal of depicting Vortis on a limited budget, the BBC production team and writer Bill Strutton took seriously the idea of representing an alien mind. For example, on encountering a wall, one Menoptra intones: "A silent wall. We must make mouths in it with our weapons, then it will speak more light." [cite web | title = The Web Planet | work = Doctor Who Classic Episode Guide | publisher = BBC | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/webplanet/detail.shtml | accessdate = 2008-03-18]

*The Isop Galaxy, where Vortis is, is said to be the home of the Face of Boe in the 2005 episode Bad Wolf. [cite episode | title = Bad Wolf | episodelink = Bad Wolf | series = Doctor Who | serieslink = Doctor Who | airdate = 2005-06-11 | season = 27 | number = 12]

Footnotes

External links

*BBCCDW | id=webplanet | title=The Web Planet
*Brief |id=n | title=The Web Planet
*Doctor Who RG | id=who_n | title=The Web Planet
*OG | id=n | title=The Web Planet
*Doctor Who RG | id=who_ma26 | title=Twilight of the Gods
* [http://members.lycos.co.uk/cloisterlibrary/twil.htm The Cloister Library - "Twilight of the Gods"]

Reviews

*OG review | id=n | title=The Web Planet
*DWRG | id=webp | title=The Web Planet
*OG review | id=ma-26 | title=Twilight of the Gods
*DWRG | id=twil | title=Twilight of the Gods
*DWRG | id=1966annual | title=1966 "Doctor Who" Annual

Target novelisation

*DWRG | id=webpnov | title=Doctor Who and the Zarbi
* [http://www.personal.leeds.ac.uk/~ecl6nb/OnTarget/1973/zarbi/73zarbi.htm On Target — "Doctor Who and the Zarbi"]

ee also

*"Doctor Who"
*List of Doctor Who monsters and aliens
*List of Doctor Who planets
*Whoniverse