we're all stories in the end...

The Doctor's history is wrapped in legend, tales passed down through generations across time and space, his exploits documented on Video, recorded on Audio, written in Prose, sketched in Art.
And inevitably the stories have become embroidered and elaborated, as is the want with tales of fantasy and adventure.
The Doctor is engulfed in subjective interpretation.
Everything we know about him is a retelling of old tales, some half remembered some entirely fabricated. Peeling back the layers to reveal the truth is like walking through a labyrinth of rumours that double back and contradict each other.

You should never spoil a good tale with the truth, but when it's the truth that you seek, when you aspire to archaeology rather than poetry, then it becomes imperative to uncover the solid core that runs through the centre of the stories, the bedrock on which their foundation is built.

Unquestionably the most authentic records are to be found in the BBC Video Broadcasts from Sol III (Terra), but even these accounts, regarded as 'canon' amongst academics, are portrayed by actors playing their parts. Their accessories are props that approximate reality, their actions are subject to interpretation and conjecture.
The truth is out there, but you have to look past the elaborations and inconsistencies to reassess and bring events into a cohesive line of reckoning.
It has been the purpose of this paper, (as well as my life's work), to unravel the tangled web of intrigue surrounding The Doctor, (be it ever so beguiling), and to reveal definitively and unambiguously a true and accurate account of The Doctor's Timeline.
A clear and definable history of his travels through time and space, extracted from the chaos of rumour and subterfuge, by reference to reliable sources, original research, and genuine artifacts.

Where there have been insoluble inconsistencies in the storyline, or where it drifts into areas that are untenable, it has been possible to re-establish events by accessing The Time Matrix during periods of Dream Sleep and extrapolating brief glimpses of the Doctor's experiences from the mainframe databanks.

There are those who question whether access to the Time Matrix by a humble archivist is even possible. All is not as it seems.
I remain unrepentant.

What follows, then, is a re-evaluation, (sometimes radical), of the timeline and events surrounding and appertaining to the Time Lord known as The Doctor.
Based on authentic artifacts surreptitiously loaned from the Panopticon Library, assiduously meticulous research, impeccable deduction, and the sure assertion that, while everybody's viewpoint is equal, mine is more equal than everyone else's.

The Curator

References to The Doctor's Regeneration Timeline in which the 'War Doctor' is excluded from the natural numerical progression, is a cause of confusion between Terra (Sol III) and Gallifreyan sequencing.

For the purposes of this study, and references in the archive, strict Gallifreyan Numbering of The Doctors timeline is adhered to throughout.

By convention the Doctor's Regeneration Timeline is divided into distinct eras, here referred to as the 'Classic' and 'Renaissance' periods, along with a 'Parallel' timeline following a convergance with an alternative universe.
These divisions are primarily aesthetic and are indicative of a perceived shift in stylisation.
The 'Classic' period begins with the 1st Doctor and runs through to the formative years of the 8th, prior to his involvement in the Time War.

The Time War marks a shift in stylisation that prompts the 'Renaissance' period to begin as the 8th Doctor is drawn into the conflict, running through to the events leading to the regeneration of the 13th Doctor.

The regeneration of the 13th Doctor is disrupted by a Fixed Traumatic Event with a version of The Doctor in an alternate parallel universe, failing to complete their regeneration mid-cycle, reaching across the void to leach the 13th Doctor's regeneration energy.

With the 13th Doctor failing to complete his regeneration his story in this universe finally ended.
The Parallel Doctor, continued in her own alternate timeline but, unaware that she had cross-generated, retained the memories from the 13th Doctor's timeline. Her own timeline arc, mavitating towards re-establishing itself, opened a gateway to the forces of chaos and disorder allowing them to dizznify the story arc by intertwining the threads of continuity, corrupting the timeline awareness, and rendering it unreliable and unsubtatiated.

The contents of this archive focus on the 'Classic' and 'Renaissance' periods, being closed loop and thus suitable for reliable study.

The pivotal break-through in Gallifreyan applied Time Travel physics originated with the development of the multi-dimensional Molecule 743.D15.

Named Chronotium by the scientists who invented it and Gallifreynian Concrete by the artisans who worked with it, (due to its heavy and glutinous consistency when in its formative molten state), Chronotium molecules provided the Time Lords with their first opportunity to achieve their goal of stable travel through inter-dimensional space time.

The theoretical principle of using rudimentary Five Dimensional molecule structures for use in Time Travel had been well understood by the Time Lords for several millennia, but their practical application presented unresolveable problems of Paradox Instability in the Time Line.
Breaking through the 5th dimension barrier into the 7th, and then 11th dimensions, (prime numbers being pivotal points for dimensional stability), provided limited protection to the Time Line, but it was breaking through into the 13th Dimension, with the development of Chronotium, that secured the realisation of relatively stable time travel. With the strict proviso that the time traveller acted responsibly in avoiding paradox events by not attempting to cross their own Time Line, (except for cheap tricks).

Though not in themselves organic, Chronotium molecules exhibit 'memory' retention properties and are able to act as a conduit between organic and synthetic elements on a psychic level, allowing organic sensibilities to influence and control mechanical functioning, and making Time Travel navigation an act of persuasion as much as calculation.

Structurally Chronotium is immensely resilient and almost indestructible, easily able to withstand most physical attacks with impunity. Being inside a Chronotium constructed capsule is as safe a place in the Universe that you are going to get.

The first working proto-type TT Capsule, the Type 40 Mk1, formed the basis for all Gallifreyan Time Travel Capsules, using a symbiotic integration between organic and mechanical components, (a TARDIS was 'grown' as well as 'built').
They were emphatically not Cybernetic. The organic elements were sentient, (with a tendency towards being temperamental), and worked in conjunction with, and alongside the synthetic componets.
Later development of the Time Capsules focused on reducing their dependancy on sentient organic elements, making them less prone to temperamental contrariness.
The announcement of the development of the Type 40 capsule by the Gallifreyan High Council was met with cautious excitement by the citizens of Gallifrey. It marked a momentous event in Gallifreyan history, but it came with overwhelming responsibility, and some factions of its normally convivial and pliant citizenship began to issue quiet rumblings of concern.
This was of significant worry to the Gallifreyan High Council who wanted to avoid any stains adhering to their flagship project.

In an unusual and unprecedented appeal to its populace, the Time Lords embarked on a PR exercise to quell uncertainty and promote the Type 40 Time Capsule as the grounding future for Gallifreyan generations to come. They launched a populist appeal by announcing a competition to give a name to the Time Capsules, confident that, once the initial excitement had abated, the frivolity of the naming fiasco could be quietly dropped and they would return to more utilitarian nomenclature.

The competition was open to all students under the age of 16, with the winner receiving a much coveted Blue Petronius Badge which, along with peer prestige, gave the bearer free access to selected museums and scientific establishments throughout Gallifrey.
Susan Foreman was one of many youngsters who, engulfed by the excitement of the new venture, determined to enter the competition.
Though prone to an inquisitively rebellious nature, she was also ardently studious and wanted her application to reflect the marvel of the science behind the project.

In her idling time she had already noted that the Chronotium molecule signature 743.D15, bore a strong resemblance to the cypheric lettering 'TARDIS' and thought this to be a nice sounding name, especially as her much loved Grandmother had been named Idris, for which this was an almost, (if not quite), appealing anagram.

Her Grandfather, while managing to conceal that he was quite moved by the dedication to his late wife, suggested that to further enhance the possibility of her winning the competition she should perhaps consider regarding the name as a mnemonic and assign an appropriate nomenclature for TARDIS.
Susan gave her Grandfather's suggestion careful consideration, finally announcing to him that it stood for 'Totally Awesome Rocket Displayed In Style'.
Her Grandfather was somewhat perplexed. He was aware that 'Totally Awesome' was youthful parlance, but was unsure of its application in this instance. It certainly wasn't a 'Rocket'. And the claim that it was 'Displayed In Style' was open to considerable dispute. In an uncharacteristic act of empathy he congratulated her on her thoughtful and insightful creativity but, suggesting it might be a little too 'racy' for the old fuddy-duddies on the Gallifreyan High Council, advised that something more mundane like, oh, I don't know, 'Time And Relative Dimensions In Space', might go down better.

It was imperative however, that under no circumstances should she give any hint that he had made any such suggestion himself, or that he had aided her in any way, as it was strictly against the rules of the competition. Advice that Susan took to heart, enthusiastically avoiding mentioning his contribution on any and all occasions that arose where she had such an opportunity.
Susan's entry won first prize and, much to the dismay of the Gallifreyan High Council, was so acclaimed by the citizens of Gallifrey that TARDIS became an official part of the language and was unilaterally adopted by everyone, including the grey-haired scientists, when referring to Gallifreyan Time Travel Capsules.

Shortly afterwards, while on a school science outing, Susan used her Blue Petronius Badge to gain access to the Time Capsule Workshops and with her Grandfather, whose moral compass was becoming increasingly suspect, stole a Type 40 TARDIS and embarked on their own travels through Time and Space.