Trix MacMillan
Encyclopedia
Beatrix MacMillan, or simply Trix, is a fictional character
in the Eighth Doctor Adventures
novels based upon the British
science fiction
television series, Doctor Who
. The Eighth Doctor
first met her in the novel Time Zero
by Justin Richards
, but it was not until the novel Timeless
by Stephen Cole
that she went on to become one of his companions
. The canonicity of the novels with respect to the television series, like other Doctor Who spin-offs
, is open to interpretation.
Trix's name may be a reference to Tricia McMillan
a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
, by Douglas Adams
, who was a script editor on Doctor Who and wrote a number of stories for the series.
, possibly involved in sex work
at some point. In The Gallifrey Chronicles
by Lance Parkin
she at one point evades arrest by police, who know her by the name "Patricia Joanne Pullman" and are seeking her for the murder of Anthony Charles Macmillan (suggesting that the name she uses while travelling in the TARDIS
is an alias).
When she first met the Doctor
, she was posing as a descendant of Tsar Nicholas II, a role that the Doctor's then-nemesis Sabbath
hired her to play. At the end of the novel, she stowed away in the TARDIS, making brief appearances in some subsequent stories but managing to avoid detection by the Doctor and his companions until Timeless.
Possessing several character flaws and fleeing her unpleasant past, Trix is among the Doctor's more troubled companions. She is rather materialistic (a trait which causes particular problems in Emotional Chemistry
by Simon A. Forward
) as well as deceptive. Although her expertise in the art of disguise has proved useful at several points in her adventures with the Doctor, it also left her vulnerable to the allure of an alien
that offered her the ability to remake her body at will in Halflife
by Mark Michalowski
.
In The Gallifrey Chronicles it is revealed that she has been collaborating with the Doctor's former companion Anji Kapoor
(who left the TARDIS shortly after Trix was discovered) passing Anji information about the future on her returns to contemporary Earth, enabling Anji to invest accordingly in her job as a stockbroker. Also in that novel, she began a romantic relationship with her fellow companion Fitz Kreiner
, and the pair made plans to stop travelling with the Doctor and settle for a while on contemporary Earth using some of the proceeds. However, the novel ends before revealing whether they eventually went through with this plan.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the Eighth Doctor Adventures
Eighth Doctor Adventures
The Eighth Doctor Adventures are a series of spin off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who and published under the BBC Books imprint. 73 books were published overall...
novels based upon the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series, Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. The Eighth Doctor
Eighth Doctor
The Eighth Doctor is the eighth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by Paul McGann...
first met her in the novel Time Zero
Time Zero
Time Zero is a BBC Books original novel written by Justin Richards and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Anji and introduces a new companion, Trix.-Plot:...
by Justin Richards
Justin Richards
Justin Richards is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day...
, but it was not until the novel Timeless
Timeless (Doctor Who)
Timeless is a BBC Books original novel written by Stephen Cole and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz, Anji and Trix.-External links:*...
by Stephen Cole
Stephen Cole (writer)
Stephen Cole is an author of children's books and science fiction. He was also in charge of BBC Worldwide's merchandising of the BBC Television series Doctor Who between 1997 and 1999: this was a role which found him deciding on which stories should be released on video, commissioning and editing...
that she went on to become one of his companions
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
. The canonicity of the novels with respect to the television series, like other Doctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs
Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of, but related to, the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who....
, is open to interpretation.
Trix's name may be a reference to Tricia McMillan
Trillian (character)
Tricia McMillan, also known as Trillian Astra, is a fictional character from Douglas Adams' series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. She is most commonly referred to simply as "Trillian", a modification of her birth name, which she adopted because it sounded more "space-like". According to the...
a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy series created by Douglas Adams. Originally a radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted to other formats, and over several years it gradually became an international multi-media phenomenon...
, by Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
, who was a script editor on Doctor Who and wrote a number of stories for the series.
Character history
The details of Trix's life before becoming involved with the Doctor have never been made clear, but it seems likely that she was a con artistConfidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
, possibly involved in sex work
Sex worker
A sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. The term is usually used in reference to those in the sex industry that actually provide such sexual services, as opposed to management and staff of such industries...
at some point. In The Gallifrey Chronicles
The Gallifrey Chronicles (2005 novel)
For the John Peel book of the same name, see: The Gallifrey Chronicles The Gallifrey Chronicles is a BBC Books original novel written by Lance Parkin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
by Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin
Lance Parkin is a British author, best known for writing fiction and reference books for television series, in particular Doctor Who and Emmerdale...
she at one point evades arrest by police, who know her by the name "Patricia Joanne Pullman" and are seeking her for the murder of Anthony Charles Macmillan (suggesting that the name she uses while travelling in the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
is an alias).
When she first met the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, she was posing as a descendant of Tsar Nicholas II, a role that the Doctor's then-nemesis Sabbath
Sabbath (Doctor Who)
Sabbath is the name of a recurring villain from the Eighth Doctor Adventures — spin-off novels based on the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. The character was created by Lawrence Miles and first appeared in The Adventuress of Henrietta Street...
hired her to play. At the end of the novel, she stowed away in the TARDIS, making brief appearances in some subsequent stories but managing to avoid detection by the Doctor and his companions until Timeless.
Possessing several character flaws and fleeing her unpleasant past, Trix is among the Doctor's more troubled companions. She is rather materialistic (a trait which causes particular problems in Emotional Chemistry
Emotional Chemistry
Emotional Chemistry is a BBC Books original novel written by Simon A. Forward and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Trix....
by Simon A. Forward
Simon A. Forward
Simon A. Forward is an author and dramatist most famous for his work on a variety of Doctor Who spin-offs. He currently lives and works in Penzance with his wife as a full-time writer.-Work:...
) as well as deceptive. Although her expertise in the art of disguise has proved useful at several points in her adventures with the Doctor, it also left her vulnerable to the allure of an alien
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
that offered her the ability to remake her body at will in Halflife
Halflife (Doctor Who)
Halflife is a BBC Books original novel written by Mark Michalowski and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Eighth Doctor, Fitz and Trix.-Plot:...
by Mark Michalowski
Mark Michalowski
Mark Michalowski is the editor of Shout!, "Yorkshire's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender paper", as well as being an author best known for his work writing spin-offs based on the BBC Television series Doctor Who...
.
In The Gallifrey Chronicles it is revealed that she has been collaborating with the Doctor's former companion Anji Kapoor
Anji Kapoor
Anji Kapoor, or simply Anji, is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures, a novel series based upon the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. The Eighth Doctor first met her in the novel Escape Velocity by Colin Brake, and she went on to become one of his companions....
(who left the TARDIS shortly after Trix was discovered) passing Anji information about the future on her returns to contemporary Earth, enabling Anji to invest accordingly in her job as a stockbroker. Also in that novel, she began a romantic relationship with her fellow companion Fitz Kreiner
Fitz Kreiner
Fitzgerald Michael Kreiner, or simply Fitz, is a fictional character in the Eighth Doctor Adventures novels based upon the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. The Eighth Doctor first met him in the novel The Taint by Michael Collier — the character was co-created by Stephen Cole...
, and the pair made plans to stop travelling with the Doctor and settle for a while on contemporary Earth using some of the proceeds. However, the novel ends before revealing whether they eventually went through with this plan.