Doctor Who’s Shocking Twist: A Terrifying Concept Meets Star Trek’s Epic Legacy!

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Introducing Varada Sethu as the new character, Belinda Chandra, who joins Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor. Previously seen as Mundy Flynn in the previous season’s “Boom,” Varada now steps into a new role. Intriguingly, it remains unclear how the Doctor comes to seek out Belinda amidst the complexities of time travel, even for a series like Doctor Who. Notably, the initial plan was for Sasha 55, played by Evelyn Miller, to accompany the Doctor on a journey to the stars. However, her untimely demise during the battle against the titular robots in “The Robot Revolution” prevented this from happening.

Unlike many traveling companions, Belinda Chandra reluctantly joins the Doctor due to her eagerness to return home, yet finding herself unable to do so. Her predicament started when Jonny Green, her overbearing boyfriend, paid to have a star named after her as a birthday gift, which led to robots from that system abducting her to rule their planet. Remarkably, these robots, particularly the AI Generator, have a chilling agenda for Belinda. Although one might draw parallels between the AI Generator’s plan and the famous Cybermen from “Doctor Who,” they bear a closer resemblance to the Borg from “Star Trek.

The Robot Revolution’s Big Reveal Is More Star Trek’s Borg Than Cybermen

Alan’s Body Was Twisted as He Became One With the Machine

On the planet, it was actually Alan Budd who was abducted by robots prior to Belinda’s capture. However, due to a temporal distortion near the Missbelindachandra star system, he arrived there a decade before her. Their relationship ended due to allegations of manipulative behavior on Alan’s part. Finding life on this tranquil planet as just another game, Alan intertwined himself with technology, initiating the “Robot Revolution.” His objective was to assimilate Belinda’s consciousness and character into his own.

Writer Director Debut Date
Russell T Davies Peter Hoar April 12, 2025 8/10

As I sat there, watching the latest sci-fi flick unfold on the big screen, I found myself drawn into the tale of a man named Alan, who had been connected to machines for a decade. His physique had morphed into something mechanized, evoking memories of Star Trek’s Borg collective. The resemblance was striking enough that he seemed to have stepped right out of a Doctor Who episode.

However, unlike the Borg, Alan wasn’t driven by a hive mind or collective consciousness. Instead, his goal was to assimilate Belinda, but without incorporating her unique biological and mental traits into his own existence. A tiny, persistent voice within him, manifesting itself with every ninth utterance, cried out in agony, pleading for salvation.

Unlike the Borg or the Cybermen who are known to suppress their emotions, Alan found himself consumed by his darkest feelings. This emotional torment was what made his character stand out in this otherwise cold and calculating universe.

While he hasn’t become part of any group, instead he stands alone, experiencing loneliness and pain. The theme in “The Robot Revolution” portrays his ultimate gaming experience as extremely isolated. Alan is left feeling small next to Belinda’s independence, culminating in her rejection of him. This frustration is expressed through the war he launches, aiming to control humanity as a means to cope with these emotions. However, this act has stripped him of his own humanity, and paradoxically increased his suffering. In essence, Alan is more similar to the Cybermen than the Borg in that regard.

The Borg and the Cybermen Share a Concept, but Are More Different Than Alike

Star Trek and Doctor Who Take Different Approaches to ‘Assimilation’

For more than half a century, these tales have featured characters who all demonstrate a common characteristic: They harness technology to enhance their physical selves, which in turn leads to the eradication of their emotions, identity, and individuality. Stripped of these essential human traits, they transform into formidable conquerors who care little for the lives of other beings. This is reminiscent of Alan’s callous treatment towards humanity when he initiates the conflict between humans and robots on his planet.

  • The Borg were introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 2 created by Maurice Hurley
  • The Cybermen debuted in the fourth series of classic Doctor Who, created by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis

In the contemporary era of Doctor Who, there appeared beings hailing from a parallel Earth, who were defeated by the Doctor in part by rekindling their connection to human emotions. Much like Alan, the anguish and misery caused by their enhanced physiques proved unbearable for them. The Cybermen’s “perfection” was far from flawless. Similarly, the Borg share this trait as they continually strive for technological perfection, mirroring the Cybermen’s ambition to augment themselves.

Unlike the Borg, depicted in shows like “The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Voyager”, characters such as Hugh and Seven of Nine, and unlike Alan, they don’t aim to control others’ minds. However, there is a similarity between them and the Great Al Generator – they both disregard individuality. This was something that upset Belinda, being an independent thinker, as it conflicted with her human and machine identities.

The Robot Revolution’s Great Al Generator Is a Confusing Concept, at First

Alan Suffers a Horrible Transformation, but It’s One He Chose to Undergo

In this scenario, assimilation isn’t something one chooses willingly. However, Alan opted to transform into what he did, as it gave him a sense of power, while Belinda’s rejection made him feel insignificant. Just like the Cybermen, they don’t provide their victims with an option either. Blinded by his insecurities and disregard for others, Alan was destined to transform into the technologically grotesque creature that Belinda and the Doctor encountered 10 years following his arrival. Although it’s a clever metaphor, the time-travel aspect is quite complex, even for ‘Doctor Who’.

And so, you’re telling me that this planet is under my control? I get to establish the guidelines and come out on top? Very well then, hand it over to me.

As a movie buff, I’d rephrase it like this:

For my birthday, something extraordinary arrived from my future, but due to a strange time anomaly near our system, it landed millennia in the past. This unexpected event wasn’t just a bootstrap paradox in the episode; it was Alan who sent the robots to abduct me, yet I ended up being the one who set the wheels in motion for them to capture him too. The time anomaly played a tricky game with our arrival timeline, creating this intricate loop that ultimately led to the robot revolution as we know it from the title.

Apart from everything else, the Doctor intervened due to these events unfolding. When Belinda touched her certificate to the artifact that Alan was holding, it led to a disastrous paradox. The Doctor rescued Belinda, which enabled him to grasp her entire chronology. After extricating her from the paradox, the Doctor mentioned they had a long history, despite them just meeting when she landed on the planet. This plotline might be the most intricate time-travel scenario in the series.

How the Humans and the Robots on ‘Missbelindachandra’ Unite Is the Real Victory

Just Like in Star Trek, Doctor Who Says Synthetic Beings Are ‘People,’ Too

For Alan, the resolution of the paradox leads to his demise, which in turn sets the robots free from his dominion, enabling them to establish a peaceful coexistence with humans on the planet. Remarkably, even though they are artificially intelligent, these robots function as equal members of this society. After enduring a decade of conflict and oppression, The Doctor and Belinda depart from this society in a significantly improved state compared to when they first arrived.

If Alan’s change resembles that of the malevolent Borg, then his robots are now more similar to a community. They are a group of beings who have chosen to be assimilated and upgraded with technology. This choice is made due to a desire for companionship, as they no longer wish to live alone. Ironically, the “Jurati Collective” could have been a community that Alan would have found beneficial.

Based on Belinda receiving her star certificate being part of the planet’s history, it’s plausible that the Doctor and Belinda haven’t finished with these characters just yet. They might need to resolve this time paradox before the end of the current season, but there’s also a chance that this storyline remains unresolved for another doctor to address at a later time. Regardless, for the inhabitants of the Missbelindachandra star system, their future is in their own hands and will be shaped by them collectively.

New episodes of Doctor Who debut Saturdays on Disney+.

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2025-04-28 03:51