The Tragic Fate of Doctor Who's Beloved Companion: Unveiling the Untold Story after 54 Years
Unveiling the Heartbreaking Fate of Jamie, Doctor Who's Forgotten Companion Prepare to be moved by the untold story of a tragic departure and the aftermath of Jamie McCrimmon's journey beyond the TARDIS
Content: The most heartbreaking exit of a Doctor Who companion did not involve Donna Noble or Adric, but rather occurred 54 years ago. Donna Noble's tragic ending may be resolved when she reappears with the Fourteenth Doctor in the show's 60th anniversary specials. Although it was devastating to witness Donna lose all her memories of traveling with the Doctor, she managed to return to a much improved home life. Her mother Sylvia Noble seemed to become more supportive, and she also found love with Shaun Temple, both of whom will make a return in the 60th anniversary.
In contrast, the death of Adric, companion to the Fifth Doctor, can be seen as more heroic than what the selfish and petulant young mathematician deserved. Adric's noble sacrifice to save the Earth from the Cybermen demonstrated his personal growth. While Adric received a heroic death, Donna Noble lost her memories but discovered the fulfilling life she had always desired on Earth. These were small positive aspects in two of the most tragic exits of Doctor Who companions. However, Jamie McCrimmon, companion to the Second Doctor, experienced a Doctor Who ending that appeared to lack any positives whatsoever.
Why Jamie's Doctor Who Ending Was So Tragic
During the conclusion of the Second Doctor's final adventure, "The War Games," he undergoes a forced regeneration and is banished to Earth. His companions Jamie and Zoe Herriot (Wendy Padbury) are sent back to their respective time periods, their memories of their adventures with the Doctor erased after their initial encounter. Zoe returns to her normal life aboard the advanced space station called the Wheel, where she works as a librarian and Astrometricist. However, Jamie faces a much more challenging fate, as he is sent back to the Highlands of Scotland right after the Jacobite rebellion.
Towards the end of "The War Games," just prior to the Second Doctor's compelled regeneration, Jamie is seen on the battlefields of Culloden once again. He raises his sword and charges into battle with the motivating cry of "Creag an tuire." Life becomes harsh for those loyal to the Jacobite rebellion, as they must endure the severe consequences imposed by the British government. This is showcased in Jamie's introductory Doctor Who serial entitled "The Highlanders," which unveils the limited choices available to Jamie and his fellow Jacobites in the year 1745.
Jamie's Doctor Who Departure Could Have Been Different
: In "The Highlanders", Jamie and Ben Jackson, the Doctor's companion, were forcibly sold into slavery and sent to work on the West Indian plantations, enduring seven grueling years of hard labor. While Jamie was fortunate enough to be rescued, countless others suffered without hope. However, by returning Jamie McCrimmon to the Highlands during such treacherous times, it essentially condemned him to a death sentence. Once back in his own time period, Jamie faced either a life of servitude or the merciless Duke of Cumberland's execution.
Prior to "The War Games," actor Frazer Hines had contemplated leaving Doctor Who. However, he ultimately decided to depart alongside Patrick Troughton and Wendy Padbury. Although there was a basic framework for Jamie's potential exit known as "The Laird of McCrimmon," it was never fully developed. Nevertheless, this unfinished story sheds light on an alternative path for Jamie. Taking place in the year 1746, the narrative would have transported Jamie back to his homeland in the Highlands of Scotland. Within the confines of a besieged castle, he would have faced off against the Great Intelligence and its loyal Yeti minions.
After overpowering the Yeti and vanquishing the Great Intelligence once and for all, the Second Doctor would bid farewell to Jamie, who assumed the role of laird, and opted to settle down with a local woman. Unfortunately, the relationship between Great Intelligence creators Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln and the BBC turned sour, resulting in the stalling of any further development of the storyline. Additionally, Frazer Hines' personal decision to continue his journey as a companion alongside the Doctor likely contributed to the abandonment of this particular narrative.
What Happened To Jamie McCrimmon After Doctor Who?
The fate of Jamie McCrimmon after his time on Doctor Who remains unclear. In "The Five Doctors," the Second Doctor encountered phantom versions of his companions, and it appeared that he was reunited with Jamie in "The Two Doctors" in 1985. The noticeable aging of Patrick Troughton and Frazer Hines since their last appearance in 1969 sparked speculation among fans that their storyline actually occurred after "The War Games." This theory of a hidden Second Doctor season has been embraced by fandom and spin-off media, inspiring various projects such as the fan film Devious and the latest Second Doctor adventures by Big Finish.
In Grant Morrison's comic strip The World Shapers, Jamie's alternate future is depicted as an elderly man with eccentric beliefs, shunned by his village. Despite arriving too late, the Sixth Doctor joins forces with Jamie, Peri, and Frobisher to defeat the Cybermen. Regrettably, Jamie sacrifices himself to save the universe by destroying the Voord's Worldshaper device.
However, in the televised series, Jamie's story concludes with his return to Scotland in the 1740s, where he faces poverty, execution, and potential enslavement. This tragic fate in "The War Games" is likely why Doctor Who fans embraced the idea of the Second Doctor's "Season 6b". Jamie McCrimmon, a beloved companion, did not deserve such a grim destiny. By suggesting that the Second Doctor came back for his old friend, it implies that their adventures continue somewhere out there.
