ANALYTICAL: GOING BEYOND: A GUIDED TOUR OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSE - PART 2

Analyzing the strange things that exist beyond our Universe continues. In this second part, we will examine a few of places out there that seem a bit more rare. We'll also keep looking through their various predominant traits to help us better understand their mechanics. 

I finished off Part One with a Special Note about Anti-Zones: a special extension of the Void that helps to protect our version of reality. Because they don't occur often, they should, perhaps, be listed here. But I decided that, since they also relate to the Void, I thought it might be better if I put them in the first part. However, there are a few more Special Notes that need to be listed about some other rare phenomenon that we see out there.  




*A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT THE REALITY OF BATTLEFIELD 

To all intents and purposes, it would seem that the beings who cross over into our dimension in the story Battlefield are from a parallel universe. One where the Arthurian Legends turn out to be true. Certainly, we hear this other dimension described in similar fashion to the way other parallel realities are described. Of particular note is the way the Doctor talks about how the distress call came from "sideways in time". Sounds quite a bit like the way the Doctor Three talks about being "slipped sideways in time" during Inferno.

I would contest, however, that this is not a parallel universe. Based primarily on the idea that a parallel reality is created by a choice. I'm not sure what sort of choice suddenly causes magic to exist. To me, this other dimension is a place inhabited by a humanoid species that is capable of using magic. It is not a reality that is the same as our own that broke off into a schism caused by a decision someone made within it. Magic is a genuine and accessible energy in this other dimension. The beings from this other reality can even bring some of that magical energy into our own universe and use it. But, since magic doesn't already exist in our dimension, I'm not sure how this could be a parallel universe.


*A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT SINGULARITY POINTS

Similar to the Void and anti-zones, the Singularity Point in The Three Doctors seems to be a special place existing between two universes that acts as a sort of buffer. In this case, it is a crossing zone between our universe and the universe of anti-matter. It's not quite in either of these universes, however. So this gets us to believe that it is another crossover point between the two.

In many ways, a Singularity Point fits this particular category. However, because such a place seems to require a strong willed being to sustain it, we might wonder if a Singularity Point might also be a pocket universe of sorts (we'll be learning about them in just a few short paragraphs). I would be more inclined to believe that this is a sort of hybrid dimension. A place outside our own universe that possesses the characteristics of two different types of realities.


PART TWO: THE LESS COMMON STUFF

With those Special Notes covered, let's now move on to some things out there that don't seem to occur that naturally...


POCKET UNIVERSES

While pocket dimensions only seem to receive that label in stories like Hide and The Doctor's Wife, we can assume that, like the Void, there have been examples in the Classic Series that just weren't given that name. I would think that the Celestial Toymaker's dimension (sometimes known as the Celestial Toyroom) and the Land of Fiction were also pocket universes.

It seems that one of the most predominant traits of a pocket universe is that they require a being of enormous will power to sustain them for any real amount of time. The "plughole universe" - as the Doctor calls it - in The Doctor's Wife is given a very short life expectancy once House has left it. Which leads us to believe that he was holding it together. The Celestial Toyroom depends even more greatly on this principal. It collapses the moment its Master is defeated in the Trilogic game. The pocket dimension in Hide is in the process of collapsing when the Doctor enters it. More than likely because there is no central will sustaining it. A special machine seems to have been built for the Land of Fiction, that can allow a normal human to be hooked up to it and have their will amplified to the point of holding reality together. Once the machine overloads, of course, the universe collapses.

One could even say that the Solitract is a sort of sentient pocket universe. It sustains itself through its own will power. A bit of a different process from the other examples we've listed but still similar enough in principal to lump it into this category. 

Size: As the title implies, a pocket universe is much smaller in size than our own reality. Oftentimes, it appears as merely a tract of land made of very limited space. Probably the largest example we've seen was in The Doctor's Wife. House had grown into a small asteroid of junk that seemed to fit within the dimension. Everything else we've seen of these universes has been considerably smaller.

General Aesthetics: While existing on a smaller scale, pocket universes seem to resemble our own. The one in Hide, in fact, is sometimes referred to as an "echo dimension". Which implies, even more, a similar aesthetic to our own. To some extent, one must assume that the appearance of a pocket universe depends on what its Master chooses it to look like. Hence the Land of Fiction being a place that is inhabited by fictional characters and fairy-tale-like buildings and structures. Or the Celestial Toyroom being made up of characters and places that have an infantile aesthetic to them.

Entry Points: Pocket Universes seem to have, at least, one naturally-occurring rift that leads into them. The Land of Fiction and the Solitract do have buffer zones that help separate them from us. But, even within those zones, rifts seem to exist. Some of these rifts seem easier to pass through than others. But this does seem to be the only way into a pocket dimension.

Level of Incursion: With the exception of Hide, we spend a considerable amount of time in pocket universes whenever they are introduced into a story. Even in Hide, we get quite a few solid minutes within this special dimension. But most stories spend far more time within these realities than we see in Hide.


E-SPACE - THE GREATEST EXCEPTION TO ALL THE RULES

Finally, of course, there's E-Space. Easily, the most interesting of all places that exist beyond our Universe. Because we spend a total of twelve episodes in this other universe, a lot of details are given about it.

E-Space doesn't quite fit into any of the other categories we have discussed so far. And yet, it does seem to possess several of their traits. Most obvious is how it is mentioned several times that E-Space is considerably smaller than our reality. Which makes it seem like it might be a pocket dimension of sorts. We also get told that E-Space is negatively charged while we live in a positively charged universe. Which vaguely implies anti-matter. There's also quite a bit of jargon regarding "parallel coordinates" as they try to work out the problem with the image translator in Full Circle. The Doctor and Romana are meant to go to Gallifrrey. Instead, the end up on Alzarius. A planet in the exact same place where Gallifrey is meant to be. One almost wonders if there might be hints of a parallel universe going on here, too.

Regardless of all these similar characteristics, E-Space is still very much its own unique reality. We do wonder if there are other universes like it. We, apparently, inhabit N-Space. Could there be other dimensions of this nature with letters for names? We're never given any proper evidence, but it's an interesting theory to ponder....

Size: It is clearly stated in multiple instances that E-Space is much smaller than our universe. This, in fact, helps the Doctor to navigate through it more accurately and to accomplish "short hops" with better efficiency. As he does in State of Decay.

General Aesthetics: While life on its various planets seems quite different from ours, it still greatly resembles our universe. A human-like species does dwell on some of these worlds. We also see the TARDIS travelling through space in certain shots. While considerably smaller, E-Space is still large enough to have constellations. It is a very similar universe to our own.

Entry Points: To the best of our knowledge, the only way into E-Space is through artificially-created Charged Vacuum Embointments (CVEs, for short). The Doctor and Romana accidentally passed through one created by the Logopolitans. But my guess would be that other CVEs have been created over the years and that some exploration has been done in E-Space. Otherwise, how would the Doctor have as much knowledge as he does about this reality? It may not be him that's entered this universe before, but he has read up on the discoveries of other explorers who have.

Level Of Incursion; Full Circle spends almost all its time in E-Space. Its first few minutes are in N-Space and then they pass through the CVE and are stranded there for the rest of the story. State of Decay takes place entirely in E-Space. I'm led to believe, however, that Warrior's Gate takes place in the Void.



We have now itemized and analyzed every type of place that seems to exist outside of our Universe. Or, at least, I'm pretty sure we did. I try to be as thorough as possible but Doctor Who is a pretty long-running show. Lots of content to cover!

We're moving towards the end of the year, now. Which means another countdown from my BOOK OF LISTS will be on the way soon. I will, however, try to slip one more entry in that isn't so opinion-based before we get to the countdown. Not sure what I'll cover, yet. But I'll come up with something!   



Here's Part One if you missed it:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2019/10/analytical-going-beyond-guided-tour.html