Romanadvoratrelundar was a member of the House of Heartshaven. She graduated with a "triple first" from the Time Lord Academy on Gallifrey. One of her early jobs was working in the Bureau of Ancient Records on Gallifrey.
Romana I
Romanadvoratrelundar seemed to be a single, long name when she introduced herself to the Fourth Doctor. He seemed to have trouble pronouncing the full name, and quickly shortened it to "Romana". The Doctor later called her "Miss Dvoratrelundar" when she was a witness during his trial before the Megara.
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| Romana I. |
Romana first met the Doctor when she was a young (about one hundred thirty-nine) and relatively inexperienced Time Lady.
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| Romana I in white dress. Nom. |
The White Guardian originally assigned Romana to assist the Doctor during the quest for the Key to Time. Romana first appears in The Ribos Operation, and was intended as a contrast to her predecessor, the savage Leela. Romana is initially haughty and somewhat arrogant, looking down on the Doctor (whom she considers to be her academic inferior) and responding to his initial resentment at her presence with icy put-downs. However, she soon gains an appreciation for the Doctor's experience and sense of adventure, and begins to respect him as a teacher.
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| The Doctor and Romana. Icy put down. |
Romana II
The introduction of Romana's second incarnation in Destiny of the Daleks, treats the concept of regeneration humorously. At the beginning of the serial, Romana changes bodily forms several times, rather like someone casually trying on different outfits, before deciding to take the form of Princess Astra (who had been played by Lalla Ward in the final serial of Season 16, The Armageddon Factor.) This regeneration scene is controversial with some fans, as it does not conform with how regeneration is treated with regards to the Doctor or other Time Lord characters.
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| Princess Astra - Romana's next 'chosen' regenerative form. |
The Princess was the sixth child of the sixth dynasty of the sixth royal house of Atrios. Astra was kidnapped by the Shadow and taken to the third planet. She was later transformed to her true shape. After the Fourth Doctor had defeated the Black Guardian, Princess Astra was restored to her humanoid form and returned to normal life. She ruled her planet and presumably married Merak.
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| Romana II in her distinctive red coat. |
Romana II enjoys a more intimate relationship with the Doctor than her predecessor, to the point that some fans have assumed a romantic relationship with the Doctor. Although a relationship was never explicitly shown or intended by the writers, many fans have found the signs of a romantic relationship particularly evident in the story City of Death. In many ways, she is the companion most like her Doctor - besides being of the same race and comparable intelligence, she occasionally mimics his sense of style, wields her own sonic screwdriver and can occasionally get the better of him in moments of banter and more practical situations. As her practical experience develops, she also becomes more assured and capable in the situations she encounters.
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| Romana I and Romana II attempt to confuse the Doctor... |
At the end of the serial Meglos, Romana receives word from the Time Lords recalling her to Gallifrey. The opening of the next serial Full Circle makes it clear that, having travelled with the Doctor, she no longer desires to return home. Before the issue can be resolved, the TARDIS falls through a Charged Vacuum Emboitment. Her final television appearance was in Warriors' Gate, where, along with the robot dog K-9, she leaves to forge her own path in the parallel universe of E-space when faced with a choice of remaining there or returning to Gallifrey.
Alternate Romana I and Romana II painted for me by
Matt Slade.
