The Vortex Indicator, also referred to as the Doctor's portmanteau coinage Vindicator, was a type of temporal technology used by the Fifteenth Doctor. The Vindicator could anchor on to a date a TARDIS was having trouble reaching and reel it in, a process the Doctor compared to fishing with a rod and reel.
Description[[edit] | [edit source]]
The Vortex Indicator was mostly made of metal, with an arm that had four extendable pieces at the end. Two fold-out metal panels served to help prop up the device so it could be set up to take a reading. The Vindicator dinged when it was done.
Its purpose was to lock on to a targeted location in time and space, allowing a TARDIS to be reeled in to a particular date, especially if the TARDIS was having trouble reaching that location. (TV: Lux [+]Loading...["Lux (TV story)"])
History[[edit] | [edit source]]
Belinda Chandra, the Doctor's companion at the time, wanted to be returned to her home time of 24 May 2025 in London, but for an unknown reason, the TARDIS was bouncing off of that date. The Doctor decided to use the Vortex Indicator to reach that date, first landing in 1952 Miami to take a reading. The Doctor told Belinda they might have to land more than once, (TV: Lux [+]Loading...["Lux (TV story)"]) which they were committed to when the Vindicator was unable to reel them in after having only one reading.
When arriving on planet 6-7-6-7 the Vindicator was again used, but the Doctor and Belinda were forced to stay on the planet with Squadron 7-7-5 until the dropship they had arrived on was able to land. Later, Mo Gilliben reported to her superior, Mrs Flood – whom she knew as Squadron Leader Chinchappa – who asked if the Doctor had been using the Vindicator, showing an image of the device. Upon Mo confirming this, Mrs Flood was pleased the Doctor was using it. (TV: The Well [+]Loading...["The Well (TV story)"])
The Doctor and Belinda landed in London early on New Year's Day 2007 to take a Vindicator reading. Belinda was pleased they had reached London, but disappointed when eight-year-old Conrad Clark told her what year it was. (TV: Lucky Day [+]Loading...["Lucky Day (TV story)"])
The Doctor and Belinda landed in Lagos in 2019 to take a reading, as the Doctor also sought to pick up computer parts from Lagos' communications market to use to try and boost the Vindicator signal. (TV: The Story & the Engine [+]Loading...["The Story & the Engine (TV story)"])
Arriving in 1656, the Doctor used the Vindicator again. While he and Belinda were distracted by what the Doctor described as a "will-o'-the-wisp", the being known as Robin Goodfellow took the device. (COMIC: His Mad Pranks [+]Loading...["His Mad Pranks (comic story)"])
When the TARDIS landed on Sooz, the Doctor's attempt to take a Vindicator reading was stymied by psychic interference. When the Doctor boosted the signal, the device picked up an agonizing psychic scream which was broadcast to the Doctor and Belinda, while people at a dance party nearby heard nothing, setting the two to investigate the source of the screaming. Mrs Flood watched them attempt to take a reading, and frowned at the psychic interference. (PROSE: Spectral Scream [+]Loading...["Spectral Scream (novel)"])
The Doctor took another reading at the Harmony Arena in 2925, completing the Vindicator. His success was monitored by Mrs Flood, who had a device tracking the Vindicator's readings. The Doctor successfully used the Vindicator to pilot the TARDIS back to 24 May 2025, however, the ship was caught up in the apparent destruction of Earth on that date. (TV: The Interstellar Song Contest [+]Loading...["The Interstellar Song Contest (TV story)"])
The Doctor's use of the device created a web of energy targeted on Earth on May 24, 2025, which served the plans of Mrs Flood in her true identity, the Time Lady known as the Rani. (TV: Wish World [+]Loading...["Wish World (TV story)"]) After bi-generating into her future self due to the events at the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest, (TV: The Interstellar Song Contest [+]Loading...["The Interstellar Song Contest (TV story)"]) the Rani acquired the Vindicator and used it to boost the power of Desiderium, an infant god of wishes she used to create the false reality of the Wish World on Earth, affixing the device to a large clock in her Bone Palace. The Rani's true goal in creating the Wish World was to destroy it through the power of doubt, allowing her access to the Underverse. (TV: Wish World [+]Loading...["Wish World (TV story)"]) Following this the vindicator would be used another time in an attempt to make reality thin but after Omega returned and ate the Rani the Fifteenth Doctor used the power of the vindicator to banish Omega back to the Underverse and as the Bone palace was erased from existence the Doctor dropped it has he ran to his TARDIS. (TV: The Reality War [+]Loading...["The Reality War (TV story)"]) The Vindicator was later placed in the Black Archive by UNIT. (GAME: "Black Archive" [+]Part of UNIT HQ, Loading...{"namedpart":"Black Archive","1":"UNIT HQ (video game)"})