Doctor Who: Who Was Kate Stewart’s Father?

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Doctor Who: Who Was Kate Stewart's Father?

Highlights

  • Kate Stewart is a pivotal character in modern Doctor Who as the head of the new science-led UNIT.
  • Kate’s approach owes a lot to her father, who played a huge and influential role in
    Doctor Who
    for decades.
  • Fans may not have seen Kate’s father in the main series of modern
    Doctor Who
    (post-2005), but he has made his presence felt in some surprising ways.

As a longtime fan of Doctor Who, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration and respect for Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, better known as the Brigadier. His life experience is nothing short of extraordinary, and his impact on the show is second only to the Doctor himself.

Over the last ten years, Kate Stewart has emerged as a regular and trustworthy figure in “Doctor Who,” taking on significant roles during the series’ historic 50th and 60th anniversary specials. Despite UNIT undergoing various transformations, Stewart’s composed and resolute leadership remains a steadfast presence.

Supporters of the program understand that UNIT is crucial for Earth’s safety, frequently supplying the muscle to support the Doctor’s schemes. This elite military group, established to combat alien menaces, has defended our planet against the Daleks, Cybermen, Zygons, Sontarans, and numerous other perils. In contemporary times, UNIT has shifted towards a more scientific strategy for protection under Kate Stewart’s guidance. Appointed Commander-in-Chief of UNIT in 2024, her connection to one of Doctor Who‘s iconic characters adds an emotional depth.

Who is Kate Stewart?

Doctor Who: Who Was Kate Stewart's Father?

In Series 7’s “The Power of the Three” (2012), Kate Stewart made her debut. As the Head Scientist of UNIT, she transformed the Unified Intelligence Taskforce from a primarily military organization to one that prioritized science. This marked a notable change from the way UNIT operated during the Doctor’s ninth and tenth tenures and throughout most of the Classic Series.

Since the 1960s, UNIT had played a crucial role in Doctor Who as the military counterpart to the Doctor’s scientific expertise. The Doctor’s longest tenure with UNIT occurred during the Third Doctor’s era when he served as the organization’s scientific advisor. Their partnership was often fraught with tension due to differing perspectives. However, with Kate’s arrival and her successful transformation of UNIT into a more scientifically-focused entity while still maintaining a formidable military presence, it represented the most significant evolution of the Doctor’s influence on the organization.

Kate’s loyalty towards the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Doctors, including her defiance against UNIT during the “Flux” storyline, proved beneficial. In the era of the Fourteenth Doctor, Kate has advanced to head the organization, relocating it to impressive new headquarters that dominate London’s skyline.

Fans of “Doctor Who” have had a long-standing relationship with UNIT’s influence on the Doctor’s Earthly escapades throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. However, UNIT’s role in the series feels more prominent than ever before. Much of this can be attributed to Kate, an essential supporting character. From her command of UNIT to her heartfelt conversations with the Doctor about family, she plays a pivotal role. A firm and resolute leader, yet compassionate and fair, she is a source of pride for her father, who imparted the wisdom “science leads.” Though this phrase has long been associated with Kate’s father, it wasn’t always clear that the Doctor’s cherished friend held such beliefs.

Who Was Kate Stewart’s Father?

During their initial encounter, the Eleventh Doctor quickly recognized Kate based on her last name, which she had shortened to avoid preferential treatment. Kate is the offspring of Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, most famously known as the Brigadier in “Doctor Who.” He led UNIT UK for a significant portion of the classic series and left an indelible mark on the show, with Kate Stewart being a notable testament to his legacy.

Nicholas Courtney’s character made numerous appearances alongside various Doctors, undergoing a significant character development and rescuing Earth multiple times. However, their connection with the Doctor wasn’t always harmonious.

The Brigadier joined the regular cast of “Doctor Who” in 1970 when the show transitioned to color and the Third Doctor was banished to Earth by the Time Lords. However, this wasn’t his initial appearance on the series. Lethbridge-Stewart had previously made appearances as part of the team battling the Great Intelligence in the London Underground in “The Web of Fear,” and later defending against a Cyberman invasion of the city in “The Invasion.” By these stories, he had been promoted to the rank of Brigadier.

During my first season as the Third Doctor, I encountered an old soldier named Brigadier. He was all about raw power, and our views clashed most notably in “The Silurians.” The Brigadier disregarded my belief that humans and reptiles from Earth could coexist peacefully, and instead ordered an attack on a colony. However, as we continued to defend Earth against various threats, we grew closer and learned to appreciate each other’s perspectives. When I regained the ability to travel through time and space in my TARDIS, I decided to keep my lab at UNIT Headquarters.

During the 1980s, the Fourth Doctor’s visits to UNIT and the Brigadier grew less frequent. Nevertheless, their friendship started to radiate warmth during this period. In “The Five Doctors,” a special anniversary episode, the Brigadier found himself in a perilous situation involving the Game of Rassilon. He was abducted along with the Second Doctor after the Time Lord paid them a visit. Prior to this, the Fifth Doctor came across the retired Brigadier-now a school teacher-in “Mawdryn Undead.”

During the last season of the classic era in 1989, titled “Battlefield,” the Brigadier went back to his origin and teamed up with UNIT and the Seventh Doctor against an otherworldly enemy. These encounters allowed him to come across every Doctor prior to the seventh, except for the sixth one (which was later addressed in a brief scene from the 1993 non-canon charity special called “Dimensions in Time”).

Luckily for Kate Stewart and UNIT, the Doctor’s long life was inherited by his daughter. As of the year 2024, Kate has come across six different versions of the Doctor (excluding those from Big Finish’s audio series where she additionally met the Fourth Doctor).

What Happened To Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart?

Doctor Who: Who Was Kate Stewart's Father?

In the Whoniverse, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart holds a notable status next to the Doctor, without being classified as a companion despite having journeyed in the TARDIS. His character evolved significantly, transitioning from a cautious military collaborator to a loyal friend of the Time Lord.

The Brigadier, a beloved figure from the classic era of “Doctor Who,” didn’t make the same prominent return in modern series that traditional fans might expect. However, his influence was unmistakable. In the two-part finale of the second season of “The Sarah Jane Adventures” (2008), the Brigadier made an appearance. In the episode titled “Enemy of the Bane,” this retired military man teamed up with a brave reporter and her young companions to prevent Mrs. Wormwood from reviving an ancient cyborg. Tragically, Nicholas Courtney, the actor who brought the Brigadier to life, passed away just three years after this guest role. Nevertheless, the Brigadier’s mark on the show continued to be felt.

In Series 6’s “Doctor Who” finale, “The Wedding of River Song,” the Brigadier’s tenure came to a poignant close. On the TARDIS, Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor received news that the Brigadier had passed away. The audience was left in no uncertain terms that the Doctor had lost a cherished friend, and the “Doctor Who” universe was deprived of a remarkable character. According to Steven Moffat, who spoke with The Guardian then,

It felt fitting and appropriate in a tale depicting the Doctor’s demise to honor one of Doctor Who’s most significant tragedies.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Brigadier’s tale didn’t end there in Series 8. The shocking conclusion of “Death in Heaven” revealed that the Cybermen, under Missy’s influence, brought back to life the deceased humans as a powerful Cyber-Army. Towards the end, during the intense finale, it appears that the Brigadier is among the resurrected, fulfilling his last obligation by opposing full conversion and saving his daughter from an impending UNIT aircraft explosion.

The so-called Cyber-Brig earned a salute from the Doctor, and the Steven Moffat-penned story provided lovely parentheses to Lethbride-Stewart’s phenomenal career. His last appearance amid a vast Cyberman force recalled his first: Helping to repel the Cybermen just as he had when he first earned the title of Brigadier in 1968’s ‘The Invasion.’ In both stores, the intimidating cyborgs scaled the steps leading from St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Brigadier saved the day.

I’m thrilled to share that the iconic character’s enduring legacy is in capable hands – those of his daughter, Kate Lethbridge- Stewart, as mentioned in the 2023 publication, “The Giggle.” She proudly carries on her father’s legacy.

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2024-07-17 19:05