One of the most sophisticated warrior races in the galaxy were the Mire, who were bio-mechanical life forms. A squad of Mire attacked a Viking settlement in ancient Britain. The Twelfth Doctor and Clara were captured by the Vikings and taken to the village were they met a young girl called Ashildr. The Doctor and Clara helped the Vikings to fight back and repel the powerful Mire, using electricity and other weapons. However, during the battle Ashildr was killed, but the Doctor was able to resurrect her using Mire technology, which made her immortal. Although, the Doctor tells Clara that immortality is a curse (The Five Doctors, The Lazarus Experiment). The Doctor and Clara met Ashildr a few more times in Doctor Who due to her infinite lifespan.

The Girl Who Died

★★☆☆☆

TX: 17/10/2015

Written by Jamie Mathieson & Steven Moffat    Directed by Ed Bazalgette

The Twelfth Doctor and Clara are captured and taken to a Viking village. The villagers are being attacked by a sophisticated warrior alien race called the Mire. The ruthless Mire are bio-mechanical lifeforms that wear heavy armour. The Doctor reads up on the Mire in his 2000-year diary (he previously had a 500-year diary in The Power of the Daleks). Clara and Ashildr are captured on a spacecraft with some of the other Vikings. The men are killed and drained of their adrenaline and testosterone, while Clara and Ashildr meet Odin, the leader of the Mire species. Before Clara can stop her, Ashildr declares war on the Mire, and Odin grants them 24 hours to prepare. The Doctor is faced with the impossible challenge of turning a village of harmless Viking civilians into a fighting force worthy of defeating the deadliest warrior race in the galaxy. As the situation looks increasingly bleak, the Doctor finally comes up with a plan. Electricity from electric eels is used to electromagnetically remove the Mire helmets, allowing the Doctor to steal one. The Doctor modifies this and makes Ashildr wear it, allowing her to envision an articulated puppet as a dragon, which is broadcast to the other Mire which scares them off. Odin vows to attack again, but the Doctor threatens to send embarrassing video footage of the rout captured by Clara’s phone to the universe unless they leave Earth. Odin and the Mire peacefully depart. The village celebrates its victory until they find out that Ashildr died from the helmet’s use. The Doctor is frustrated until he remembers why he took the form of Caecilius, who he saved in The Fires of Pompeii: to always save someone, no matter what. He “breaks the rules” and modifies two chips from the Mire’s helmets, one of which he implants in Ashildr, and the other he gives to her father for later use. The chip rapidly regenerates Ashildr’s body and she regains consciousness. As they leave, the Doctor tells Clara that he fears that he gave Ashildr a fate worse than death as the chip will effectively make her immortal and alone. He provided the second chip in the hope that she would give it to someone that she cares for. This adventure leads into the events of The Woman Who Lived. Never be cruel, never be cowardly!