The Vlinx was a robotic being who came to work in the UNIT HQ in the City of London.

Biography[]

At some point prior to November 2023, (PROSE: The Star Beast ^[+]Gary Russell, adapted from The Star Beast (Russell T Davies), 60th Anniversary Novels (Target Books, 2023).) the Vlinx joined up with UNIT and began operating out of their London headquarters, working directly under UNIT head Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, and alongside scientific advisor Shirley Bingham. (TV: The Giggle ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One and Disney+, 2023).)

Combating the Giggle[]

When a waveform began driving the entire human race insane through a special giggle projected into their brains through every screen by the image of Stooky Bill, the first ever televised image, the Vlinx, unaffected by the Giggle due to being an alien, developed the Zeedex device that disrupted the effects of the giggle and calmed down the humans who wore it. It chose to refer to the Zeedex as such because it believed it to be a "good name". The Vlinx helped the Fourteenth Doctor track down the source of the Giggle, and was present when the Toymaker attacked the headquarters. (TV: The Giggle ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who 2023 specials (BBC One and Disney+, 2023).)

Sutekh's manifestation[]

The Vlinx was still part of UNIT when the Fifteenth Doctor arrived in 2024. The Vlinx no longer had the same rusted appearance, but a sleek new one, which the Doctor described as being a "nice upgrade" and the Vlinx agreed was hot metal. The Vlinx helped to scan the TARDIS when Kate and the team suspected it was under the control of an unseeable entity; as Harriet Arbinger began showing signs of possession and started announcing the arrival of Sutekh, the Vlinx warned the UNIT personnel that a manifestation was about to occur. (TV: The Legend of Ruby Sunday ^[+]Russell T Davies, Doctor Who series 14 (BBC One and Disney+, 2024).)

The Vlinx tried to attack Sutekh and his Harbinger with lasers that shot out of his eyes, but this was in vain, as Harriet blew Sutekh's dust of death around the room, destroying and killing the Vlinx. However, he was later restored upon Sutekh's defeat. (TV: Empire of Death)

Behind the scenes[]

• In the in-vision commentary for The Giggle, Phil Collinson theorised that the Vlinx had been recovered from a wreckage shortly before the Giggle, as to explain its rusted appearance.
• For The Legend of Ruby Sunday, Russell T Davies wanted the character back with a clean-up and more chrome and metallics. Director Jamie Donoghue described the Vlinx as being a crazy character that Doctor Who wouldn't be what it is without and that even though the character was mostly in the background, he wanted to make him a part of the story and thus worked a lot on different movements. (DOC: The Legend of Ruby Sunday)