Borusa is a fictional character in the series '' Doctor Who'', a member of the race of

Time Lord The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...

s from

Gallifrey Gallifrey () is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It is the original home world of the Time Lords, the civilisation to which the protagonist, the Doctor belongs. It is located in ...

. Within the context of the series, Borusa is a former teacher of the Doctor who appears in four serials. Notably, Borusa was portrayed by a different actor in each appearance, it being implied that the character had regenerated.

Backstory

In ''

The Deadly Assassin ''The Deadly Assassin'' is the third serial of the 14th season of the British science fiction television programme '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in four weekly parts on BBC1 from 30 October to 20 November 1976. It is the first se ...

'', it is established that Borusa is a member of the Prydonian Chapter and is said to have taught the Doctor in the Prydon Academy.Parkin, Lance & Pearson, Lars (2012). ''A History: An Unauthorised History of the Doctor Who Universe (3rd Edition)'', p. 709. Mad Norwegian Press, Des Moines. . It is further revealed in '' The Invasion of Time'' that Borusa taught mind shielding, among other subjects, and had written a paper on reason. His past on Gallifrey is expanded upon in spin-off media. In the

Past Doctor Adventures The ''Past Doctor Adventures'' (sometimes known by the abbreviation ''PDA'' or ''PDAs'') were a series of spin-off novels based on the long running BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'' and published under the BBC Books impr ...

novel ''

Divided Loyalties Divided Loyalties may refer to: * ''Divided Loyalties'' (film), a 1990 Canadian television film *" Divided Loyalties", a 1995 episode of the science fiction television series ''Babylon 5'' * ''Divided Loyalties'' (novel), a 1999 novel in the Do ...

'', Borusa is revealed to have taught the Deca, ten brilliant academy students including the Doctor, the Master, the Meddling Monk, the Rani, Drax,

the War Chief ''The War Games'' is the seventh and final serial of the sixth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which originally aired in ten weekly parts from 19 April to 21 June 1969. In the serial, an unnamed alien r ...

, Vansell, Rallon, Millenia and Jelpax.Parkin, Lance & Pearson, Lars (2012). ''A History: An Unauthorised History of the Doctor Who Universe (3rd Edition)'', p. 710. Mad Norwegian Press, Des Moines. . In the Virgin Missing Adventures novel ''

Goth Opera ''Goth Opera'' is an original ''Doctor Who'' novel, published by Virgin Publishing in their '' Missing Adventures'' range of ''Doctor Who'' novels. It was the first book in that series and a sequel to the '' New Adventure'' book '' Blood Harvest' ...

'', it is said that Borusa was the subject of

practical joke A practical joke, or prank, is a mischievous trick played on someone, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. ...

s from the Doctor and his friend Ruath. These jokes included the

electrification Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic histo ...

of Borusa's "perigosto stick". In the

Virgin New Adventures The ''Virgin New Adventures'' (NA series, or NAs) are a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British Science fiction on television, science-fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. They continued the story of the Doctor from th ...

novel '' Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible'', Borusa is said to have written a

history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

entitled "Rassilon the God".

Appearances

The character is introduced in ''

'', in which he is portrayed by Angus MacKay. He occupies the post of Cardinal, holding the degree of

jurist A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who analyses and comments on law. This person is usually a specialist legal scholar, mostly (but not always) with a formal qualification in law and often a legal practitioner. In the Un ...

, and is portrayed as an amoral

political Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studi ...

pragmatist, a ready player in the

elitist Elitism is the belief or notion that individuals who form an elite—a select group of people perceived as having an intrinsic quality, high intellect, wealth, power, notability, special skills, or experience—are more likely to be constr ...

society of the

Time Lords The Time Lords are a fictional ancient race of extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', of which the series' main protagonist, the Doctor, is a member. Time Lords are so named for their command ...

. A

spin-doctor In public relations and politics, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through knowingly providing a biased interpretation of an event or campaigning to influence public opinion about some organization or public figure. While traditional publi ...

, he is shown to be ready to "adjust the truth" to "maintain public confidence in the

and their leadership". Borusa appears again, having illegally become Lord Chancellor, when the Doctor returns to Gallifrey briefly in '' The Invasion of Time'', portrayed by John Arnatt. By the time of '' Arc of Infinity'', Borusa has regenerated again and has officially become Lord President of Gallifrey. He is scapegoated for Councillor Hedin's crimes, though he later clears his name. This incarnation is portrayed by Leonard Sachs. In '' The Five Doctors'', Borusa has once again regenerated, now portrayed by Philip Latham, and is dissatisfied with ruling Gallifrey. Desiring the secret of "perpetual regeneration" from Rassilon, he restarts the Game of Rassilon, using the Timescoop to have the Doctors and their companions play it for him. Borusa is given a horrible kind of

immortality Immortality is the concept of eternal life. Some modern species may possess biological immortality. Some scientists, futurists, and philosophers have theorized about the immortality of the human body, with some suggesting that human immort ...

, immobilised as a living statue.

Other appearances

In the

novel '' Blood Harvest'', Borusa is freed by the renegade Committee of Three but aids the

Seventh Doctor The Seventh Doctor is an incarnation of the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', and the final incarnation of the original Doctor Who series. He is portrayed by Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy ...

, Rassilon and Romana in defeating them. In the Eighth Doctor Adventures novel ''

The Eight Doctors ''The Eight Doctors'' is a BBC Books original novel written by Terrance Dicks and based on the long-running British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who''. It was the first of the Eighth Doctor Adventures range and features the Ei ...

'', Borusa's noblest incarnation is released from Rassilon's tomb thanks to the appeal of the Eighth Doctor to help resolve the political conflict inspired by the

Sixth Doctor The Sixth Doctor is an incarnation of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor, the protagonist of the BBC Science fiction on television, science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. He is portrayed by Colin Baker. Although his televisual time ...

's trial in '' The Trial of a Time Lord''. Borusa then deposes the corrupt High Council and arranges honest elections. After this he returns to his Tomb, not feeling redeemed. Borusa appears in the

novel '' Warmonger'' as a Junior Cardinal assisting Acting President Saran. In the same story, Borusa is one of three

on the tribunal trying former Lord President Morbius. In the novel ''

Engines of War A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent heavy castle doors, thick city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some are immobile, constructed in place to attack enemy fortifications from a distance, while other ...

'' by George Mann, Rassilon has resurrected Borusa in order to use him as a possibility engine to calculate possible future outcomes of key decisions in the Time War. He is stolen by the War Doctor and is killed in the process of helping him when he destroys all the Daleks in the Tantalus Eye. Borusa will make his first Big Finish audio appearance in April 2022, played by Sanjeev Bhaskar, for a story in the '' Doctor Who Unbound'' range - ''Doctor of War: Genesis'' - which takes place in an alternate timeline.

List of appearances

Television

*''

'' *'' The Invasion of Time'' *'' Arc of Infinity'' *'' The Five Doctors''

Novels

*'' Warmonger'' *'' Blood Harvest'' *''

'' *''

References

{{Doctor Who villains Television characters introduced in 1976 Male characters in television Recurring characters in Doctor Who Time Lords