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Doctor Who Ally Profile: Professor Travers

Doctor Who Ally Profile: Professor Travers

Doctor Who ally Professor Travers

Professor Travers

Portrayed by: Jack Watling

Doctor: Second Doctor

Story: The Abominable Snowmen (Sept, 1967) and The Web of Fear (Feb, 1968)

Background: Professor Edward Travers is a British explorer and anthropologist who is searching for Yeti in Tibet when he encounters the Doctor. He later returns to London and eventually helps the Doctor and UNIT, led by Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart, fight the Great Intelligence (and the Yeti) in the Underground.

Family: Though we don’t actually meet her, Prof. Travers has a wife as well as a daughter Anne, who we do meet in The Web of Fear. Anne is a scientist as well and is a particularly self-assured and confident woman; Travers clearly did a good job raising her.

Personality: Prof. Travers is brave, but can be suspicious of strangers. He suspects the Doctor for quite a while after encountering both him and the Yeti at the same time. Once he does trust the Doctor though, he’s a steadfast and loyal friend. He’s also a caring and protective father to Anne.

Special Skills: Scientific and anthropological training, experience with adventuring

Highlights: His sheer bravado in The Abominable Snowmen and his quick turnaround upon meeting Jamie and Victoria again in The Web of Fear (from hostile to laughing with them in a matter of moments)- it’s his personality to a tee.

Lowlights: He could’ve not reactivated that Yeti control sphere- that was a bit of a rookie error. ‘Course, then we wouldn’t’ve had The Web of Fear.

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