The Family of Blood were one-off antagonists in Doctor Who’s thrilling two-part adventure beginning with the beloved season 3 episode “Human Nature" and concluding with "The Family of Blood." The story, which centres around the Doctor’s attempts to disguise himself as a human, is frequently cited as the show’s scariest and most frightening adventure of that era. The Doctor’s alter-ego as John Smith has always been a long-running joke in the series, but “Human Nature” adds plenty of depth to the fictional character by exploring what would happen if the Doctor was forced to retreat into this persona indefinitely.
There are several reasons why David Tennant is the best Doctor, but his emotionally resonant performances in episodes like “Human Nature” are among the biggest contributors. He’s exceptional in this installment, and although the Family of Blood were formidable villains with an engaging story, it’s the more grounded storyline that Tennant makes so captivating with his vulnerability. The Family of Blood came surprisingly close to defeating the Doctor for good, even though little was actually known about this mysterious band of aliens. They only appeared once, but their immense power and creepy behavior left a lasting impression on many viewers.
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The Family Of Blood Tried To Take The Doctor's "Immortality"
The origins of the Family of Blood remain a mystery, but Doctor Who season 3, episode 8, “Human Nature,” revealed that they’re a band of hunters who travel the universe and prey on other species, often intending to steal something from them. With the Doctor, the family had their sights set on his regenerative abilities, suggesting once again that Doctor Who can’t really decide how regeneration works. They followed the Tenth Doctor and Martha throughout time and space using a vortex manipulator before the Doctor decided to use Time Lord technology to disguise himself as a human and hide in an English school in 1913.
The Family of Blood followed the Doctor to Earth and quickly began their hunt. The species displayed a wide selection of powers, including the ability to possess human hosts and access their minds and memories. They were also capable of telepathic communication with each other, which made their organized hunts much more efficient and deadly. The group traveled through space using an advanced spaceship that they’d modified using the spoils of their countless hunting victories. Once safely hidden on Earth, the family adopted the forms of local humans and used their advanced senses of smell to track down the Doctor and his companion.
Although Martha Jones left after season 3, she was a massive assistance to the Doctor throughout her time in the TARDIS. She controlled the Doctor’s memories, which kept him sufficiently hidden from the Family of Blood’s heightened senses. As long as he couldn’t remember who he was, they wouldn’t be able to identify him. It’s rare for the Doctor to go to such extreme lengths to hide, but the Family of Blood had dangerous intentions. They followed him endlessly in pursuit of his regenerative abilities, believing that the Doctor’s death could make them immortal like a Time Lord. It was these high stakes that forced the Doctor into hiding.
Why The Doctor Showed The Family Of Blood Mercy
Once the Family of Blood revealed themselves and began slaughtering the residents of the Doctor’s hiding place, Martha took matters into her own hands and restored her friend's memories using his biodata module. The Family of Blood joins the list of other more iconic Doctor Who villains who almost outsmarted the Doctor, but as soon as he’d rediscovered his identity, it didn’t take long for him to overcome the family and destroy their ship, leaving them stranded and powerless. However, despite their unspeakable crimes and countless deadly hunts, the Doctor showed mercy to the family and allowed them to live, but not before inflicting his own suitable punishment upon them.
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Each member of the family was given a specific punishment that taught them to think twice about chasing eternal life. The father was wrapped in unbreakable chains, the mother was thrown into a collapsing star, the daughter was trapped inside every mirror in existence, and the son was suspended in time and dressed as a scarecrow. The Doctor could have easily killed the Family of Blood and felt no remorse, but his decision to keep them alive proved he’s a merciful warrior. However, it also proved something darker about the show’s protagonist: he was becoming the Time Lord Victorious.
The Time Lord Victorious was a self-given title that described the Doctor’s obsession with power that ultimately led to his death in Doctorseasons travelled ourthough the words weren’t mentioned until David Tennant’s final few episodes, this episode was when the roots begin to show. Whereas other incarnations of the Doctor would have either killed the family or taught them to change, the Tenth Doctor made them suffer indefinitely for their crimes. There was a clear darkness in Tennant’s Doctor, and when considering where his character ended up, it raised the question of whether this was really mercy at all.
The Family Of Blood Returned
Although they were never seen again on any episodes of the Doctor Who show, a pair of tie-in short stories in the anthology Tales of Terror explained that the Family of Blood managed to overcome their punishments and escape. Still, these stories seemed to suggest that their story was officially over. The story “Blood Will Out” saw three members of the family escape from their prisons, but the Doctor quickly managed to recapture them and find new punishments. However, in “The Shadow in the Mirror,” the Thirteenth Doctor freed the daughter from imprisonment and allowed her to live out the rest of her days.
Although these stories seemingly dampened the emotional impact of the ending of the Doctor Who episode “The Family of Blood," the Doctor’s decision to reverse his punishment was hugely important in understanding the character. The choice proved that he’s not the bitter, angry man he was in the show’s third season. His Time Lord Victorious arc was long finished, and he now understood the value of mercy, even when his enemies refused to repent for their crimes.
