Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“THE MYRIAPOD MUTINY: A SCHOOL TRIP GONE BUGGY”

The Myriapod Mutiny, part of the Origin Stories collection, takes us back to Ryan and Yaz’s school days, offering a glimpse into their childhood struggles and the early roots of their friendship. Set during a school trip to a natural history museum in their seventh-grade years, the story explores their personalities, challenges, and social dynamics long before they met the Doctor.

Ryan, battling dyspraxia and the dismissive attitude of his teacher, is the awkward but enthusiastic one—keen to learn but often underestimated. Yaz, on the other hand, is sharp and determined but lonely, bullied, and a little embarrassed by Ryan’s nerdy interests. The two have drifted apart over time, but when they get lost in the museum, they’re forced to rely on each other once more.

This contrast between them is well handled, showing how Ryan’s excitement over things he finds cool can sometimes come off as embarrassing to Yaz, who is more socially aware. Yet, beneath that surface awkwardness, there’s a strong connection between them, and the story does a good job of bringing it back to the forefront.

ALIEN INSECTS AND INTERGALACTIC CIVIL WAR

The Myriapods—alien centipedes and millipedes—are the story’s main sci-fi hook. Between the moments of Ryan and Yaz’s school trip adventure, we get snippets of the Myriapods’ history and conflict. The two factions, the Side-steppers and Under-trotters, have been stranded on Earth for centuries, locked in a battle that neither side can win until they are finally set loose once more.

It’s a simple but effective concept. One side wants to invade the planet, the other exists only to serve, and their eternal struggle has been brewing in the shadows of human history. The descriptions of their movements, sounds, and behaviour are vivid, bringing to mind the insectoid horrors of The Green Death and other Doctor Who stories featuring creepy crawlers.

THE SECOND DOCTOR: HOBO WITH A RECORDER (AND A SONIC?)

Things take a turn for the truly Doctor Who when Ryan and Yaz stumble upon none other than the Second Doctor, fully in galactic hobo mode. His characterisation is mostly spot on—playful, inquisitive, and carrying his trademark recorder. However, there are a couple of oddities.

Firstly, there’s a strange moment where he comments on Yaz’s clothing, which feels like an unnecessary attempt to emphasise that he’s a character from the ’60s. While historically accurate attitudes can be important in storytelling, Doctor Who has never been overly concerned with realism in that regard, and it just feels out of place here.

Secondly, the sonic screwdriver is used in a way that feels more modern than classic. At this point in the show’s history, the sonic was just that—a screwdriver, occasionally used as a tool but never the magic wand it would later become. Here, it’s wielded in a manner more fitting for a later Doctor, which feels like a slight misstep.

That said, his presence adds a nice dynamic to the story, and it’s always fun when past incarnations turn up unexpectedly.

A POSSESSION, A QUICK FIX, AND A MEMORY WIPE

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Doctor Who story without some classic tropes. One of the oldest tricks in the book—the possessed companion—makes an appearance, with Yaz briefly taken over by the Myriapods so the Doctor can communicate with them. It’s a predictable moment but serves its function well enough.

What’s less satisfying is the resolution. The solution to the Myriapod crisis is ridiculously simple, almost to the point of being anticlimactic. Yaz’s brief connection to the Myriapods gives her the insight needed for the Doctor to swiftly lure the invaders into the TARDIS and take them away, neatly solving the problem without much struggle. It underlines the light-hearted nature of the story but does feel a little too easy.

Then comes the inevitable mind wipe. As soon as it becomes clear that young Ryan and Yaz are having a genuine adventure with the Doctor, the looming spectre of this will have to be erased hangs over everything. And sure enough, by the end, their memories are wiped, ensuring that they don’t remember any of this when they meet the Doctor again in their Thirteenth Doctor years.

It’s not a bad ending in itself—after all, it’s necessary to preserve continuity—but it does raise an eyebrow. Did the Doctor wipe his own memory as well? Why doesn’t he recognise them years later? It’s an unfortunate loose end that the story doesn’t bother to address.

📝VERDICT: 7/10

A fun, light-hearted adventure that explores Ryan and Yaz’s childhood struggles and friendship against the backdrop of a classic Doctor Who alien invasion. The Myriapods are a creepy and well-described menace, and the Second Doctor’s appearance adds an extra layer of nostalgia, even if his characterisation has a couple of missteps.

The resolution is a little too convenient, and the memory wipe—while necessary—feels like a lazy way to maintain continuity. Still, it’s an enjoyable read, particularly for fans of Ryan and Yaz, giving their characters more depth before their time in the TARDIS.