Elizabeth I, William Shakespeare and Queen Victoria these are just some of the famous historical figures who have made appearances in Who episodes in the past. But one name who surely deserves a place on that list is a certain Nelson Mandela. The African National Congress member spent the first couple of years of the 1960s travelling around South Africa a majority-black country run by a small percentage of white elites during the period of apartheid disguised as a chauffeur, organising mass strikes and his partys underground cell movement. Capaldi could be catapulted into one of the most-tumultuous periods in history a time when a small minority ruled a large majority through fear, oppression and segregation and forced to prevent things spiralling out of control. Mandela would go on to spend 27 years in prison including 18 of those on Robben Island and become a central figure in the eventual political movement which led to the fall of apartheid and the birth of the Republic of South Africa and its rainbow flag. However, any attempt on Mandelas life before 1964 and his long incarceration could well have denied the liberation movement a focal leader meaning that the Doctor could arrive just in time to prevent an alien assassination of the political-revolutionary. The Doctor and Clara would understand the significance of protecting Mandela who at the time was portrayed in many circles as a terrorist but many contemporaries in the episode would not. It would make for fascinating viewing as they attempted to protect one of the most influential men of the 20th Century long before he ever became such a key figure.
NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.
