This month our Tudor Trivia had a Sci-Fi theme, as November 23rd is the anniversary of the first episode of Doctor Who, and we’re all huge fans here at the 500 Appeal!
While we were being a bit loose with the theme by saying that Henry VIII and the Borg Queen (originally portrayed in the movie Star Trek: First Contact by Alice Krige) share a birthday, Henry VIII has made several sci-fi/fantasy appearances in various media, most recently the alternate history novel “Henry VIII : Wolfman”, in which Henry becomes, surprise surprise, a werewolf!
He’s also had cameos in “Bewitched” and “I Dream of Jeannie”, the bizarre Tomb Raider Homage“Relic Hunter”, as well as in the Roy Chubby Brown film “UFO”, and appeared in the Star Trek comic "The Legacy of Lazarus"
Sadly, the Mary Rose has yet to appear in anything sci-fi related. At least, the one sitting in our shiphall hasn’t...
The first fictional Mary Rose appears in Sir W. Laird Clowes, and Alan S. Burgoyne’s “The Captain of the "Mary Rose": A Tale of Tomorrow”, published in 1892. Set in the futuristic year of 1905, it features a fictional war between the French and the British. While it lacks spaceships and aliens, it stil counts as an interesting interpretation of how the world was going to look in the near future, even if it was wrong. (Then again, it's 2010 and I still don't have my jetpack!)
Continuing with futuristic versions of everyone's favourite Tudor warship, the Star Trek Online “Geekipedia” introduces us to the starship Mary Rose in the Star Trek Universe. Actually there were two, the first launched in 2332, the second in 2409. Sadly, the USS Mary Rose NCC-91509 never appeared in any of the TV shows or films, which is particularly galling as our neighbour, HMS Victory, appeared as a model built by Geordi La Forge in the Star Trek : The Next Generation episode “Elementary, Dear Data”, for the captain of the USS Victory! Staying with the Star Trek Universe, it was while the Mary Rose was in service that the Bajorans first started travelling the stars, a feat later recreated by Benjamin Sisko in a reconstruction of the ship in the Star Trek : Deep Space Nine episode "Explorers"
Although it hasn't actually appeared in anything, our Mary Rose has been mentioned at least once in the world of Sci-Fi; In the 1984 Doctor Who story “Planet of Fire” a Trionic distress beacon is found on a sunken wreck described to the Doctor (played by Peter Davison) as being similar to 'your English Mary Rose'. As this was only a couple of years after the raising, The Mary Rose was still topical enough to get a mention!
Of course, Henry VIII has had a few mentions in Doctor Who too. In the 1964 story “The Sensorites”, The Doctor (at this time still played by William Hartnell) claimed to have deliberately angered Henry VIII, with the intention of being sent to the Tower, as this was where the TARDIS had been stored. Presumably this was over drinks, as in the 2010 episode “The Beast Below” the future Queen, Liz 10, mentions the Doctor and “Henry 8” being old drinking buddies! However, in the 1994 novel “Tragedy Day”, as well in the 1974 novelisation of “The Sea Devils”, The Doctor (Sylvester McCoy version in the former, Jon Pertwee in the latter) claims they never met Henry VIII. And the less said about the Tenth Doctor's (David Tennant) relationship with Elisabeth I, the better...
And finally, a bit of interesting, if useless, information. The story “The Sea Devils” was filmed in and around Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, and features one of the sea forts not far from where the Mary Rose actually sank! As far as we know, nobody has ever blamed the Sea Devils for the sinking...
(Incidentally, Becky and Wendy like David Tennant, Laura is more of a Tom Baker girl, while Fiona and I prefer Patrick Troughton!)
Mary Rose 500
