Christina de Souza
Portrayed by: Michella RyanTravelled with: Tenth Doctor
Appearances: Planet of the Dead (2009 Specials)
Associated with: N/A
Enemies encountered: N/A
Lady Christina de Souza first appeared in Planet of the Dead (2009 Tenth Doctor Specials) after getting caught up with the Doctor on the planet of San Helios. Christina was a notorious thief who liked to steal items just for the thrill of doing so as she was bored with her aristocrat upbringing, building a considerable reputation and a relentless pursuit by Detective Inspector Macmillan. During Easter 2009, Christina stole the prizes Cup of Athelstan from the International Gallery in London, though her calling card (a golden mechanical Maneki Neko waving in a mocking manner) alerted the guards to her presence, resulting in the arrest of her accomplice, though Christina wasn’t too worried about them. However, due to the high police presence around the museum, Christina was unable to put any distance between her and the International Gallery easily, and was forced to board the number 200 bus to escape, bribing the driver with her diamond earrings for passage. Also on board the bus was the Doctor, whom she initially dismissed due to his odd behaviour. However, when the bus passed through the worm hole onto San Helios, Christina established herself as the leader of the group, deferring only to the Doctor for his knowledge and understanding of the situation they were in. As she had recently carried out a theft, Christina had many tools in her backpack which served useful during the groups attempts to escape the planet, including the space to dig the wheels of the bus out of the sand with, the hatchet to cut away the seats and a mechanical winch.
During her adventure with the Doctor, Christina became very comfortable with him and vice versa. She shared a sense of excitement and adventure with the Doctor that exceeded any heist she had accomplished before. Against the Doctors advice, Christina used her winch to drop down a shaft in the Tritovore’s ship to collect the anti-gravity clamps they needed to free the bus back to Earth, though the process nearly had her electrocuted by the ship’s defence grid, and her body heat woke an inactive alien in the hull of the ship, which proceeded to chase her back up the shaft. Christina was able to escape the alien by reactivating the defence grid in time as she went back up the shaft. She also tried to convince the Tritovores to go with her and the Doctor to the 200 bus and return to Earth, but was unable to do anything to prevent their deaths. Christina’s previous heist proved to be invaluable to the group for the Cup of Athelstan was made of gold, and though she was against the idea, the cup served as the perfect conductor for the anti-gravity clamps which were unable to work by themselves due to their incompatibility with the bus. The cup itself was then mangled by the Doctor to make it the right shape which earned Christina’s ire, though by the time the Doctor had flown the bus back through the wormhole, she had forgiven him, giving him a kiss.
Back on Earth, Christina managed to break free of the UNIT soldiers that were awaiting their return, expecting to travel with the Doctor as his companion; however the Doctor refused her request. Christina was then arrested by the police, but as she was led away the Doctor used his Sonic Screwdriver to release her handcuffs, allowing her to escape. Running to the bus, Christina piloted it away, briefly speaking to the Doctor saying that they “could have been so good together” and revealing that she had no hard feelings over his rejection. The Doctor replied “Christina, we were” with both of them smiling each other off, before Christina flew the bus into the night sky to the cheers of the other passengers below, escaping the police once more.
Christina was fiercely independent, who went against the Doctor’s wishes every now and then. Though she was an expert thief, she only stole things for the adrenaline rush, bored of her aristocratic life. She occasionally showed a high opinion of herself and used her obvious charms and good looks to win other people over, occasionally for selfish reasons. Christina showed great enthusiasm for joining the Doctor as his companion, but quickly forgave him when he refused, though he was amused by her ability to speak French. Christina also displayed an untrustworthy streak, abandoning her accomplice, who may have also been her lover, at the International Gallery after he was caught by the guards during her escape.