#gil

Heya for a third time, Gil!

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Heya, Gil!

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Hello Gil!

Kurama has been reserved for you through 6/7 -- though it looks like we'll be seeing him much sooner.

If a Zygon copied a Time Lord, would they get Time Lord abilities too?

TL;DR: Probably not. Zygons appear to copy appearance and some physiological traits, but not the deeper biology of a Time Lord. So they look convincing and inherit a few quirks, but regeneration is probably a no-no.

🧬 What a body-print actually copies

To understand the limits of Zygon copying, it's important to look at how their body-print actually works. Zygon body-print technology is a rather muddy and wildly inconsistent subject, however, the one thing descriptions consistently agree on is that it allows a Zygon to assume a likeness rather than become a perfect duplicate down to every metaphysical layer of existence.

The process appears capable of reproducing their appearance, voice, basic physiology, and certain biological quirks. However, it doesn't appear to reproduce the deep temporal identity associated with symbiotic nuclei and Time Lord biodata. We can be fairly confident about this because Zygons do this to lots of species, and the Web of Time itself seems to have no difficulty distinguishing the originals from the copies.

We also know that while it's possible to clone a Gallifreyan, Time Lords are notoriously difficult to clone properly, and frankly, it would be slightly embarrassing if a portable squid photocopier managed to overrule that.

⚙️ They do inherit some biological traits

Zygons can gain certain physical characteristics or what they call 'defects' from the copied individual (eg. Osgood's asthma). This suggests the body-print process reproduces at least some functional biology rather than just applying a cosmetic overlay. So if a Zygon copied a Time Lord, they might plausibly get things like:

Enhanced stamina

Unusual temperature tolerances

Dual-heart anatomy

Increased sensory perception

Possibly certain low-level neurological quirks

However, regeneration is an entirely different level of biology.

🌀 Why regeneration probably wouldn't work

Regeneration is an extraordinarily complicated Time Lord process involving biological, temporal, and borderline metaphysical systems, as well as requiring learned skills and regenerative control techniques.

Most importantly, it relies on functioning symbiotic nuclei and biodata woven directly into the Web of Time itself. And since the Web clearly does not confuse the original with the copy, the body-print process appears nowhere near deep enough to reproduce those systems properly.

At most, the copied body superficially resembles a Time Lord's, but the underlying regenerative architecture likely simply isn't there.

🧠 Could a Time Lord resist being mentally overwritten?

This part is unfortunately messy.

On paper, a Time Lord should have a much better chance of resisting a body-print overlay, since Gallifreyans have a strong neural architecture and natural psionic resistance. But when the Tenth Doctor was Zygon-ified, he seemed to remain unconscious/dreamless until the Zygon using his print was killed while in its Zygon form.

We don't know much detail about mitigating circumstances in either case, so at present the scientific conclusion is: Yes. Maybe. Sort of. Depends.

🏫 So…

A Zygon copying a Time Lord would likely gain an extremely accurate physical likeness and possibly even some superficial biological quirks, but probably not true Time Lord abilities.

This is because regeneration isn't just anatomy doing things; it's tied into deep temporal biodata and Gallifreyan systems far more complicated than simply copying a haircut.

Related:

🤔|📱♊Can Gallifreyans be cloned?

💬|📱🕸️What does the Web of Time look like?: Overview on the Web of Time and its relevance.

💬|🧬🖥️DNA vs Biodata: What's the Difference?: In-depth look at what biodata is and how it differs from run-of-the-mill DNA.

— 🗨️ Answers by GIL

Are there things that affect Time Lords worse than other species?

TL;DR: Yep. Time Lords are extremely resilient, but their unique sensory systems and neurological architecture mean certain things humans barely notice can hit a Gallifreyan like a sledgehammer.

Gallifreyans are very durable biologically. They tolerate radiation, survive low oxygen, recover faster, and can literally regenerate, spoiler alert.

However, their heightened neural activity, psionic sensitivity, temporal awareness, hypersenses, and symbiotic systems expose them to types of stress that other species barely perceive, but which can be actively horrific for Time Lords.

🧲 Strong magnetic fields

Gallifreyans appear to be particularly sensitive to magnetism and electromagnetic disturbances. Humans already experience mild effects in powerful magnetic environments (vertigo, nausea, metallic taste, visual flickering, etc.), but a Gallifreyan nervous system would probably react much more aggressively.

Why? It seems to be linked to their neural function. Gallifreyan brains have a strong electrical baseline, and weird magnetic fields can cause all sorts of japery, not only in the brain but also across other systems, like the hearts. Symptoms could include:

Dizziness

Nausea/Vomiting

Headaches/Migraines

Cardiac issues

Temporal disorientation

Psionic static

Distorted sensory perception

Confusion

Sense of Impending Doom

For example, MRI scanners are already not exactly a spa day for humans, but sticking a Time Lord in one for a long time would probably be tantamount to torture.

🔊 Sensory complexity

Besides magnetism, Gallifreyans perceive far more from their environment than humans. Certain environments may neurologically exhaust them in ways humans don't notice.

Examples could include:

Heavily industrialised environments

Malfunctioning spaceship engines

Poorly shielded technology

So a human might walk in and think, 'Oh, it's a bit noisy and smelly in here' while their Time Lord is immediately developing a migraine from seventeen overlapping and overwhelming inputs.

It's important to note that post-regeneration heightens sensory perception even further, so remember to keep your PRT Time Lord in a cool, calm environment!

🌀 Temporal distortions and paradoxes

Humans generally move through time without noticing it, while Time Lords feel a lot more for obvious reasons. Because they're partially woven into the Web of Time, they actively sense disruptions in causality, such as paradoxes, fixed points, and other issues.

Symptoms of this sort of thing range from the mild to the moderately uncomfortable:

Itchiness/Bone tingling

Headaches

Dizziness

Repulsion/Fight or Flight response

Jack Harkness is a perfect example: the Doctor was so averse to him that he quite literally ran away, like a human being chased by a bear.

⚡ Psionic overload

Humans have mild psionic capabilities that don’t really come into play much, while Gallifreyan systems are much more refined. This means environments saturated with psychic activity, telepathic species, or uncontrolled emotional projection can become overwhelming very quickly.

A Gallifreyan may experience:

Telepathic leakage

Hallucinations

Migraines

Nosebleeds

Seizures

Loss of shielding

Complete cognitive overload

Essentially, the more complicated your brain is, the easier it becomes to DDOS it psychically.

🏫 So…

Time Lords are tougher than humans, but their advanced biology creates vulnerabilities humans don't have. The more senses and processing systems, the more things that can go catastrophically wrong.

Related:

💬|👁️👽How do Time Lords see humans?: How Time Lords process humans on a sensory level.

🤔|👁️🔊 How much volume can a Gallifreyan tolerate?

💬|👁️⏲️Can Gallifreyans experience dyschronometria?: How this condition would wipe the floor with a Gallifreyan.

— 🗨️ Answers by GIL