Wednesday 3 May 2023

M is for... Manton, Colonel


Commanding officer of the armed forces of the Church of the Papal Mainframe (Kovarian Chapter). This breakaway group, led by Madame Kovarian, sought to prevent the Doctor from destroying the universe. It was prophesised that he would take part in the Battle of Trenzalore, where he would answer the ultimate question and so trigger disaster. Kovarian set in motion a scheme to abduct the child of his companions Amy and Rory and rear her to be an assassin who would kill him.
The pregnant Amy was kidnapped and brought to the asteroid 'Demons Run' to give birth, and Manton led the considerable force of Clerics which had been established there in anticipation of the Doctor's coming to rescue her. To assist them he and Kovarian had threatened Dorium Maldovar into helping them make contact with the Headless Monks. Manton had to maintain good relations between Clerics and Monks. He was delivering a rousing speech to his combined forces, encouraging them that their mission was a holy one, when the Doctor intervened - sowing tension between the two religious factions so that they fought with each other. The Doctor then quickly took over the base with help from various human and alien friends. Manton realised they were defeated and was forced to surrender.
In revenge for his actions, the Doctor elected to destroy his military reputation. He was instructed to order his troops to "run away", so that he would always be remembered as 'Colonel Run Away'.

Played by: Danny Sapani. Appearances: A Good Man Goes To War (2011).
  • The Colonel was first seen in the episode's prequel, in which he and Kovarian visit Dorium.
  • Sapani was a regular in several series such as Killing EveMisfits and Penny Dreadful, where he played Timothy Dalton's valet / bodyguard Sembene.
  • On the big screen he can be seen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Black Panther and its sequel, in which he plays M'Kathu.

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