Adric

Adric is a fictional character played by Matthew Waterhouse in the original 1963-1989 run of the TV series Doctor Who. He was a young teen from the planet Alzarius in E-Space, serving as a companion to the fourth and fifth regenerations of the Doctor.

He first appears in the serial “Full Circle” (1980) of the season 18th of the series. He is seen trying to escape the misfortune plaguing his community, and accidentally stumbles and takes refuge in the TARDIS. He stows away with the Doctor, Romana, and K-9, until he is found in the following episode “State of Decay” and is then made a full-time companion by the Doctor.

Adric is a brilliant mathematician and a bit cocky, as he knows the full capacity of his intelligence. This leads him to carry himself with an air of superiority and arrogance that is shown to get him into trouble. He seeks the approval and validation of the Doctor and those he meets while on his travels but resents when the Doctor sticks him on the sidelines, as he feels that he could better handle situations due to his intelligence. This aspect of his personality is both a strength and a source of conflict, as his relationship with the Doctor and other companions is often strained due to his arrogance and desire to prove himself, which puts him at odds with other companions like Nyssa and Tegan.

Unfortunately, his story ends in episode 21 “Earthshock” (1982), when he attempts to stop a Cyberman and heroically sacrifices himself to save the Doctor and his companions. He dies in a spaceship crash headed toward prehistoric Earth, still holding on to the hope that his intelligence might save him. It is later revealed that the spaceship was a fixed point in time and, in fact, the asteroid that killed off the dinosaurs.

His character is further explored in other multimedia materials, including Big Finish Production’s audio dramas, novels, and comics. These help him become one of the most well-rounded characters in the expanded Who universe by allowing him to live in different timelines and universes.

Adric’s bisexuality was first subtly introduced in the novel Divided Loyalties (1999) by Gary Russell. The story suggests that Adric is attracted to both male and female characters. 

Later, in the audio drama A Full Life (2016), his sexuality is fully explored, and we learn that Adric eventually marries a Veridian woman named Asun after they meet at a market, and have children together. However, many years later, Asun, tragically dies of a terminal illness, and then Adric marries another Veridian, a man known as Reebac, with whom he finds love again.