“If you kill me now, you will wonder throughout eternity whether you should have listened to my words.”
In late 2024, Character Options launched a new and enhanced range of Doctor Who 5.5 inch figures called the Vortex Editions. These were sold exclusively by Character and featured figures with improved articulation, sculpt, and paint decor than the standard releases. The first release was a bundled two pack featuring Ncuti Gatwa’s 15th Doctor and Ruby Sunday. Roll forward to March 2025 and the next release in the Vortex Edition line was announced as a new version of Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor, bundled with an electro-plated roleplay sonic screwdriver.
The set shipped just 2 days after it was announced, and arrived from Character in an outer cardboard shipper but without any protective packaging. The outer shipper was squared, while the Vortex packaging features a cut out corner, leaving some packages arriving damaged where the void between inner and outer box was crushed or penetrated during shipping.
The Votex packaging itself is white as a base colour with an orange hued vortex design surrounding the window and also on the diamond name plate - we assume this is the assigned colour for the Third Doctor era. The usual TARDIS image sits bottom left, while the current Doctor Who logo sits at the top. The corner cut outs mentioned above are now limited to the top right only, an immediate variation on the Vortex Edition boxes as the first two releases featured a cut out on both top and bottom right corners. Further diamond call outs around the window confirm the figure as “High deco Vortex Edition Figure” and that it comes “With Accessories”. At the other side of the window, the call out diamonds turn their attention to the included Sonic Screwdriver and confirm it as a “Deluxe Electro-Plated Sonic” and featuring “Multiple Sound FX!”
The box sides are relatively simplistic using the white backdrop and with the newer Doctor Who (Whoniverse) logo text. The left hand side features a wrap around of the orange vortex and over this is the wording “The Third Doctor”, it is unclear if this is confirming the figure or the era on which it is based - the Ncuti Gatwa figures didn’t include this wording. The back of the box follows the usual principle of being entirely text based with a lengthy background about the Third Doctor and confirming the outfit of the figure is based on that from The Daemons (1971). To the side of this we have repeated diamond call-outs about the sonic and a larger version top left that talks more about the Vortex Edition line as featuring a “higher specification deco applied over base colour plastics for extra details”. There is no reference here to improved joints as was included in this call out on the 15th Doctor and Ruby Sunday figures. The set continues to use very visible white cotton ties to secure the figure, which does detract from a mint in box display. Once opened the backing design is revealed in full as the roundels from the classic TARDIS, which is a nice variation to the repeated coloured Vortex seen on the first packaging.
The Third Doctor figure is the base established way back in 2009 when the first Jon Pertwee was released. The figure includes a pair of black suited trousers with gloss black shoes, a red jacket with extremely delicate grey trim and fastenings - a huge improvement on the more heavy handed paint we’ve seen on this jacket previously. Under the jacket is a frilled white shirt with the frill visible at the cuffs of the sleeves and between the open section of the jacket. The Doctor is wearing a neck tie which best showcases the Vortex Edition deco coming with a green base colour and brown and white patterning which imitates the costume, while not being able to replicate the pattern at such a small scale.
The headsculpt is the huge selling point of the set, only the second ever Jon Pertwee likeness and much more themed around his earlier seasons with shorter hair. It is a huge improvement on the likeness and also you can see the newer deco techniques with much more realistic eyes, lip colour, two tone hair colour and perhaps some subtle skin shading.
vs 2018 Third Doctor 'Time Monster' figure (right)
The cape is an individual piece in softer plastic and again from the 2009 Sea Devils release and having been re-used multiple times since. It is black as a base colour with much made about the purple lining deco which is bright and crisp, but nothing immediately spectacular - and our version even has splashed purple on the black, although thank fully this is under one of the arms.
The cloak can be removed with a bit of patience, utilising the slits down from the main arm hole to manouver it over the arms and off. Underneath is a fully sculpted and painted figure, providing a second variation of the figure and also as seen in The Daemons when the Doctor removes his cape.
The Doctor comes with two accessories, the first of which is his sonic screwdriver scaled for the figure and the same piece included in the original Third Doctor releases starting in 2009. This is impressive in its execution considering the size and features a much more detailed silver base with clear yellow, red and black markings down the main body and red around the emitter at the head. It’s designed to fit into the Doctor’s right hand, and does so snugly initially out of the box - but be warned that this grip can be loosened after using the second accessory.
The second piece is the Crystal of Kronos as seen in The Time Monster (1972), another recycle piece originally included with The Master in the Time Monster set from 2011. The piece is a black shaft with translucent crystal formation extending out from the base. This also fits in the right hand, but due to the wider diameter of the grip I found the Doctor’s right hand immediately stretched meaning the Sonic didn’t sit quite as well afterwards.
Accessory three is also not directly complementary to the figure, a Giant Maggot as seen in The Green Death (1973). The Maggot is where Character Toys have introduced a variation into the set, setting up the packaging to incorporate three variations of Maggot and shipping the sets with a random single Maggot included. That means the absolute completists, or those wanting a group of Maggots, will need to buy multiple sets - and because these are randomly packed there is an element of difficulty in doing so. There is then a further issue that Character has limited the set to two pieces per household, putting another barrier in the way of a complete set.
vs 2009 Green Maggot release (right)
The Maggots are as originally released in 2009 with The Green Death set, and your maggots will vary in terms of head position with one flat to the floor, one partly raised, and one fully raised. Each is painted with a cream base colour, and over this a green slime application. A brown wash adds a 'soiled effect' while the visible open mouth is painted with pink inner and white teeth. The newer variant is a brighter green than the old release, while the skin tone is darker.
The Doctor comes with the usual articulation as has been standard for the Doctor Who line up to the point Character launched the Vortex Edition. There are nine points of articulation in total, including visible pins at both knees and elbows. With no ankle rockers, the legs will be limited in their positions, although the hips and knees allow for wider stances, and walking/running positions. The arms can’t move outward at the shoulders due to a fixed single axis joint, with rotation included at the bicep, which remains prone to popping out when turned. The elbows bend to 90 degrees only, while the wrist joints are a single rotation on the inserted peg. The final joints are in the rotation of the waist and again at the neck, which allows the new head sculpt to turn to either side - but not fully, as the head clashes with the collar of the shirt after a short turn.
The other half of the set, and more than 50% of the perceived value, is the electro-plated Sonic Screwdriver. This is a 1:1 role play piece and is as previously released in the Doctor Who line, but now electro-plated giving it a high polished metal finish. Over the eletco-plated metal look body are the classic markings with a black trim to the base, a yellow upper band with black rings and an upper red collar. The head of the Screwdriver is a burgundy piece with a central silver emitter.
The Screwdriver features included sound FX which are activated by retracting the upper shaft which withdraws down into the body. Doing this one generates the standard sonic noise, while doing it twice in quick succession creates a thrumming noise. Quality-wise wise this is still a plastic device, and will be subject to wear to the electro-plating when handled extensively. It is unable to stand on its own and there is no display stand included, so collectors will need an aftermarket solution if displaying it unboxed.
The set is the first of five Character have planned for 2025 and is priced at £44.99 with free delivery. While the price point was initially perceived as high, the usual price for an electro-plated sonic has been between £25 and £30 if you look at the recent 14th Doctor release - giving the figure and accessories a value of between £15 and £20. This is in line with the first Vortex release figures and the recent carded releases which were sold at £17.99 each. But it is this Vortex Edition bracket that perhaps is the part to cause concern considering it was badged initially as new figures, with improved articulation and deco - with this Third Doctor release now only featuring improved deco. Perhaps expectations might have been better managed initially to pave the way for these new sets.
Alongside the other releases from The Daemons
For fans of Doctor Who and the Classic Era in particular, the set extends the figures from The Daemons to that of the Doctor, The Master and Boc, which is a nice trio for display. It is just a pity that the accessories are not from the same story and are recycled from past releases rather than adding in complementary accessories like a torch or the trowel used to ward of Bok. The new Jon Pertwee head is impressive, and while fans immediately speculated on further re-use of the younger head - Al Dewar of Character has already stated online that this will be the only use of the head. The set will appeal to roleplay Sonic collectors also, with the Electro-plating improving the visuals even if this is essentially the guts of the older release. You can buy the set direct from Character Toys while stocks last.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...
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