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{{Italic dab}}{{Short description|Fictional creature from science-fiction television series Doctor Who}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}{{Infobox character
| name = Mara
| series = [[Doctor Who]]
| image = File:Mara_Doctor_Who.jpg
| caption = The Mara, as depicted by a plastic prop, in ''Kinda''
| first = ''[[Kinda (Doctor Who)|Kinda]]'' (1982)
| home = The Dark Places of the Inside
}}
'''The Mara''' is a fictional character from the long-running British [[Science fiction on television|science-fiction television]] series [[Doctor Who|''Doctor Who'']]. A [[Gestalt psychology|gestalt]], formless entity, it preys upon beings using their dreams, and is capable of possessing others in order to accomplish its goals. The Mara can manifest in a physical form, often taking on the form of a snake. First appearing in the 1982 television serial [[Kinda (Doctor Who)|''Kinda'']], the Mara would make one further appearance on television a year later in 1983's ''[[Snakedance]]''. Following this, it appeared in various pieces of spin-off media from the series, and additionally appeared in a short produced to commemorate the re-release of [[Doctor Who season 20|''Doctor Who'' season 20]], dubbed "The Passenger". 

The Mara was originally conceived by ''Kinda''{{'}}s writer [[Christopher Bailey (screenwriter)|Christopher Bailey]], who named it after the [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] demon [[Mara (demon)|Mara]]. Bailey envisioned it as an entirely [[Non-corporeal being|non-corporeal]] entity before rewrites resulted in a physical Mara being constructed; the prop used for the Mara, however, was rushed, and thus resulted in a prop not liked by the show's producer [[John Nathan-Turner]] that was also panned by critics. The Mara's later re-appearance in ''Snakedance'', part of a celebration of the series' past, saw the construction of a new, mechanical Mara prop.

The Mara has been the subject of analysis as a result of its two major television appearances, with discussion regarding the Mara's religious symbolism and its role as a symbol of evil in the serials, among other aspects of its character.

== Appearances ==

=== Television ===
''[[Doctor Who]]'' is a long-running British [[Science fiction on television|science-fiction television]] series that began in 1963. It stars its protagonist, [[The Doctor]], an alien who travels through time and space in a ship known as the [[TARDIS]], as well as their travelling [[Companion (Doctor Who)|companions]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nicol |first=Danny |date=May 1, 2020 |title=''Doctor Who'', Family and National Identity |journal=Entertainment & Sports Law Journal |volume=18 |issue=4 |pages=1-11 |via=[[EBSCO Information Services|EBSCO]]}}</ref> When the Doctor dies, they are able to undergo a process known as "[[Regeneration (Doctor Who)|regeneration]]", completely changing the Doctor's appearance and personality.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grady |first=Constance |date=2023-12-13 |title=''Doctor Who''{{’}}s big twist betrayed the show’s oldest rule |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/24000340/doctor-who-the-giggle-david-tennant-russell-t-davies |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=[[Vox media|Vox]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-02-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229131412/https://www.vox.com/culture/24000340/doctor-who-the-giggle-david-tennant-russell-t-davies |url-status=live }}</ref> Throughout their travels, the Doctor often comes into conflict with various [[List of Doctor Who universe creatures and aliens|alien species]] and antagonists.<ref name=":422">{{Cite book |last=Cardin |first=Matt |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PKnIEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Sutekh%22+doctor+who+-wikipedia&pg=PT12 |title=Mummies around the World: An Encyclopedia of Mummies in History, Religion, and Popular Culture |date=2014-11-17 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Publishing USA]] |isbn=979-8-216-12019-3 |pages=89 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Bobby |date=2022-01-24 |title=''Doctor Who'' Villains, Ranked |url=https://www.space.com/doctor-who-villains-ranked-worst-to-best |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531041417/https://www.space.com/doctor-who-villains-ranked-worst-to-best |archive-date=2025-05-31 |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=[[Space.com|Space]] |language=en}}</ref> 

The Mara is a [[Gestalt psychology|gestalt]] entity that preys upon beings via their dreams, often utilising the form of a snake to do so.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-10-24 |title=Doctor Who legend returns to face vintage villain in new show spin-off |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a62705169/doctor-who-mara-spin-off/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=[[Digital Spy]] |language=en-GB |archive-date=2025-04-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250409001413/https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a62705169/doctor-who-mara-spin-off/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It is [[Non-corporeal being|non-corporeal]], and dwells within a realm known as "The Dark Places of the Inside", having been created through the darkness present in the hearts of humans. Bound to existing outside the universe, the Mara frequently attempts to possess others to escape its prison.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Court |first=David |date=2022-05-11 |title=The 15 Creepiest Aliens In Doctor Who History |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/860545/the-creepiest-aliens-in-doctor-who-history/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=[[SlashFilm]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250531110622/https://www.slashfilm.com/860545/the-creepiest-aliens-in-doctor-who-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Mara first appeared in the 1982 episode ''[[Kinda (Doctor Who)|Kinda]]''. The [[Fifth Doctor]] and his companions [[Nyssa (Doctor Who)|Nyssa]], [[Tegan Jovanka|Tegan]] and [[Adric]] encounter the Mara on the planet Deva Loka. When Tegan falls asleep near [[Wind chime|wind chimes]] on Deva Loka, she becomes possessed by the Mara. It soon leaves her and possesses a native Kinda named Aris, who begins to stir up the normally peaceful [[tribe]] of Kinda people against an expedition of human colonists who are also present on Deva Loka. The Doctor is able to prevent the humans detonating a bomb which would have killed many Kinda and manages to trap the Mara in a circle of mirrors. The Mara is so evil that it cannot bear to see its own reflection, and thus is driven away from the planet.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Kinda |episode-link=Kinda (Doctor Who) |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |network=BBC |station=[[BBC1]] |airdate=1 February 1982 |season=19 |credits=Writer [[Christopher Bailey (screenwriter)|Christopher Bailey]], Director [[Peter Grimwade]], Producer [[John Nathan-Turner]]}}</ref> 

The Mara re-appears in ''[[Snakedance]]'' (1983), where Tegan becomes possessed by the Mara once again. Under the Mara's influence, Tegan navigated the [[TARDIS]] to the planet Manussa, where a ceremony was to be held to mark the 500th anniversary of the banishment of the Mara from the planet. Using Tegan and a young Manussan named Lon, the Mara attempts to obtain the "great crystal", an item that the Mara aims to use to restore its corporeal existence. The Doctor, under the guidance of a [[Mysticism|mystic]] named Dojjen, is able to focus his mind onto a small replica of the great crystal, allowing him to disrupt the Mara's manifestation and dispel the entity.<ref>{{cite episode |title=Snakedance |episode-link=Snakedance |series=Doctor Who |series-link=Doctor Who |network=BBC |station=BBC1 |airdate=18 January 1983 |season=20 |credits=Writer [[Christopher Bailey (screenwriter)|Christopher Bailey]], Director [[Fiona Cumming]], Producer [[John Nathan-Turner]]}}</ref> 

The Mara later appeared in a 2023 short, dubbed "The Passenger", which was produced to commemorate the re-release of [[Doctor Who season 20|''Doctor Who'' season 20]] as a [[box set]]. Depicting Tegan after departing from her travels with the Doctor, the Mara attempts to tempt Tegan using images of Nyssa and the TARDIS, but is thwarted and seemingly sealed away in its home realm, though the short ends with a mirror being cracked by the Mara.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Doctor Who classic companions Tegan & Nyssa reunite in emotional clip |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-tegan-nyssa-reunite-newsupdate/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613093321/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-tegan-nyssa-reunite-newsupdate/ |archive-date=2025-06-13 |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=[[Radio Times]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> The Mara is later mentioned in the 2024 episode "[[The Legend of Ruby Sunday]]" as being a member of the [[Pantheon (religion)|pantheon]] of [[gods]] that act as recurring antagonists in the series, being dubbed as the "God of Beasts".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who is Sutekh? The identity of Doctor Who's One Who Waits explained |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/sutekh-doctor-who-one-who-waits/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=[[Radio Times]] |language=en-GB |archive-date=2024-06-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615074751/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/sutekh-doctor-who-one-who-waits/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== In spin-offs ===
The anthology novel ''Tales of Trenzalore'' depicts the Mara attempting to invade the planet Trenzalore while the planet is under [[siege]] from several of the Doctor's enemies. The [[Eleventh Doctor]]'s name being spoken on the planet will allow the Doctor's people, the [[Time Lord|Time Lords]], to return to the universe, which the Mara wants in order to invoke another [[Time War (Doctor Who)|Time War]] on the universe. The Doctor is able to defeat the Mara using the superstition of [[salt]] being able to ward off evil spirits, which banishes the Mara.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Morris |first=Mark |title=The Dreaming |date=27 February 2014 |publisher=[[BBC Books]] |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-84990-844-3}}</ref> The [[audio drama]] "[[The Cradle of the Snake]]" depicts the Fifth Doctor being possessed by the Mara and returning to Manussa several centuries before the Mara caused the planet to fall into ruin. The Mara is eventually dispelled, though small parts of it remain in those it possessed after its defeat.<ref>{{Cite AV media |title=The Cradle of the Snake |date=13 September 2010 |last=Platt |first=Marc |language=English |isbn=978-1-78575-685-6}}</ref> The short story ''Mark of the Medusa'' depicts the Mara possessing the Fifth Doctor's shape-shifting companion [[Kamelion]], who the Mara shifts into the form of a [[Gorgons|gorgon]] to turn others to stone. The gorgon has Tegan's face, and as the Mara cannot handle seeing its own form, the gorgon form is dispelled.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tucker |first=Mike |title=Mark of the Medusa |date=7 September 2017 |publisher=BBC Children's Books |year=2017 |isbn=9781405942799}}</ref> Another audio drama, "The Gloaming", depicts the wealthy using a sleep clinic to avoid troubling times in the present, which allows the Mara to prey upon their dreams.<ref name=":0" /> 

== Development ==

=== Creation ===
The scripts for both ''Kinda'' and ''Snakedance'' were written by [[Christopher Bailey (screenwriter)|Christopher Bailey]]. When initially writing ''Kinda'', Bailey was studying concepts pertaining to [[Buddhism]], which influenced large aspects of the script; similarly, other elements from other religious works were included as inspiration.<ref name=":32" /> The Mara's name was taken from [[Mara (demon)|Mara]], a demon which tempted [[The Buddha]] in Buddhist mythology.<ref name=":3" /> According to Bailey, the Mara was originally conceived of as an aspect of Tegan's character, and the Mara was characterised as an [[Ambivalence|ambivalent]] figure, with the Mara taking on a different form depending on the host. As development progressed, the Mara slowly evolved into a more villainous figure, which Bailey equivalated to the Christian [[Devil]] more than the original Buddhist ideas he had aimed for.<ref name=":2">{{cite book |author1=Tulloch, John |url= |title=Doctor Who: The Unfolding Text |author2=Alvarado, Manuel |author2-link= |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=1983 |isbn=0-312-21480-4 |url-access=}}</ref> Though initially conceived as a non-corporeal being, the script was edited by three different script editors, with the final script editor to look over the script having rewritten the serial to fit ''Doctor Who''{{'}}s usual format of including monsters as antagonists, resulting in the Mara becoming a physical threat.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Bahn |first=Christopher |date=2011-10-30 |title=Doctor Who (Classic): "Kinda" |url=https://www.avclub.com/doctor-who-classic-kinda-1798170215 |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=[[AV Club]] |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519223604/https://www.avclub.com/doctor-who-classic-kinda-1798170215 |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Kinda''{{'}}s success resulted in a sequel being created, dubbed ''Snakedance'', as script editor [[Eric Saward]] wished to see a return of the Mara and an expansion of Tegan's character via its return.<ref name=":33">{{Cite book |last=Ainsworth |first=John |title=Doctor Who: The Complete History: Arc of Infinity - Snakedance - Mawdryn Undead |date=22 February 2017 |publisher=Hachette Partworks, Panini Publishing |issn=2057-6048}}</ref> It was also part of a larger theme of every episode of the show's [[Doctor Who season 20|twentieth season]], of which ''Snakedance'' was a part of, depicting an aspect that had appeared in a prior episode of the series, with the Mara being ''Snakedance''{{'}}s returning element.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mount |first=Paul |title=DOCTOR WHO THE COLLECTION - Season 20 |url=https://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/doctor-who-the-collection-season-20/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250617052827/https://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/doctor-who-the-collection-season-20/ |archive-date=2025-06-17 |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=STARBURST Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Design ===
The Mara's physical snake form was originally conceived as an electronic effect but was eventually realised via physical props. Earlier scenes used a small plastic prop and [[color separation overlay]] to showcase the Mara growing in size. The Mara's eventual manifested form was accomplished via a large plastic snake prop operated by actor Stephen Calcutt. The prop was constructed by the Stephen Greenfield Association and was strung up by wires from the ceiling. The prop was not ready until the day of filming, and by the time it was on-screen, it could not be changed. Producer [[John Nathan-Turner]] was not happy with the prop, and wished to have been able to tone down the prop's color and "make it look less like a [[pantomime]] snake".<ref name=":32">{{Cite book |last=Ainsworth |first=John |title=Doctor Who: The Complete History: Castrovalva - Four to Doomsday - Kinda |date=13 July 2016 |publisher=Hachette Partworks, Panini Publishing |issn=2057-6048}}</ref> The depiction of the Mara in ''Kinda'' would be panned by critics due to the low-quality appearance of the monster.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name="Sleight">{{Cite book |last=Sleight |first=Graham |author-link= |url= |title=The Doctor's Monsters: Meanings of the Monstrous in Doctor Who |date=30 October 2012 |publisher=[[I B Tauris]] |isbn=978-1848851788}}</ref> The later [[DVD]] release of ''Kinda'' would include an option to watch the serial with the Mara being depicted using [[computer-generated imagery]] instead of via the plastic snake prop.<ref name=":3" />

A new Mara prop was constructed for ''Snakedance'', this time being mechanical and constructed via [[hydraulics]] and [[Air pump|air pumps]]. Color separation overlay was used to make it appear as though this prop was growing from a smaller snake prop dropped by Tegan earlier in the episode. The same technique was used later in the episode to aid in a visual in which Tegan's face was visible inside of the Mara's mouth.<ref name=":33" /> 

In episodes featuring the Mara, Tegan was depicted with several visual differences while under its possession, most notably including a snake [[tattoo]] present on her arm. The Mara is also represented using a [[musical theme]] involving bowed [[Cymbal|cymbals]] when it appears on-screen.<ref name=":33" />

== Analysis ==
{{Multiple images
| total_width       = 300
| image1            = Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Mara Demons.jpeg
| image2            = BibliaPauperum.jpg
| footer            = The Mara was analysed for its associations with religious figures such as the Buddhist demon Mara (left) and Christian story of the Garden of Eden (depicted in right)
}}
''Kinda'' and ''Snakedance,'' unlike other ''Doctor Who'' stories, were created with the intention of being directly symbolic in their narratives, utilising large amounts of religious imagery.<ref name="Sleight" /> The Mara itself has been described as having several mythological and religious associations,<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Layton |first=David |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Humanism_of_Doctor_Who/_auhi5IvRKwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22The+Mara%22+doctor+who+-wikipedia&pg=PA114&printsec=frontcover |title=The Humanism of Doctor Who: A Critical Study in Science Fiction and Philosophy |date=2014-01-10 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-8944-2 |language=en}}</ref> such as having been compared to the serpent in the [[Garden of Eden]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Neighbors |first=R. C. |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Galaxy_Is_Rated_G/krFSDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22The+Mara%22+doctor+who+-wikipedia&pg=PA179&printsec=frontcover |title=The Galaxy Is Rated G: Essays on Children's Science Fiction Film and Television |last2=Rankin |first2=Sandy |date=2011-08-10 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-5875-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> primarily through the Mara's depiction as a snake and a symbol of the evil in humanity; other religious imagery relating to the Garden include the Mara's entrance into the world through a woman, and the use of [[Apple (symbolism)|apples]] in its stories.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kinda ★★★★★ |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/kinda/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=[[Radio Times]] |language=en-GB |archive-date=2025-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250515153646/https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/doctor-who-guide/kinda/ |url-status=live }}</ref> David Layton, in the book ''The Humanism of Doctor Who: A Critical Study in Science Fiction and Philosophy'', also described the Mara's association with nightmares and the demon [[Mara (demon)|Mara]] from Buddhist mythology as being examples of how the Mara's stories invoked ideas of mythical elements in a science fiction setting. The Mara in ''Snakedance'' was also described as an inversion of the usual [[hero's journey]], fulfilling many aspects of the narrative while acting as a destructive antagonist, with its implied manmade origins in the same story serving as a message to the audience to show that evil stems from and is created directly from humanity.<ref name=":4" /> ''Doctor Who: The Unfolding Text'' stated that Bailey seemed to have drawn on the concept of the [[Jungian]] [[Shadow (psychology)|Shadow]] for the Mara, fusing it with the concept of the [[Anima and animus|animus]] in Jungian theory, or the unconscious "male" element of a woman's unconscious, symbolised via aggression and power.<ref name=":2" /> 

Graham Sleight in ''The Doctor's Monsters: Meanings of the Monstrous in Doctor Who'', opined that the Mara was an antagonist defined clearly through its actions against others, and that its corruption and evil were a present factor across both its original stories, despite the change in Manussan culture depicted in ''Snakedance'' between both of its in-universe manifestations. Sleight stated that the Mara's use of language acted as a pivotal aspect of its character; the Mara uses language to manipulate events to its desired outcome and, conversely, the key to stopping it is only discovered through silence. Sleight wrote that this was a radical message that helped contribute to the "atypical" and more complex nature of the Mara's serials.<ref name="Sleight" /> The book ''Religion and Doctor Who'' opined that the capability to summon the Mara through a ritual initially used to banish it helped to showcase that the concepts of belief and faith could be used for either good or evil, and still held power even in a world dominated by science. The Doctor's further usage of more mystical concepts to banish the Mara, instead of the usual scientific ones, also helped to act as a middle ground between the concepts of religion and science.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Crome |first=Andrew |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Religion_and_Doctor_Who/CZ0NBQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22The+Mara%22+doctor+who+-wikipedia&pg=RA2-PT12&printsec=frontcover |title=Religion and Doctor Who: Time and Relative Dimensions in Faith |last2=McGrath |first2=James F. |date=2013-11-14 |publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn=978-1-63087-460-5 |language=en}}</ref>

== External links ==
{{TardisIndexFile|Mara}}

== References ==
<references />
{{Doctor Who characters|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Television characters introduced in 1982]]
[[Category:Recurring characters in Doctor Who]]
[[Category:Fictional monsters]]
[[Category:Fictional snakes]]