The First Doctor’s Timeline

01. One

Here is ‘The First Doctor’s Timeline’.

I’ve referred to

and

to help me put this version of the timeline together.

I’ve included all the TV stories, audios, books, graphic novel/comics, short trips, annual stories and the Puffin e-book ‘A Big Hand For The Doctor’ into this list for now.

The (TV) and (Audio) stories are highlighted in SEA GREEN.

The (Book) stories are to remain un-highlighted for now.

The short stories are highlighted in SEA GREEN and/or ITALICS; and are CENTRED.

The stories with links to reviews by me on my blog are highlighted in BOLD and SEA GREEN.

Regarding the (Book) stories, I’ve identified each of them as follows in the KEY below.

KEY
*VNA – Virgin New Adventures
*VMA – Virgin Missing Adventures
*EDA – Eighth Doctor Adventures
*PDA – Past Doctor Adventures
*BB – BBC Books
*TB – Target Books

Regarding the (Audio) stories, I’ve identified each of them as follows in the KEY below.

KEY
**BAB – BBC Audio Book
**BFAD – Big Finish Audio Drama
**BFAB – Big Finish Audio Book
**PAB – Puffin Audio Book

Regarding the short stories, I’ve identified each of them as follows with abbreviations.

  • (ST) – Short Trip (either Big Finish or BBC)
  • (SS) – ‘The Scientific Secrets of Doctor Who’
  • (DWM) – ‘Doctor Who Magazine’
  • (VD) – Virgin Decalog
  • (TS) – Target Storybook
  • (YB) – Yearbook
  • (PT) – Perfect Timing
  • (PT2) – Perfect Timing 2
  • (DVW) – Divergent Wordsmiths

Please feel free to ask questions about this timeline, as I intend to revisit this and add new stories to the list as time goes on.

I’ve divided the timeline into 13 phases
1. The First Doctor on Gallifrey
2. The First Doctor with Susan
3. The First Doctor with Ian, Barbara and Susan
4. The First Doctor with Ian and Barbara
5. The First Doctor with Ian, Barbara and Vicki

6. The First Doctor with Vicki and Steven
7. The First Doctor with Steven and Sara
8. The First Doctor with Steven and Oliver
9. The First Doctor with Steven
10. The First Doctor with John and Gillian
11. The First Doctor with Steven and Dodo
12. The First Doctor with Dodo
13. The First Doctor with Ben and Polly


1. The First Doctor on Gallifrey

The First Doctor’s birth in ‘Lungbarrow’ (Book) – VNA* takes place here.
The First Doctor’s cameo appearance in ‘Listen’ (TV) takes place here.
The First Doctor’s youth from ‘Lungbarrow’ (Book) – VNA* and ‘Timewyrm: Revelation’ (Book) – VNA* take place here.
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘Divided Loyalties’ (Book) – PDA* takes place here.
The First Doctor and the Monk’s appearance in the introduction of ‘A Sparkle of Doctors’ (DVW) takes place here.
The flashback scene with the First Doctor and the Master in ‘Harvest of Time’ (Book/Audio) – BB*+BAB** takes place here.
The flashback scene of the First Doctor leaving Gallifrey in ‘Nightshade’ (Book/Audio) – VNA*+BFAD** takes place here.
The flashback scene of the First Doctor rescuing Patience and Susan from Gallifrey in ‘Cold Fusion’ (Book) – VMA* takes place here. 


2. The First Doctor with Susan

‘One Virtue, and a Thousand Crimes’ (AIL)
The First Doctor and Susan’s flashback of fleeing Gallifrey in ‘Time & Time Again’ (Comic) takes place here before ‘The Beginning’ (Audio) – BFAB**.

The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in ‘The Name of the Doctor’ (TV) takes place during ‘The Beginning’ (Audio) – BFAB**.
‘The Exiles’ (ST) takes place during ‘The Beginning’ (Audio) – BFAB**.

  • The Sleeping Blood (Audio) – BFAB**

‘Frayed’ (Novella)
‘The Five O’Clock Shadow’ (ST)
‘The Sons of the Crab’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘The Lost Ones’ (Annual)
‘The Monsters from Earth’ (Annual)
‘Childhood Living’ (ST)
‘Seven To One’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
‘A Big Hand For The Doctor’ (Puffin/Audio) – PAB**
‘Indian Summer’ (ST)
The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in ‘All-Consuming Fire’ (Book/Audio) – VNA*+BFAD** takes place here.
The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in ‘Categorical Imperative’ (ST) takes place here.

  • The Alchemists (Audio) – BFAB**

‘The Arboreals’ (SS)
The First Doctor and Susan saving the planet Lemaria from the Megrati according to ‘The Constant Doctor’ (SS) takes place here.

‘Urrozdinee’ (YB)
‘The Price of Conviction’ (ST)
‘Bide-a-Wee’ (ST)
‘The Gift’ (ST)
The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in ‘Where’s The Doctor’ (Annual Comic) takes place here.

  • Quinnis (Audio) – BFAB**

The First Doctor and Susan’s visit to Akhaten takes place here.

  • An Unearthly Woman (DRS) (Audio) – BFAD**

‘The Juror’s Story’ (ST)

  • Operation Proteus (Comic)

‘Losing the Audience’ (ST)
‘Bear Paw Adventures’ (PT)
‘Darkness Before Me’ (PT2)
The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in ‘Nameless’ (PT2) takes place here.
The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in the Free Comic Book Day 2022 prequel to ‘Origins’ (Comic) takes place here.

‘Echoes of Future’s Past’ (DWM)
‘Time and Relative’ (Novella)
The First Doctor’s second appearance in ‘Time & Time Again’ (Comic) takes place here before ‘An Unearthly Child’ (TV).
The First Doctor’s cameo in ‘The Shoreditch Intervention’ from ‘Susan’s War’ (Audio) – BFAD** takes place here.


3. The First Doctor with Ian, Barbara and Susan

‘Prologue: The First Doctor’ from ‘Supremacy of the Cybermen’ (Comic) occurs during ‘An Unearthly Child’ (TV).
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘The Eight Doctors’ (Book) – EDA* takes place during ‘An Unearthly Child’ (TV).
The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan’s interlude in ‘The Knight, the Fool and the Dead’ (TLV) (Book) – NSA* takes place during ‘An Unearthly Child’ (TV).

‘A Star Is Born’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
‘Who Discovered America’ (DWM)
‘The Ruins of Time’ (ST)
‘Tell Me You Love Me’ (ST)
‘The Path of Skulls’ from ‘The Many Lives of Doctor Who’ (Comic) takes place here.

The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan’s appearance in ‘The Forgotten’ (Comic) takes place here.

‘Rise and Fall’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**

The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan’s cameo in ‘The Horror of Time’ (Z) takes place during ‘The Zondor Robbers’ (Z).

The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘Collision Course’ from ‘The Legacy of Time’ (Audio) – BFAD** takes place here.

  • Return to Skaro (Audio) – BFAD**
  • Last of the Romanovs (Audio) – BFAD**
  • For the Glory of Urth (Audio) – BFAD**
  • The Hollow Crown (Audio) – BFAD**
  • Campaign (Book)
  • The Fragile Yellow Arc of Fragrance (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Farewell Great Macedon (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Masters of Luxor (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Wanderer (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Library of Alexandria (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Flames of Cadiz (Audio) – BFAB**

‘A Small Semblance of Home’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
‘Rennigan’s Records’ (DWM)
‘The Last Days’ (ST)
‘A Long Night’ (ST)
The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan’s appearance in ‘The Light At The End’ (Audio) – BFAD** takes place here.
‘Mire and Clay’ (ST)
‘The Duke’s Folly’ (ST)
‘The Mother Road’ (ST)
‘Room For Improvement’ (ST)
‘The Reign Makers’ (ST)

‘Flywheel Revolution’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**

  • The Witch Hunters (Book/Audio) – PDA*+BAB**
  • City at World’s End (Book) – PDA*
  • Here There Be Monsters (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Stardust and Ashes (Audio) – BFAB**

‘The Thief of Sherwood’ (ST)

‘Home Again, Home Again’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
‘Hour One’ (DD) (Website)
‘Out of Time’ (DD) (Website)

The First Doctor and Susan’s appearance in ‘A Stitch in Time’ (Comic) takes place during ‘The Dalek Invasion of Earth’ (TV).
The First Doctor, Ian, Barbara and Susan’s appearance in ‘The Thirteen+ Doctors’ takes place during the sixth and final episode of ‘The Dalek Invasion of Earth’ (TV).


4. The First Doctor with Ian and Barbara

  • Venusian Lullaby (Book) – VMA*

‘The Book of Shadows’ (VD)
‘The Nine Day Queen’ (VD)

‘Set in Stone’ (ST)
‘The True and Indisputable Facts in the Matter of the Ram’s Skull’ (ST)
The First Doctor, Ian and Barbara’s appearance in ‘Palingenesis’ (DVW) takes place here.


5. The First Doctor with Ian, Barbara and Vicki

‘Romans Cutaway’ (ST) takes place at the beginning of ‘The Romans’ (TV).^
‘Byzantium!’ (Book) – PDA* takes place at the beginning of ‘The Romans’ (TV).

‘All I Want For Christmas’ (Penguin/Audio) – PAB**

  • The Dark Planet (Audio) BFAB**

‘Nothing at the End of the Lane’ (ST)
‘1963’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**

  • The Rocket Men (Audio) – BFAB**

‘Unnatural Selection’ from ‘Prisoners of Time’ (Comic) takes place here.
‘Endgame’ from ‘Prisoners of Time’ (Comic) takes place here.

‘Every Day’ (ST)
‘A Religious Experience’ (YB/Comic)

  • The Plotters (Book) – VMA*
  • The Sleeping City (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Unwinding World (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Doctor’s Tale (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Daybreak (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Temple of Light (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Chase (TV)

‘Journey Out of Terror’ (TS) – TB* takes place during ‘The Chase’ (TV).


6. The First Doctor with Vicki and Steven

  • The Time Meddler (TV)
  • The Suffering (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Frostfire (Audio)BFAB**
  • Upstairs (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Bounty of Ceres (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Ravelli Conspiracy (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Founding Fathers (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Fields of Terror (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Dalek Occupation of Winter (Audio)BFAB**
  • An Ideal World (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Entanglement (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Crash of the UK-201 (Audio) – BFAB**

The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘The Three Doctors’ (TV) takes place here.
The First Doctor, Vicki and Steven’s cameo in ‘The Light At The End’ (Audio) – BFAD** takes place here.
The events of ‘The Secret History’ (Audio) – BFAD** occur here.

  • The Empire of Glass (Book) – VMA*
  • Are You Listening? (Comic)

‘Corridors of Powers’ (ST)
‘The Schoolboy’s Story’ (ST)
‘The Long Step Backwards’ (ST)
‘Snowman in Manhattan’ (ST)
‘Mars’ (ST)
‘The Power Supply’ (ST)
‘Etheria’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**

‘Planet of the Bunnoids’ (ST)


7. The First Doctor with Steven and Sara

‘Daughter of the Gods’ (Audio) – BFAB** mostly takes place in an alternative timeline.
‘Scribbles in Chalk’ (ST)

N.B.: The following stories take place between ‘The Feast of Steven’ (Episode Seven) and ‘Volcano’ (Episode Eight) in ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan’ (TV).

The First Doctor’s flashback appearance in ‘Fireflight’ from ‘Once Upon a Time Lord’ (Comic) takes place here.
The Anachronauts (Audio) – BFAB**
‘Katarina in the Underworld’ (ST)
‘The Little Drummer Boy’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
An Ordinary Life (Audio) – BFAB**
The Guardian of the Solar System (Audio) – BFAB**
The Drowned World (Audio) – BFAB**
Home Truths (Audio) – BFAB**

Men of War (Audio) – BAB**
The Sontarans (Audio) – BFAB**


8. The First Doctor with Steven and Oliver

  • The Perpetual Bond (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Cold Equations (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The First Wave (Audio) – BFAB**

9. The First Doctor with Steven

‘Ash’ (ST)
‘Making History’ (ST)
‘Waiting for Jeremy’ (ST)
The First Doctor and Steven’s appearance in ‘Do You Smell Carrots?’ (ST) takes place here.

‘Helmstone’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
‘White on White’ (ST)

‘O Tannenbaum’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**

  • The Vardan Invasion of Mirth (Audio) – BFAB**

‘Peace in Our Time’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
‘Out of the Deep’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
The First Doctor and Steven’s appearance in ‘Palingenesis’ (DVW) takes place here.


10. The First Doctor with John and Gillian

N.B. The First Doctor’s adventures with John and Gillian take place during ‘The Massacre of St Bartholomew’s Eve’ (TV) during his temporary absence in the story.

‘Roses’ (DWM) takes directly into ‘The Five Doctors’ (TV) for the First Doctor.
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘The Five Doctors’ (TV) takes place here.
The First Doctor’s cameo in ‘Punting’ (TS) – TB* takes place during ‘The Five Doctors’ (TV).
‘Cambridge Previsited’ (YB)
‘The Vardon Horse’ (M&L)
‘The Lair of Zarbi Supremo’ (Annual/Audio) – via ‘The Web Planet’ DVD
‘Peril in Mechanistria’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘The Fishmen of Kandalinga’ (Annual)

The First Doctor’s flashback cameo in ‘The Thousand Years of Christmas’ (ST) takes place here.
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘The Glass Princess’ (ST) takes place here.
‘Doctor Who and the Invasion from Space’ (Novella/Audio)
The First Doctor’s cameo in ‘The Day of the Doctor’ (TV) takes place here.

  • The Klepton Parasites (TV Comic)
  • The Therovian Quest (TV Comic)
  • The Hijackers of Thrax (TV Comic)
  • Doctor Who on the Web Planet (TV Comic)
  • The Gyros (TV Comic)
  • Prisoners of Gritog (TV Comic)
  • Home to Hamelin (TV Comic)
  • Moon Landing (TV Comic)
  • In Reverse (TV Comic)
  • Lizardworld (TV Comic)
  • Prisoners of the Kleptons (TV Comic)
  • The Caterpillar Men (TV Comic)
  • The Ordeals of Demeter (TV Comic)
  • Enter: The Go-Ray (TV Comic)
  • Dr. Who Meets the Frog People (TV Comic)
  • A Christmas Story (TV Comic)
  • In Search of the Didus (TV Comic)
  • Space-Station Z-7 (TV Comic)
  • Plague of the Black Scorpi (TV Comic)
  • The Trodos Tyranny (TV Comic)
  • Guests of King Neptune (TV Comic)
  • The Gaze of the Gorgon (TV Comic)
  • The Secret of Gemino (TV Comic)
  • The Haunted Planet (TV Comic)
  • The Hunters of Zerox (TV Comic)
  • The Underwater Robot (TV Comic)
  • Deadly Cargo (TV Comic)
  • The Pets (TV Comic)
  • Return of the Trods (TV Comic)
  • The Galaxy Games (TV Comic)
  • The Experimenters (TV Comic)

‘The Cloud Exiles’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘The Sons of Grekk’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘Terror on Tiro’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘Mission for Duh’ (Annual Comic)
‘The Devil-Birds of Corbo’ (Annual)
‘The Playthings of Fo’ (Annual)
‘Justice of the Glacians’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘Ten Fathom Pirates’ (Annual/Audio) – BAB**
‘iNtRUsioNs’ (ST)
‘From Eternity’ (ST)

The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘The Lost Dimension’ (Comic) takes place here.
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘Deathworld’ (Audio) – BFAD** takes place here.


11. The First Doctor with Steven and Dodo

The First Doctor’s cameo in ‘The Prime Factor’ takes place here.
The flashback scene featuring the First Doctor, Steven and Dodo from ‘Death to the Doctor!’ (Comic) takes place here.
‘Murder In The Dark’ (Penguin/Audio) – PAB**
‘This Sporting Life’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**
The First Doctor, Steven and Dodo’s appearance in ‘The Golden Door’ (VD) takes place here.
The First Doctor, Steven and Dodo’s appearance in ‘Tales of the Vault’ (Audio) – BFAB** takes place here.
’64 Carlysle Street’ (ST)

  • Bunker Soldiers (Book) – PDA*
  • Return of the Rocket Men (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Secrets of Det-Sen (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The War to End All Wars (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Savages (TV)

12. The First Doctor with Dodo

‘Tarnished Image’ (VD)
‘There Are Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden’ (ST)

  • The Outlaws (Audio) – BFAD**
  • The Miniaturist (Audio) – BFAD**
  • The Demon Song (Audio) – BFAD**
  • The Incherton Incident (Audio) – BFAD**
  • Fugitive of the Daleks (Audio) – BFAD**
  • The Living Darkness (Audio) – BFAD**

‘The Horror at Bletchington Station’ (ST/Audio) BFAB**
The First Doctor and Dodo’s appearance in ‘The Once and Future Crisis’ (DVW) takes place here.

  • The Y Factor (Audio) – BFAB**
  • Sea Smoke (Audio) – BFAD**
  • The Man in the Velvet Mask (Book) – PDA*
  • The War Machines (TV)

13. The First Doctor with Ben and Polly

‘The Rag & Bone Man’s Story’ (ST)

‘The Three Paths’ (ST)

The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘Five Card Draw’ (ST) takes place here.

  • The Plague of Dreams (Audio) – BFAB**
  • The Crumbling Magician (Audio) – BFAB**

‘Falling’ (ST/Audio) – BFAB**

‘The Locked Room’ (Audio) – BFAB** takes place during ‘The Tenth Planet’ (TV).
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘Twice Upon a Time’ (TV)  takes place during ‘The Tenth Planet’ (TV).
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘Two Pariahs in a Pod’ from ‘Armageddon’s Touch’ (DVW) takes place here.
The First Doctor’s appearance in ‘The Power of the Doctor’ (TV) takes place here.
The First Doctor’s cameo in ‘The Time Meddler’ episode of ‘Tales of the TARDIS’ (TV) takes place here.


^SPOILER – It’s implied in ‘Byzantium!’ (Book) – PDA* that the events of ‘Romans Cutaway’ (ST) were actually a dream experienced by Ian on his way to Rome from Byzantium.


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56 thoughts on “The First Doctor’s Timeline

  1. Connor McCluskey's avatarConnor McCluskey

    Hi Tim!

    Just wondering about the placement of the alchemists being in section two? The story opens with Susan writing a letter to Barbara and discussing the events of Marco Polo, meaning this placement of the story so early in the timeline doesn’t make sense. Please let me know if I’ve missed something! Thank you 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Tim Bradley's avatarTim Bradley Post author

      Hi Connor,

      Thanks for dropping a line. I haven’t heard ‘The Alchemits’ yet, but as I understand, the main story featuring the First Doctor and Susan takes place before ‘An Unearthly Child’ whilst the framing story where Susan writes a letter to Barbara takes place after ‘Marco Polo’. I’ve updated Susan’s timeline accordingly, which you can find here – https://bradleybasement.wordpress.com/sci-fi/doctor-who/doctor-who-timelines/the-companions-timelines-index/susans-timeline/

      Mainly, the ‘Doctor Who’ timelines each focus on the stories from the character’s point of view, so I assume the First Doctor wouldn’t be there when Susan wrote the letter to Barbara and it would have all been taken from her point of view due to this being a ‘Companion Chronicle’ adventure.

      Hope this helps.

      Many thanks,

      Tim 🙂

      Like

      Reply
    1. Tim Bradley's avatarTim Bradley Post author

      Hi Connor,

      I’ve added ‘The Demon Song’ and ‘The Incherton Incident’ to both the First Doctor and Dodo’s timelines straight after ‘The Outlaws’ and ‘The Minaturists’.

      Many thanks,

      Tim 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  2. Matthew Donovan's avatarMatthew Donovan

    Hi Tim

    Where do you think Fugative of the Daleks fits in this timeline? With the Doctor and Dodo travelling alone it probably fits between The Savages [when Steven leaves] and The War Machines [when Ben and Polly join]. The story also features an older Vicki so it’s a while after her departure.

    Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this

    Matt

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Tim Bradley's avatarTim Bradley Post author

      Hi Matthew,

      Thanks for dropping a line.

      I’ve added ‘Fugitive of the Daleks’ to the First Doctor, Dodo, Vicki and the Daleks’ timelines accordingly. Basically, I’ve placed the story after the latest Big Finish audio for the First Doctor and Dodo which is ‘The Incherton Incident’ and for Vicki, it’s sometime after her travels with the Doctor ended following ‘The Myth Makers’ and for the Daleks in-between ‘The Daleks’ Master Plan’ and ‘The Power of the Daleks’. I’ve not yet heard the story to confirm the latter two, but please feel free to correct me on any details I need to know.

      Happy New Year!

      Tim 🙂

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  3. Matthew's avatarMatthew

    Do you know where “The Living Darkness” fits in? Presumably it would go after The Savages, but I’m not sure how far after or where it would fit. Thanks

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Tim Bradley's avatarTim Bradley Post author

      Hi Matthew,

      Thanks for your message. I’ve placed ‘The Living Darkness’ after ‘Fugitive of the Daleks’ for the First Doctor and Dodo’s timelines, as that’s where Eyespider have placed the story on their timeline for the First Doctor. I’ve also added ‘The Living Darkness’ to Steven’s timeline.

      Best wishes,

      Tim 🙂

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      Reply
    1. Tim Bradley's avatarTim Bradley Post author

      Hi Tygar,

      Thanks for your messages. I’ve made guesses on where the Companion Chronicles stories in ‘Families’ go, as there’s not much to go on from reading the TARDIS wiki pages. Plus, I’ve not heard those stories yet. I’ve added temporary placements for the stories to the First Doctor, Vicki, Susan, Ian, Barbara, Steven and Dodo’s timelines respectively for now. Any additional information on where the stories should go is most welcome.

      Thanks,

      Tim 🙂

      Like

      Reply
    1. Tim Bradley's avatarTim Bradley Post author

      Hi Tygar,

      I’ve currently added temporary placements of the ‘Dark Gallifrey’ stories ‘Morbius’, ‘The War Master’ and ‘Missy’ to the Fourth Doctor, the Seventh Doctor, the Unbound Third Doctor, Benny, the War Master and the Master’s timelines. Any additional information on where the stories should be place is most welcome.

      Thanks,

      Tim 🙂

      Like

      Reply

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