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Played by Michelle Asante
“I had faith you would help, instead you left me. I am here because of you. You humiliated me, Doctor.”
| First Regular Appearance |
| The Story & the Engine |
As a daughter of the Storytelling God Anansi, Abena initially felt like a pawn in her father’s games – even once being traded for marriage in a bet with the Doctor. This caused her to join the Barber’s plot for revenge against the Gods – though she is not initially aware of his true intentions to destroy them.
While kind and caring for the men in her charge, Abena still harbours resentment for the events of her past and has little time for nonsense, holding a particular grudge against the Doctor for leaving her with her father. However, she still has the grace to forgive both the Doctor and the Barber for their misguided transgressions.
Character Bio
Abena enters Omo’s barber shop shortly after the arrival of the Doctor, bringing food and supplies for the men trapped in the Barber’s domain. As the men call her “Abby”, the Doctor recognises her, though does not remember where from. Abena scoffs at the Doctor, confusing him even further!
When the Doctor tells his story in the Barber’s chair, Abena notices that his stories can fuel the Engine – the giant mechanical spider upon which the barber shop sits in outer space – much more powerfully than anyone else, claiming they are “speeding up” in their journey. After the Barber reveals his identity to the Doctor and Belinda, Abena chastises the Doctor for his lack of responsibility – at which point he recognises her as the daughter of Anansi. It is revealed in a past life, the Fugitive Doctor made a bet with the Storytelling God, who purposely lost to marry Abena off to her. The Doctor left her behind, causing Abena to resent him just as the Barber resents the Gods.
However, Abena sides with the Doctor upon hearing the Barber’s true plan to travel across the Nexus – the web of storytelling he created in the Gods’ names – to reach its heart and kill them. Giving the Doctor a cut herself, she weaves the schematics of the Story Engine into his hair, to allow him to reach its source and destroy it. When the group escape from the barber shop, the previously trapped men thank Abena for caring for them, bowing at her feet. Forgiving the Barber - and the Doctor - Abena looks towards the rest of her life, free of any influence from the Gods.
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Actor Information
Abena is played by Michelle Asante, who also previously appeared in Twelfth Doctor episode In the Forest of the Night. Known especially for her work in voice acting, Asante has previously appeared in the Big Finish audio series Master!, and is set to narrate the audiobook release of forthcoming original Fifteenth Doctor novel Spectral Scream.