Bafflement and Devotion (short story)

Bafflement and Devotion was a metatextual short story that was published in to coincide with the release of the novel Verdigris. The short story was later reprinted in Bafflement and Devotion: Iris at the Edges, clearly named in homage to the short story.

Bafflement and Devotion was most notable for the introduction of Paul Magrs into his universe of stories, a character who would go on to become a prominent recurring character in the Iris Wildthyme series and beyond.

It featured Paul Magrs, the Jane Fonda incarnation of Iris Wildthyme and her companion, the Eighth Doctor.

The story also provided a range of fictional citations that furthered the story's meta-fictional aspects.

Summary
Paul Magrs writes about Iris Wildthyme and the Doctor Who series, while simultaneously Iris attempts to convince her companion, the Eighth Doctor, to stop being so adamant about how his past played out...

Plot
After a brief recap of certain encounters between the Doctor and "Jane Fonda" Iris, from Paul Magrs' point of view, Iris herself talks about Paul Magrs, while she and the Doctor are in her TARDIS.

From Paul Magrs' point of view, he recalls that he was asked to write about the books he had written, and Paul mentions the impact that the Doctor Who series had on him.

Iris and the Doctor then talk about her origins, and the conflict of the Thals and the Daleks (the events that the First Doctor was a part of, after the escape from the Tribe of Gum). Iris thinks to herself that the events happened differently for her, and the Doctor is huffy about Iris' claims, and he wants to know which version of events actually happened, all those years ago.

Again from Magrs' point of view, he admits that even he can't remember the order of Iris' incarnations. He talks about the Edith Sitwell, Shirley Bassey, Beryl Reid, and Jane Fonda incarnations.

The Doctor doesn't talk to Iris for a while, and he puts the kettle on. He's disturbed by the the fact that the claims from Iris are potentially true, in part due to his own past constantly changing. He realises that he suddenly remembers having adventures that he previously didn't do, such as being in, and being there when. The Doctor is happy that he's experiencing these events like this, but that happiness turns to horror as he realises that this means he could live forever.

The TARDIS comes out of the Time Vortex, and the Doctor and Iris are flung into a new adventure together...

Characters

 * Paul Magrs
 * "Jane Fonda" Iris
 * Eighth Doctor

Continuity

 * The Eighth Doctor's encounter with Iris on Hyspero is mentioned. (PROSE: The Scarlet Empress)
 * Iris' adventure with the Second Doctor and Jenny Winterleaf in the diamond mines of Marlion is mentioned. (PROSE: Verdigris)
 * The Eighth Doctor says he can't remember if he had a mother or if he was created out of a gene-splicing machine. (TV: ', PROSE: ')
 * Iris claims that it was she who was present on the Dalek city and not the Doctor. However Iris' version of events involved the Daleks experimenting with hallocinogens and weird sex. (TV: )
 * Paul Magrs wrote stories about Iris. This character and his profession would be expanded upon in PROSE: Brenda's B&B, The Magrs Conundrum!, Party Fears Two, Parsley Sage, Rosemary and Wildthyme.
 * The events of VID: ' and ' are mentioned.
 * The Doctor recalls the events of AUDIO:  and AUDIO: The Stones of Venice.
 * Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks is shared between Time Lords. (PROSE: )

Connections
to be added