Tegan Jovanka is a young Australian woman who works as an airplane stewardess. One day, while being driven to work at Heathrowe Airport by her aunt, they get a flat tire. Seeing The Doctor's TARDIS, she thinks it's a real police box and goes in to get help. She meets the Doctor and becomes one of his companions. She is quite stubborn and strong willed which irrates the Doctor and his other companions at times, but she becomes close to fellow companion Nyssa, during her time and later mourns the death of companion, Adric.