Spoilers aren't cool here.

(Try The Howling, instead.) aren't cool here.(Try, instead.)

This page lists appearances of River Song in the order in which she experienced them. This timeline is based upon observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events that occur in each of these stories, as well as the narrative feature of CON: When Time Froze, River Song: Her Story, which states her entire history up to the airdate of that Doctor Who Confidential episode in 2011. We have attempted to build a concise timeline from these observations.

The layout of this timeline is in part based on the observations on Clive Banks Databank, The Doctor Who Site, Cameron K. McEwan's blog post, Huw Fullerton's blog post, 9GAG page, and The Haunted Coconut page. None of these sources should be used solely as a source or considered a "true" timeline for stories.

Contents show]

Limiting factors Edit

Any story where River is a professor must take place after Flesh and Stone, with most taking place after her release from Stormcage Containment Facility.

Any story where River is aware of the Twelfth Doctor's existence must take place after The Husbands of River Song.

Series basics Edit

River Song has only appeared in a handful of Doctor Who media, mostly from series 5 and 6 of the revived television series, but she is noteworthy for having met the Doctor, as well as her parents, Amy Pond and Rory Williams, in an anachronic order. As a result, the audience also sees her in an order different from how she experiences things. There are also several stories where as many as three Rivers at different points in her timestream appear.

For the sake of clarity, her first incarnation will be referred to as "Melody" to differentiate from her second, referred to as "Mels", and her third, which dominates her appearances in the Doctor Who universe.

Timeline Edit

Early life Edit

Amy begins giving birth to Melody at Demons Run, with Madame Kovarian acting as midwife.

As a three-week-old baby, Melody is taken by Kovarian and replaced by a Ganger before the Eleventh Doctor and Rory Williams can rescue her and Amy.

In 1969, Melody sends a distressed message for President Richard Nixon.

Melody is found by the Doctor and Amy, but is shot by Amy to "save [the Doctor's] life".

The bullet barely misses Melody, but does damage the suit as the Doctor and Amy flee. When Amy is captured by the Silence three months later, Melody is able to escape the suit and goes on the run.

In 1969 New York, a homeless Melody shares a pizza with Jack Harkness due to his retroactive interference in her timeline. (AUDIO: R&J)

Growing up again Edit

During Year Three, Mels defeats Krampus.

Sometime before 2008, Mels helps Amy realise her feelings for Rory by exposing his feelings for her, ensuring her own existence by bringing her parents together. She decides against attending her parents' 2010 wedding, citing that she "[doesn't] do weddings" as the reason. (TV: Let's Kill Hitler)

Trying out a new body that looks like a younger version of her third incarnation, Mels attempts to assassinate the Ninth Doctor with a Meson cannon, but is stopped by Jack Harkness due to his retroactive interference in her timeline. She is using a vortex manipulator. (AUDIO: R&J)

In 2011, Mels steals a car to meet the Doctor when Amy and Rory rendezvous with him in a cornfield. Needing to escape the police, Mels hijacks the Doctor's TARDIS at gunpoint, and causes it to crash in 1938 Berlin. Exiting the damaged TARDIS, Mels is hit by a ricocheting bullet fired by Adolf Hitler, and regenerates into her third incarnation in front of the Doctor and her parents.

Studying at Luna University Edit

Adjusting to her new body, and being referred to as "River Song" by the Doctor and her parents, Melody successfully poisons the Doctor with Judas tree poison. Running amok in Berlin, Melody is confronted by the Teselecta, but is saved by the dying Doctor. After he helps her pilot the TARDIS to save Amy and Rory, Melody learns that her third incarnation is known as River Song, and revives the Doctor by sacrificing her remaining regenerations, though the process drains her into unconsciousness. She awakens in the Sisters of the Infinite Schism hospital with a TARDIS-shaped diary.

The next morning, Melody finds clothing left for her by her parents, and secures access to a pen to begin writing her diary. (GAME: The Eternity Clock) Officially taking on the name "River Song", Melody enters Luna University in 5123 to study the Doctor's movements in history through archaeology. (TV: Let's Kill Hitler)

River attends her first lecture at the Luna University. Her lecturer is supposed to be Bernice Summerfield, but she is replaced by "Hark Jackness". Despite his alias and faux accent, River recognises Jack due to his retroactive interference in her timeline. Together, they fight off the vortex wraiths. (AUDIO: R&J)

Set during December in 5124. River has stolen a Vortex manipulator before and has been studying at Luna University for three years, despite Let's Kill Hitler establishing that she enrolled in 5123. She has begun studying archaeology and is 34-years-old.

River has a doctorate, and a more hostile attitude towards the Doctor. She interviews Jackie Tyler, Sylvia Noble, Francine Jones, and Wilfred Mott.

Shortly after receiving her doctorate in archaeology, River is kidnapped by the Silence to fulfil her mission of assassinating the Doctor at Lake Silencio on 22 April 2011, leading directly into The Impossible Astronaut and The Wedding of River Song.

The assassination of the Doctor Edit

River oversees operations at Area 52.

River is posing as Cleopatra.

Having captured Kovarian and the Doctor, River confesses her love for the Doctor, and the two wed atop the Great Pyramid of Giza so that the Doctor can get close enough to River to reveal his secret plan; he is hiding within the Teselecta to make the Silence believe their assassination worked. River then restores the timeline.

With the assassination appearing successful, River disappears into the lake, narrowly avoiding being shot by her future counterpart.

River is captured by the authorities and arrested for the murder of the Doctor. She is confined to Stormcage Containment Facility in the 52nd century with twelve thousand consecutive life sentences for her "crime". (TV: The Wedding of River Song)

Early imprisonment Edit

On her way to imprisonment in Stormcage, River's transport shuttle is attacked by an assassin. Due to his retroactive interference in her timeline, Jack Harkness rescues her and attempts to take her away from Stormcage, but she uses her Hallucinogenic lipstick on him and insists that she needs to stay. (AUDIO: R&J)

On her first night in prison, River is rescued by the Doctor, who explains to her the purpose of her diary, and tells her he is taking her to Calderon Beta.

Follows directly on from Night and the Doctor: First Night. River gains a liking for the word "spoilers".

River has a doctorate, setting this after Closing Time. She has yet to visit Planet One, setting this before The Pandorica Opens. She is interviewing Tegan Jovanka.

Set five years after The Wedding of River Song. River has a vortex manipulator. Needing to escape some Sontarans after mocking them, River enters the Doctor's TARDIS and pretends to collapse.

Follows directly on from Night and the Doctor: First Night. The Doctor returns River to Stormcage by hacking her vortex manipulator.

Living with the Ponds Edit

River appears to be living with Amy and Rory. She goes on a date with the Doctor, who picks her up in the TARDIS.

The Doctor and River act like more of a married couple. River appears to believe that the Doctor has further regenerations.

The Doctor and River go on a double date with Amy and Rory. The Doctor alludes to his marriage to River.

The Doctor and River are visiting Amy and Rory for a "family holiday". River is using her vortex manipulator.

The Doctor and River act like a married couple.

The Doctor and River act like a married couple and are staying at Amy and Rory's house.

The Doctor and River act like a married couple and are staying with Amy and Rory.

The Doctor and River are staying with Amy and Rory for Christmas.

The Doctor and River are staying with Amy and Rory for New Year's Day.

Nights out with the Doctor Edit

Set thirteen years after The Wedding of River Song, with River preparing for an anniversary treat that involves Stevie Wonder.

River is taken to the last Winter Frost Fair of 1814 by the Doctor as a birthday treat, with Stevie Wonder performing for her. Upon her return to Stormcage, River is met by Rory shortly before the Battle of Demons Run, and has to reject his invitation to the battle. She later uses her vortex manipulator to return to the Battle of Demons Run after her younger self has been taken. She tells the Doctor of her true identity, and then informs Rory and Amy that she is their daughter.

River is invited by the Doctor to witness his faked assassination at Lake Silencio with Amy and Rory. Pretending to not know what is transpiring to preserve the timeline, River joins Amy, Rory and a younger Doctor as they search for Canton Everett Delaware III and stumbles upon her younger self contacting President Nixon.

River is studying Silents, and their influence on human history in the TARDIS databanks.

River spends three months travelling through the United States, searching for Silents.

Three months after The Impossible Astronaut, River and the Doctor defeat the Silence by using their brainwashing of humanity against them. At her request, the Doctor returns River to Stormcage, and kisses him, not realising that it was his first kiss from her.

The Doctor and River attend a party where the Queen is turned into a fish.

The Doctor and River plan to meet in Antwerp with Marilyn Monroe.

River is rescued from the TARDIS by the Doctor in 1996. After the Doctor uses the Pandorica's restoration field to reverse the Total Event Collapse of the universe, River leaves her now blank diary at her parents' wedding so Amy can remember him back into existence. After her diary is restored, River departs after saying goodbye to the Doctor.

In 5145, River uses her vortex manipulator to rescue the Doctor from 2012 London, and joins him in his search for the pieces of the Eternity Clock.

River is in the first of her twelve-thousand consecutive life sentences. She refers to "parties" and "fish" when she talks about her trips out with the Doctor. She recalls burning the Doctor's body, setting this after The Impossible Astronaut.

The crash of the Byzantium Edit

River is recruited by Father Octavian to track down a Weeping Angel. Wanting to earn a pardon, River agrees with the promise of bringing the Doctor along as a consultant. She learns from the Doctor that she will one day become a professor.

Follows directly on from The Time of Angels. River mentions the events of The Pandorica Opens, and alludes to previous outings that involved handcuffs.

Immediately after Flesh and Stone, River visits Amy to tell her and Rory that the Doctor survived the events of The Wedding of River Song. She also recalls the events of The Impossible Astronaut.

River recalls the events of The Time of Angels and Flesh and Stone.

Facing the Malignant Edit

River is still imprisoned in the Stormcage Containment Facility. The Doctor arrives at Stormcage to ask for River's help, leading directly into The One.

Though she is already familiar with her, River meets Alice Obiefune for the first time. She remarks on the Doctor "still" leaving the TARDIS brakes on, setting this after The Time of Angels. River arrives on Shada with the Doctor and his companions, leading directly into Downtime.

After leaving Shada, the TARDIS is discovered by the Malignant, leading directly into Running to Stay Still.

River is infected by the Malignant, and placed in suspended animation to protect herself from being erased.

River is still in suspended animation.

River is still in suspended animation, but her infection is growing more fatal.

River is still in suspended animation, but the Malignant has spread to most of her body.

River is released from suspended animation to absorb the full Malignant, curing herself of the inflection when the Malignant exits her body. She returns to Stormcage.

Final years at Stormcage Edit

River mentions her doctorate.

River escaped Stormcage during 5147, setting this a minimum of two years after The Big Bang. She is considering having a child. During a picnic at the planet-sized theme park Asgard, River attempts to ask the Doctor his views on them having a child, but is unable to brochure the subject due to Tomith attacking Asgard. River has a professoriate, setting this at least after The Time of Angels.

River recalls Rory's time as a Roman, setting this after The Big Bang.

River has a professoriate and is still imprisoned in Stormcage.

River has faced Weeping Angels, Silents, Daleks, Cybermen, and the Crimson Revenants. River is still in prison, but has achieved her professoriate. She has yet to visit Gallifrey. Upon her return to Stormcage, she has all of her privileges revoked and it is revealed that she has been memorising recent entries so that she can write them down properly in her journal when she gets it back.

A pardoned woman Edit

After the Doctor erases all mention of himself from every database in the universe, River is pardoned after no evidence of her victim can be found. (TV: The Angels Take Manhattan) She returns to her archaeology studies and earns a true professoriate. (AUDIO: The Eye of the Storm)

River has somehow acquired the Doctor's Five Hundred Year Diary, and studies the First Doctor.

River has a vortex manipulator, and recently read the Doctor's Five Hundred Year Diary to learn about the events of The Web of Fear. She has a professoriate and is borrowing the Doctor's TARDIS. River breaks a lock forcefully, setting this before she had any sort of sonic device.

Set between The Wedding of River Song and The Angels Take Manhattan. (DWM 495) River is in a self-imposed exile, and is reluctant to get involved with any adventures, believing that she should be serving a penance. She uses her sonic trowel, and mentions leaving someone "behind". Ending leads directly into I Went to a Marvellous Party.

Ending leads directly into Signs.

Ending leads directly into The Rulers of the Universe.

River meets the Eighth Doctor and is worried about the prospect of him finding out her identity. She also intends to follow the Laws of Time, suggesting that this is one of her earliest meetings with a Doctor who hasn't met her yet.

Due to his retroactive interference in her timeline, River meets Jack Harkness for the first time in her third incarnation while trying to steal from Snorvlast's jewel safe. (AUDIO: R&J)

River meets the Seventh Doctor. River has a sonic device that she built herself, and refers to it as a screwdriver, though the Doctor disagrees with her. Ending leads into Five Twenty-Nine.

Ending leads into World Enough and Time.

River meets the Sixth Doctor. Ending leads into The Eye of the Storm.

River has recently been pardoned from Stormcage.

While investigating Vortex Wraiths in 1940s London, River meets Jack Harkness for the first time without his retroactive interference in her timeline. She promises him a feast in the future. (AUDIO: R&J)

River has her sonic blaster and vortex manipulator. A bounty hunter working for the Ravenous destroys what it referred to as her "sonic device". She has a doctorate.

River has been married to a maximum of eleven-to-thirteen men by this point, and is looking for family and belonging. She recalls the events of A Good Man Goes to War, and joins the Fifth Doctor and Brooke in the TARDIS.

River recalls the events of Picnic at Asgard, The Time of Angels, and A Good Man Goes to War. Ending leads directly into My Dinner with Andrew.

Ending leads into The Furies.

While posing as Queen Elizabeth I in the Elizabethan era, River is investigated by Javic Piotr Thane. She sends him away when they are attacked by androids disguised as the Queen's guard. After her escapade in the Elizabethan era, River takes over the Time Agency in an attempt to get Javic out of her way, suggesting this is set before they get to know each other better. (AUDIO: R&J)

River is a professor and uses her vortex manipulator.

River retrieves Katarina's body from deep space to give her a proper burial, and encounters the Nine. (AUDIO: Companion Piece)

River moves into the Powell Estate and becomes a neighbour of Jackie Tyler. She asks Jackie for advice about her conflicting feelings for the Doctor and Jack, and they become friends by the time Jack arrives to visit Jackie. (AUDIO: R&J)

The Eleventh Doctor and River are going to Darillium, but he changes his mind on the destination after a run in with his younger self.

River races dinosaurs with Jack in the Jurassic period. River tells Jack that her husband has left her to "fight a war" and she won't see him for a while. (AUDIO: R&J)

River has a professoriate, and is teaching archaeology. She is using a "sonic pen torch". She is currently working as a Professor at the Cheska Major University, with Luke Sullieman as one of her students.

River discovers that Jack has ordered four duplicate robots of her, and promptly destroys them. They intend to talk their relationship through properly. (AUDIO: R&J)

River is using her vortex manipulator and her sonic trowel.

River travels to Cardiff in order to meet Jack Harkness, but meets a younger version of him inside the TARDIS. They recall their encounter with dinosaurs. River sees the Ninth Doctor's TARDIS interior for the first time. (AUDIO: R&J)

River visits Jack during his incarceration on the Valiant. River recalls recently visiting his younger self in Cardiff, and they have encountered vortex wraiths, robot duplicates and assassins together. (AUDIO: R&J)

River hasn't been to Gallifrey yet, setting this before Songs of Love.

River visits Jack in Gallipoli. They plan to get married, but the ceremony is interrupted by Snorvlast, who is devoured by the vortex wraiths. Jack and River then visit the end of time for their honeymoon. River knows that she can't die until after she visits Darillium. (AUDIO: R&J)

River uses her sonic trowel.

River rescues a young Javic Piotr Thane during a raid on the Boeshane Peninsula, to return the favour for him visiting her as a homeless child. River has not yet met the Face of Boe. (AUDIO: R&J)

River has a professoriate.

River has a professoriate.

Investigating the Weeping Angels Edit

River is running a detective agency in 1930s New York under the alias of "Melody Malone". She refers to her sonic device as a "Sonic pen torch". Luke Sullieman is working as her secretary, having graduated from university, setting this after Animal Instinct. They encounter the Weeping Angels and River sends Luke away in their timeship while she remains in New York to investigate the Weeping Angels more, leading into The Angel's Kiss: A Melody Malone Mystery.

Immediate prequel to The Angels Take Manhattan. River spends one month investigating Weeping Angel activity in 1938 New York City under the alias "Melody Malone".

Still investigating the Weeping Angels in 1938 New York City, River finds Rory and is later found by the Doctor and Amy. After seeing an older Rory die in Winter Quay, River and the Doctor hold off the Weeping Angels to allow Amy and Rory to escape. After their suicide kills the Angels with a paradox, the Doctor, River, Amy and Rory find themselves in a 2012 graveyard, where Amy and Rory are taken beyond the Doctor's reach by a lone Weeping Angel.

Set during The Angels Take Manhattan, when the Doctor and River are distracting the Weeping Angels from Amy and Rory.

Running from the Discordia Edit

River uses her sonic trowel. Ending leads into Kings of Infinite Space.

Ending leads into Whodunnit?

River uses the alias "Melody Malone", and has her sonic trowel. Ending leads into Someone I Once Knew.

River meets the Fourth Doctor. The Doctor loses her vortex manipulator.

The night on Darillium Edit

According to her diary, this is set shortly after The Angels Take Manhattan. River is 200-years-old, and is unaware of the Doctor's extended regeneration cycle. River marries King Hydroflax to steal the Halassi Androvar diamond embedded in his head. With the aid of a surgeon that her assistant, Nardole, brought to her, River escapes in the Doctor's TARDIS with Hydroflax's head. Heading to the Harmony and Redemption to sell the diamond, River is betrayed by the crew, and discovers that the surgeon accompanying her is the Twelfth Doctor. Escaping the ship to Darillium, the Doctor and River share a final night together for twenty-four years, during which the Doctor gifts River with her own sonic screwdriver.

Jack meets with River during her night on Darillium. He asks her to have a relationship with him, but River turns him down and tells him that the Doctor is her husband. (AUDIO: R&J)

Archaeological adventures Edit

River is a professor, and does not react to an image of the Twelfth Doctor, setting this after The Husbands of River Song.

River believes she has met all of the Master's incarnations. She has a professoriate.

River recalls the events of The Husbands of River Song.

The Doom Coalition Edit

River makes reference to "the magician", "the spiv" and "the geography teacher", setting this after The Husbands of River Song. She travels to Calcot to investigate a piece of the Doomsday Chronometer. She leaves the Eighth Doctor a pointer towards a new rendezvous point and decides to find a disguise to wear, leading into The Eighth Piece.

River recalls meeting Helen Sinclair during The Sonomancer. Ending leads into The Doomsday Chronometer.

Ending leads into The Crucible of Souls.

Ending leads into Songs of Love.

River recalls the events of A Requiem for the Doctor, and visits Gallifrey for the first time.

Follows on immediately from Songs of Love. The Nine rescues River from the Time Vortex. She loses her vortex manipulator, and instead starts using the Clocksmith's TARDIS.

Final escapades Edit

River works as a reporter for the Dark Times Times. She refers to the Doctor as her "on-off husband and occasional wife". She recalls visiting Gallifrey before its destruction to steal the Black Scrolls of Rassilon, setting this after Songs of Love.

While waiting on a beach for the Doctor to turn up for one of their dates, River encounters Jack, who asks her to run away with him. River's days with the Doctor are numbered as one of them is going to die soon. Jack and River are synchronised in their timelines. (AUDIO: R&J)

River has a professoriate, and her sonic screwdriver. She is worried about having the first meeting with the Doctor from his perspective.

River attempts to visit the Face of Boe, but she has arrived at his funeral. She promptly leaves, missing the arrival of Jack by moments. (AUDIO: R&J)

The Library expedition Edit

After giving the Tenth Doctor information about the Zygons, River is recruited by the Felman Lux Corporation to lead Strackman Lux and a team into the Library, leading into Silence in the Library.

Arriving at the Library, River sends a message summoning the Tenth Doctor, only for him to arrive with no idea about her identity. Realising this is the Doctor's first official meeting with her, River assists him and Donna Noble in eluding the Vashta Nerada.

Set during Silence in the Library, just after the Doctor teleports Donna into the TARDIS.

Follows directly on from Silence in the Library. River sacrifices her life to free the people trapped in the Library, and to prevent the Doctor from doing the same. However, the Doctor is able to preserve her memory in the Library's database.

River is summoned to a conference call by Vastra from the Library, and meets Clara Oswald. After the Great Intelligence kidnaps the Paternoster Gang to the Doctor's tomb on Trenzalore, River continues to appear to Clara until she jumps into the Doctor's time stream to defeat the Great Intelligence. River fades away after sharing a final goodbye with the Eleventh Doctor.

Currently unplaced Edit