| “ | I only need the signal to broadcast my instructions. I can find another signal! Right now it doesn't matter. Don't you understand? The Zodiac is almost complete! Only the children of Taurus to claim, and then even you will know my power, Sarah Jane Smith! | „ |
| ~ Trueman after the signal was cut off |
Martin Trueman is the main antagonist of the Sarah Jane Adventures episode "Secret of the Stars" (although he is a pawn of the true main villains). He was portrayed by Russ Abbott.
History
Trueman was a conman who pretended to be a psychic to gain money. One day, he was with a client when he was possessed by a alien force called the Ancient Lights and used his new powers to take over his client, Cheryl. He then built a successful career with his now real psychic abilities with Cheryl as his assistant.
Journalist Sarah Jane Smith, her stepson Luke and her friends Clyde and Rani attended one of his performances and saw him demonstrate his powers. He was able to somehow know that Sarah Jane had travelled with a man called The Doctor. Amazed, she talked to him after his show but learned nothing. Soon after, Trueman was approached by Lisa Trotter from Paranormal Planet and agreed to do a live TV interview (it's implied that he incapacitated the woman who was originally going to do an interview, as she fell down the stairs despite living in a bungalow).
Trueman encountered Clyde and transferred some of the power of the Ancient Lights to him, brainwashing him to kill Sarah Jane. His plan was defeated by Luke, who was able to free Clyde from their control. Meanwhile, Trueman killed Trotter and her tech team and invoked the star sign Gemini, taking over all those with that star sign.
By the time the broadcast was cut off, all star signs besides Taurus had joined Trueman's circle to herald the arrival of the Ancient Lights. Trueman then mocked Sarah Jane's belief that the Ancient Lights could be defeated by cutting of the signal, claiming that once he had taken the children of Taurus, the Ancient Lights would be "reborn". However, Luke was able to break his circle due to not having a star sign (he was created by the Bane in the first episode), releasing everyone from his control. Trueman lamented that the knowledge of the Ancient Lights would be lost forever before disappearing with them, presumably having become one of them.
