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S12E13
Tragic
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Genesis of the Daleks Part 3

The Doctor races against time on a war-torn planet to prevent the maniacal Davros from unleashing his new creation—the Daleks—upon the universe, while Sarah Jane Smith is trapped and must survive a Thal war camp.

On a desolate planet gripped by a centuries-long war between the Kaleds and the Thals, the Doctor, along with Harry and Sarah, arrives to prevent the birth of the Daleks. They soon find themselves amidst the machinations of Davros, a brilliant but ruthless Kaled scientist obsessed with perfecting his creations, no matter the cost. The Doctor recognizes the potential for universal destruction that Davros's Daleks represent, and understands the importance of halting their genesis.

The TARDIS team quickly splits up. In one strand, Harry and the Doctor become embroiled in the Kaled political landscape. They try to convince the Kaled leaders of the impending Dalek threat, facing bureaucratic hurdles and disbelief. Their efforts lead to a proposition for independent review, which Davros pretends to welcome but secretly intends to subvert, as this risks exposing his monstrous project. The Doctor and Harry, aided by Kaled dissidents, navigate treacherous landscapes, evading capture and seeking ways to undermine Davros's plans. Their journey reveals the depths of Davros's depravity and the Kaled elite's moral bankruptcy, highlighting the dangers of unchecked ambition and scientific advancement without ethical constraints.

Sarah finds herself captured by the Thals and forced into slave labor loading a massive rocket which is meant to destroy the Kaled dome and end the war. She and other prisoners plan an escape when The Doctor and Harry arrive disguised as Thal guards. The Doctor sends Sarah and Harry to warn the Kaleds of the impending Thal attack while he attempts to sabotage it. Eventually he is captured by the Thals.

Meanwhile, Davros exploits the Thals' desperation for victory by providing them with a chemical formula to weaken the Kaled dome, knowing full well that this will lead to the utter destruction of both races. He orchestrates events to ensure the Daleks' survival and his own ascent to power in a Dalek-dominated future.

In the climax, with the Thals preparing to launch their rocket and the Kaleds oblivious to the impending doom, the Doctor must find a way to stop the launch and expose Davros's treachery to both sides. The Doctor faces moral dilemmas about whether or not to terminate the Daleks' existence altogether, even if it means altering the course of history. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, with the Doctor facing imprisonment and Sarah and Harry caught in the crossfire of the escalating conflict, leaving the fate of the Kaleds, the Thals, and the universe hanging in the balance.


Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

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