Parting with the Thals
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Doctor and his companions exchange goodbyes with the Thals, with a special moment between Barbara and Ganatus, as Ganatus gifts Barbara material for a dress, before she kisses him and enters the TARDIS.
Following Barbara's departure, Ganatus expresses that he will never forget her, solidifying their connection, then the TARDIS dematerializes, leaving the Thals to rebuild.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Tender and sentimental; she is moved by Ganatus’ gift and their farewell, but her focus remains on the journey ahead with the Doctor and Susan.
Barbara’s farewell with Ganatus is the emotional climax of the scene. She receives his gift of dress material with gratitude—‘It’s beautiful. Thank you very much. Thank you for everything’—her words reflecting both appreciation and the weight of their parting. Their kiss, initiated by her, is a quiet but profound moment, a acknowledgment of the intimacy they’ve shared. Her practicality—‘Well, that’s a good thing’—contrasts with the tenderness of the moment, revealing her ability to balance emotion with pragmatism as she prepares to leave.
- • To express her gratitude to Ganatus for his kindness and support
- • To find closure in their parting while preparing to depart with her companions
- • Her time on Skaro has been meaningful, but her place is with the Doctor and Susan
- • The bonds formed with the Thals, like her connection with Ganatus, are worth cherishing
Melancholic yet affectionate; he is saddened by the departure but finds solace in the memory of Barbara and their shared moments.
Ganatus is the emotional core of this farewell, his interactions with Barbara revealing the depth of their connection. He gifts her dress material, his words—‘The dress you make from this won’t be suitable for swamps and caverns’—carrying both practicality and longing. Their kiss, initiated by Barbara, is tender and intimate, a silent acknowledgment of what they are leaving behind. His final line—‘I won’t be. But I don’t think I’ll ever forget her’—captures the bittersweet weight of their parting, his melancholy tempered by the memory of their time together.
- • To express his feelings for Barbara through his gift and their farewell
- • To find closure in their parting, even as he acknowledges the pain of separation
- • His bond with Barbara is meaningful and worth cherishing, even in farewell
- • The Thals’ future is uncertain, but their alliances with outsiders like Barbara have left a lasting impact
Excited and sentimental; she is proud of her gift and the bonds formed, but her focus remains on the journey ahead with the Doctor.
Susan bursts into the scene wearing the Thal cape gifted by Dyoni, her excitement palpable as she shows it off to the Doctor and Ian. She engages warmly in farewells with Dyoni and Alydon, hugging him and thanking him, her sentimentality contrasting with the Doctor’s detachment. Her urgency to leave—‘Barbara, we're waiting’—reflects her eagerness to continue their adventures, though she is clearly moved by the bonds formed on Skaro.
- • To celebrate the Thal cape as a symbol of their alliance
- • To urge the group to depart, balancing her emotional farewells with her adventurous spirit
- • The Thals are kind and deserving of their help, but their time on Skaro is temporary
- • Her loyalty to the Doctor and their travels takes precedence over lingering
Hopeful yet resigned; he is saddened by the Doctor’s departure but finds solace in the bonds formed and the Thals’ collective strength.
Alydon’s farewell is marked by hope and resignation. He pleads with the Doctor to stay and advise the Thals, his desperation tempered by the Doctor’s philosophical refusal. His interaction with Susan is warmer, as she hugs him and thanks him, but his emotional state is one of quiet acceptance. He represents the Thals’ collective longing for guidance, even as he acknowledges the inevitability of the Doctor’s departure.
- • To persuade the Doctor to stay and advise the Thals, even as he accepts the refusal
- • To offer a warm farewell to Susan and the other companions
- • The Thals need guidance to rebuild their world, but they must ultimately rely on themselves
- • The Doctor’s wisdom, though not permanent, has left a lasting impact on their people
Warm and nurturing; she is saddened by the departure but finds comfort in the bonds formed and the hope for the Thals’ future.
Dyoni’s role in this farewell is warm and nurturing, though her presence is more subtle. She gifts Susan the Thal cape, her hospitality extending to the end. Her quiet support for Ganatus—‘Don’t be sad, Ganatus’—reveals her role as a comforting presence within the Thal community. While she does not speak much, her actions and demeanor underscore the Thals’ collective gratitude and the emotional stakes of the departure.
- • To offer comfort and support to Ganatus and the other Thals during the farewell
- • To reinforce the Thals’ hospitality and gratitude through her gifts and presence
- • The Thals’ future is uncertain, but their alliances with outsiders like the Doctor’s companions have been meaningful
- • Her role is to nurture and support her people, even in moments of loss
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The TARDIS Fluid Link is briefly referenced by Ian as he checks on the Doctor’s progress, ensuring it is safely secured before departure. While it does not play a direct role in the farewells, its mention underscores the Doctor’s preparedness to leave and the practicalities of their journey. The fluid link symbolizes the technology that sets the Doctor and his companions apart from the Thals, reinforcing the Doctor’s insistence that the Thals’ future lies in truth rather than machinery.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Thal camp serves as the emotional epicenter of this farewell, its tents and softening soil symbolizing both the Thals’ resilience and their fragile hope for the future. The location is imbuited with a bittersweet atmosphere, where the companions’ departure is marked by gifts, kisses, and quiet reflections. The camp, once a refuge, now becomes a threshold between the Thals’ world and the travelers’ journey. The returning birds and trees hint at renewal, but the farewells underscore the cost of leaving. The camp’s role is both practical—a place to gather and say goodbye—and symbolic, representing the end of one chapter and the uncertain beginning of another.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Living Thals (Skaro Survivors) are collectively represented in this farewell, their collective grief and hope embodied in Alydon’s pleas, Ganatus’ melancholy, and Dyoni’s nurturing presence. Their organization is at a crossroads: they have survived the Dalek threat but now face an uncertain future without the Doctor’s guidance. The farewells underscore their reliance on outsiders for hope, even as they must ultimately forge their own path. The Thals’ internal dynamics—marked by Alydon’s leadership, Ganatus’ emotional vulnerability, and Dyoni’s quiet support—reveal their resilience and the bonds that sustain them.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor's refusal to stay and help rebuild, citing his age and distance from home, directly leads to Dyoni inviting the Doctor to rest with them."
The Doctor Rejects Thal Technology"The immediate transition to the TARDIS interior from the surface of Skaro acts as a breather for the audience while also creating suspense for the coming turbulence that occurs as they dematerialise."
TARDIS violently destabilized under attack"The Doctor's refusal to stay and help rebuild, citing his age and distance from home, directly leads to Dyoni inviting the Doctor to rest with them."
The Doctor Rejects Thal TechnologyPart of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"DOCTOR: This is what they call a compensator, my friend. The whole of it. It's useless. Throw it away. Forget it. Unless you want to live in a shell like our dead friends."
"BARBARA: It's beautiful. Thank you very much. Thank you for everything."
"GANATUS: I wish... (kisses Barbara's hand. She kisses him on the lips and goes into the TARDIS)"