Narrative Web
S20E23
· The Five Doctors Part 1

Second Doctor senses unseen presence

The Second Doctor stands in the cavernous dark of Rassilon’s Tomb, his senses sharpened by the ancient air. The materialization of the TARDIS startles him as Susan and Turlough emerge, though his keen perception detects something beyond their arrival. The tomb itself seems to resonate with unseen forces, heightening the urgency of their mission. His instinctive call to an unseen presence signals the convergence of the Doctor’s incarnations and the looming confrontation with Borusa’s scheme before the Dark Tower collapses.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

The Second Doctor addresses someone, possibly indicating his awareness or attention to their presence or situation.

calm to engagement

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
The Fifth Doctor
Time Lord
 primary

Focused but intrigued, masking deeper tension with measured calm

The Second Doctor stands alert in the cavernous darkness of the tomb, his keen perception immediately attuned to the ancient surroundings and the arrival of the TARDIS. He speaks aloud, addressing an unseen presence with deliberate purpose and a hint of urgency.

Goals in this moment
  • • Attempt to establish contact with an unseen presence or force
  • • Assess the peculiar circumstances of arrival in the tomb
Active beliefs
  • • Believes knowledge or aid might come from an unseen source in such a place
  • • Trusts in the significance of the tomb’s ancient power and its call to the Doctor
Character traits
Perceptive Deliberate Inquisitive
Follow The Fifth …'s journey
Supporting 2
Susan Foreman
secondary

Cautiously alert, balancing caution with exploratory intent

Susan emerges from the TARDIS alongside Turlough, her curiosity piqued by the unfamiliar setting. She scans the tomb’s dimly lit expanse, her Gallifreyan sensibilities reacting to the temporal disruption without fully comprehending its implication yet.

Goals in this moment
  • • Understand the reason for their sudden arrival in this location
  • • Support the Second Doctor in any immediate action
Active beliefs
  • • Believes the Doctor’s presence signifies purpose even in unfamiliar places
  • • Expects a logical explanation for temporal disruptions
Character traits
Observant Curious Measured
Follow Susan Foreman's journey
Turlough
Schoolboy
 secondary

Feigned indifference masking underlying alertness and distrust

Turlough steps out of the TARDIS cautiously, his expression betraying skepticism and wariness. His gaze lingers not on the tomb’s grandeur but on the immediate environment, tracking potential threats and calculating exits.

Goals in this moment
  • • Ensure personal survival and quick understanding of the situation
  • • Assess if cooperation with the Doctor is necessary or advantageous
Active beliefs
  • • Believes danger is likely present in such an ancient and isolated location
  • • Distrusts unseen forces and favors self-reliance
Character traits
Skeptical Cautious Analytical
Follow Turlough's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space)

The TARDIS materializes abruptly within the tomb’s secluded space, its arrival startling the Second Doctor and drawing Susan and Turlough out of its time-distorted interior. The ship’s sudden emergence in a location so steeped in Time Lord history foreshadows the convergence of temporal forces tied to the Doctor’s incarnations.

Before: Functional but idle, located elsewhere in time and …
After: Stationary and inactive in the tomb, its systems …
Before: Functional but idle, located elsewhere in time and space before the event
After: Stationary and inactive in the tomb, its systems temporarily stabilized in an unnatural location

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Rassilon's Tomb

Rassilon’s Tomb functions as the event’s setting, its ancient marble walls amplifying every sound and casting oppressive shadows. The tomb’s air hums with residual temporal energy, thinning the barrier between time periods and allowing the Doctor’s incarnations to be drawn together. Its very existence dictates that this place is one where time and power are tested.

Atmosphere Coldly reverential with an undercurrent of tension and anticipation
Function Sacred and isolated meeting ground for temporal forces
Symbolism Represents the weight of Time Lord history and the inevitable convergence of the Doctor’s legacy
Flickering torchlight barely piercing the vaulted darkness Enormous marble sarcophagus and inscribed obelisk dominating the space

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

No narrative connections mapped yet

This event is currently isolated in the narrative graph

Key Dialogue

"DOCTOR 2ND: Can you hear me, old fellow?"