Chessene's murder spree ends in self-destruction
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Chessene confronts Dastari, the Second Doctor, and Peri, demanding to know why they are still alive. Dastari expresses remorse for his creation, Chessene, and her ambitions.
Chessene shoots Dastari, and he falls. The Second Doctor and Peri attempt to flee.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Frenzied desperation masking a brittle façade of grandiosity
With gun in hand, Chessene executes Dastari for his hesitation, then attempts to flee into the Kartz-Reimer module as it begins to destabilize. Her desperation is palpable as she orders their deaths and clings to her godlike delusion even as molecular disintegration consumes her.
- • Eliminate witnesses to her failed plan
- • Flee into the Kartz-Reimer module and survive
- • She is destined to lead her people as a god
- • Human life holds no value beyond utility
Deep remorse clashing against the weight of irreversible choice
Dastari reaches for Chessene in a final attempt to dissuade her as she violently murders him, collapsing to the ground with regret etched across his face. His last coherent thought is self-recrimination for creating her elevated form.
- • Prevent Chessene’s escalating violence
- • Atone for his earlier actions
- • Scientific ambition without ethics leads to ruin
- • Redemption requires sacrifice
Focused urgency layered with dry amusement at his own survival
Held with Peri by Chessene, the Second Doctor pivots from confrontation to flight as the situation collapses. He seizes a Stattenheim remote to summon his TARDIS, wryly bidding farewell to his future self while prioritizing escape over confrontation.
- • Ensure Peri’s safety
- • Escape before the module collapses
- • Expediency often outranks confrontation
- • Time Lords must look after each other across timelines
Heightened alertness masking sudden, decisive action
Jamie hides under the stairs, then throws his knife with precision to knock the gun from Chessene’s hand, beckoning the Second Doctor and Peri to flee as the module erupts. His actions decisively shift the balance in the chaos.
- • Neutralize Chessene’s immediate threat
- • Ensure his Doctor and Peri reach safety
- • Violence is sometimes necessary to protect others
- • Loyalty transcends personal fear
High tension counterbalanced by readiness to flee
Peri stands frozen with the Second Doctor and Dastari, witnessing Chessene’s murder and the subsequent explosion of the module. She remains tense and alert, later departing with Jamie towards the TARDIS as the immediate threat fades.
- • Stay close to the Second Doctor for safety
- • Prepare to escape alongside Jamie
- • Trust in the Doctor’s ability to manage danger
- • Preparation and quick action save lives
Mischievous amusement layered with urgency to assess the damage
The Sixth Doctor limps in after the explosion, commenting with mischievous flippancy on the destruction while immediately seizing the Stattenheim remote from the Second Doctor. His arrival signals both closure for the Androgum plot and his reclaiming of authority.
- • Assess the immediate aftermath
- • Claim control of the TARDIS remote
- • His timeline authority must be reasserted
- • Irony defuses tense situations
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The TARDIS materializes under the Second Doctor’s command, providing a temporal escape at a critical moment. It appears damaged and unstable, mirroring the precarious state of time itself during the confrontation.
The Kartz-Reimer module becomes a literal trap and escape vehicle for Chessene, its systems destabilizing as she activates it. Its catastrophic explosion marks the end of her scheme and reverts her to biological disintegration.
The Stattenheim remote is used by the Second Doctor to summon his TARDIS, enabling immediate departure with Jamie and Peri. The Sixth Doctor swiftly claims it, asserting his own temporal authority and interrupting the Second Doctor’s control.
Though Shockeye’s knife is not physically wielded in this event, it symbolizes the broader cycle of violence and predation. Its presence lingers in the environment as part of the cellar’s lethal apparatus, reflecting the grotesque ambitions of the Androgums.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The cellar functions as the primary battleground for the climax of the Androgum plot, its reinforced walls and jury-rigged equipment bearing witness to scientific ambition turned murderous. The module’s explosion imparts further damage, collapsing the fragile setting into a smoldering ruin.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Second Doctor and Peri's attempt to flee after Dastari is shot leads directly to Chessene confronting them, demanding to know why they are still alive."
Doctor and Peri flee Dastari's order"Chessene's confrontation with the Second Doctor and Peri leads her to shoot Dastari and attempt to flee in the sabotaged Time Space module."
Sixth Doctor triumphantly captures Shockeye"Chessene's confrontation with the Second Doctor and Peri leads her to shoot Dastari and attempt to flee in the sabotaged Time Space module."
Allies part ways in fractured timeline"Chessene's confrontation with the Second Doctor and Peri leads her to shoot Dastari and attempt to flee in the sabotaged Time Space module."
Jamie disarms Chessene as her plot collapses"Chessene's confrontation with the Second Doctor and Peri leads her to shoot Dastari and attempt to flee in the sabotaged Time Space module."
Sixth Doctor triumphantly captures Shockeye"Chessene's confrontation with the Second Doctor and Peri leads her to shoot Dastari and attempt to flee in the sabotaged Time Space module."
Allies part ways in fractured timeline"Chessene's confrontation with the Second Doctor and Peri leads her to shoot Dastari and attempt to flee in the sabotaged Time Space module."
Jamie disarms Chessene as her plot collapsesPart of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"CHESSENE: I put myself among the gods. And now I shall liberate my people. With me as their leader we shall reign over all other beings."
"DASTARI: There's been enough killing, Chessene, and it's my fault. I took an Androgum, a lowly, unthinking creature of instinct, and tried to set her among the gods."
"CHESSENE: Stop!"