Polly Learns Her Fish Transformation Fate
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Damon reveals that Polly is scheduled for an 'operation' to receive plastic gills, so she can work underwater. Polly realizes she is to be turned into a fish person.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
A mix of frustration, concern, and defiance. Ben’s emotional state is one of helplessness as he is dragged away, but his concern for Polly and his loyalty to the group keep his spirit resilient. He is acutely aware of the danger they are in and the injustice of their captivity, which fuels his defiance even in the face of overwhelming odds.
Ben is initially compliant, his cockney charm and quick wit on display as he attempts to defuse the tension with Damon. However, his skepticism and concern for Polly’s fate surface when Damon announces the separation of the group. He questions Damon’s intentions, his voice laced with confusion and defiance as he is dragged out by the guards. His last glimpse of Polly is one of concern, his emotional state a mix of frustration at his powerlessness and determination to protect his companion, even as he is forced into the mines.
- • To understand and challenge Damon’s intentions regarding Polly, ensuring her safety as much as possible.
- • To maintain his composure and loyalty to the group, even as he is separated and forced into labor, so as to remain a source of strength for Polly and Jamie.
- • That Damon’s actions are unjust and that the companions deserve better than to be treated as labor or experimental subjects.
- • That unity and loyalty among the group are crucial for their survival, and that he must remain strong for Polly and Jamie, even in separation.
A rapid descent from naive admiration to stunned horror. Polly’s emotional state begins with curiosity and awe, but as Damon reveals the truth about the surgical transformation, her emotions curdle into disbelief, dread, and finally, outright horror. The moment she realizes she is to be turned into a fish person is the tipping point, where her initial wonder is replaced by a visceral, primal revulsion at the thought of losing her humanity.
Polly’s emotional journey in this event is a stark contrast to her initial naivety. She begins with curiosity and even admiration for the underwater farming operation, her awe evident as she takes in the sight of the fish people swimming in the floodlit seabed. However, her horror grows as Damon casually reveals the truth about the 'plastic gills' and her own impending transformation. Her reaction—'You're not turning me into a fish!'—is a visceral outburst of disbelief and revulsion, marking the moment her naivety shatters and she fully grasps the horror of her fate. Her emotional state oscillates between stunned disbelief, creeping dread, and finally, outright horror as the weight of her impending loss of humanity sinks in.
- • To understand the nature of the underwater farming operation and the role of the fish people, driven by her curiosity and initial admiration.
- • To resist the idea of her own transformation, her defiant outburst ('You're not turning me into a fish!') marking her refusal to accept her fate passively.
- • That the underwater farming operation is a noble and admirable endeavor, at least initially, before the horror of the truth is revealed.
- • That her own transformation into a fish person is an unacceptable violation of her humanity, and she will resist it with every fiber of her being.
Feigned benevolence masking cold, institutional cruelty. Damon’s emotional state is one of calculated control, where his outward calm and reassuring tone serve to mask the dehumanizing nature of his actions. He is fully aware of the horror he is inflicting but frames it as a necessity, revealing a deep-seated belief in the righteousness of his mission and the Atlantean cult’s ideals.
Damon stands at the center of the operating theatre, his posture exuding calm authority as he methodically separates the companions. He directs the guards to take Ben and Jamie to the mines with a detached efficiency, while sparing Polly for a more insidious fate. His tone is paternal yet manipulative as he reveals the underwater farming operation, framing the surgical transformation of humans into fish people as a 'noble contribution' to the community. When Polly expresses initial awe, Damon seizes the moment to casually mention the 'plastic gills,' his matter-of-fact delivery masking the horror of the procedure. He observes her reaction with clinical detachment, his goal of normalizing the atrocity clear in his measured responses.
- • To separate and assign the companions to roles that serve the Atlantean community, reinforcing their subjugation and the cult’s power.
- • To psychologically prepare Polly for her surgical transformation by framing it as a noble and inevitable contribution to the community, thereby minimizing resistance.
- • That the ends justify the means, and the survival of the Atlantean community necessitates the transformation of outsiders.
- • That his role as Chief Surgeon grants him the authority to make these decisions without moral consequence, as he is acting in the best interest of the collective.
A blend of concern, frustration, and determination. Jamie’s emotional state is one of deep worry for Polly, but his resilience and loyalty to the group shine through as he encourages her not to lose hope. He is acutely aware of the danger they are in, but his faith in the Doctor and his companions keeps his spirit strong, even as he is dragged away.
Jamie’s initial confusion and concern for Polly are palpable as Damon announces the separation of the group. He questions Damon about the mines, his voice tinged with a mix of skepticism and fear. As he is dragged out by the guards, he turns to Polly, offering a final, encouraging word: 'Don’t lose heart, Polly!' His actions and words reflect his deep loyalty to his companions and his unwavering belief in their ability to overcome their circumstances, even as he is forced into the brutal mines.
- • To ensure Polly’s safety and morale, offering her encouragement and hope even as he is separated from her.
- • To maintain his composure and resilience, so as to remain a source of strength for the group, even in the face of forced labor and oppression.
- • That the companions’ unity and loyalty are their greatest strengths, and that they will find a way to overcome their captivity.
- • That Damon’s actions are unjust, and that the Atlanteans’ treatment of outsiders is morally reprehensible, even if he cannot yet challenge it directly.
Cold, detached obedience. The guards’ emotional state is one of professional indifference, where their role is to enforce the will of their superiors without question. They show no empathy or hesitation, their actions a reflection of the dehumanizing efficiency of the Atlantean system.
The guards drag Ben and Jamie out of the operating theatre with brute efficiency, their actions a physical manifestation of Damon’s authority and the Atlantean regime’s control. They show no hesitation or empathy, their role reduced to enforcing Damon’s orders without question. Their presence underscores the power dynamics at play, where the companions are little more than pawns in the Atlanteans’ grand design. Their silent compliance with Damon’s commands highlights the dehumanizing efficiency of the system, where individuals are disposable and resistance is futile.
- • To enforce Damon’s orders and ensure that Ben and Jamie are taken to the mines without resistance.
- • To uphold the Atlantean regime’s authority, reinforcing the power dynamics that keep the community in check.
- • That their role is to serve the Atlantean community without question, and that the captives are a means to an end.
- • That resistance is futile, and their duty is to maintain order at all costs.
Clinical detachment bordering on indifference. The Foreman’s emotional state is one of professional detachment, where the horror of the surgical transformation is reduced to a mere procedural necessity. He shows no empathy or hesitation, his role as an enforcer of the Atlantean system requiring him to uphold the status quo without question.
The Foreman stands beside Damon, his presence a silent but authoritative reinforcement of the Atlantean regime’s control. He confirms the inevitability of Polly’s surgical transformation with a matter-of-fact tone, his clinical detachment underscoring the dehumanizing efficiency of the Atlantean system. His role is that of an enforcer of protocol, ensuring that Damon’s orders are carried out without question. His brief but pivotal line—'We couldn’t send you out there without it. You'd drown.'—serves as the final nail in the coffin of Polly’s hope, sealing her fate with cold, bureaucratic finality.
- • To reinforce Damon’s authority and ensure that Polly understands the inevitability of her transformation, thereby minimizing resistance.
- • To uphold the Atlantean protocol, ensuring that all captives are processed according to the established system, regardless of their personal circumstances or emotions.
- • That the Atlantean system and its protocols are infallible and must be upheld at all costs.
- • That the transformation of outsiders into fish people is a necessary and justified means of ensuring the community’s survival.
A hollow, detached emptiness. The fish people’s emotional state is one of silent resignation, their humanity stripped away by the surgical transformation. They move with mechanical precision, their actions devoid of emotion or autonomy. Their gaze into the operating theatre is a fleeting, almost curious glance, but it is devoid of recognition or connection, reflecting the depth of their dehumanization.
The fish people swim silently in the floodlit seabed, their movements methodical and eerie as they tend to the underwater crops. One swims close to the window, peering in at Polly with a gaze that is both haunting and hollow, a silent testament to the loss of their humanity. Their presence serves as a visceral reminder of the fate that awaits Polly, their transformed state a stark contrast to her own impending horror. They are neither fully human nor entirely alien, but something in between—a living metaphor for the dehumanizing power of the Atlantean cult.
- • To serve as a silent, living example of the Atlantean cult’s power and the irreversible nature of the transformation.
- • To evoke a sense of dread and horror in Polly, reinforcing the inevitability of her own fate.
- • That their existence is now solely defined by their role in the Atlantean community, with no memory or desire for their former lives.
- • That resistance is futile, and their transformed state is the only reality they know.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The operating theatre floodlights cast a harsh, clinical glow over the seabed, illuminating the fish people as they swim in silent, methodical rows. Their light is not just functional but symbolic, stripping away the mystery and romance of the underwater world to reveal its true, dehumanizing nature. The floodlights serve as a metaphor for the Atlanteans’ regime, exposing the brutality and efficiency of their system with cold, unflinching clarity. They turn the seabed into a stage for Polly’s horror, ensuring that she cannot look away from the fate that awaits her.
The operating theatre shutter serves as the mechanism for Damon’s calculated revelation, sliding up to expose the eerie, floodlit seabed where the fish people toil. Its movement is deliberate, drawing Polly’s attention to the underwater farming operation and setting the stage for the horror to come. The shutter’s function is not merely practical but symbolic, acting as a threshold between the sterile, clinical world of the operating theatre and the dehumanizing reality of the Atlanteans’ submerged labor system. As it reveals the fish people, it also reveals the truth of Polly’s fate, making the shutter a pivotal object in the escalation of tension and dread.
The plastic gills are the central symbol of the Atlanteans’ dehumanizing experiments, and their mention by Damon serves as the catalyst for Polly’s horror. While not physically present in the operating theatre, their existence is made visceral through Damon’s description and the sight of the fish people swimming in the seabed. The gills represent the irreversible loss of humanity, the physical manifestation of the Atlanteans’ fanatical devotion to their fish goddess. Their mention is a turning point in the event, shifting Polly’s awe to revulsion as she realizes the true nature of the transformation she is slated to undergo.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Atlantean seabed farming operation is revealed through the operating theatre window, serving as a visceral reminder of the dehumanizing power of the Atlantean cult. The floodlit crops and the silent, methodical movements of the fish people create an eerie, almost surreal atmosphere, where the beauty of the underwater world is twisted into something horrific. The farming operation is not just a means of survival but a symbol of the Atlanteans’ fanatical devotion to their fish goddess, where the transformation of humans into fish people is justified as a noble contribution to the community. For Polly, the seabed becomes a premonition of her own fate, a place where her humanity will be erased in the name of the cult’s survival.
The operating theatre is the sterile, clinical heart of the Atlanteans’ dehumanizing machine, where Damon orchestrates the separation and transformation of the companions. Its cold, unfeeling environment mirrors the emotional detachment of the Atlanteans’ regime, where individuals are reduced to mere components of a larger system. The theatre is a place of revelation, where the truth of the fish people’s fate—and Polly’s own—is laid bare. The clinical lights, metal tables, and surgical instruments create an atmosphere of inevitability, reinforcing the idea that resistance is futile. For Polly, the operating theatre becomes a prison, a place where her humanity is at risk of being erased forever.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Atlanteans’ involvement in this event is manifest through Damon’s calculated manipulation of Polly, the Foreman’s matter-of-fact confirmation of her transformation, and the guards’ enforcement of the regime’s authority. The organization’s power is on full display as it separates the companions, reveals the truth of the fish people’s fate, and prepares Polly for her own dehumanizing surgery. The Atlanteans’ fanatical devotion to their fish goddess is evident in their justification of the transformations as a 'noble contribution' to the community, while their institutional control is reinforced by the clinical efficiency of the operating theatre and the unquestioning obedience of their subordinates. This event is a microcosm of the Atlanteans’ broader mission: to ensure the survival of their community at any cost, even if it means stripping individuals of their humanity.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"After the Doctor appeals to Zaroff's ego (beat_53264eac7bb113df), Zaroff orders Polly, Ben, and Jamie to be taken to the labor controller (beat_2416c9fb51691497)."
Doctor outwits Zaroff with psychological gambit"After the Doctor appeals to Zaroff's ego (beat_53264eac7bb113df), Zaroff orders Polly, Ben, and Jamie to be taken to the labor controller (beat_2416c9fb51691497)."
Doctor manipulates Zaroff with wit and ego"After initially showing Polly the underwater farming operation (beat_71a2e11b90b4b479), and making it seem like a community contribution, Damon reveals Polly is scheduled for the life-altering operation to become a fish person (beat_267029b02348a9b2)."
Damon reveals fish-people transformation"Damon spares their lives, but states they must contribute to the community (beat_2416c9fb51691497), leading to Damon revealing the underwater farming operation and the technology of 'fish people' to Polly (beat_71a2e11b90b4b479)."
Damon reveals fish-people transformation"Polly realizes she is to be turned into a fish person (beat_267029b02348a9b2), causing Ara to interrupt the Doctor and Zaroff to report Polly's imminent operation, initiating the rescue plan (beat_0d8f452857a06f62)."
Doctor learns Atlantis rises and Polly faces transformation"After initially showing Polly the underwater farming operation (beat_71a2e11b90b4b479), and making it seem like a community contribution, Damon reveals Polly is scheduled for the life-altering operation to become a fish person (beat_267029b02348a9b2)."
Damon reveals fish-people transformation"Damon spares their lives, but states they must contribute to the community (beat_2416c9fb51691497), leading to Damon revealing the underwater farming operation and the technology of 'fish people' to Polly (beat_71a2e11b90b4b479)."
Damon reveals fish-people transformationThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"DAMON: "Seventy percent of the world's surface is under the oceans. You are looking at our food producing area. Without it, we couldn't survive.""
"POLLY: "It's fantastic. What are those?""
"DAMON: "Those are our farmers.""
"POLLY: "I think it's splendid. All those people working under the sea to feed the others. But listen, how do they breathe?""
"DAMON: "We give them plastic gills. Look.""
"POLLY: "You're not turning me into a fish!""
"FOREMAN: "Well, of course. We couldn't send you out there without it. You'd drown.""