Aridians betray Doctor and Barbara to Daleks
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Doctor awakens Barbara, who is disoriented but recovering. As they speak, Rynian and Malsan arrive, setting a somber tone.
Rynian informs the Doctor and Barbara that the Aridian elders have decided to hand them over to the Daleks in exchange for the Daleks sparing Aridius. Barbara is aghast at being betrayed.
The Doctor questions the decision and learns the ultimatum will be carried out in two hours—at sunset.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Horrified and indignant, with a simmering rage at the Aridians' betrayal and the Daleks' coercion. Her emotional state is a mix of personal fear and moral disgust, amplified by the Aridians' justification of 'no choice.'
Barbara, still groggy from exhaustion, is abruptly awakened by the Doctor and immediately confronted with the Aridians' betrayal. Her initial confusion shifts to horror as Rynian delivers the elders' decision to hand her and the Doctor over to the Daleks. She reacts with visceral indignation, her moral outrage clashing with the Aridians' pragmatic desperation. Her dialogue—'You're going to hand us over to the Daleks?'—is laced with disbelief and fury, underscoring her refusal to accept the moral compromise.
- • To reject the Aridians' decision and assert the moral wrongness of sacrificing allies to the Daleks.
- • To rally the Doctor and herself into immediate action to escape or counter the betrayal before sunset.
- • That surrendering to the Daleks is an unforgivable moral failure, regardless of the circumstances.
- • That the Aridians' desperation does not justify betraying those who came to help them.
Solemn and resigned, with a hint of internal conflict. He is clearly uncomfortable with the decision but feels bound by duty to the elders and the survival of Aridius. His emotional state is one of grim acceptance, tempered by the knowledge that this is the only path to save his people.
Rynian, as the primary spokesperson for the Aridian elders, delivers the devastating news of the elders' decision to hand the Doctor and Barbara over to the Daleks. His demeanor is solemn and resigned, reflecting the weight of the elders' decree. He attempts to justify the decision with the phrase 'We have no choice,' emphasizing the Aridians' desperation. His dialogue is measured but firm, underscoring the finality of the elders' decision and the urgency of the situation.
- • To communicate the elders' decision clearly and firmly, ensuring the Doctor and Barbara understand the stakes.
- • To justify the decision to the Doctor and Barbara, appealing to their understanding of the Aridians' desperate situation.
- • That the survival of Aridius and its people is the highest priority, even at the cost of moral compromise.
- • That the Doctor and Barbara, as outsiders, may not fully grasp the Aridians' desperation but must comply with the elders' decree.
Neutral and dutiful, with a sense of urgency. He is not as visibly conflicted as Rynian but is fully committed to the elders' decision. His emotional state is one of pragmatic resolve, driven by the need to ensure the Doctor and Barbara comply with the ultimatum.
Malsan supports Rynian in delivering the news, emphasizing the urgency and finality of the elders' decision. His role is secondary but crucial, as he reinforces the message with his brief but pointed dialogue ('They must be told.'). His presence underscores the unity of the Aridians in this desperate moment, though his emotional state is less pronounced than Rynian's. He is the dutiful messenger, ensuring the Doctor and Barbara fully grasp the gravity of the situation.
- • To reinforce Rynian's message and ensure the Doctor and Barbara understand the immediacy of the situation.
- • To convey the elders' authority and the finality of their decision without wavering.
- • That the elders' decision is the only viable path to survival for Aridius.
- • That the Doctor and Barbara, as outsiders, must defer to the Aridians' judgment in this matter.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The City Chamber serves as the tense and claustrophobic setting for the Aridians' betrayal. Its dimly lit, walled-off tunnels and stone walls amplify the sense of desperation and moral conflict. The chamber is not just a physical space but a symbolic representation of the Aridians' trapped existence—both literally, as they are besieged by Mire Beasts and Daleks, and metaphorically, as they are forced into a moral compromise. The atmosphere is thick with tension, as the Doctor and Barbara are confronted with the elders' decision, and the Aridians' voices echo off the walls, underscoring the finality of their decree.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Daleks are the looming, coercive force behind the Aridians' betrayal. Though not physically present in the City Chamber, their influence is palpable, as Rynian and Malsan deliver their ultimatum with the Daleks' promise of sparing Aridius hanging over the scene. The Daleks' threat of annihilation is the driving force behind the elders' decision, and their presence—even as an absent authority—shapes every word and action in the chamber. The Daleks' power dynamics are one of absolute control, as the Aridians are forced into a position of desperate compliance.
The Aridian Elders are the ultimate authority behind the decision to betray the Doctor and Barbara. Though not physically present in the City Chamber, their influence is absolute, as Rynian and Malsan act as their spokespeople, delivering the elders' decree with solemn finality. The elders' decision reflects their pragmatic but morally compromised approach to survival, prioritizing the fate of Aridius over the lives of outsiders. Their involvement in this event is a testament to their authority and the desperation of their situation.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The revelation that the Aridians must imprison the Doctor and Barbara (beat_b6cde10a2b7ecd9d) leads directly to Rynian informing the Doctor and Barbara that the Aridian elders have decided to hand them over to the Daleks (beat_7a8e2c27f1ac000e)."
Doctor masks urgency while Dalek ultimatum looms"The revelation that the Aridians must imprison the Doctor and Barbara (beat_b6cde10a2b7ecd9d) leads directly to Rynian informing the Doctor and Barbara that the Aridian elders have decided to hand them over to the Daleks (beat_7a8e2c27f1ac000e)."
Daleks issue ultimatum to Aridians"The Aridians' betrayal of the Doctor and Barbara (beat_7a8e2c27f1ac000e) intensifies the situation, leading to the Mire Beast attack (beat_fa7d5e80881a70f6) and forcing the Doctor, Barbara, and Vicki to flee the city chamber."
Doctor reveals the walled city’s secret"The Aridians' betrayal of the Doctor and Barbara (beat_7a8e2c27f1ac000e) intensifies the situation, leading to the Mire Beast attack (beat_fa7d5e80881a70f6) and forcing the Doctor, Barbara, and Vicki to flee the city chamber."
Mire Beast attack disrupts TARDIS escapeThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"RYNIAN: You are to be handed over at last suns. The Daleks have promised that when the execution is over they will leave Aridius unharmed."
"BARBARA: You're going to hand us over to the Daleks?"
"DOCTOR: Two hours. Their suns are due to set in two hours."