Narrative Web
S20E10
· Mawdryn Undead Part 2

Tegan confronts Nyssa over the Doctor’s absence

Tegan’s suspicion grows as she questions Nyssa about the Doctor’s unexplained disappearance. The TARDIS interior appears stable but tensions rise when Nyssa offers placating but vague reassurances. Tegan’s direct inquiry about the Doctor’s whereabouts hints at deeper unease, while Nyssa’s reluctance to acknowledge any problem suggests underlying dissonance. The dialogue subtly reveals a fracture in trust between the companions, mirroring the TARDIS’s latent instability and foreshadowing the broader crisis tied to both the ship’s malfunction and the Brigadier’s amnesia. key_dialogue: [ TEGAN: Where's the Doctor? Nyssa, are you sure this is the right place?

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Tegan expresses concern about the Doctor's whereabouts, questioning Nyssa if they are in the right location. Nyssa reassures her that they should be, but Tegan's unease grows.

concern to growing unease ['TARDIS Interior']

Tegan voices her suspicion that something is wrong, and Nyssa attempts to reassure her that the Doctor has probably just wandered off.

apprehension to mild reassurance

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Nyssa
Companion of the Doctor
 primary

Strategically calm, concealing deeper anxiety or a burden she feels unable to disclose

Nyssa replies with deliberate calm, her measured words failing to fully mask underlying tension. She avoids direct answers, her reassurances ringing hollow against Tegan's insistent scrutiny. Her evasiveness suggests knowledge she cannot share.

Goals in this moment
  • • Deflect Tegan's suspicions to maintain temporary stability
  • • Preserve an appearance of normalcy despite latent instability
Active beliefs
  • • The truth about the Doctor and the TARDIS must be delayed for now
  • • Excessive honesty could trigger a crisis Nyssa feels unprepared to handle
Character traits
Composed Evasive Diplomatic Guarded
Follow Nyssa's journey
Tegan Jovanka
primary

Defensive and questioning, masking emerging panic with brittle assertiveness

Tegan stands rigid at the TARDIS console, her posture betraying sharp suspicion as she demands answers from Nyssa. Her direct questioning exposes growing unease, her voice edged with distrust as she probes the TARDIS's state and the Doctor's whereabouts.

Goals in this moment
  • • Demand clarity about the Doctor's disappearance
  • • Challenge Nyssa's vague reassurances to uncover hidden truths
Active beliefs
  • • The Doctor's absence is unnatural and requires urgent explanation
  • • Nyssa's evasiveness signals a hidden problem with the TARDIS
Character traits
Direct Suspicious Confrontational Volatile
Follow Tegan Jovanka's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
TARDIS Central Control Chamber

The TARDIS console room serves as the charged backdrop where Tegan and Nyssa confront their unease. The ship's mechanical rhythms and flickering systems mirror the companions' instability as dialogue exposes growing fissures in trust. Moments of stillness contrast with undercurrents of crisis.

Atmosphere Tense and uncertain, with an undercurrent of latent danger beneath the facade of contained stability
Function Critical junction for crew confrontation and information exchange
Symbolism Represents the fragile equilibrium of the TARDIS crew and their shared reality
Access Limited to authorized crew members within the TARDIS
The scanner still displays the obelisk and urns from the exterior The console shows minimal signs of life despite revived systems

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 1
NARRATIVELY_FOLLOWS medium

"The TARDIS’s functioning (indicated by the time rotor) immediately precedes the companions' arrival inside the TARDIS, where they soon realize the Doctor is missing."

Time rotor signals TARDIS revival begins
S20E10 · Mawdryn Undead Part 2