S2E7
Desperate
Written by Terry Nation
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The End of Tomorrow

In a Dalek-occupied London, the Doctor, separated from his companions, must reunite with them and help a growing resistance movement to thwart the Daleks' plans to conquer Earth and transform its inhabitants.

In a desolate London, ravaged by the Dalek invasion, the Doctor finds himself separated from his companions, Susan and David, after collapsing from the effects of alien drugs. While Susan and David attempt to dismantle a Dalek firebomb, they are forced to leave the Doctor behind temporarily to find a way out of the city via the sewers. They encounter Tyler, a hardened survivor who initially threatens them before revealing the dangers lurking beneath the city: alligators descended from zoo escapees.

Meanwhile, Barbara and Jenny are at a museum, preparing a Borough of Ealing rubbish cart for a daring escape to Bedfordshire. Jenny questions the sacrifices made by others, including Dortmun, a local scientist who died to leave notes on how to combat the Daleks. Barbara attempts to convince her that resistance is not futile. Their escape is short-lived as they are pursued by a Dalek saucer, forcing them to abandon the vehicle and continue on foot.

In a Bedfordshire mining area, Ian and Larry search for Larry's brother, who has become obsessed with the Daleks' activities. They encounter Wells, who helps them avoid detection by the Robomen, enslaved humans controlled by the Daleks. Wells leads them to Ashton, a black marketeer who smuggles food into the camp. Ian hopes Ashton can help him return to London, but Ashton is primarily motivated by profit. This mining area is where the Dalek forces turn humans into Robomen for slave labor.

Susan, David, and Tyler navigate the sewers, encountering more dangers and ultimately reuniting with the Doctor. Tyler agrees to help them, but his distrustful nature reflects the harsh realities of their world. Barbara and Jenny, after evading the Daleks, continue their journey towards Bedfordshire, hoping to find allies and a way to strike back against the invaders. Ian and Larry, trapped in the mining camp, learn about a monstrous creature called the Slyther, used by the Daleks to hunt down people. Ashton reveals his cynical worldview, exploiting the desperation of the survivors for personal gain. These groups soon realize they'll have to work together if they want to survive, and find a way to drive the Daleks from Earth.

The episode culminates with growing alliances and mounting tension as the scattered groups face both human and alien threats. The Daleks' seemingly unbreakable grip on Earth begins to show slight cracks as acts of resistance, no matter how small, offer a glimmer of hope for a future free from tyranny.


Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

19
Act 1

The narrative opens with immediate peril as the Doctor collapses from alien drug effects, leaving Susan and David to confront a Dalek firebomb in a desolate London warehouse. David, despite his limited expertise, successfully disarms the device, but the trio faces a new dilemma: the Doctor's incapacitation necessitates leaving him behind. Susan and David resolve to navigate the perilous sewers to find an escape route from the city, promising to return for him. Simultaneously, Barbara and Jenny, situated in a museum, prepare a repurposed Borough of Ealing rubbish cart for a desperate journey to Bedfordshire. Their conversation reveals Jenny's skepticism regarding the value of resistance and the sacrifices made, such as Dortmun's, which Barbara passionately refutes, emphasizing the necessity of defiance. In a separate thread, Ian and Larry search for Larry's brother in a Dalek-controlled Bedfordshire mining area. They navigate the constant threat of Robomen patrols, receiving crucial assistance from Wells, a local survivor who helps them avoid detection. Wells then introduces them to Ashton, a cynical black marketeer whose primary motivation is profit. These initial scenes establish the fragmented state of the human resistance, highlighting the immediate, varied threats posed by the Dalek occupation, ranging from direct physical attacks and environmental hazards to the moral decay and opportunism among the survivors. The act sets a grim tone, emphasizing the desperate measures required for survival and the nascent glimmers of resistance.

Act 2

The fragile hope of Barbara and Jenny's escape shatters as their journey in the rubbish cart is abruptly cut short by a pursuing Dalek saucer. Forced to abandon their vehicle, they continue their arduous trek towards Bedfordshire on foot, their path now significantly more perilous and uncertain. In the labyrinthine sewers of London, Susan and David encounter Tyler, a hardened and distrustful survivor. Initially, Tyler's armed presence poses a threat, but he soon reveals a more insidious danger lurking beneath the city: alligators, descended from zoo escapees, which now inhabit the dark waterways. Despite his initial wariness, Tyler ultimately agrees to guide Susan and David back to the incapacitated Doctor, forming a tentative alliance born of necessity. Meanwhile, in the oppressive Bedfordshire mining area, Ian and Larry deepen their understanding of the Dalek occupation's brutality. They meet Ashton, the black marketeer, who, driven purely by self-interest, offers no easy solutions or altruistic aid. More alarmingly, they learn about the Slyther, a monstrous creature employed by the Daleks to hunt down and terrorize the human population, adding another layer of horror to their predicament. This act significantly escalates the immediate threats each group faces, introduces new, morally ambiguous characters, and further exposes the grim realities of the Dalek-occupied Earth, setting the stage for more direct confrontations and the desperate need for collective action.

Act 3

Following Susan's harrowing near-death encounter with an alligator in the sewers, narrowly saved by Tyler and David, the trio successfully reunites with the Doctor. This reunion solidifies their small alliance, providing a moment of respite and a renewed sense of purpose as they plan their next move to escape the Dalek-infested city. Concurrently, Barbara and Jenny continue their arduous journey towards Bedfordshire on foot, their determination unwavering despite the constant threat of Dalek patrols and the desolate landscape. Their resolve to find allies and contribute to the resistance effort drives them forward. In the mining area, Ian, Larry, and Wells share a tense meal with Ashton, the black marketeer. Ashton, exhibiting his cynical, profit-driven worldview, dismisses any notion of selfless resistance or collective good, reinforcing the moral compromises forced upon survivors. However, the precarious safety of their refuge within the Earth Mover shatters abruptly when the Slyther, the Daleks' monstrous pet, violently breaches the vehicle. This sudden, direct attack traps Ian's group, forcing them into an immediate, desperate fight for survival against the creature. This dramatic escalation marks a critical turning point, pushing Ian and his companions into direct confrontation with a terrifying Dalek weapon and intensifying the overall struggle against the occupation.