The Wheel of Fortune
When the Doctor and his companions become embroiled in the political machinations of King Richard the Lionheart during the Crusades, they must navigate treacherous alliances and deadly betrayals to ensure peace prevails over warmongering.
The Doctor, Vicki, and Barbara find themselves caught in the midst of the Third Crusade. After saving Barbara from El Akir's men with the help of Haroun ed-Diin, a man sworn to kill the Emir, Barbara seeks safety while wrestling with the moral dilemma of potentially sacrificing herself and Haroun's daughter to avoid capture. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Vicki are drawn into the royal court of King Richard, where Vicki is disguised as a boy for protection. However their cover is soon blown by Richard's sister, Joanna, who takes Vicki under her wing.
King Richard reveals his plan to marry Joanna to Saphadin, the brother of Saladin, in order to end the war. This proposal is welcomed by Saphadin, though Saladins intentions are less clear. Leicester vehemently opposes the marriage, preferring to continue the fight for Jerusalem, leading to a heated exchange with the Doctor who advocates for peace. Richard, however, remains steadfast in his decision. Joanna, feeling betrayed and used as a political pawn, confides in the Doctor, sensing his trustworthiness and wisdom. She confronts Richard, who insists on the marriage to bring peace, but Joanna resists, declaring the Pope would never allow her to marry an infidel. Richard is enraged, suspecting someone leaked his plan.
Barbara's hiding place is discovered by El Akir's men, forcing her to flee. Haroun is injured, caught between his thirst to end El Akir and keeping Barbara safe, who is eventually taken. Vicki, now dressed in fine gowns, becomes Joanna's companion, further entangling the Doctor in the royal intrigue. As Richard prepares for the arranged marriage, tensions rise, setting the stage for further conflict and challenges to the Doctor's efforts to maintain peace and protect his companions. Ian, meanwhile, is waylaid and robbed on his journey.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
Barbara escapes El Akir's men with the aid of Haroun ed-Diin, a man driven by a deep personal vendetta against the Emir, who murdered his family and abducted his eldest daughter. Haroun provides Barbara temporary refuge and reveals his singular purpose: to kill El Akir. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Vicki navigate King Richard's court. Vicki's disguise as a boy is soon discovered by Joanna, Richard's sister, who takes Vicki under her protection, effectively drawing the Doctor deeper into royal intrigue. Joanna, sensing the Doctor's trustworthiness, confides her apprehension about a secret plan involving her. King Richard then publicly announces his radical proposal: to marry Joanna to Saphadin, Saladin's brother, as a means to end the Crusades and secure peace. This plan sparks immediate and fierce opposition from Lord Leicester, who champions continued warfare for Jerusalem, leading to a heated ideological clash with the Doctor, who advocates for peace. Richard, however, remains resolute in his decision. Across the battle lines, Saladin and Saphadin discuss the proposal; Saphadin views it as an opportunity for personal power and land, while Saladin, though humoring his brother, approaches the alliance with strategic caution, preparing his armies for both peace and renewed conflict. The act concludes with the central conflict—peace through a controversial marriage versus continued war—firmly established, and the Doctor now deeply embedded in the political machinations of the English court.
In Richard’s robing room, the Doctor attempts to secure fine clothing for Vicki—still disguised as a boy—to maintain their Crusades-era subterfuge. Joanna enters unexpectedly, overhears the Doctor’s instructions to Daheer, …
In Richard’s robing room, Joanna confronts the Doctor about Vicki’s disguise, rejecting the deception but offering protection under her wing. The Doctor, sensing her unease, probes her cryptic hints about …
In Richard’s robing room, Joanna confronts the Doctor and Vicki after discovering Vicki’s true identity. The Doctor’s attempt to disguise Vicki as a boy to navigate the dangers of the …
Haroun, a vengeful father consumed by grief and rage, reveals the brutal truth of his family’s destruction at El Akir’s hands—his wife and son murdered, his eldest daughter Maimuna abducted—while …
In Haroun’s house, Safiya returns to find Barbara, her father having just left to scout for El Akir’s soldiers. Safiya, unaware of her family’s fate, speaks of her missing mother, …
The precarious situation for the companions escalates dramatically. Haroun, anticipating the imminent discovery of Barbara and his daughter Safiya by El Akir's persistent search parties, gives Barbara a knife, instructing her to kill Safiya and then herself rather than face capture and dishonor. Barbara, horrified by the proposition, refuses, asserting that life, even under duress, is preferable. Soon after, El Akir's men locate Haroun's house. In a desperate act of self-sacrifice, Barbara emerges from hiding to distract the soldiers, allowing Safiya to remain concealed. Barbara is subsequently captured, significantly deepening her peril. Unbeknownst to Barbara, Safiya remains ignorant of her family's true fate, believing her mother and siblings merely "disappeared." Concurrently, Ian's journey is violently interrupted as he is ambushed and robbed in the desert, further isolating him from the other companions and hindering his ability to assist. Back at Richard's court, Vicki, now elegantly attired as Joanna's companion, observes the rising tensions. Joanna, having learned of the proposed marriage, confronts King Richard with fierce defiance. She rejects the union outright, invoking the higher authority of the Pope to forbid her marriage to an "infidel," thereby directly challenging her brother's royal decree and his strategic peace initiative. Richard, enraged by her insubordination and suspecting a leak of his confidential plans, dismisses the Doctor from his presence, leaving the Doctor's position at court, and his ability to influence events, severely compromised. The act concludes with the King's peace plan in jeopardy, Barbara captured, and the Doctor facing disfavor, setting a dire stage for the unfolding narrative.
In Saladin’s throne room, Saphadin openly reveals his personal ambition to seize power through a marriage alliance with Joanna, exposing a rift between the brothers. While Saphadin frames the proposal …
In Saladin's throne room, Saphadin presses his brother to accept Richard's marriage proposal to Joanna, revealing his own ambition for power and land. Saladin, though skeptical of Richard's sincerity, agrees …
In Saladin’s throne room, Saphadin presses his brother to accept King Richard’s marriage proposal to Joanna, framing it as a personal opportunity for land and power. Saladin, ever the strategist, …
In Richard’s throne room, Joanna formally presents Vicki to the court as her new companion, subtly asserting her influence over the Doctor and Vicki while probing for information about Richard’s …
In Richard’s throne room, Joanna—now aware of Vicki’s true identity—publicly declares her protection over the girl, subtly testing the Doctor’s loyalty. When Joanna presses him for news of Richard’s plans, …
In Richard’s throne room, Joanna’s initial warmth toward Vicki—now revealed as a woman—shifts abruptly when she learns of Richard’s plan to marry her to Saphadin. The Doctor, bound by Richard’s …