S5E10
Tragic (with undertones of hope in resilience)
Written by Henry Lincoln & Mervyn Haisman
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The Abominable Snowmen Part 6

The Doctor must stop an ancient, disembodied intelligence from using mind control to conquer the world, facing down possessed monks and robotic Yeti while protecting his friends in a remote Himalayan monastery.

In the remote Himalayas, the Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria arrive at a monastery plagued by strange occurrences. They soon discover that an ancient disembodied intelligence is attempting to take over the world, using the body of the monastery's revered Abbot, Padmasambhava, as a vessel. The intelligence also controls an army of Yeti robots, terrorizing the monks.

The Doctor learns that the intelligence arrived with a pyramid brought to the monastery centuries ago. The intelligence has corrupted Padmasambhava and uses him to control the Yeti through a network linked to a control room hidden within the monastery. As the monks prepare to flee, led by Thomni and Sapan, the Doctor decides to stay behind with Jamie and Victoria to stop the evil.

Meanwhile, Professor Travers, who previously encountered the Yeti, returns with Ralpachan, determined to destroy the Yeti at their source. They believe the source is in a cave on the mountains, separate from the monastery. The Doctor hypnotises Songsten to learn more about how the intelligence works. He learns of the control room. The professor and Ralpachan were trapped by the Yeti.

The Doctor plans to enter the sanctum and confront the intelligence possessing Padmasambhava. He instructs Jamie and Thomni to enter the hidden control room behind the throne and destroy the control mechanism once he gives the signal. Victoria is asked to remember the Jewel of the Lotus prayer to resist Padmasambhava's mind control.

As the Doctor confronts the possessed Padmasambhava, Jamie and Thomni enter the control room and begin dismantling the control panels. Victoria finds herself unable to help as Padmasambhava attempts to bring the Yeti in. A final control mechanism is located in the cave, which is destroyed, ending the intelligence's control and freeing Padmasambhava. With the intelligence destroyed, the monks can return to their monastery, while the Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria prepare to leave with professor Travers, who wants to find the real Yeti.


Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

27
Act 1

The Doctor, Jamie, and Travers discover Khrisong's murder by Songsten, who is revealed to be under the influence of the Intelligence. The Doctor deduces that both Songsten and Abbot Padmasambhava are mere puppets of a greater evil residing within the monastery. He convinces Thomni and Sapan that the true threat is not the possessed monks, but the disembodied intelligence itself, which is attempting to spread its influence beyond the monastery. While the monks prepare to evacuate, the Doctor resolves to stay and confront the evil, enlisting Jamie, Victoria, and Thomni to assist him. Simultaneously, Professor Travers, accompanied by Ralpachan, remains convinced the source of the evil lies in the mountain cave and sets off to destroy the pyramid there. The Doctor, through hypnotizing Songsten, uncovers critical information: the Yeti were designed to serve the Intelligence, and a hidden control room behind Padmasambhava's throne orchestrates their movements. This intelligence has broken its promise and now demands control of the entire mountain, setting the stage for a direct confrontation and outlining the Doctor's initial strategy to defeat the pervasive threat.

Act 2

As the monks evacuate the monastery, the Doctor finalizes his plan: he will confront the possessed Padmasambhava in the Inner Sanctum, while Jamie and Thomni infiltrate the hidden control room to dismantle the Yeti's operational mechanisms. Victoria is tasked with reciting the "Jewel of the Lotus" prayer to resist Padmasambhava's hypnotic powers. Meanwhile, Travers and Ralpachan, attempting to reach the cave, find themselves trapped on the mountainside as the Intelligence's light spreads, and Yeti block their return to the monastery. Inside the sanctum, the Doctor engages in a verbal and mental battle with the Intelligence controlling Padmasambhava, who demonstrates formidable powers like levitation. The Doctor pushes through into the Inner Sanctum, enduring intense pain as the Intelligence fights back, unleashing powerful winds. Despite the Doctor's efforts to lock minds with the entity, Padmasambhava manages to activate the Yeti models, sending the robotic creatures into the monastery courtyard, further escalating the immediate threat and placing Victoria in direct danger as her attempts to resist fail. The situation grows dire as the Yeti advance, trapping Travers and Ralpachan outside and threatening the monastery's remaining occupants, pushing the Doctor's plan to its critical breaking point.

Act 3

The monastery is under siege as Yeti enter the courtyard, and Victoria remains paralyzed by Padmasambhava's influence. In the control room, Jamie and Thomni realize that smashing the initial panels is insufficient; a central sphere must be the true control unit. Jamie destroys the sphere, causing the attacking Yeti to explode and collapse, offering a temporary reprieve. Travers and Ralpachan burst into the Inner Sanctum, with Travers futilely shooting at Padmasambhava, whose possessed form catches the bullets. The Doctor, making a crucial connection between Travers's earlier encounter in the cave and the control room's mechanisms, realizes that the pyramid in the cave is directly linked to a similar pyramid within the control room. He urgently instructs Jamie to destroy the control room's pyramid. Jamie smashes it, causing Padmasambhava to scream in agony and collapse as the pyramid in the mountain cave detonates in a massive explosion, taking the mountaintop with it. The Intelligence is destroyed, and Padmasambhava is freed, expressing gratitude to the Doctor. With the immediate threat resolved, Thomni signals the monks to return. As the Doctor, Jamie, and Victoria prepare to depart with Travers, they encounter a real, organic Yeti, prompting an excited Travers to abandon them and pursue the creature, finally finding the "abominable snowman" he sought. The companions then head to the TARDIS, Jamie complaining about the cold, as their adventure concludes.