The Krotons Part 4

When the TARDIS crew become embroiled in a conflict between the intellectual Gonds and the crystalline Krotons, the Doctor and his companions must destroy the Krotons' power source before they can escape and devastate the planet.

The Doctor, Zoe, and Jamie arrive on a planet where the Gond people are divided between intellectual pursuits and physical labor, all under the watchful eye of the Krotons, crystalline beings who demand 'high-brains' to operate their Dynatrope spaceship. An earthquake damages the Krotons' Learning Hall and traps Thara, a Gond who stayed behind with Vana, with acid to damage the Dynatrope for the Doctor. Jamie becomes trapped in the machine, leading to a rescue by the Doctor and Zoe who discover that the Krotons are vulnerable.

The Krotons, running out of power, attempt to force the Doctor and Zoe to help them escape, while Gond leader Eelek plans to hand them over. Selris, father of Thara argues against it. Despite Eelek's betrayal, Jamie and Beta work together to create a large quantity of sulphuric acid to destroy the Krotons' machine. Vana tries to warn the Doctor and Zoe but is stopped by Axus's guards. Eelek gives the Doctor and Zoe to the Krotons.

Inside, the Doctor stalls the Krotons and learns they need mental power to transfer the Dynatrope back to their cosmos utilizing mental power. Zoe pours the acid into a tank, corroding the Krotons. Jamie, Beta, and others pour urns of acid on the machine, dissolving it. With the Krotons defeated, Thara will take over from his father as leader of the Gonds, just as the Doctor, Zoe, and Jamie depart in the TARDIS.

Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

Act 1

The episode opens amidst the chaos of an earthquake, which has damaged the Learning Hall and trapped Thara, a Gond, along with the Doctor and Zoe. The immediate concern is survival and freeing Thara from fallen masonry. Simultaneously, Jamie, separated from his companions, navigates the shaking Dynatrope, attempting to escape. The Krotons, within their control room, detect the damage and, more importantly, identify the “high brains”—the Doctor and Zoe—ordering their capture. This sets the stage for the Krotons' desperate need for external intelligence to power their failing Dynatrope. Vana, a Gond, brings the Doctor a small, initial sample of sulphuric acid, signaling the Doctor's nascent plan. The Doctor then realizes Jamie is missing, trapped within the very machine the Krotons depend on. The Gonds' internal political struggles surface as Eelek, a pragmatic leader, clashes with Selris, Thara's father, over how to deal with the Krotons. A Kroton emerges, issuing an ultimatum: deliver the “high brains” within fifteen minutes or face widespread dispersion. Eelek, prioritizing the Gonds' survival, agrees to surrender the Doctor and Zoe, marking a significant betrayal and raising the stakes for the TARDIS crew. Jamie, meanwhile, manages to use the Doctor's piece of mica to bypass the Dynatrope's exit, narrowly escaping the toxic gas traps. The Doctor then dispatches Jamie to Beta to produce sulphuric acid in bulk, preparing for a larger offensive.

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Act 2

The rising action intensifies as the Gonds' internal conflict directly impacts the TARDIS crew. Vana attempts to warn the Doctor and Zoe of Eelek's betrayal but is intercepted by Axus's guards, dropping the crucial bottle of acid. Selris, demonstrating his loyalty to the Doctor and his people, retrieves it. Eelek's guards then capture the Doctor and Zoe, forcibly leading them into the Dynatrope. Inside the Kroton machine, the Doctor employs his characteristic stalling tactics, engaging the Krotons in dialogue to glean vital information. He discovers the Krotons' desperate situation: their Dynatrope is running out of power, and they require four "high brains" to activate an intergalactic link and transfer their machine back to their home cosmos, but only two Krotons remain. This revelation exposes their vulnerability and provides the Doctor with a critical strategic advantage. Behind his back, the Doctor subtly passes the bottle of acid, retrieved by Selris, to Zoe. Selris, in a final act of defiance and loyalty, dives into the closing Dynatrope doorway, delivering the acid directly to the Doctor before being tragically killed by a Kroton. This sacrifice underscores the severe stakes and fuels the Doctor's resolve. Zoe, acting on the Doctor's unspoken instruction, pours the potent sulphuric acid into the Krotons' bubbling power tank, initiating their demise and marking the turning point of the conflict.

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Act 3

The climax unfolds rapidly as the combined efforts of the TARDIS crew and the loyal Gonds bring about the Krotons' downfall. Inside the Dynatrope, the Krotons, unaware of the acid's effect, demand the Doctor and Zoe wear their mind-transferring headsets. The Doctor, stalling for time and feigning clumsiness, ensures Zoe has ample opportunity for the acid to take effect. As the Krotons begin to burble and dissolve, their crystalline forms returning to basic elements, the Doctor and Zoe make their escape from the rapidly melting machine, barely avoiding the toxic fumes. Simultaneously, outside in the Learning Hall, Jamie and Beta, having successfully produced large quantities of sulphuric acid, lead other Gonds in a coordinated attack. They pour urns of the corrosive liquid directly onto the Dynatrope machine, accelerating its dissolution. The machine, composed largely of tellurium, quickly succumbs to the sulphuric acid, melting away and signifying the complete defeat of the Krotons. In the immediate aftermath, the Gonds celebrate their newfound freedom. Thara, now free from his leg injury, asserts his rightful place as the new leader, vowing to deal with Eelek and guide his people towards a future of self-developed science, independent of the Krotons' influence. Beta expresses a desire for the Doctor's guidance, but the Doctor, true to his nature, prefers a quiet departure, allowing the Gonds to forge their own destiny. The Doctor, Zoe, and Jamie quietly slip away, their mission accomplished, as the TARDIS dematerializes from the wasteland, leaving the Gonds to rebuild their society.

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