Fabula
Season 9 · Episode 20
S9E20
Cynical with eruptions of hopeful defiance
Written by Bob Baker & Dave Martin
View Graph

The Mutants Part 6

The Doctor investigates the Marshal's brutal suppression of Solos' native mutants, confronting the dark truth behind the planet's transformations and forging an unlikely alliance to stop the Marshal's catastrophic plans.

The Doctor and his companions arrive on Skybase, where the ruthless Marshal has imposed martial law on Solos, leading to accusations of war crimes. As the Investigator conducts a preliminary hearing, the Doctor uncovers the true extent of the Marshal's atrocities and the experiments conducted by Jaeger that have caused the native population to mutate. The Doctor and his allies must stop the Marshal's plan to terraform Solos, which would destroy the mutant life forms. Ky, a mutant, undergoes a transformation facilitated by the crystal, becoming a being with telepathic abilities. The Doctor and his companions work to help the mutants, while the Marshal's grip on Skybase tightens. Ultimately, the Doctor outwits the Marshal, who is killed by Ky, and the mutants are given a chance to survive and thrive on their planet. The episode concludes with the Doctor and Jo escaping in the Tardis.


Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

30
Act 1

The episode opens with the Marshal's preliminary hearing, where the Investigator questions him about his brutal suppression of the Solonian natives. The Marshal dismisses the victims as 'Mutts' and plague victims, attempting to justify his actions. The Doctor, present as a 'scientific advisor,' subtly challenges the Marshal's narrative, clarifying the 'Mutts' are undergoing 'accelerated genetic metamorphosis.' Simultaneously, Jo, Ky, and Cotton endure a perilous escape from the radiation chamber via Hyperion's refueling rig, narrowly avoiding destruction. Their successful evasion allows them to burst into the Marshal's office, dramatically interrupting the hearing. Jo, Ky, and Cotton's unexpected arrival provides direct witness testimony, exposing the Marshal's lies about their demise and allowing the Doctor to level direct accusations of brutal crimes against the Marshal and Jaeger. This pivotal interruption shifts the dynamic of the inquiry, establishing the central conflict and the Doctor's immediate objective to expose the Marshal's atrocities.

Act 2

Following the dramatic interruption, the Doctor presses his case, asserting the Solonian natives are undergoing natural change, not suffering from an incurable plague. The Marshal vehemently defends his actions, portraying the mutants as diseased and dangerous, reaffirming his 'duty' to eradicate them. Professor Sondergaard arrives, corroborating the Doctor's claims that the mutations are a natural process, albeit prematurely accelerated by Jaeger's callous experiments. A mutant then enters the office, prompting the Marshal to gun it down, further demonstrating his ruthlessness. The Marshal capitalizes on this incident to reassert his authority, ordering his men released and the Investigator's guards disarmed, effectively seizing control of Skybase. He then recaptures the Doctor, Jo, and Sondergaard, forcing the Doctor to work on the atmosphere control machine under duress. Jo, Sondergaard, and Ky are confined to the radiation chamber, where Sondergaard places the crystal in Ky's hands, initiating a rapid and profound mutation. Meanwhile, the Marshal, now fully in control, reveals his megalomaniacal plan to terraform Solos into 'New Earth' and rule from Skybase, trapping the Investigator and his crew. The Doctor, under forced labor, subtly sabotages the atmosphere machine, setting the stage for a catastrophic failure.

Act 3

Ky completes his mutation, emerging from the chrysalis as a luminous, telepathic being with potent energy manipulation abilities. He escapes the radiation chamber, effortlessly incapacitating guards as he moves through Skybase. In the laboratory, the Marshal forces Jaeger to activate the atmosphere control machine, unaware of the Doctor's prior sabotage. The machine overloads and explodes, killing Jaeger and disrupting the Marshal's plan. The Doctor and the Investigator escape the blast. Ky then appears, confronts the Marshal, and vaporizes him with a beam of energy, ending his reign of terror and fulfilling his promise to protect his people. With the Marshal defeated, the Doctor, Sondergaard, and Cotton discuss the future of Solos; Sondergaard agrees to guide the remaining Solonians through their natural mutation process, and Cotton assumes acting command of Skybase, preparing for its return to Earth. The Doctor and Jo, after a brief, convenient excuse about Jo feeling faint, make their swift exit. They locate the TARDIS in a locked storage area, use the sonic screwdriver to gain entry, and dematerialize just as security forces arrive to investigate the malfunction, successfully evading further entanglement with the authorities.