The Time Monster Part 2
The Doctor and his companions must stop the Master from using a powerful crystal to harness the energy of a time-devouring entity known as Kronos, which could destroy the universe.
The Doctor and his companions, including Jo, Ruth, and the Brigadier, investigate a mysterious occurrence at the Newton Institute. Stuart Hyde, a young man, has been subjected to an experiment that rapidly aged him. As they dig deeper, they uncover a plot by the Master, who is using a powerful crystal connected to the ancient Greek legend of Kronos to harness the energy of a time-devouring entity. The Doctor and his team must stop the Master before Kronos is unleashed, threatening the entire universe. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles, including the Brigadier's attempts to take control of the situation and the Master's hypnotic powers.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The narrative opens amidst the chaos following Stuart Hyde's rapid aging. Ruth desperately attempts to shut down the experimental machine, the Master having just disappeared. The Doctor arrives, swiftly assessing the situation, and instructs Ruth to reverse the temporal polarity, successfully reducing the machine's dangerous energy levels. They find Stuart Hyde transformed into an old man, a shocking sight that confirms the severity of the incident. The Doctor, through a process of elimination and Jo's quick thinking, identifies Professor Thascales as the Master, the architect of this temporal anomaly. Stuart, in a state of delirium, utters crucial warnings about "danger," "the crystal," and the ominous name "Kronos." These fragmented clues galvanize the Doctor, compelling him to delve deeper into the machine's workings and the crystal's properties. He dispatches Ruth to assist him, while Jo remains with Stuart, and the Brigadier is tasked with securing the Newton Institute. The Brigadier, true to form, immediately mobilizes UNIT forces, requesting heavy weaponry and even the Doctor's TARDIS. He then asserts UNIT's paramount authority over the Institute's civilian leadership, specifically Dr. Cook and Dr. Percival, invoking the Official Secrets Act to ensure their compliance and silence. He orders a complete evacuation, underscoring the gravity of the situation and his belief that the Master will inevitably return to exploit his temporal device. This initial act establishes the immediate crisis, identifies the primary antagonist, and outlines the extraordinary stakes involved, setting the Doctor and UNIT on a collision course with the Master's dangerous plan.
The Doctor and Ruth examine a rapidly ageing Stuart Hyde whose transformed state defies natural time. Hyde’s delirious warnings about danger and a crystal point the Doctor toward the Master’s …
Hyde regains consciousness in a fevered delirium, his ravaged old-man body wracked with panic. In his fractured state he erupts with urgent fragments—danger, the crystal, Kronos—which the Doctor seizes upon, …
The Doctor examines Stuart Hyde as Ruth and the Brigadier question how the young scientist aged decades in seconds, deducing it was caused by an accelerated metabolic rate tied to …
The Brigadier arrives outside the Newton Institute and immediately asserts military control over a civilian-led crisis. Using legal statute and military protocol, he overrides Dr. Cook’s authority and effectively seizes …
Under the looming shadow of Kronos, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart seizes control of the Newton Institute, overriding civilian leadership and scientific caution. He orders the evacuation of non-essential personnel, mobilizes heavy military …
The Doctor and Ruth proceed to the laboratory, where the Doctor quickly identifies a massive mainframe computer as the Master's TARDIS, a revelation that underscores the Master's advanced capabilities and the scale of his operation. Examining the TOM-TIT machine, the Doctor recognizes the central component as the legendary "crystal of Kronos," originating from ancient Atlantis. He explains that this crystal was historically used by Atlantean priests to ensnare a "Kronovore," a terrifying, time-eating entity. The Doctor gravely warns that the Master's current manipulation of this crystal risks unleashing Kronos, posing an existential threat not merely to Earth or the galaxy, but to the entire created universe. Concurrently, the Master, having ensconced himself in the Director's office, demonstrates his manipulative prowess by hypnotizing Dr. Percival into absolute obedience, ensuring his cooperation. The Master reveals his own frustration with an uncontrollable "massive power build-up" within his experiment, indicating that even he struggles to fully command the forces he seeks to unleash. Driven by a need for direct observation, the Doctor decides to activate the TOM-TIT machine. Sergeant Benton attempts to retrieve the now-glowing crystal but finds it immovably fixed, prompting the Doctor to deduce that the crystal is not physically present but rather linked through "interstitial time," confirming it as the original artifact from Atlantis. This profound discovery is immediately followed by a scene in the ancient Temple of Poseidon, where a priest named Krasis ritually invokes Kronos as the Atlantean crystal pulses with energy, visually confirming the Doctor's historical account. Back in the present, Stuart Hyde regains consciousness, still plagued by visions and fear of Kronos, his fragmented memories providing further validation of the entity's direct impact. He confronts his aged reflection, a poignant symbol of the temporal devastation wrought by the Master's experiment.
The Doctor orders Benton to retrieve the glowing crystal, confident it can be handled safely despite Stuart Hyde's earlier horrific aging incident. Benton fails to lift the object, insisting it …
Benton attempts to retrieve the glowing crystal at the Doctor’s insistence but finds it immovable. The Doctor explains it exists outside normal space-time, having jumped through interstitial time from Atlantis. …
The Master orchestrates a cunning deception to remove Sergeant Benton from guarding the laboratory. Using Percival and a clever imitation of the Brigadier's voice, the Master calls Benton, ordering him away. Benton, however, suspects foul play due to the "Brigadier's" uncharacteristic informal address. He feigns compliance, leaving through the main door but circling back to re-enter the lab through an open window. He then hides, pistol drawn, awaiting the Master and Percival. When they enter, Benton confronts them, revealing he saw through the trick. The Master, initially surprised, quickly regains the upper hand by using a classic distraction ("Doctor!") to disarm Benton, knocking him unconscious against a filing cabinet. With Benton incapacitated, the Master proceeds with his plan, operating the TOM-TIT machine. He explains to a bewildered Percival that he needs to bring someone to him who can help harness the immense power of Kronos, the only obstacle to his complete control over Earth and the universe. As the crystal glows intensely, the narrative cuts back to the Temple of Poseidon, where Krasis, having successfully invoked Kronos, vanishes in a flash of lightning. This climactic moment signifies Krasis's arrival in the present, setting up the next phase of the Master's plan and introducing a new, powerful accomplice to the unfolding temporal crisis.
Stuart Hyde trembles as he relives the horrific moment when the Master's experiment begins consuming his life force, describing the sensation of his body burning away like a flame. The …
Hyde recounts the moment Kronos manifested, describing the painful extraction of his life force as a living flame. Frustrated by Stuart’s vague explanations, the Doctor probes deeper while Jo attempts …
The Doctor and his companions confront Stuart Hyde in his apartment as he recounts the catastrophic events of his transformation. Hyde, now resigned to his irreversible aging, begs for answers …
Sergeant Benton receives a fake call purporting to be the Brigadier ordering him to the Director’s office immediately. Suspicious, he enters via a side window and confronts the Master, who …
With Benton temporarily lured away and out of earshot, the Master pivots to his next pawn within the Newton Institute. Dr. Percival, already under subtle influence, voices his astonishment as …
Sergeant Benton slips into the laboratory through a window, pistol drawn, intending to expose the Master’s temporal theft. His accusations force a confrontation that escalates from tense standoff to sudden …
Sergeant Benton confronts the Master and Dr. Percival with his suspicions, only for the Master to turn the tables with a sudden, practiced move. Benton’s confidence in exposing the fraud …
With Benton incapacitated through verbal manipulation and physical force, the Master regains control of the Newton Institute laboratory and begins operating the TOM-TIT machine. His mocking dismissal of Benton’s knowledge …