Snakedance Part 2
The Doctor and Nyssa must stop the Mara's return to physical form through Tegan's mind and the Great Crystal, preventing a catastrophic manifestation of evil on Manussa.
The Doctor and Nyssa investigate the return of the Mara on Manussa, discovering it's connected to Tegan's mind and an ancient ceremony. They learn about the Great Crystal, a powerful artifact that can manifest thoughts into reality. As Tegan falls deeper under the Mara's influence, the Doctor and Nyssa work to uncover the Crystal's location and prevent the Mara's physical return. They eventually understand that the Crystal focuses mental energy, and the Mara needs it to reoccur. The Doctor attempts to warn Ambril, the Director of the Research Institute, but is rebuffed. Meanwhile, Tegan, now fully under the Mara's control, leads Lon and the Hawker to a secret chamber containing ancient treasures and hints about the Great Crystal's location. The Doctor and Nyssa conduct experiments with a smaller crystal, demonstrating its power to transform thought into energy. Ultimately, the Doctor's warnings and the consequences of the Mara's return come to a head as the ceremony approaches.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The narrative opens with the Doctor and Nyssa initiating their investigation into the Mara's resurgence on Manussa, choosing to split their efforts: the Doctor seeks an audience with Director Ambril, while Nyssa searches for Tegan in the bustling marketplace. Nyssa's search quickly leads to a disturbing encounter with Tegan, whose behavior has become erratic and unsettling. Tegan dismisses the Mara's threat, openly mocks a distressed seer, and has discarded her anti-dream device, all clear indicators of the Mara's deepening control. A fleeting moment of lucidity sees Tegan pleading for Nyssa's help, only for the Mara's influence to reassert itself, forcing Tegan to push Nyssa away. Concurrently, the Doctor confronts the bureaucratic skepticism of Director Ambril, who dismisses his warnings about the Mara as the ramblings of a 'crank.' Despite Ambril's resistance, the Doctor manages to glean vital information from Chela, Ambril's assistant, regarding the 'Legend of the Return' and the existence of a powerful artifact known as the 'Great Crystal,' where ancient Manussan minds supposedly met. This initial phase culminates in Tegan's complete surrender to the Mara within the Hall of Mirrors, where she experiences a final, desperate internal struggle against the entity before succumbing entirely, marked by the appearance of the distinctive snake tattoo on her forearm. This act effectively establishes the immediate and personal threat posed by Tegan's possession, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for the larger, more ancient danger connected to the Great Crystal and the impending ceremony, despite official denial.
The Doctor bursts into Director Ambril’s quarters demanding attention to avert the Mara’s resurgence through Tegan’s mind, only to face derision and dismissal. His urgent warnings about the ancient entity’s …
Chela seizes a rare moment alone with the Doctor to reveal the critical resonance between his warnings and the ancient Legend of the Return. She identifies the Great Crystal as …
The Doctor reveals a chilling truth about the ceremonial helmet’s design. While Ambril dismisses the legend’s inconsistency in counting six faces, the Doctor forces him to wear the headdress and …
Ambril dons the helmet and verifies the sixth face, realizing the legend’s uncanny truth that the wearer’s own delusion comprises the missing face. Instead of embracing this revelation, his pride …
Chela hands the Doctor a blue crystal known as the Little Mind's Eye, hinting at its connection to the Great Crystal and the ancient Snake Dancers. When pressed by the …
Chela abruptly ends her interaction with the Doctor in the marketplace after surrendering the Little Mind's Eye crystal, cutting off his questions about the Snake Dancers and the Legends. Her …
Following Tegan's complete possession, the narrative shifts into an intensified phase of investigation for the Doctor and Nyssa. Their efforts are significantly aided by Chela, who, despite Ambril's dismissiveness, provides the Doctor with a 'Little Mind's Eye' crystal, suggesting its intrinsic connection to the legendary 'Great Mind's Eye.' The Doctor and Nyssa delve into ancient pictograms found within the caves, meticulously deciphering their meaning to understand the Great Crystal's function as a focal point for mental energy. As the protagonists gain understanding, the Mara's influence expands beyond Tegan; she, now fully controlled, orchestrates the corruption of Lon, who, after a brief, self-indulgent skepticism, also receives the symbolic snake mark, becoming another pawn in the Mara's scheme. A pivotal moment occurs in the TARDIS, where the Doctor and Nyssa conduct a crucial experiment with the small crystal, successfully demonstrating its ability to transform concentrated thought into tangible energy. This scientific validation provides the Doctor with a profound understanding of the Mara's ultimate objective: to harness the immense power of the Great Crystal to manifest physically on Manussa. Armed with this critical, urgent knowledge, the Doctor makes a final, desperate attempt to convey the gravity of the situation to Ambril, interrupting his dinner with an impassioned warning about the Mara's imminent physical reoccurrence. However, Ambril, entrenched in his skepticism and bureaucratic arrogance, summarily dismisses the Doctor's pleas and has him forcibly removed, sealing the fate of official intervention and leaving direct, independent action as the only remaining path to prevent the impending catastrophe.
With the experiment complete the Doctor and Nyssa watch the fading blue light from the crystal: small in size, infinite in implication. The Doctor immediately reframes their observation from wonder …
The Doctor and Nyssa examine the small crystal’s faint blue light, which Nyssa incorrectly assumes is its sole power. Interpreting this as proof that thought can be converted into energy—and …