S22E12
Gritty, Desperate
Written by Eric Saward
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Revelation of the Daleks Part 1

The Doctor and Peri travel to Necros, where they become embroiled in a sinister plot by Davros and the Daleks to gain control through body snatching and the creation of Dalek-human hybrids.

The Doctor and Peri materialize on Necros, a planet where they encounter a bizarre culture centered around death and mourning. Their mission becomes complicated when they discover that Professor Arthur Stengos, a scientist they were supposed to meet, has been killed and his body is being manipulated by the sinister Davros and the Daleks. The Daleks plan to create an army of hybrids by combining human and Dalek DNA, which will allow them to infiltrate and dominate other planets. The Doctor and Peri must navigate this deadly environment, encountering various characters including Jobel, Takis, and Kara, while preventing the Daleks from achieving their goal. Along the way, they uncover the dark secrets of Necros, including the true purpose of the planet's catacombs and the sinister activities of Davros' laboratory.


Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

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Act 1

The narrative opens on Necros as the Doctor and Peri materialize their TARDIS in a snow-covered landscape. Peri expresses discomfort and annoyance with the desolate environment, while the Doctor insists on adhering to local customs, particularly the blue mourning attire. Their initial objective is to meet Professor Arthur Stengos, a renowned agronomist. An early, unsettling incident occurs when an unseen entity takes Peri's discarded bun from a pond, hinting at the planet's hidden life. The scene shifts to the Chapel of Rest, introducing Jobel, the head of funerary services, and his assistant Takis, meticulously preparing a golden corpse for 'perpetual instatement.' This sequence establishes Necros's bizarre death-centric culture and Jobel's theatrical, somewhat morbid, personality. Simultaneously, Natasha and Grigory, an armed duo, infiltrate the catacombs on a clandestine mission. Back outside, the Doctor and Peri encounter a deformed mutant who attacks them. The mutant, subdued by the Doctor, dies shortly after revealing he is a product of 'The Great Healer's' experimentation. This revelation serves as the inciting incident, propelling the Doctor into the planet's sinister underbelly. Davros, revealed as 'The Great Healer,' monitors the Doctor's arrival from his laboratory, confirming his manipulative plan is in motion. Kara, a factory owner, is introduced, expressing her frustration over Davros's financial exploitation, and she subsequently hires the assassin Orcini to eliminate him, adding a layer of political intrigue and a major antagonist to Davros's operations.

Act 2

As the Doctor and Peri navigate the Necros landscape, they discuss the native 'Herbabaculum vitae' plant before a twig cracks, signaling another presence. They are startled by a deformed man, a mutant, who attacks the Doctor. After the mutant dies, he reveals he is a product of 'The Great Healer's' experiments, confirming the planet's dark secrets. Meanwhile, Natasha and Grigory continue their perilous infiltration of the catacombs, eventually encountering and neutralizing an armed guard to proceed with their mission to retrieve Stengos's body. Davros, observing these events from his laboratory, directs his Daleks and subordinates, including Takis, to intercept the 'body snatchers.' Kara, driven by Davros's exorbitant demands for her factory's profits, formally engages the services of the renowned assassin Orcini and his squire, Bostock. She provides Orcini with a specialized transmitter designed to signal Davros's destruction, outlining her plan to seize control once Davros is eliminated. Concurrently, Davros, demonstrating his pervasive influence, summons Tasambeker, Jobel's assistant, and offers her a position on his personal staff, further consolidating his power within Tranquil Repose. The Doctor and Peri, now on the grounds of Tranquil Repose, experience a pivotal moment when they spot a Dalek, unequivocally confirming Davros's presence and the true nature of the threat on Necros. This discovery raises the stakes significantly for their investigation.

Act 3

The narrative intensifies as Natasha and Grigory delve deeper into the catacombs, eventually locating the incubation room. There, they are confronted with a horrifying sight: tanks containing pulsing human brains and, most shockingly, Professor Stengos's head encased within a transparent Dalek shell, covered in grotesque growths. Stengos, now a Dalek-hybrid, recognizes Natasha as his daughter but reveals his mind has been conditioned to serve a new master, Davros. He articulates the Daleks' imperative to multiply and achieve supremacy, then desperately begs Natasha to kill him to prevent his complete transformation and the proliferation of the Dalek seed. In an emotionally charged climax, Natasha, after a moment of agonizing hesitation, fires a sustained energy beam at the glass Dalek, destroying her father and fulfilling his final, tragic request. This act of defiance, however, is short-lived. As Natasha and Grigory attempt to flee, they are ambushed and captured by Takis and his guards. In their holding cell, Takis and Lilt reveal the sinister truth behind Tranquil Repose: it serves as a facility for 'important people' whose bodies are repurposed by Davros, and the 'bodysnatching' laws are designed to prevent families from reclaiming them, thus maintaining Davros's supply. Lilt attempts to torture Grigory for information, escalating the immediate danger. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Peri are now fully inside the Tranquil Repose complex, aware of the Dalek presence, while the DJ continues his meta-commentary, unknowingly monitoring all factions, setting the stage for the converging conflicts.