Fabula
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

Scaroth unveils his plan before fleeing through time

Scaroth stands in the activated time machine, having discarded his human guise to reveal his grotesque Jagaroth form. With cold precision, he exposes the culmination of his life's work—using Romana’s sabotaged time machine to return to his exploding spaceship and erase its explosion, which paradoxically sparked life on Earth. He acknowledges Romana’s sabotage yet assures her it will not hinder his plan’s outcome. As the Doctor, Romana, and Duggan watch in stunned silence, Scaroth triggers the machine, vanishing in an explosion, leaving only a dark stain on the laboratory floor. The Doctor immediately recognizes the urgency, while Duggan’s grim humor masks the gravity of the temporal theft they must now repair. key_dialogue: [ SCAROTH: I shall return to my spaceship the moment before it exploded and stop myself from pressing the button. You will not be able to read the settings on the dial, Doctor. They will explode as soon as activated. SCAROTH: Goodbye, Doctor. DOCTOR: What? We're going on a journey. ]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Scaroth reveals his true form and his plan to use the time machine to prevent his spaceship's destruction, allowing him to reunite his splintered selves and alter history.

calm to tension ['laboratory']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

4

Cautiously determined, masking surprise with dry humor

The Doctor stands frozen in disbelief as Scaroth reveals his true form and activates the time machine, then reacts instantly with bemused urgency to the realization they must pursue him through time. His sarcastic quip about embarking on a journey masks a sharp tactical shift.

Goals in this moment
  • Pursue Scaroth through time to stop his temporal theft
  • Assess the immediate consequences of the vanished time machine
Active beliefs
  • Time travel consequences must be addressed swiftly to avoid paradox
  • Romana’s sabotage may still have unintended utility
Character traits
Sarcastic Alert Strategic pivot
Follow The Fourth …'s journey

Determined and pragmatic, prioritizing the mission over personal reaction

Romana listens intently to Scaroth’s exposition, fully aware of the time machine’s sabotaged state, then engages the Doctor in rapid discussion of temporal coordinates to plan their next move after Scaroth’s disappearance.

Goals in this moment
  • Coordinate the pursuit of Scaroth using accurate temporal data
  • Validate the sabotage’s impact without revealing it prematurely
Active beliefs
  • Precise timing is critical to counter Scaroth’s plan
  • The Doctor’s impulsive urgency must be channeled into structured action
Character traits
Focused Methodical Collaborative
Follow Romana's journey

Calm and assured, embodying the culmination of millennia of purpose

Scaroth stands in the time machine, casting aside his human guise to reveal his grotesque Jagaroth physiology. With chilling precision, he explains the flawless execution of his plan and triggers the device, vanishing in a temporal pulse that erases him from history’s immediate sight.

Goals in this moment
  • Execute his final temporal reset to prevent his people’s destruction
  • Overcome Romana’s sabotage to ensure the machine’s activation
Active beliefs
  • His cause justifies any temporal paradox or sacrifice
  • Perfection through ruthless precision guarantees success
Character traits
Ruthless Coldly precise Triumphant
Follow Scaroth's journey
Supporting 1

Relieved but alert, using humor to cope with the surreal temporal upheaval

Duggan reacts to Scaroth’s disappearance with grim humor, masking the gravity of the disrupted timeline with a wry remark before engaging earnestly when the Doctor insists on action.

Goals in this moment
  • Maintain morale and readiness to act despite temporal chaos
  • Commit to pursuing Scaroth regardless of the uncertainty
Active beliefs
  • Instant action is necessary even when details are unclear
  • Humorous deflection can stabilize tense situations
Character traits
Sarcastic Pragmatic Courageous
Follow Bill Duggan's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

2
Countess's Ambush Pistol

The Countess's ambush pistol, initially pointed at the Doctor and companions by Scaroth, is discarded by him once the time machine activates. The pistol falls unused as the focus shifts to the temporal explosion, symbolizing the futility of human-scale weapons against temporal predators.

Before: In Scaroth’s hand, pointed threateningly at the Doctor …
After: Dropped or misplaced by Scaroth as he activates …
Before: In Scaroth’s hand, pointed threateningly at the Doctor and companions during their confrontation
After: Dropped or misplaced by Scaroth as he activates the time machine, lying unused on the laboratory floor
Scarlioni's Temporal Exploitation Device

The sabotaged time machine, a complex assembly of temporal components, is activated by Scaroth in its deliberately undermined state. Its mechanisms pulse with unstable energy as Scaroth triggers a paradox-inducing jump, causing it to explode into temporal residue and vanish from the laboratory.

Before: Incomplete and deliberately sabotaged by Romana, humming with …
After: Destroyed in a temporal explosion, leaving only a …
Before: Incomplete and deliberately sabotaged by Romana, humming with unstable resonance in the laboratory’s flickering light
After: Destroyed in a temporal explosion, leaving only a dark stain on the floor and erasing Scaroth’s immediate physical presence

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Count Scarlioni's Private Laboratory

The dimly lit laboratory serves as the stage for Scaroth’s final act, its industrial gloom contrasting with the momentous temporal energy pulsing through the sabotaged time machine. Flickering emergency lighting casts long shadows as the explosion erases Scaroth, leaving only a dark stain on the floor.

Atmosphere Tense and surreal, thick with the acrid tang of temporal disruption and the hum of …
Function Primary stage for confronting temporal manipulation and witnessing its catastrophic resolution
Symbolism Embodiment of scientific ambition turned reckless hubris, where time itself is weaponized and undone
Flickering emergency lighting casting erratic shadows Metallic tang of overworked temporal machinery

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 8

"Scaroth activating the time machine and vanishing directly recalls his earlier reveal of his plan and true form, showing the direct fulfillment of his ambition and the urgency of the protagonists' pursuit."

Scaroth vanishes into the temporal void
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"Scaroth activating the time machine and vanishing directly recalls his earlier reveal of his plan and true form, showing the direct fulfillment of his ambition and the urgency of the protagonists' pursuit."

Team faces time displacement revelation
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"Duggan's shoulder charge breaking the cellar door directly allows the protagonists to escape and pursue Scaroth just before he activates the time machine, creating a race against time that culminates in their temporal pursuit."

Trio uncovers Scaroth’s true endgame and sets pursuit in motion
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"Duggan's shoulder charge breaking the cellar door directly allows the protagonists to escape and pursue Scaroth just before he activates the time machine, creating a race against time that culminates in their temporal pursuit."

Duggan shatters the cellar door open
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"Scarlioni/Saroth's revelation of his grand plan to Romana sets up his later reveal of his true form and the activation of the time machine to the Doctor, showing the escalation of his villainy and the consistency of his goal."

Scarlioni forces Romana's compliance
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"Scarlioni/Saroth's revelation of his grand plan to Romana sets up his later reveal of his true form and the activation of the time machine to the Doctor, showing the escalation of his villainy and the consistency of his goal."

Scarlioni reveals his fractured selves plan
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"The Doctor's presence at the spaceship in the distant past, observing the origin of human life, parallels his refusal to let Scaroth alter that origin in the present — both moments underscore the Doctor's role as guardian of historical integrity and paradoxical creation."

Arrival in a brutal new world
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"The Doctor's presence at the spaceship in the distant past, observing the origin of human life, parallels his refusal to let Scaroth alter that origin in the present — both moments underscore the Doctor's role as guardian of historical integrity and paradoxical creation."

Doctor beholds the Jagaroth derelict
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4
What this causes 5

"Scaroth activating the time machine and vanishing directly recalls his earlier reveal of his plan and true form, showing the direct fulfillment of his ambition and the urgency of the protagonists' pursuit."

Scaroth vanishes into the temporal void
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"Scaroth activating the time machine and vanishing directly recalls his earlier reveal of his plan and true form, showing the direct fulfillment of his ambition and the urgency of the protagonists' pursuit."

Team faces time displacement revelation
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4
Callback medium

"The Doctor's earlier refusal to be blackmailed by Scarlioni and his assertion of non-interference with time is connected to his quick pursuit across time, showing how his moral stance drives the action and leads to his presence during Scaroth's demise."

Doctor refuses blackmail in laboratory standoff
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"The Doctor explaining the significance of the spaceship's explosion being a fixed point that paradoxically created life on Earth (creation from destruction) reflects the reverse of Scaroth's aim to create by preventing destruction; both themes revolve around transformation and paradox."

Arrival in a brutal new world
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

"The Doctor explaining the significance of the spaceship's explosion being a fixed point that paradoxically created life on Earth (creation from destruction) reflects the reverse of Scaroth's aim to create by preventing destruction; both themes revolve around transformation and paradox."

Doctor beholds the Jagaroth derelict
S17E8 · City of Death Part 4

Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning