Doctor Who
S22E2
· Attack of the Cybermen Part 2

Peri awakens among the last Cryons

Peri regains consciousness trapped in a devastated Cryon cave system, her disorientation replaced by fear at the sight of two hostile figures. Rost and Varne, the last surviving Cryons, lower their weapons and reveal themselves as her rescuers from the Cybermen. Their stark admission of their lost world forces Peri to confront the immediacy of the Cyber threat and the desperation of their alliance. This fragile reunion sets the stage for a desperate bargain: survival depends on trust between Peri and the near-extinct Cryons. The scene pivots Peri from a victim of circumstance to a participant in a shared fight for existence.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Peri wakes up with a start, and Rost and Varne introduce themselves as Cryons, explaining they rescued her from the Cybermen.

fear to cautious curiosity ['Cryon Cave']

Rost and Varne explain their situation to Peri, revealing they are Cryons who no longer have a planet.

curiosity to empathy

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
Rost
primary

Feigned calm masking deep urgency

Rost speaks with calm authority, lowering her weapon and addressing Peri with reassuring words while maintaining a protective stance. She quickly establishes her identity, the presence of her companion, and their joint intent to aid Peri all while subtly asserting leadership.

Goals in this moment
  • • Secure Peri’s trust and cooperation
  • • Assert leadership and establish mutual purpose
Active beliefs
  • • That immediate alliance is necessary for survival
  • • That truth can facilitate cooperation even in dire situations
Character traits
Calm Authoritative Reassuring Tactical
Follow Rost's journey
Peripugilliam Brown
Botanist
 primary

Confused but striving to regain composure

Peri wakes startled and disoriented, immediately trying to orient herself amid the unfamiliar environment and two heavily armed strangers before identifying herself and her origin. Her speech alternates between confusion and the cautious assertiveness of someone testing boundaries.

Goals in this moment
  • • Establish her identity to potential allies
  • • Assess the intentions of her rescuers
Active beliefs
  • • That clear communication of identity can build trust
  • • That honesty about origin is necessary for cooperation
Character traits
Disoriented Cautious Assertive Quick to identify herself
Follow Peripugilliam Brown's journey
Supporting 1
Varne
secondary

Resigned determination

Varne identifies herself and Rost to Peri in a direct, economical manner, confirming their rescue mission from the Cybermen with blunt clarity. Her demeanor is less overtly reassuring than Rost’s but carries the weight of grim necessity.

Goals in this moment
  • • Confirm their rescue mission and legitimacy
  • • Establish common enemy and shared purpose
Active beliefs
  • • That the Cybermen are an existential threat
  • • That shared purpose outweighs individual comfort
Character traits
Blunt Direct Pragmatic Unsentimental
Follow Varne's journey

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Cryon Cave

The Cryon cave serves as both sanctum and arena where Peri regains consciousness in a hostile yet strangely sheltered environment. Its rugged, foreboding atmosphere amplifies her vulnerability while the presence of two Cryon rescuers transforms it into a precarious refuge of hope.

Atmosphere Cold, tense, and foreboding with an undercurrent of fragile hope
Function Refuge and negotiation site
Symbolism Reflects the Cryons' dwindling civilization and their last stand against total annihilation
The cave is jagged and cluttered with remnants of fallen civilization Faint lumps of blue Cryon coral glow dimly in the gloom

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

1
Cryons

The Cryons manifest through Rost and Varne, who act as the last living representatives of a decimated species, offering Peri a desperate alliance rooted in shared enmity towards the Cybermen. Their actions prioritize survival and strategic necessity over sentiment.

Representation Through the individual actions and dialogue of surviving members Rost and Varne
Power Dynamics Operating from a position of vulnerability and desperation, seeking cooperative leverage from an outsider despite …
Secure Peri’s assistance in resisting the Cybermen Align with any potential ally against their shared enemy Direct personal testimony and interpersonal persuasion Implied threat of exposure to Cybermen or shared peril

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 1
Causal

"Peri’s rescue by the Cryons directly leads to her learning about Lytton’s alliance with them, which changes her (and the Doctor’s) perspective on him from prisoner to ally."

Cryons reveal Cyberman Earth destruction scheme
S22E2 · Attack of the Cybermen Part …

Key Dialogue

"ROST: Peace, child. We mean you no harm."
"PERI: Oh, yes. I'm sorry, I'm confused."
"ROST: You must rest, then we will talk."