The Rocket Strikes: Genocide and the Birth of the Daleks
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Thals launch the rocket, destroying the Kaled dome while the Doctor's companions are inside, despite the Doctor's attempts to stop them.
Davros, unconcerned with the destruction of his own people, orders the Daleks to exterminate Ronson, labeling him a Thal spy and beginning their reign of terror.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Horrified and emotionally shattered, grappling with the realization that his actions have led to the annihilation of a race and the birth of a genocidal force.
The Doctor lunges for the abort button to stop the rocket launch but is restrained by Thal guards. He watches in horror as the Kaled dome explodes on the monitor, realizing his companions Harry and Sarah are trapped inside. His emotional distress is palpable as he witnesses the birth of the Daleks and their first act of genocide, marking a pivotal moment in his moral conflict over the consequences of his intervention.
- • To prevent the destruction of the Kaled dome and save his companions.
- • To stop Davros from unleashing the Daleks and altering the timeline.
- • That the destruction of the Kaleds will lead to irreversible consequences.
- • That the Daleks must be stopped at all costs to prevent universal genocide.
Emotionless and obedient, executing their orders without hesitation or remorse.
The Daleks enter the Thal control room on Davros’s command and execute Ronson as their first act of genocide. They acknowledge their programming and mission of universal supremacy, marking the beginning of their reign of terror. Their emotionless obedience and ruthless efficiency symbolize the birth of a new era of destruction.
- • To carry out Davros’s command to execute Ronson.
- • To fulfill their programming and mission of universal supremacy.
- • That their purpose is to obey Davros without question.
- • That their mission is to conquer the universe and exterminate all who oppose them.
Terrified and resigned, pleading for mercy in his final moments as he faces the merciless execution by the Daleks.
Ronson is accused of being a Thal spy by Davros and is executed by the Daleks on his command. He pleads for mercy as the Daleks fire, his final moments marked by terror and desperation. His death serves as the first act of genocide by the Daleks, symbolizing their ruthless efficiency and Davros’s control over them.
- • To survive and avoid execution by the Daleks.
- • To plead for mercy and appeal to any remaining humanity in Davros.
- • That Davros will show mercy and spare his life.
- • That his loyalty to the Kaleds will be recognized and rewarded.
Ruthlessly triumphant, reveling in the birth of his genocidal creations and the fulfillment of his vision for universal supremacy.
Davros flicks a switch, unleashing the first Daleks into the Thal control room. He orders the execution of Ronson as a Thal spy, declaring the Kaled race extinct and the Daleks as the universe’s supreme conquerors. His fanatical rhetoric and ruthless actions mark the birth of a new era of genocide, with the Daleks as his ultimate weapons.
- • To avenge the annihilation of the Kaleds by unleashing the Daleks.
- • To establish the Daleks as the ultimate conquerors of the universe.
- • That the Kaleds’ destruction is necessary for the rise of the Daleks.
- • That the Daleks are the perfect instruments of his will and the future rulers of the universe.
Triumphant and confident, unaware of the catastrophic consequences his actions will unleash.
The Thal Councillor, unaware of Davros’s true intentions, orders the rocket launch that destroys the Kaled dome. He stands triumphantly as the dome explodes, celebrating what he believes to be a decisive victory in the war. His actions inadvertently enable Davros’s plan to unleash the Daleks, setting the stage for the Thals’ own annihilation.
- • To achieve a decisive victory over the Kaleds and end the war.
- • To assert Thal dominance and secure their future.
- • That the destruction of the Kaled dome will bring lasting peace to Skaro.
- • That Davros is a trusted ally in the fight against the Kaleds.
Triumphant and obedient, unaware of the catastrophic consequences their actions will unleash.
The Thal guards restrain the Doctor as he attempts to abort the rocket launch. They carry out the Councillor’s orders without question, celebrating the perceived victory over the Kaleds. Their actions contribute to the irreversible destruction of the Kaled dome and the unleashing of the Daleks, setting the stage for their own annihilation.
- • To follow the Councillor’s orders and achieve victory over the Kaleds.
- • To maintain order and security in the Thal control room.
- • That the destruction of the Kaled dome will secure Thal dominance.
- • That Davros is a trusted ally in the fight against the Kaleds.
Fearful and vulnerable, implied to be trapped and potentially facing death as the Kaled dome is destroyed.
Harry and Sarah are mentioned by the Doctor as being trapped inside the Kaled dome at the time of its destruction. Their fate is implied to be dire, adding to the Doctor’s emotional distress and the moral weight of the moment. Their absence underscores the stakes of the Doctor’s intervention and the irreversible consequences of the Daleks’ unleashing.
- • To survive the destruction of the Kaled dome.
- • To escape and reunite with the Doctor.
- • That the Doctor will find a way to save them.
- • That their mission to stop the Daleks is critical to the future.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Thal control room wall monitor displays the live footage of the Thal rockets pounding the Kaled dome until it explodes. This visual evidence of destruction is central to the event, as it confirms the annihilation of the Kaleds and triggers Davros’s retaliation. The monitor serves as a stark reminder of the irreversible consequences of the Thals’ actions and the birth of the Daleks’ reign of terror.
The Thal genocidal rocket is launched on the Councillor’s command, slamming into the Kaled dome and triggering a massive explosion. This act of destruction is the catalyst for Davros’s retaliation and the unleashing of the Daleks. The rocket symbolizes the Thals’ final, irreversible act of war, which sets the stage for the Daleks’ rise as the universe’s supreme conquerors.
The Thal control room abort button is the Doctor’s failed attempt to stop the rocket launch. Thal forces block his access, ensuring the launch proceeds and the Kaled dome is destroyed. This object represents the Doctor’s helplessness in the face of the Thals’ determination and the inevitability of the Daleks’ unleashing.
The Thal rocket launch button is pressed by the Councillor, initiating the destruction of the Kaled dome. This act is the culmination of the Thals’ war efforts and the direct cause of the Daleks’ unleashing. The button symbolizes the Thals’ final, irreversible decision to annihilate their enemies, setting the stage for their own downfall.
Davros flicks this switch, opening a door and unleashing the first Daleks into the Thal control room. This object is the mechanism that marks the birth of the Daleks as a genocidal force. The switch symbolizes Davros’s control over his creations and the irreversible descent into extermination, as the Daleks execute Ronson and declare their mission of universal supremacy.
The Thal rocket engines propel the missiles that slam into the Kaled dome, triggering a massive explosion. These engines are the instruments of destruction that enable the Thals’ perceived victory and the unleashing of the Daleks. Their power delivers the final blow to the Kaleds, marking the end of their civilization and the rise of the Daleks as the universe’s supreme conquerors.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Thal control room serves as the command center for the Thals’ final act of war and the birth of the Daleks. It is a high-tech, sterile environment filled with glowing consoles and wall monitors displaying the destruction of the Kaled dome. The room is a battleground for moral and strategic decisions, where the Doctor’s helplessness, the Councillor’s triumph, and Davros’s fanaticism collide. The atmosphere is tense and charged with the weight of irreversible consequences.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Daleks, represented by the first operational prototypes, are unleashed by Davros and carry out their first act of genocide by executing Ronson. Their entry into the Thal control room marks the beginning of their reign of terror, as they declare their mission of universal supremacy and obey Davros’s commands without question. Their ruthless efficiency and emotionless obedience symbolize the birth of a new era of destruction.
The Kaleds are the victims of the Thals’ genocidal rocket, their dome destroyed in a massive explosion. Their annihilation is declared by Davros, who marks the end of their race and the rise of the Daleks. The Kaleds’ fate is sealed by the Thals’ actions, and their role in the narrative shifts from a warring faction to a race that has been completely erased, paving the way for the Daleks’ supremacy.
The Thals, represented by the Councillor and his guards, carry out the final act of war by launching the rocket that destroys the Kaled dome. Their actions are driven by a desire for victory and the belief that Davros is a trusted ally. However, their unwitting role in unleashing the Daleks marks the beginning of their own downfall, as the Daleks turn on them and begin their reign of terror.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Councillor's decision to launch the rocket directly leads to the destruction of the Kaled dome in the next beat."
"The destruction of the Kaled dome enables Davros to unleash the Daleks, starting with the extermination of Ronson; direct cause and effect."
"Davros's order to exterminate Ronson immediately precedes his declaration of the Daleks' rise and their mission of universal conquest; it's a narrative progression."
"The destruction of the Kaled dome enables Davros to unleash the Daleks, starting with the extermination of Ronson; direct cause and effect."
"Davros's order to exterminate Ronson immediately precedes his declaration of the Daleks' rise and their mission of universal conquest; it's a narrative progression."
"While Davros declares the Daleks' rise, the Councillor celebrates a false peace, creating dramatic irony and highlighting the thematic contrast between Davros's destructive ambition and the Thals' naive hope."
"While Davros declares the Daleks' rise, the Councillor celebrates a false peace, creating dramatic irony and highlighting the thematic contrast between Davros's destructive ambition and the Thals' naive hope."
"While Davros declares the Daleks' rise, the Councillor celebrates a false peace, creating dramatic irony and highlighting the thematic contrast between Davros's destructive ambition and the Thals' naive hope."
Key Dialogue
"DOCTOR: *(On the monitor, the Kaled dome explodes.)* I sent Harry and Sarah in there."
"DAVROS: *(Flicks a switch; Daleks enter.)* Switch it off. We will avenge the annihilation of our people with a retaliation so massive, so merciless, that it will live in history."
"DAVROS: *(To the Daleks.)* Today, the Kaled race is ended, consumed in a fire of war, but from its ashes will rise a new race, the supreme creature, the ultimate conqueror of the universe, the Dalek! *(The Daleks respond:)* We obey."