Polo decides to move the TARDIS by force
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Polo presses Ian and Susan about the TARDIS’s capabilities and damage, learning that only the Doctor can operate it and that it could be moved manually with enough manpower, leading Polo to declare his intention to transport it via sledge.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Cautiously pragmatic, with underlying tension about the consequences of his revelations.
Ian Chesterton engages in a tense exchange with Polo, his responses pragmatic but laced with caution. He confirms the TARDIS’s ability to move through the air and its portability by hand, his scientific mind inadvertently providing Polo with the key insight needed to seize the ship. His admission that 'only the Doctor has that power' highlights the group’s dependence on the Doctor’s expertise, while his confirmation of the TARDIS’s movability becomes the catalyst for Polo’s sledge plan. Ian’s demeanor is cooperative but wary, his body language suggesting he is acutely aware of the shifting power dynamics.
- • Provide accurate information to avoid direct confrontation
- • Minimize the risk to the group by complying with Polo’s demands
- • Honesty is the safest path in this situation
- • Polo’s knowledge of the TARDIS’s capabilities could be dangerous
Determined and increasingly coercive, with a underlying desperation to reclaim his place in Venice.
Marco Polo dominates the scene, his interrogation of Ian and Barbara shifting from curiosity to decisive action. He leverages his knowledge of Kublai Khan’s court—where 'Buddhist monks make cups of wine fly through the air'—to rationalize the TARDIS’s impossibilities, framing it as a gift for the Khan. His pragmatic mind seizes on Ian’s confirmation of the ship’s portability, declaring his intent to construct a sledge and transport it down the pass. Polo’s demeanor is calculating, his authority unchallenged as he transitions from host to captor, his desperation to return to Venice colliding with the companions’ powerlessness.
- • Secure the TARDIS for Kublai Khan to gain favor and return to Venice
- • Exploit the companions’ vulnerability to achieve his objectives
- • The TARDIS is a prize worth seizing for the Khan’s court
- • His authority as the Khan’s envoy justifies his actions
Indirectly, a sense of helplessness and frustration—his incapacity forces the companions into a precarious negotiation.
The Doctor is absent from this confrontation, his absence due to 'mountain sickness' leaving the companions exposed. His role as the sole keeper of the TARDIS key and its operational power is highlighted by Polo’s repeated references to him, framing the Doctor as both a figure of authority and a liability in this moment. The Doctor’s physical absence casts a shadow over the scene, his potential return the only counterbalance to Polo’s growing control.
- • Regain control of the TARDIS and his companions’ safety
- • Prevent Polo from exploiting the ship’s portability
- • The TARDIS is his sole domain, and its misuse is unacceptable
- • His companions are capable but need his guidance in crises
Concerned and slightly fearful, but determined to support her companions despite the tension.
Susan Foreman stands near the TARDIS, her youthful features tight with concern as she reveals the ship is 'damaged.' Her voice is subdued, her body language suggesting a mix of fear and loyalty. She does not elaborate on the extent of the damage, but her admission provides Polo with critical leverage, confirming the TARDIS’s current limitations. Her presence underscores the group’s fragility, as she is both a potential source of information and a target for Polo’s manipulation.
- • Avoid escalating conflict by providing minimal necessary information
- • Protect the TARDIS from further exploitation
- • The TARDIS’s damage is a temporary setback, not a permanent defeat
- • Polo’s intentions are self-serving and potentially dangerous
Hostile and distrustful, with a simmering aggression toward the companions.
Tegana looms in the background, his accusatory glare fixed on the companions. He reiterates his claim that they are 'evil spirits,' his voice dripping with suspicion and hostility. His presence adds a layer of threat to the already tense atmosphere, reinforcing Polo’s authority while undermining the travelers’ credibility. Tegana’s hostility is a constant reminder of the Mongol warriors’ superstitious fears and the companions’ precarious position in this hostile environment.
- • Undermine the companions’ credibility as 'evil spirits'
- • Support Polo’s authority by reinforcing Mongol suspicions
- • The companions are a supernatural threat
- • Polo’s leadership must be upheld against outsiders
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Police Box Key is referenced indirectly as the sole means of accessing the TARDIS. Barbara reveals the Doctor has it, highlighting his absence as a critical obstacle to Polo’s immediate plans. The key symbolizes the Doctor’s authority over the ship, its possession framing the TARDIS as a locked prize that Polo cannot yet claim. The key’s absence underscores the companions’ vulnerability, as Polo’s sledge plan hinges on moving the ship without entry.
The TARDIS is the focal point of the confrontation, its impossible design and portability the subject of Polo’s relentless questioning. Ian confirms it can be moved by hand, while Barbara reveals it is locked and damaged, framing it as both a prize and a liability. Polo’s declaration to construct a sledge and transport it down the pass transforms the TARDIS from a mysterious artifact into a contested object, its symbolic value as a gift for Kublai Khan colliding with the Doctor’s authority over it. The ship’s damaged state adds urgency to Polo’s plan, as he seeks to exploit its current vulnerability.
The TARDIS Transport Sledge is introduced as Polo’s solution to the ship’s portability. Ian’s confirmation that the TARDIS can be moved by hand with 'sufficient men' sparks Polo’s declaration to construct the sledge, framing it as a tool of coercion. The sledge symbolizes Polo’s shift from reluctant host to captor, its construction a tangible step toward seizing the TARDIS for Kublai Khan. The object’s role is both logistical and narrative, representing the escalation of tension and the companions’ growing powerlessness.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Himalayan Pass serves as the staging ground for Polo’s interrogation and the companions’ vulnerability. The thin air and exposed winds heighten the tension, as the companions stand beside the TARDIS, their backs to the mountain’s edge. The pass is a liminal space—neither the safety of the caravan below nor the Doctor’s sickbed above—where Polo’s authority is unchallenged. The location’s ruggedness mirrors the power dynamics at play, as the companions are physically and strategically trapped.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Kublai Khan’s Imperial Authority is invoked by Polo to justify his actions, framing the TARDIS as a gift for the Khan’s court. Polo’s reference to the Khan’s power—'I have seen Buddhist monks make cups of wine fly through the air'—positions the TARDIS as another 'impossible' artifact worthy of the Khan’s collection. The organization’s influence is indirect but pervasive, as Polo’s desperation to return to Venice is tied to his need to curry favor with Kublai Khan. The authority enables Polo to override the companions’ objections and mobilize resources (e.g., men to build the sledge) for the TARDIS’s transport.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Polo's inspection and questioning of Ian and Susan (beat_04f4f17a890998b2) leads to his determination to transport the TARDIS (beat_379ed808f913c45b)."
Polo interrogates the TARDIS's impossible nature"Polo's inspection and questioning of Ian and Susan (beat_04f4f17a890998b2) leads to his determination to transport the TARDIS (beat_379ed808f913c45b)."
Polo interrogates the TARDIS's impossible nature"Polo preparing to move the TARDIS (beat_379ed808f913c45b) causes Susan to reveal Polo's plans to the Doctor and others (beat_755602f170c6df55)."
Doctor probes Ping-Cho about Tegana’s power"Polo preparing to move the TARDIS (beat_379ed808f913c45b) causes Susan to reveal Polo's plans to the Doctor and others (beat_755602f170c6df55)."
Polo asserts control over the TARDIS"Polo preparing to move the TARDIS (beat_379ed808f913c45b) causes Susan to reveal Polo's plans to the Doctor and others (beat_755602f170c6df55)."
Polo Manipulates the Doctor’s ComplianceKey Dialogue
"POLO: Where are the wheels? IAN: It doesn't have any. POLO: Then how does it move? IAN: Through the air."
"TEGANA: Did I not say they that they were evil spirits?"
"POLO: But it could be moved by hand? IAN: Oh yes, if you had sufficient men. POLO: Well, we'll make a sledge and take it down the pass. Then we shall see."