Damon rejects Atlantean superstition
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Damon and Ara presume the Doctor is dead after saving them from Zaroff's plot, prompting Thous to suggest building a memorial stone in his honor within the temple.
Damon rejects the idea of another temple, suggesting a new Atlantis free of superstition and "fish people," which prompts Thous to agree, envisioning this new Atlantis as the Doctor's true memorial.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Fiery and determined, with an undercurrent of grief that fuels his rejection of the old ways and his push for a new beginning.
Damon, the Chief Surgeon of Atlantis, forcefully rejects Thous’ proposal to build a memorial temple, framing it as a relic of the superstition that enabled Zaroff’s tyranny. He advocates for a radical break from the past, proposing a new Atlantis built on reason and progress, free from gods, priests, and the myth of the 'fish people.' His dialogue is impassioned and resolute, reflecting his grief for the Doctor’s death and his determination to ensure that Atlantis does not repeat its mistakes. His physical presence is commanding, driving the ideological shift that defines this moment.
- • To dismantle the ideological foundations that allowed Zaroff’s tyranny to thrive, starting with the symbols of superstition like temples and priests.
- • To establish a new Atlantis grounded in reason and progress, aligning with the Doctor’s ideals and ensuring a better future for the survivors.
- • Superstition and blind tradition are the enemies of progress and must be rejected.
- • The Doctor’s legacy lives on not in temples, but in the ideals of reason and innovation that he embodied.
Reluctantly hopeful, torn between nostalgia for the past and the necessity of progress, with a underlying sense of loss for the world he once led.
Thous, the former leader of Atlantis, suggests erecting a memorial temple to honor the Doctor, clinging to traditional Atlantean rituals even in the face of catastrophe. His proposal is met with resistance by Damon, forcing Thous to reconsider his stance. Initially reluctant, he ultimately agrees to Damon’s vision of a new Atlantis, signaling a shift in his ideological perspective. His physical presence is contemplative, marked by a mix of resignation and cautious optimism as he grapples with the collapse of the old order and the possibility of a reborn civilization.
- • To honor the Doctor’s legacy in a way that aligns with Atlantean traditions, even as those traditions are being challenged.
- • To find a path forward for Atlantis that respects the past while embracing the future, as symbolized by Damon’s vision.
- • Tradition and ritual have value, even in times of crisis.
- • The survival of Atlantis requires both continuity and innovation, a balance that is difficult to achieve.
N/A (off-screen, presumed dead, but his absence is felt deeply).
The Doctor is absent from the scene, presumed dead after flooding Atlantis to stop Zaroff’s world-destroying scheme. His death is confirmed by Ara, and his legacy becomes the focal point of the debate between Damon and Thous. Though physically absent, his influence is pervasive—Damon’s vision for a new Atlantis is explicitly framed as an extension of the Doctor’s ideals, while Thous’ initial proposal to build a memorial temple is a traditional response to his sacrifice. The Doctor’s absence looms large, shaping the emotional and ideological tenor of the event.
- • To inspire a future for Atlantis that rejects tyranny and embraces progress (as embodied by Damon’s vision).
- • To serve as a catalyst for ideological change, even in death, by challenging the survivors to move beyond the dogmas of the past.
- • Reason and progress are the antidotes to oppression and superstition.
- • True legacy is not built in temples, but in the lives and futures of those who survive.
Somber and reflective, carrying the weight of loss while remaining attentive to the ideological tensions unfolding around her.
Ara stands quietly in the mountain cave, her presence marked by a heavy silence as she processes the Doctor’s presumed death. She delivers the grim confirmation that he died saving Atlantis, her voice tinged with sorrow. Her physical stance is subdued, reflecting her grief, and she does not actively participate in the ideological debate that follows, instead serving as a witness to Damon and Thous’ clash of visions.
- • To honor the Doctor’s sacrifice by acknowledging his death with dignity.
- • To support the survivors’ collective healing, even if indirectly, by bearing witness to their debates.
- • The Doctor’s actions were selfless and heroic, deserving of remembrance.
- • The future of Atlantis must account for the sacrifices made in its salvation.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The mountain cave serves as a refuge for the survivors of Atlantis, offering a stark contrast to the flooded ruins below. Its damp, echoing walls amplify the weight of the conversations taking place within, creating an intimate yet charged atmosphere for Damon and Thous’ ideological clash. The cave is not just a physical shelter but a symbolic threshold between the old Atlantis and the new, a liminal space where the past is mourned and the future is debated. Its isolation from the submerged city underscores the finality of what has been lost and the necessity of forging a new path.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The New Atlantean Vision is embodied in Damon’s impassioned rejection of superstition and his proposal for a civilization built on reason and progress. Though not yet formally established, its ideological foundations are laid in this moment, as Damon challenges Thous to break from the past. The organization’s influence is felt in the shift from traditional memorials (like the temple) to a forward-looking, rational society. Damon’s vision aligns with the Doctor’s ideals, positioning the New Atlantean Vision as a direct successor to the values that the Doctor represented.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Damon tends to the wounded Thous, hinting at the possibility of rebuilding Atlantis, and Damon rejects the idea of another temple, suggesting a new Atlantis free of superstition and 'fish people'."
Damon and Thous confront loss and fragile hope"Damon tends to the wounded Thous, hinting at the possibility of rebuilding Atlantis, and Damon rejects the idea of another temple, suggesting a new Atlantis free of superstition and 'fish people'."
Sean and Jacko’s grim reconnaissance"The inhabitants discuss building a new Atlantis free of superstition after Zaroff's demise, then the Doctor and his companions, Polly and Jamie, head towards the TARDIS that is outside Atlantis, finally free of Zaroff's menace."
Doctor’s Reappearance and TARDIS DepartureThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"THOUS: We'll raise a stone to him in the temple."
"DAMON: No. No more temples. It was temples and priests and superstition that made us follow Zaroff in the first place. When the water's found its own level, the temple will be buried forever. We shall never return to it. But we will have enough left to build a new Atlantis, without gods and without fish people."
"THOUS: Yes. That shall be his memorial."