Davros' Genesis: The First Dalek's Birth in Blood
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Sarah, fleeing from mutated figures, discovers a hidden chamber within bombed-out buildings where she observes Davros, a wizened figure encased in a Dalek-like apparatus, preparing for a demonstration with a Kaled.
Davros initiates a test of a full Dalek, issuing movement commands that the Dalek obeys with perfect precision, showcasing his control over the menacing creation.
Davros commands the Dalek to exterminate, and it effortlessly destroys cardboard targets, confirming the perfection of the Dalek's weaponry and signaling the commencement of Davros' grand plan.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
None—it is a machine, but its actions radiate an eerie, inhuman menace.
The first Dalek, a gleaming machine of death, responds to Davros’ commands with mechanical precision. It moves forward, halts, turns, and exterminates the cardboard targets with ruthless efficiency. Its dome swivels ominously, and its gunstick emits a deadly blast, reducing the targets to smoldering ruins. This is the Dalek’s inaugural act of violence—the birth of its genocidal purpose.
- • To execute Davros’ commands without deviation.
- • To demonstrate its capability as a weapon of mass destruction.
- • Its purpose is to obey and exterminate—no moral or ethical considerations apply.
- • Its existence is justified by its utility in war and conquest.
Euphoric triumph tinged with manic obsession—he is reveling in the realization of his life’s work and the power it grants him.
Davros, encased in his Dalek-like lower half apparatus, commands the first Dalek with cold precision. His mechanical voice resonates with triumph as he demonstrates the machine’s lethality, reducing the cardboard targets to ash. His artificial eye gleams with fanatical intensity, and his long-nailed hand flicks the console switches with deliberate malice. This is the moment he has worked toward—the birth of his ultimate weapon, and the beginning of his genocidal vision.
- • To prove the Daleks’ effectiveness as the ultimate weapon in the Kaled-Thal war.
- • To solidify his position as the undisputed architect of Kaled victory and the future of their race.
- • The Kaleds must achieve total dominance over the Thals, no matter the cost.
- • The Daleks are the key to ensuring Kaled survival and supremacy, justifying any moral compromise.
Awe-struck horror mixed with urgent resolve—she understands the gravity of what she’s seeing and the need to act.
Sarah Jane Smith, wide-eyed and breathless from her flight through the ruins, ducks behind debris to observe the demonstration. Her body tenses as the Dalek obeys Davros’ commands, and her shock is palpable when the machine exterminates the targets. She remains hidden, her mind racing with the implications of what she’s witnessed—this is the moment the Daleks become real, and the stakes of the Doctor’s mission have never been higher.
- • To survive and escape the ruins undetected to warn the Doctor.
- • To gather as much intelligence as possible about the Daleks’ capabilities before reporting back.
- • The Daleks represent an existential threat that must be stopped at all costs.
- • The Doctor’s mission to alter their creation is now more critical than ever.
A mix of awe and unease—he is impressed by the Dalek’s power but also unsettled by the implications of what he’s witnessing.
A Kaled soldier approaches Davros, acknowledging his readiness for the demonstration. His posture is rigid and deferential, reflecting the hierarchy and respect—bordering on fear—that Davros commands. He serves as a silent witness to the Dalek’s first test, his presence underscoring the institutional backing Davros enjoys within the Kaled military.
- • To fulfill his duty as a Kaled soldier by supporting Davros’ work.
- • To ensure the demonstration proceeds without interruption, reinforcing his loyalty to the Kaled cause.
- • Davros’ work is essential to Kaled victory, and his authority must not be questioned.
- • The Daleks will secure the future of the Kaled race, justifying their creation.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Davros’ Dalek-like lower half apparatus is the command center for the first Dalek. Encasing his crippled body, it integrates a console studded with switches that allow him to remotely control the Dalek’s movements and weaponry. The apparatus is a fusion of organic and mechanical, symbolizing Davros’ own twisted fusion of genius and monstrosity. It is the physical manifestation of his power and the tool through which he brings the Daleks to life.
The cardboard targets serve as the first victims of the Dalek’s weaponry. Positioned in the ruins, they are reduced to smoldering wreckage by the Dalek’s gunstick, symbolizing the fate of future enemies—real or imagined. Their destruction is a stark preview of the Daleks’ genocidal potential, a moment of chilling realism in an otherwise surreal demonstration. They are the stand-ins for the Thals, the Doctor, and all who will oppose the Kaleds.
Davros’ black leather clothing clings to his crippled frame, amplifying his wizened and ominous presence. The dark material contrasts with the sterile metal of his apparatus, reinforcing his role as a harbinger of genocide. It is not merely clothing but a uniform of sorts, signaling his authority and the dark purpose he embodies. The leather is a visual cue to his fanaticism and the moral decay of the Kaleds under his influence.
Davros’ artificial eye, embedded in his forehead, glows faintly amid his scarred and mechanical features. It is a symbol of his transformation—no longer fully human, but something else, something more aligned with the machines he creates. The eye serves as a visual metaphor for his detachment from morality and his embrace of the Daleks’ genocidal purpose. It is the literal and figurative lens through which he views the world: cold, calculating, and devoid of empathy.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The ridge above the ruins serves as a looming threat in the background of the scene, a vantage point from which unseen dangers—like the shambling figures pursuing Sarah—could emerge. It casts a long shadow over the demonstration, symbolizing the ever-present risk and instability of Skaro. The ridge is a physical manifestation of the tension between observation and exposure, a place where Sarah could be spotted at any moment, turning her hiding place into a potential trap.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Kaleds are the driving force behind Davros’ work, providing the resources, authority, and institutional backing that allow him to create the Daleks. This demonstration is not just a test of the Dalek’s capabilities but a validation of the Kaleds’ commitment to total war and their willingness to embrace any weapon—no matter how genocidal—to secure victory. The Kaled soldier’s presence and deference to Davros underscore the organization’s hierarchy and the unquestioned authority Davros wields within it.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Sarah being followed by a strange creature (beat_823d5a1c3d6755d2) motivates her flight and discovery of the hidden chamber where Davros is preparing his demonstration (beat_21b4c6bb1e531c82)."
"Sarah being followed by a strange creature (beat_823d5a1c3d6755d2) motivates her flight and discovery of the hidden chamber where Davros is preparing his demonstration (beat_21b4c6bb1e531c82)."
"The discussion about the Mutos' origins and Kaled racial purity (beat_8a501bbc964b6664) parallels Sarah's discovery of Davros, who embodies the extreme of this ideology by creating the Daleks to exterminate 'imperfects' (beat_21b4c6bb1e531c82)."
"The discussion about the Mutos' origins and Kaled racial purity (beat_8a501bbc964b6664) parallels Sarah's discovery of Davros, who embodies the extreme of this ideology by creating the Daleks to exterminate 'imperfects' (beat_21b4c6bb1e531c82)."
"Harry carefully disarming the landmine (beat_c73c4708e13178f2), showcasing precision and control, thematically parallels Davros's flawless control over the Dalek when issuing movement commands (beat_c292c01307bc3d46)."
"Harry carefully disarming the landmine (beat_c73c4708e13178f2), showcasing precision and control, thematically parallels Davros's flawless control over the Dalek when issuing movement commands (beat_c292c01307bc3d46)."
"Harry carefully disarming the landmine (beat_c73c4708e13178f2), showcasing precision and control, thematically parallels Davros's flawless control over the Dalek when issuing movement commands (beat_c292c01307bc3d46)."
"Harry carefully disarming the landmine (beat_c73c4708e13178f2), showcasing precision and control, thematically parallels Davros's flawless control over the Dalek when issuing movement commands (beat_c292c01307bc3d46)."
"Harry carefully disarming the landmine (beat_c73c4708e13178f2), showcasing precision and control, thematically parallels Davros's flawless control over the Dalek when issuing movement commands (beat_c292c01307bc3d46)."
Part of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"KALED: *Ready, Davros.* DAVROS: *Observe the test closely, my friend. This will be a moment that will live in history.*"
"DAVROS: *Halt. Turn right. Halt.* DAVROS: *Now, exterminate!*"
"DAVROS: *Perfect. The weaponry is perfect. Now we can begin.*"