Fabula
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1
S20E13
· Terminus Part 1

Turlough manipulated by unseen TARDIS forces

Turlough stumbles through the TARDIS corridors disoriented while an unseen entity coldly directs him through the roundel panel, demanding he operate the console mechanisms. His confusion and fear mask compliance with the entity’s commands, moments before Tegan’s arrival forces him to hide his actions. When confronted, Turlough deflects suspicion with practiced charm and feigned innocence while the roundel’s reopening betrays his complicity. The confrontation reveals a widening rift between the companions, as Tegan’s distrust of Turlough hardens into conviction while he maneuvers to avoid exposure, setting the stage for further manipulation and sabotage of the TARDIS systems.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

Turlough expresses his fear and confusion about his location, and an unseen entity instructs him to manipulate the TARDIS console.

fear to obedience ['TARDIS corridor']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

3
Turlough
Schoolboy
 primary

Fearful obedience masking deep anxiety and creeping rebellion as he blurs truth with deflection during the confrontation with Tegan

Turlough moves through the TARDIS corridors with a visible tremor of fear and disorientation, visibly shaken but obedient as an unseen force directs him to open the roundel panel and operate the blue switches. His hands comply despite his internal protest, betraying his conflicted compliance.

Goals in this moment
  • • To comply with the unseen entity's commands to avoid immediate punishment
  • • To deflect Tegan's suspicion to protect his covert actions
Active beliefs
  • • Believes obedience to the unseen entity ensures his survival
  • • Believes deception and charm are his only tools to avoid exposure
Character traits
Manipulated Defensive Charming when cornered Deceptive Submissive to unseen authority
Follow Turlough's journey
Black Guardian
primary

Emotionless control, operating as an extension of temporal malevolence

The unseen Black Guardian's voice transmits through the corridor, cold and commanding, directing Turlough with surgical precision to sabotage the TARDIS by operating the roundel switches and removing the space-time element. The entity's authority is absolute, overriding Turlough's hesitation.

Goals in this moment
  • • To compel Turlough to sabotage the TARDIS
  • • To maintain control over Turlough's actions
Active beliefs
  • • Believes Turlough will obey due to fear and manipulation
  • • Believes the TARDIS is a tool to be subverted
Character traits
Authoritative Cold Manipulative Omnipresent Demanding obedience
Follow Black Guardian's journey
Tegan Jovanka
primary

Distrustful and angry, with a growing conviction that Turlough cannot be trusted

Tegan enters the corridor after calling out, confronting Turlough with sharp suspicion. Her demeanor is confrontational, her trust in him severely eroded as she demands answers and accuses him of deception, hardening into certainty that he is up to something dangerous.

Goals in this moment
  • • To uncover Turlough's true intentions
  • • To protect the TARDIS and Doctor from potential danger
Active beliefs
  • • Believes Turlough is hiding something critical
  • • Believes direct confrontation is necessary to expose his actions
Character traits
Suspicious Confrontational Loyal to the Doctor Uncompromising Protective of the TARDIS
Follow Tegan Jovanka's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

3
TARDIS Console

The primary control console mechanisms are operated by Turlough under the Guardian's commands, reflecting the sabotage attempt. The mechanisms' mechanical clicks and hums underscore the unauthorized nature of the interaction, amplifying the threat to the TARDIS's integrity.

Before: Operational and under the Doctor's control
After: Manipulated by Turlough, potentially destabilized
Before: Operational and under the Doctor's control
After: Manipulated by Turlough, potentially destabilized
Space-Time Element

The space-time element is positioned beneath the console and becomes the target of Turlough's sabotage under the Guardian's orders. Its presence in the corridor confrontation frames the severity of Turlough's unauthorized actions and the potential catastrophe they could unleash.

Before: Concealed beneath the console, integral to TARDIS temporal …
After: Removed from its housing by Turlough's actions, still …
Before: Concealed beneath the console, integral to TARDIS temporal stability
After: Removed from its housing by Turlough's actions, still in flux as the confrontation ends
TARDIS Roundel Sabotage Switches

The TARDIS roundel sabotage switches, recessed and blue-tinted, are the specific targets of Turlough's operation. They form the direct conduit between Turlough's hands and the unseen entity's commands, making them the heart of the sabotage effort.

Before: Secured and unengaged, protected behind the roundel panel
After: Activated by Turlough, now humming with temporal energy
Before: Secured and unengaged, protected behind the roundel panel
After: Activated by Turlough, now humming with temporal energy

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
TARDIS: Navigation Corridor

The TARDIS corridor serves as both the path and the trap for Turlough's covert actions, where his disoriented compliance turns into a confrontation zone. Its claustrophobic design narrows focus onto Turlough, amplifying Tegan's suspicion and turning a normally mundane space into one of tense accusation.

Atmosphere Tense and claustrophobic with a palpable undercurrent of betrayal
Function Conduit for manipulation and confrontation, a liminal space where covert acts surface into visibility
Symbolism Represents the precarious nature of trust aboard the TARDIS, where corridors and panels metaphorically conceal …
Hexagonal roundels set into dark wood paneling Faint amber lighting casting pools of warmth

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 2
Causal

"Turlough's initial fear and confusion under the unseen entity's guidance set up his later malicious sabotage of the TARDIS console, culminating in the violent malfunction."

Turlough tears the TARDIS heart from the console
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1
Character Continuity

"Tegan's distrust and confrontation of Turlough's suspicious behavior early on escalates into a more urgent confrontation when she strongly accuses him in the corridor, revealing Turlough's inconsistent facade."

Tegan confronts Turloughs hidden agenda
S20E13 · Terminus Part 1

Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning

The Corruption of Loyalty and the Illusion of Control
5
Loyalty among the TARDIS crew frays as devotion transforms from a stabilizing bond into a weapon of manipulation and ruin. Turlough’s forced allegiance to the …
The Fracturing of Identity Under External Coercion
4
Identity here is a fragile construct relentlessly reshaped by external coercion. Turlough’s arc charts this erosion, beginning as a refugee fleeing violence and descending into …

Part of Larger Arcs

The escalating confrontation between Tegan Jovanka and Turlough as Tegan uncovers Turlough's manipulative actions and hidden agenda aboard the TARDIS. Turlough's internal struggle with divided loyalties between serving the Doctor and his TARDIS companions versus fulfilling his secret pact with the Black Guardian to sabotage the TARDIS.

Key Dialogue

"TURLOUGH: I'm scared. This place is like a maze. Where am I supposed to be going?"
"Your function is to obey, not question."
"TURLOUGH: I think we should try and be friends."
"TEGAN: I think you're dangerous."