Polly deduces Cybermen’s solvent weakness
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Inspired by Jamie's remark about holy water, Polly realizes that the plastic component on the Cybermen's chest units might be vulnerable to solvents, prompting her to plan an experiment.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Skeptical → Engaged → Cautiously supportive
Ben engages in the conversation with a mix of skepticism and pragmatism. He initially dismisses Polly’s idea as impractical but provides critical details about the Cybermen’s suit materials (metal and plastic) and the dangers of the Gravitron power pack. His tone is cautious, but he ultimately supports Polly’s experimental approach, demonstrating his willingness to adapt and collaborate. His naval background informs his practical assessment of the situation, balancing Polly’s optimism with grounded realism.
- • To ensure any proposed solution is feasible and grounded in reality, given the high stakes of the Cybermen invasion.
- • To provide accurate information about the Cybermen’s weaknesses and the moonbase’s resources to inform their strategy.
- • That the Cybermen’s plastic chest units are a potential vulnerability, but only if a safe and effective solvent can be identified.
- • That the Gravitron power pack, though powerful, is too dangerous to use as a weapon against the Cybermen.
Frustrated → Determined → Hopeful
Polly is seated in the sickbay, examining her battered fingernails, when Jamie’s remark about 'sprinkling witches with holy water' suddenly captures her attention. She pivots from frustration to intense focus, her scientific mind latching onto the metaphorical connection between holy water and solvents. She interrogates Ben about the Cybermen’s suit materials, deduces their plastic chest units are vulnerable, and proposes testing acetone (nail varnish remover) as a weapon. Her tone shifts from exasperated to determined, and she prepares to conduct an experiment, embodying the role of a quick-thinking problem-solver.
- • To identify a weakness in the Cybermen’s armor that can be exploited to stop their invasion.
- • To validate her hypothesis about acetone dissolving the Cybermen’s plastic chest units through experimentation.
- • That the Cybermen’s plastic components are vulnerable to chemical solvents, given their similarity to nail varnish.
- • That Jamie’s folk wisdom, though seemingly unrelated, can inspire scientific solutions in desperate situations.
Relieved → Playful → Slightly pained
Jamie, recovering from a head injury, attempts to get out of bed but is gently pushed back by Polly and Ben. He makes a lighthearted remark about 'sprinkling witches with holy water,' which he recalls from his 18th-century past. Though he winces slightly from lingering pain, his playful tone and willingness to engage in the conversation highlight his improving health. His offhand comment inadvertently becomes the catalyst for Polly’s scientific breakthrough, demonstrating how his folk knowledge can unexpectedly contribute to their survival.
- • To reassure Polly and Ben that he is recovering and capable of contributing to their plans.
- • To share his historical knowledge, even if it seems unrelated, as it might spark new ideas.
- • That his experiences from the past, no matter how seemingly trivial, might hold value in the present.
- • That teamwork and shared ideas are essential for overcoming the Cybermen threat.
N/A (Collective, hive-minded entity)
The Cybermen are indirectly referenced as the primary antagonists whose weaknesses Polly, Ben, and Jamie are discussing. Their chest units, made of a plastic-like material, are identified as a potential vulnerability to solvents like acetone. The companions’ conversation reveals the Cybermen’s cold, logical nature and their reliance on technology to suppress organic life. Their presence looms over the scene, driving the urgency of the companions’ efforts to find a countermeasure.
- • To convert all organic life on the moonbase into Cybermen to expand their collective.
- • To activate the Gravitron to control Earth’s weather and eradicate all organic life on the planet.
- • That organic life is inferior and must be eliminated or converted to ensure the survival of the Cybermen collective.
- • That their technological superiority makes them invincible to organic resistance.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Cybermen’s chest units, made of a plastic-like material, are identified by Polly as a critical vulnerability. She deduces that acetone (nail varnish remover) can dissolve this plastic, offering a way to disable or destroy the Cybermen. This object is central to the companions’ strategy, as its weakness provides the foundation for their counterattack. The discussion about its composition shifts the group’s focus from radiation (Gravitron) to chemical solvents, marking a turning point in their planning.
Ben mentions the Gravitron power pack as a potential source of radiation to target the Cybermen, but immediately dismisses it due to its extreme heat (four million degrees). While this object is not directly used in the event, it serves as a contrast to the acetone solution, highlighting the impracticality of high-tech weapons in favor of simpler, more accessible methods. Its discussion underscores the companions’ need for a feasible and safe countermeasure, reinforcing the importance of Polly’s acetone proposal.
Jamie’s remark about 'sprinkling witches with holy water' serves as the metaphorical and conceptual catalyst for Polly’s scientific breakthrough. Though no physical vial or container of holy water is present, the phrase sparks the idea of using solvents to dissolve the Cybermen’s plastic chest units. This object (or rather, the concept of holy water) bridges Jamie’s 18th-century folk wisdom and Polly’s modern scientific reasoning, demonstrating how seemingly unrelated knowledge can inspire innovative solutions in desperate situations.
Polly identifies acetone (nail varnish remover) as a potential solvent to dissolve the Cybermen’s plastic chest units. She proposes testing it as a weapon, shifting the group’s focus from passive observation to proactive problem-solving. The object is not physically present in the scene but is referenced as a readily available resource on the moonbase. Its role is pivotal, as it offers a feasible and low-risk method to exploit the Cybermen’s vulnerability, providing hope in the face of their otherwise unstoppable threat.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Cybermen, as a hive-minded collective, are the primary antagonists driving the companions’ urgency to find a countermeasure. Their invasion of the moonbase and plan to weaponize the Gravitron to control Earth’s weather create a existential threat, forcing the companions to think creatively. The organization’s cold logic and technological superiority are contrasted with the companions’ organic adaptability and resourcefulness. The discussion about the Cybermen’s plastic chest units and the acetone solution reflects the companions’ determination to exploit even the smallest weakness in the Cybermen’s armor.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Cybermen revealing their plan to destroy Earth directly motivates Polly and Ben to search for a way to stop them, leading to Polly's realization about the plastic's vulnerability."
Cybermen seize control room and declare Earth's extinction"The Cybermen revealing their plan to destroy Earth directly motivates Polly and Ben to search for a way to stop them, leading to Polly's realization about the plastic's vulnerability."
Cybermen reveal Earth's extinction plan"The Cybermen revealing their plan to destroy Earth directly motivates Polly and Ben to search for a way to stop them, leading to Polly's realization about the plastic's vulnerability."
Cybermen reveal infiltration and extinction plan"Polly and Ben's discussion about how to defeat the Cybermen leads to Polly testing acetone and discovering it dissolves plastic, giving them a weapon."
Polly and Ben develop the solvent weaponKey Dialogue
"JAMIE: Well, in my day, they used to sprinkle witches with holy water."
"POLLY: Sprinkle. Holy Water. Ben? BEN: Yeah? POLLY: What are the Cybermen covered in? BEN: As far as I know, their suit is a metal of some sort. POLLY: Oh. What about that thing on their chests? You know, the part which replaces their heart and lungs. BEN: Some kind of plastic, I think. POLLY: I thought so. You see, it's simple. Nail varnish remover dissolves nail varnish. Nail varnish is a plastic. So we do what Jamie says. We sprinkle them, see?"
"BEN: No, I don't. Clear as mud if you ask me."