Doctor Who
S20E14
· Terminus Part 2

Team's plan divides under shadow

Nyssa maps the space liner’s layout while proposing to split the group into two parties to speed their search for the TARDIS. Kari voices suspicion upon hearing a cryptic voice in the corridors, but Olvir’s evasion deepens the unease. Tension rises not only from the dividing strategy but from revelations that the ship harbors unseen threats—both the missing crewmembers and whatever forces control this route. The scene underscores the friction between urgency and trust, as Nyssa’s plan risks exposing each half of the team to Terminus’s dangers. key_dialogue: [ KARI: Who was that voice talking to?

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Kari inquires about an unknown voice, and Olvir responds mysteriously, while Nyssa examines a layout of the ship.

curiosity to unease ['space liner bridge']

Nyssa proposes splitting into two parties to find the Tardis, indicating a plan to navigate the ship.

determination to concern ['space liner bridge']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
Nyssa
Companion of the Doctor
 primary

Determined urgency tempered by disciplined professionalism

Nyssa unfurls a paper layout across the bridge, tracing two proposed routes toward the TARDIS, her focused demeanor evident as she proposes dividing the group to expedite the search. She remains unmoved by the rising suspicion in the air.

Goals in this moment
  • • Propose a practical plan to locate the TARDIS quickly
  • • Advance the search despite environmental hazards
Active beliefs
  • • Systematic division increases efficiency in crises
  • • Trust in physical mapping outweighs vague threats
Character traits
methodical pragmatic calm under pressure
Follow Nyssa's journey
Kari Olvir
Leader of Raider Group
 primary

Distrustful alertness masking underlying tension

Kari reacts sharply to an unfamiliar voice in the corridors, her suspicion sharpening as Olvir replies with a dismissive claim about a nonexistent crew, her alert posture revealing a watchful skepticism.

Goals in this moment
  • • Identify potential threats in the environment
  • • Challenge misinformation to protect the group
Active beliefs
  • • Unseen voices signal uncharted dangers
  • • Assertions without evidence warrant scrutiny
Character traits
vigilant skeptical reactive
Follow Kari Olvir's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

2
Terminus Galaxy Star Charts and Liner Schematic

The large paper schematic of the Terminus liner is spread across the bridge, its inked corridors mapping unseen zones. Nyssa relies on it to justify splitting the group, transforming the abstract layout into a concrete plan under flickering emergency lighting.

Before: Stored or rolled up; brought to the bridge …
After: Spread open on the bridge, crumpled at edges …
Before: Stored or rolled up; brought to the bridge to aid navigation.
After: Spread open on the bridge, crumpled at edges from handling, abandoned in favor of rapid action as danger escalates.
Punch Tape

Nyssa takes a narrow strip of punch tape from the printer and uses it as part of her mapping process. The tape’s perforated data assists her in plotting two clear routes across the liner’s schematic, becoming a physical tool in her navigational proposition.

Before: Coiled in the printer tray, unused, before Nyssa …
After: Held in Nyssa’s hand, now central to the …
Before: Coiled in the printer tray, unused, before Nyssa retrieves it.
After: Held in Nyssa’s hand, now central to the group’s strategic discussion on the bridge.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Terminus Space Liner

The Terminus space liner’s bridge serves as the command center amidst decay, its flickering instrumentation casting long shadows over the group as Nyssa maps routes and Kari questions unseen dangers. The cavernous chamber amplifies voices and tension, underscoring the liner’s operational collapse.

Atmosphere Gloom-lit urgency with whispered suspicion and the weight of impending sterilization
Function Emergency planning hub under mechanical duress
Symbolism Represents a last outpost of human control in a collapsing artificial world
Dim overhead panels emitting a soft glow Lingering metallic tang and failing systems alarms

Narrative Connections

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