Kronos descends leveling the plaza

The Master activates the crystal, summoning Kronos—a ravenous force of cosmic destruction—that descends upon Atlantis Plaza in a cataclysmic display of power. The ancient deity reduces the plaza to ruins in moments, forcing the Doctor and Jo into desperate retreat. The unleashing of Kronos marks the first irreversible fracture in their quest as the conflict escalates from political betrayal to apocalyptic threat. The plaza collapses into chaos as the structure of order is obliterated.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

1

The Master activates the crystal-powered device, unleashing Kronos—a terrifying, white, creature-like entity—into the plaza, causing chaos and destruction.

calm to terror ['plaza']

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

8

Startled and determined, caught between fear and resolve to escape

Jo Grant witnesses the summoning and is quickly knocked aside by the Master, who abducts her with the crystal. She resists at first but is pulled into the Master's TARDIS during the escape.

Goals in this moment
  • Survive the immediate threat
  • Avoid being taken by the Master
Active beliefs
  • Her presence is necessary for the Doctor
  • Authority figures cannot always be trusted
Character traits
Brave Vulnerable Resourceful
Follow Jo Grant's journey

Arrogance crumbling into terror as control slips away

The Master, triumphant moments earlier, becomes visibly panicked as Kronos ignores his commands. He clutches the crystal and flees to his TARDIS while carrying Jo captive, abandoning his summoned deity.

Goals in this moment
  • Summon Kronos to assert absolute power
  • Escape the collapse of his scheme
Active beliefs
  • Believes Kronos will obey him absolutely
  • Trusts in subterfuge and temporal power to dominate
Character traits
Defiant Panicked Manipulative
Follow The Master's journey

Desperate urgency masking underlying fear of irreversible consequences

The Doctor frantically attempts to halt the Master’s summoning of Kronos, shouting warnings to the assembling council. He is helpless against the cosmic force's descent and later pursues the Master into his TARDIS to rescue Jo Grant.

Goals in this moment
  • Prevent the release of Kronos
  • Rescue Jo Grant from the Master
Active beliefs
  • Opposes the misuse of temporal power
  • Believes in protecting even enemies from annihilation
Character traits
Frantic Courageous Determined
Follow The Third …'s journey
Supporting 5

Stern compliance masking deep dread as institutional control disintegrates

Crito acts as enforcer of order and silence, attempting to silence the Doctor mid-scheme while the chaos unfolds. His authority collapses alongside the plaza.

Goals in this moment
  • Maintain public order and protocol
  • Silence dissenters like the Doctor
Active beliefs
  • Hierarchy must be preserved at all costs
  • Disorder threatens institutional survival
Character traits
Authoritative Rigid Impotent
Follow Crito's journey
Galleia
Queen
secondary

Betrayed fury and helplessness in the face of cosmic ruin

Queen Galleia, facing betrayal from the Master, moves from initial support to outrage. She orders the Master’s seizure just as Kronos appears, powerless to stop the ensuing destruction.

Goals in this moment
  • Protect Atlantis from immediate harm
  • Hold the Master accountable for his lies
Active beliefs
  • Royal promises must be upheld
  • The Master’s actions violate the natural order
Character traits
Angry Confrontational Brave
Follow Galleia's journey

Obedient terror as his actions lead directly to the disaster

Krasis, under the Master’s command, operates the TOM-TIT device containing the crystal fragment. He is powerless to stop the chaos when Kronos breaks free and seemingly complicit in the Master’s doom.

Goals in this moment
  • Follow the Master’s directives without question
  • Survive the temporal catastrophe
Active beliefs
  • The Master’s power is absolute and divine
  • Obeying ritual ensures personal safety
Character traits
Obedient Terrified Subordinate
Follow Krasis's journey

Professional detachment shattered by terror and chaos

The Atlantean Palace Sentry enforces silence on the Doctor but observes helplessly as Kronos descends and the plaza collapses into chaos.

Goals in this moment
  • Follow orders and maintain silence
  • Survive the immediate destruction
Active beliefs
  • Protocol supersedes personal safety
  • The institution will protect its own
Character traits
Obedient Bystander Unprepared
Follow Peladonian Royal …'s journey
Prisoner
secondary

Helplessness and creeping dread as external forces erase their world

Surviving prisoners witness their ruler’s death, the rise and fall of a false god, and the destruction of their world without recourse.

Goals in this moment
  • Survive the immediate destruction
  • Avoid drawing attention
Active beliefs
  • Their rulers’ decisions led to this ruin
  • Escape is impossible
Character traits
Resigned Terrified Trapped
Follow Prisoner's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

6
Doctor's TARDIS

The Doctor’s TARDIS materializes in response to the crisis, serving as his only chance to pursue the Master after Jo is kidnapped. It functions as a refuge and escape route amid the chaos.

Before: Docked or nearby Atlantis Plaza, responding to the …
After: In motion, chasing the Master’s TARDIS into temporal …
Before: Docked or nearby Atlantis Plaza, responding to the crisis.
After: In motion, chasing the Master’s TARDIS into temporal void.
Crystal of Kronos

The larger crystal is torn from the Master’s grip during his panic-stricken escape sequence. The Doctor shouts in vain, but the Master takes it into his TARDIS, ensuring the temporal energy remains under his control despite Kronos’s rampage.

Before: Pulsing with raw temporal power, held by the …
After: Briefly wrested during struggle but recaptured by the …
Before: Pulsing with raw temporal power, held by the Master during the summoning ritual.
After: Briefly wrested during struggle but recaptured by the Master, taken into his TARDIS.
Crystal of Kronos Fragment Housing (Master's Portable)

The Master carries the smaller fragment housed in a metallic casing, using it as the trigger for the summoning. He clutches it desperately during the escape, then takes it into his TARDIS.

Before: In the Master’s possession, mounted as part of …
After: Recaptured from the Doctor’s grasp, taken into the …
Before: In the Master’s possession, mounted as part of the ritual device.
After: Recaptured from the Doctor’s grasp, taken into the Master’s TARDIS during the escape.
Kronos Cosmic Temporal Surge

Kronos descends as a white, ravenous temporal entity, reducing the plaza to rubble with ease. The Master’s futile commands fail as Kronos acts without restraint, embodying the inevitability of cosmic retribution.

Before: Concealed within the crystal fragment, dormant.
After: Rampaging above Atlantis, consuming space-time with impunity.
Before: Concealed within the crystal fragment, dormant.
After: Rampaging above Atlantis, consuming space-time with impunity.
TOM-TIT Device

The TOM-TIT device, containing the crystal fragment, is activated by Krasis under the Master’s orders. It functions as a conduit for Kronos, summoning the entity into reality and collapsing when exposed to absolute power.

Before: Operational, held by Krasis and the Master.
After: Fractures under the strain of Kronos’s emergence; its …
Before: Operational, held by Krasis and the Master.
After: Fractures under the strain of Kronos’s emergence; its instability lingers as the plaza collapses.
The Doctor’s TARDIS

The Master’s TARDIS materializes as a grotesque distortion amid the chaos, its exterior pulsing erratically with temporal energy. It functions as the Master’s escape route and prison for Jo Grant.

Before: Nearby or possibly materializing as part of his …
After: Dematerializes with the Master, Jo, and the crystal, …
Before: Nearby or possibly materializing as part of his scheme.
After: Dematerializes with the Master, Jo, and the crystal, leaving only smoke and violet echoes behind.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Atlantis Plaza

Atlantis Plaza serves as both stage and victim in this cataclysm. Once a symbol of political ceremony, it becomes a battleground of cosmic proportions as Kronos descends, buildings collapse, and the plaza’s sacred marble is scarred by temporal energy.

Atmosphere Chaotic and terrifying, filled with screaming voices, crackling lightning, and the overwhelming roar of an …
Function Primary battleground for a cataclysmic confrontation between temporal powers
Symbolism Represents the collapse of political legitimacy and the fall of human structures before cosmic indifference
Access Officially a public space, but now accessible to all forces including temporal entities
Buildings begin to fall as lightning strikes temporal distortions Torchlight flickers wildly under the storm of temporal energy

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

2
Council of Atlantis (Governing Body)

The Council of Atlantis, already marginalized, witnesses the summit of the Master’s power and the immediate implosion of their institution. Their authority dissolves without physical resistance as Kronos renders their debate meaningless.

Representation Through surviving members visibly present during the ceremony who become powerless witnesses
Power Dynamics The organization is utterly subjugated, becoming spectators to their own irrelevance and destruction
Impact The event exposes the fragility of institutional power in the face of cosmic forces and …
Internal Dynamics Short-lived defiance under Galleia leads to temporary assertiveness, but the event suppresses decisive action through …
Survive the immediate political upheaval Prevent further loss of Atlantean life and property Collective presence and ceremonial legitimacy Direct appeals to authority (e.g., Galleia’s orders)
Followers of the Master

The Followers of the Master, once triumphant, scatter in terror as Kronos ignores their leader’s commands. Their complicity in Dalios’s murder and temporal tyranny leaves them exposed to cosmic retribution.

Representation Through scattered cultists physically present during the ceremony, now disoriented and powerless
Power Dynamics The organization is rendered obsolete by its own failure to constrain the cosmic force it …
Impact The event underscores the disposable nature of the Master’s followers, abandoned when his schemes fail.
Internal Dynamics No recorded internal conflict; disillusionment is immediate and overwhelming.
Survive the immediate temporal catastrophe Avoid punishment for complicity in the Master’s crimes Physical presence around the plaza Emotional investment in the Master’s temporal order

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 14

"King Dalios's death in Jo's lap (beat_8800be3cdd16ff81) becomes a turning point for Lady Galleia, shattering her loyalty to the Master upon Jo's confirmation of Dalios's death in the Atlantis Plaza (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Dalios defies guards asserts authority
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"King Dalios's death in Jo's lap (beat_8800be3cdd16ff81) becomes a turning point for Lady Galleia, shattering her loyalty to the Master upon Jo's confirmation of Dalios's death in the Atlantis Plaza (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Dalios reveals Atlantiss fate and dies
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Jo's confirmation of King Dalios's death (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31) directly precipitates the Master's activation of the crystal-powered device and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7)."

Master flees with crystal and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Jo's confirmation of King Dalios's death (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31) directly precipitates the Master's activation of the crystal-powered device and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7)."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Jo's confirmation of King Dalios's death (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31) directly precipitates the Master's activation of the crystal-powered device and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7)."

Typhoon of truth at Atlantis crowning
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"King Dalios's death in Jo's lap (beat_8800be3cdd16ff81) becomes a turning point for Lady Galleia, shattering her loyalty to the Master upon Jo's confirmation of Dalios's death in the Atlantis Plaza (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Doctor tells life secret to steady Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's assuming the role of King over Atlantis (beat_fe11ff2c38975dc1) escalates to the tragic confirmation of King Dalios's death and Lady Galleia's shattering loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Master flees with crystal and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Lady Galleia's breaking loyalty with the Master over Dalios's fate (beat_fd37a8e356df39f7) escalates to her accusation of the Master's tyranny and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Master seizes control demands obedience
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's assuming the role of King over Atlantis (beat_fe11ff2c38975dc1) escalates to the tragic confirmation of King Dalios's death and Lady Galleia's shattering loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Typhoon of truth at Atlantis crowning
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's assuming the role of King over Atlantis (beat_fe11ff2c38975dc1) escalates to the tragic confirmation of King Dalios's death and Lady Galleia's shattering loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Lady Galleia's breaking loyalty with the Master over Dalios's fate (beat_fd37a8e356df39f7) escalates to her accusation of the Master's tyranny and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Power Struggle on Atlantis Terrace
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Doctor's pointed questions about the missing council members and King Dalios's fate (beat_9617302cb34fd3e2) parallel Lady Galleia's later confirmation of Dalios's death and her breaking loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31), both reflecting themes of power and loss."

Master flees with crystal and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Doctor's pointed questions about the missing council members and King Dalios's fate (beat_9617302cb34fd3e2) parallel Lady Galleia's later confirmation of Dalios's death and her breaking loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31), both reflecting themes of power and loss."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Doctor's pointed questions about the missing council members and King Dalios's fate (beat_9617302cb34fd3e2) parallel Lady Galleia's later confirmation of Dalios's death and her breaking loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31), both reflecting themes of power and loss."

Typhoon of truth at Atlantis crowning
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6
What this causes 15
Callback medium

"The Master's unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7) parallels his later begging for help from the Doctor in the void, echoing their long-standing adversarial dynamic (beat_dbde7c231ea8d61e)."

Kronos offers deliverance to Doctor and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6
Callback medium

"The Master's unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7) parallels his later begging for help from the Doctor in the void, echoing their long-standing adversarial dynamic (beat_dbde7c231ea8d61e)."

Master flees after abandoning Jo to Kronos
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6
Callback medium

"The Master's unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7) parallels his later begging for help from the Doctor in the void, echoing their long-standing adversarial dynamic (beat_dbde7c231ea8d61e)."

Master trapped by his own gambit
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's escape into his TARDIS with Jo (beat_0c0083a6a959094a) leads to both TARDISes being affected by the time ram and the Doctor and Jo finding themselves in a strange, rainbow-colored nothingness (beat_eb03041fb911c8c4)."

Master flees after abandoning Jo to Kronos
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Jo's confirmation of King Dalios's death (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31) directly precipitates the Master's activation of the crystal-powered device and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7)."

Typhoon of truth at Atlantis crowning
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Jo's confirmation of King Dalios's death (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31) directly precipitates the Master's activation of the crystal-powered device and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7)."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"Jo's confirmation of King Dalios's death (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31) directly precipitates the Master's activation of the crystal-powered device and the unleashing of Kronos (beat_cfdf090794599ab7)."

Master flees with crystal and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's escape into his TARDIS with Jo (beat_0c0083a6a959094a) leads to both TARDISes being affected by the time ram and the Doctor and Jo finding themselves in a strange, rainbow-colored nothingness (beat_eb03041fb911c8c4)."

Kronos offers deliverance to Doctor and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's escape into his TARDIS with Jo (beat_0c0083a6a959094a) leads to both TARDISes being affected by the time ram and the Doctor and Jo finding themselves in a strange, rainbow-colored nothingness (beat_eb03041fb911c8c4)."

Master trapped by his own gambit
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's assuming the role of King over Atlantis (beat_fe11ff2c38975dc1) escalates to the tragic confirmation of King Dalios's death and Lady Galleia's shattering loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Master flees with crystal and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's assuming the role of King over Atlantis (beat_fe11ff2c38975dc1) escalates to the tragic confirmation of King Dalios's death and Lady Galleia's shattering loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Master's assuming the role of King over Atlantis (beat_fe11ff2c38975dc1) escalates to the tragic confirmation of King Dalios's death and Lady Galleia's shattering loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31)."

Typhoon of truth at Atlantis crowning
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Doctor's pointed questions about the missing council members and King Dalios's fate (beat_9617302cb34fd3e2) parallel Lady Galleia's later confirmation of Dalios's death and her breaking loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31), both reflecting themes of power and loss."

Typhoon of truth at Atlantis crowning
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Doctor's pointed questions about the missing council members and King Dalios's fate (beat_9617302cb34fd3e2) parallel Lady Galleia's later confirmation of Dalios's death and her breaking loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31), both reflecting themes of power and loss."

Divine vengeance unleashed over lies exposed
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

"The Doctor's pointed questions about the missing council members and King Dalios's fate (beat_9617302cb34fd3e2) parallel Lady Galleia's later confirmation of Dalios's death and her breaking loyalty (beat_e4e3eaf8b018bd31), both reflecting themes of power and loss."

Master flees with crystal and Jo
S9E26 · The Time Monster Part 6

Themes This Exemplifies

Thematic resonance and meaning

Part of Larger Arcs

Key Dialogue

"DOCTOR: He'll never obey you. Don't you understand yet what you've done? He's uncontrollable!"
"MASTER: Obey!"
"DOCTOR: (The Master gets the large crystal just as Jo leaps onto his back. He carries her and the crystal into his Tardis.) Jo! Jo, come back!"
"DOCTOR: (The Master's Tardis dematerialises. Galleia frees the Doctor, who runs into his own Tardis to follow. Kronos continues to shriek in the air above Atlantis.) Come back, Jo! Come back. Jo! Come back."