Katz recognizes the Doctor by his locket
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Katz reveals a locket given to her grandfather by the Doctor, containing a lock of hair and a picture of Jo Grant, which Peri recognizes.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Initially hesitant but determined, moving from caution to bold intervention as she seizes control of the confrontation
Katz pushes Sezon’s gun away, retrieves a locket from beneath her collar, and presents it as irrefutable proof of her family’s connection to the Doctor. Her hesitation gives way to decisive action, reframing Peri’s uncertain fate in an instant.
- • Protect Peri from execution by proving her story
- • Validate her grandfather’s legacy through direct evidence
- • The Doctor’s existence leaves tangible proof across time
- • Rebel ruthlessness must sometimes be challenged by mercy
Skeptical and aggressive, radiating impatience and absolute conviction in his judgment
Sezon demands Peri’s execution, dismissing her claims as ludicrous and enforcing his doctrine of absolute suspicion. His aggression wavers only when Katz forces him to lower his pistol, exposing a moment of vulnerability beneath his veneer of certainty.
- • Eliminate perceived threats to the rebellion at any cost
- • Maintain command authority over uncertain allies
- • Trust is a liability that invites destruction
- • The ends of survival justify violent measures
Anxious yet steadfast, balancing desperation to survive with the need to be believed
Peri, bound to the rock wall, clings to her claim of traveling with the Doctor despite open hostility. She answers Katz’s questions calmly, connecting the locket’s contents to Jo Grant and thereby anchoring her story in a shared past. Her composure under threat reveals both vulnerability and quiet resolve.
- • Convince the rebels of her innocence and origins
- • Secure her survival in the face of imminent danger
- • Truth will prevail under scrutiny
- • The Doctor’s name carries authority beyond her own assurance
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Katz retrieves the locket from beneath her collar and opens it to display a lock of hair and a photograph of Jo Grant, proving her grandfather’s encounter with the Doctor. The artifact silences skepticism by providing physical lineage to the Doctor’s legacy, shifting the balance of belief in the room.
The photograph of Jo Grant, contained within the locket, serves as the linchpin of credibility. When Peri identifies it by name, she forges an unspoken connection between her story and the rebels’ remembered history, validating the artifact’s authenticity.
Sezon’s confrontation pistol, initially leveled at Peri, becomes a symbol of imminent violence. Katz physically intervenes to redirect the weapon, transforming its function from a tool of execution into a vanishing point of threat—its authority neutralized by collective action.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"Katz's revelation of the locket—containing a lock of hair and a picture of Jo Grant—directly echoes Peri’s earlier revelation that she traveled with 'the Doctor' from Earth. This establishes a thematic and narrative bridge: both companions are connected to the Doctor’s past allies, reinforcing trust across rebel factions."
Rebels recoil from Peri’s truth"Peri’s resourceful escape using the acid-squirting plant leads directly to her encounter with the rebels in the caverns. This functional act of self-preservation shifts her narrative role from captive to ally, altering the Doctor’s mission parameters."
Peri and Brunner stroll citadel corridors"Peri’s resourceful escape using the acid-squirting plant leads directly to her encounter with the rebels in the caverns. This functional act of self-preservation shifts her narrative role from captive to ally, altering the Doctor’s mission parameters."
Peri disables guard with Karnelian flora"Peri’s resourceful escape using the acid-squirting plant leads directly to her encounter with the rebels in the caverns. This functional act of self-preservation shifts her narrative role from captive to ally, altering the Doctor’s mission parameters."
Brunner observes Peri evade capture"Katz's revelation of the locket—containing a lock of hair and a picture of Jo Grant—directly echoes Peri’s earlier revelation that she traveled with 'the Doctor' from Earth. This establishes a thematic and narrative bridge: both companions are connected to the Doctor’s past allies, reinforcing trust across rebel factions."
Rebels recoil from Peri’s truthKey Dialogue
"KATZ: This was given to my grandfather by the Doctor. Do you know who she is?"
"PERI: I've seen photographs of her, but I've never met her."
"KATZ: You're right. You still want to kill her?"