The Time Ring Heist and the Fracturing of Alliances
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Mutos attack the Doctor, but Harry intervenes, scaring them off. Sarah confirms everyone is alright, and the Doctor expresses disbelief at their survival, revealing they escaped the Kaled dome's destruction because of the muto attack.
The Doctor learns Sarah and Harry know he'd return to the bunker through the caves; he confirms that their return is vital because the mutos stole the Time Ring, which is their only way to escape Skaro.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Shocked relief at seeing Sarah and Harry alive, quickly shifting to desperate urgency about the stolen Time Ring. His focus narrows to a single, critical goal: reclaiming the artifact before it’s lost forever.
The Doctor is ambushed by Mutos on Skaro’s surface, cowering momentarily before Harry intervenes. He reunites with Sarah and Harry, expressing shock at their survival and urgency about the stolen Time Ring. His emotional state shifts from relief to desperation as he realizes the artifact’s loss could strand them permanently. He insists on returning to the bunker, prioritizing the recovery of the Time Ring over immediate safety.
- • Recover the Time Ring from the Mutos to ensure escape from Skaro.
- • Reunite with Harry and Sarah to assess their condition and plan next steps.
- • The Time Ring is their only means of escape, making its recovery non-negotiable.
- • Davros’s Daleks pose an existential threat that must be stopped, but personal survival is also paramount.
Coldly calculating and satisfied with his discovery. His emotional state is one of quiet triumph, as he confirms Gharman and Kavell’s betrayal. He feels no remorse, viewing his actions as necessary to uphold Davros’s authority and the Dalek project.
Nyder eavesdrops on Gharman and Kavell’s conversation, lurking in the shadows of the bunker. His presence is unseen but critical, as he gathers evidence of their betrayal to report to Davros. His demeanor is deceptive and loyal, embodying the role of a silent enforcer. He leaves unnoticed, ensuring Gharman and Kavell remain unaware of his surveillance.
- • Gather evidence of Gharman and Kavell’s conspiracy to report to Davros.
- • Maintain his cover to avoid detection, ensuring the betrayal remains undisclosed until he can act.
- • Loyalty to Davros is absolute, and any dissent must be crushed to ensure the Daleks’ success.
- • His role as an enforcer is justified, as the greater good of the Dalek project outweighs individual lives.
Morally outraged and determined to stop the Daleks, masking his intensity with feigned technical focus. His emotional state is a mix of frustration at Kavell’s hesitation and resolve to convince him. He channels his passion into a whispered but impassioned plea, appealing to shared values.
Gharman covertly recruits Kavell to sabotage Davros’s Dalek project, using a circuit board as a prop to mask their conversation. He appeals to Kavell’s moral outrage, arguing that the scientific corps must unite to halt the Daleks. His dialogue is hushed but passionate, revealing his desperation to stop Davros’s monstrous creation. He takes a leadership role in the conspiracy, urging Kavell to spread dissent among their colleagues.
- • Convince Kavell to join the conspiracy against Davros and the Dalek project.
- • Rally the scientific corps to unite against Davros, leveraging collective action to halt the Daleks.
- • The Dalek project is evil and must be stopped at all costs, even if it means risking their lives.
- • The scientific corps holds the power to challenge Davros if they act together, despite the risks.
Relieved to see the Doctor alive but deeply concerned about their predicament. Her emotional state is a mix of gratitude for survival and anxiety about the stolen Time Ring, which she understands is their lifeline. She channels her emotions into supportive actions, avoiding panic.
Sarah Jane Smith checks on the Doctor after the Muto ambush, expressing concern for his well-being. She reveals that she and Harry escaped the Kaled dome’s destruction and were ambushed by Mutos, who stole the Time Ring. Her dialogue is laced with relief at seeing the Doctor but tinged with worry about their dire circumstances. She defers to Harry and the Doctor’s urgency, reinforcing the group’s shared stakes.
- • Ensure the Doctor is unharmed and update him on their escape and the theft of the Time Ring.
- • Support Harry and the Doctor in planning their next steps, emphasizing the need for haste.
- • The Time Ring’s loss is a catastrophic setback, but the group must focus on recovery rather than despair.
- • Their survival depends on unity and quick action, as Skaro’s dangers are relentless.
Driven by desperation and a will to survive, with no remorse for their actions. Their emotional state is one of primal instinct, seeking to exploit weakness for their own gain.
The Mutos ambush the Doctor on Skaro’s surface, with one lifting a large rock to crush him. Their attack is opportunistic and brutal, reflecting their role as scavengers in Skaro’s war-torn landscape. They are scared off by Sevrin’s intervention, allowing the Doctor to regroup with Harry and Sarah. Their presence underscores the immediate physical dangers of Skaro, as well as the broader theme of survival in a lawless wasteland.
- • Steal the Doctor’s belongings (including the Time Ring) to survive or trade.
- • Eliminate perceived threats (e.g., the Doctor) to secure their own safety.
- • Skaro’s wastelands are a zero-sum game where the weak perish and the strong thrive.
- • Violence and theft are necessary for survival in their harsh environment.
Relieved to see the Doctor alive but urgently focused on the stolen Time Ring. His tone is matter-of-fact, masking deeper concern about their precarious situation. He channels his energy into actionable steps, avoiding emotional displays.
Harry Sullivan tackles a Muto attacking the Doctor, saving him from a crushing blow. He reunites with the Doctor and Sarah, revealing their escape from the Kaled dome and the theft of the Time Ring by the Mutos. His demeanor is urgent and relieved, emphasizing the need to return to the bunker immediately. He acts as a bridge between the Doctor’s desperation and Sarah’s concern, grounding the group’s next steps in practicality.
- • Ensure the Doctor’s safety by intervening in the Muto ambush.
- • Communicate the theft of the Time Ring and the urgency of recovering it.
- • The Time Ring is essential for their survival, and its loss is a direct threat to their escape.
- • The group must act quickly and decisively to mitigate risks, as Skaro’s dangers are ever-present.
Not directly observable, but inferred as determined to aid the Doctor’s cause, despite the moral conflicts of violence.
Sevrin is not physically present in this event but is referenced as having scared off the Mutos attacking the Doctor earlier. His absence is felt through the Doctor’s survival and the group’s ability to regroup. His role as a protector and ally is implied, reinforcing the theme of unexpected alliances in Skaro’s brutal landscape.
- • Protect the Doctor and his companions from immediate threats (e.g., Mutos).
- • Support the Doctor’s mission to stop the Daleks, even if it means defying his people’s pacifism.
- • The war on Skaro must end, and the Daleks’ creation is a moral abomination that must be stopped.
- • Allies, even outsiders like the Doctor, are necessary to break the cycle of violence.
Neutral and focused, fulfilling their duty without emotional investment in the scientists’ fates. Their presence is a reminder of the institutional control Davros exerts over the bunker.
Armed Guards are present in the bunker but remain unaware of Gharman and Kavell’s conspiracy. They patrol the area, monitoring the scientists’ activities but failing to detect the whispered conversation or Nyder’s eavesdropping. Their presence adds tension to the scene, as the guards’ vigilance contrasts with the covert nature of the conspiracy. They serve as a passive but looming threat, reinforcing the bunker’s atmosphere of paranoia.
- • Maintain order and security in the bunker, ensuring no unauthorized activity goes unnoticed.
- • Uphold Davros’s authority by enforcing discipline among the scientific corps.
- • Their role is to enforce Davros’s rules, and any deviation is a threat to the Dalek project’s success.
- • Loyalty to Davros and the Kaled cause is non-negotiable.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Time Ring, a compact bracelet-like device given to the Doctor by the Time Lords, is stolen by the Mutos during their ambush on Skaro’s surface. Its theft is revealed by Harry and Sarah, who explain that it was taken along with the Doctor’s other belongings. The Time Ring is described as their ‘lifeline,’ the only means of escaping Skaro. Its loss creates a desperate urgency, as the Doctor realizes that without it, they are trapped on the planet indefinitely. The object’s symbolic weight is immense, representing both their survival and the moral dilemma of intervening in Skaro’s timeline.
A large, jagged rock is wielded by a Muto during the ambush on the Doctor. The Muto lifts it high, intending to crush the Doctor with brutal force. The rock serves as a visceral symbol of Skaro’s violence and the immediate physical threats the Doctor faces. Its weight and menace are underscored by Harry’s timely intervention, which knocks the rock aside and saves the Doctor. The object embodies the raw, survivalist brutality of Skaro’s wastelands, where even mundane debris becomes a weapon.
Gharman uses a circuit board as a prop to mask his covert conversation with Kavell. He feigns technical work, asking Kavell to ‘have a look’ at the ‘dimensional thought circuit’ while actually recruiting him to sabotage Davros’s Dalek project. The circuit board serves as a thin veil for their conspiracy, allowing them to discuss rebellion under the guise of routine scientific tasks. Its presence adds a layer of tension, as the armed guards patrol nearby, unaware of the subversive dialogue unfolding. The object symbolizes the duality of the bunker: a place of scientific innovation and moral decay, where even mundane tools can be repurposed for deception.
The Doctor’s belongings, including the Time Ring, are referenced as sitting on Gharman’s desk in the bunker. These items were confiscated by Kaled guards during the Doctor’s earlier capture and placed among Gharman’s possessions. The belongings serve as a tangible reminder of the Doctor’s vulnerability and the stakes of his mission. Their theft by the Mutos is a direct consequence of their exposure in the bunker, highlighting the interconnected threats the Doctor faces—both from external forces like the Mutos and internal betrayals like Nyder’s eavesdropping. The objects symbolize the fragility of the Doctor’s position on Skaro, where even his most critical tools can be lost or exploited.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
Skaro serves as the primary setting for this event, its war-torn surface a battleground of desperation and survival. The Doctor’s ambush by Mutos occurs in the open wastelands, where the harsh environment and scattered ruins reflect the planet’s brutal history. The location is a microcosm of Skaro’s broader conflict, where even a brief reunion between allies is interrupted by violence. The wastelands symbolize the moral and physical decay of the planet, where trust is scarce and every encounter is a potential threat. The Doctor’s struggle to reclaim the Time Ring is set against this backdrop, reinforcing the stakes of his mission.
Davros’s bunker is the secondary setting for this event, where Gharman and Kavell’s conspiracy unfolds. The bunker is a stark, oppressive space filled with experimental equipment, humming machinery, and the ever-present threat of Dalek prototypes. The harsh lighting and sterile environment contrast with the moral decay of Davros’s regime, where scientists like Gharman and Kavell are forced to choose between loyalty and rebellion. The bunker symbolizes the institutional power of Davros and the Dalek project, as well as the fragility of dissent in its shadow. Nyder’s eavesdropping and the armed guards’ patrols reinforce the bunker’s atmosphere of paranoia and control.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Kaled Scientific Corps is indirectly involved in this event through Gharman and Kavell’s conspiracy. Gharman appeals to Kavell’s role as a member of the corps, arguing that their collective action could halt the Dalek project. The organization represents the last line of resistance against Davros’s tyranny, as its members hold the technical knowledge and influence to sabotage the Daleks. However, their involvement is fraught with danger, as Davros’s elite troops remain loyal to him, and dissent risks immediate punishment. The corps’ internal dynamics are critical, as Gharman seeks to rally its members to challenge Davros’s authority.
Davros’s Loyalists (Elite Troops) are represented in this event through Nyder’s actions and the armed guards’ presence. They serve as the enforcers of Davros’s will, maintaining order in the bunker and crushing dissent. Nyder’s eavesdropping on Gharman and Kavell demonstrates the loyalists’ role in surveillance and intelligence-gathering, while the armed guards’ patrols reinforce the bunker’s atmosphere of control. The organization’s power is absolute, as any challenge to Davros is met with immediate and brutal repression. Their involvement in this event underscores the fragility of Gharman’s conspiracy, as the loyalists’ loyalty to Davros ensures that betrayal will be met with swift punishment.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor survives the mutos due to Harry, who is told by the Doctor that the Time Ring is needed for escape."
"The Doctor setting off to infiltrate the bunker is followed by an attack by the mutos."
"The Doctor survives the mutos due to Harry, who is told by the Doctor that the Time Ring is needed for escape."
"Nyder overhearing the plot is contrasted with The Doctor wanting to ask Sevrin for help."
Key Dialogue
"DOCTOR: The bracelet that the Time Lord gave me is our lifeline. Without it we can never escape from this planet."
"GHARMAN: (sotto) We must stop the Daleks, Kavell."
"KAVELL: (sotto) I don't want to get involved. You saw what happened to Ronson. Davros wouldn't hesitate to have us killed if he suspected we were plotting against him."
"GHARMAN: (sotto) Then we must make our plans so he won't suspect anything."