S1E12

TARDIS Malfunction and Susan’s Collapse

The TARDIS crew regains consciousness after an unexplained malfunction, each disoriented and physically compromised. Barbara, the first to wake, tends to Susan, who suffers from sudden neck pain and memory gaps, while Ian recovers from dizziness. The Doctor, injured and delirious, mutters incoherently about not being able to take Susan back, hinting at deeper distress. Susan’s attempt to fetch water reveals the TARDIS’s water dispenser is empty—a critical resource failure—while the ship’s doors inexplicably open and close on their own, defying logic. When Susan touches the console, she collapses in agony, screaming about a 'presence' inside the ship. Ian and Barbara’s attempts to rationalize the malfunction fail as the TARDIS’s instability becomes undeniable, escalating paranoia and foreshadowing a deeper, unseen threat. The scene establishes the TARDIS as an active antagonist, its malfunction tied to Susan’s physical and psychological unraveling, while the Doctor’s injury and disorientation signal his vulnerability as the group’s leader.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

Barbara awakens in the darkened TARDIS to find the Doctor injured, Ian disoriented, and Susan dazed, all suffering from memory loss and confusion. Initial concern shifts to alarm as they struggle to understand their condition and surroundings.

confusion to alarm

As Susan attempts to fetch water to tend to the Doctor's wound, she experiences a sharp pain and briefly loses recognition of Ian. The discovery that the liquid dispenser is empty adds to the growing sense of unease.

unease to concern

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

Barbara Wright

History Teacher

primary

Feigned calm masking deep anxiety; determined to maintain order amid chaos, but increasingly unsettled by the irrational.

Barbara is the first to regain consciousness and takes immediate charge, assessing Susan’s disorientation and neck pain with pragmatic urgency. She directs Susan to fetch water and bandages for the Doctor’s head wound, her voice steady despite the chaos. When Susan collapses after touching the console, Barbara’s concern deepens, and she insists on examining the Doctor’s injury, only to find no visible wound—heightening the mystery. Her attempts to rationalize the TARDIS’s malfunction ('The doors must have been forced open when we crashed') reveal her growing anxiety, as she struggles to reconcile the irrational with her need for control. She remains the emotional anchor of the group, though her own fear is palpable beneath her composed exterior.

Goals in this moment

• Assess and stabilize the crew’s physical and mental states, prioritizing medical care for the Doctor and Susan.
• Rationalize the TARDIS’s malfunction to alleviate paranoia, even as the evidence defies logic.

Active beliefs

• The TARDIS’s malfunction must have a logical, mechanical explanation, despite the mounting evidence of something supernatural.
• Her role as the group’s emotional and practical anchor is critical to their survival, even if she is as frightened as the others.

Character traits

Pragmatic and protective Emotionally resilient under pressure Analytical but increasingly anxious Natural leader in crises Empathetic and nurturing

Follow Barbara Wright's journey

Susan Foreman

primary

Dizzy and cautious, transitioning from skepticism to unease as the TARDIS’s behavior defies explanation. His pragmatic nature is tested, but he remains focused on practical solutions, even as the threat becomes clearer.

Ian recovers from dizziness and immediately assesses the Doctor’s condition, his pragmatic nature kicking in despite his own disorientation. He helps Barbara tend to Susan and investigates the TARDIS doors, which open and close erratically. His attempt to approach the doors is met with them slamming shut in his face, a clear sign that the TARDIS is not behaving normally. He carries Susan away after her collapse, his actions driven by a mix of caution and concern. His dialogue reveals his skepticism ('Perhaps he did it') but also his growing unease as the irrational becomes undeniable. He serves as the voice of reason, even as the situation defies logic.

Goals in this moment

• Determine the cause of the TARDIS’s malfunction through logical deduction, even as the evidence suggests something beyond mechanics.
• Protect the crew, particularly Susan, from both the physical dangers of the malfunction and the psychological toll of the unknown.

Active beliefs

• The TARDIS’s malfunction must have a mechanical explanation, though the evidence is mounting against this belief.
• His role as the group’s skeptic is important, as it balances the growing paranoia and fear of the others.

Character traits

Pragmatic and analytical Cautious but increasingly uneasy Protective of the crew, especially Susan Skeptical of the supernatural, even in the face of evidence Quick to act in a crisis

Follow Susan Foreman's journey

The First Doctor

Doctor

primary

Delirious and distressed, oscillating between confusion and a sense of impending doom. His vulnerability is palpable, and his usual brusque demeanor is replaced by a fragile, almost childlike state.

The Doctor regains consciousness injured and delirious, muttering incoherently about 'not being able to take Susan back.' His physical vulnerability—both the head wound and the neck pain—contrasts sharply with his usual authority. He is disoriented, his speech fragmented, and his ability to lead compromised. Barbara’s examination reveals no visible wound, suggesting the injury may be psychological or supernatural in nature. His mutterings hint at a deeper conflict, possibly tied to Susan’s presence on the TARDIS, but his delirium prevents clear communication. His role as the group’s protector is undermined, leaving the crew to navigate the crisis without his guidance.

Goals in this moment

• Regain enough clarity to communicate the threat to the crew, despite his physical and mental state.
• Protect Susan, even if he cannot articulate why or from what.

Active beliefs

• The TARDIS’s malfunction is tied to Susan in a way he cannot yet explain, but he senses it is his responsibility to fix.
• His usual methods of problem-solving are ineffective here, forcing him to rely on the crew’s instincts.

Character traits

Vulnerable and physically compromised Delirious and unable to communicate clearly Protective of Susan, even in his weakened state Usually authoritative, now reduced to muttering cryptic warnings Struggling to maintain control amid chaos

Follow The First …'s journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

Susan's Ointment Kit (Doctor's Head Wound Treatment)

Susan’s ointment bandage is a medical tool that becomes a symbol of her knowledge and the crew’s desperate attempts to cope with the crisis. She cuts a length of the bandage and applies it directly to the Doctor’s head wound, demonstrating her familiarity with advanced medical techniques. The bandage’s colored ointment disappears as it heals the injury, showcasing its advanced properties. Barbara and Ian observe this process with a mix of awe and concern, as it highlights Susan’s unique role in the group. The bandage serves as a temporary solution to the Doctor’s injury but also underscores the crew’s reliance on Susan’s expertise amid the chaos.

Before: Stored in the TARDIS medical storage room, fully …

After: Partially used; a length has been applied to …

Before: Stored in the TARDIS medical storage room, fully stocked and ready for use.

After: Partially used; a length has been applied to the Doctor’s wound, with the ointment absorbed into the skin.

TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space)

The TARDIS doors are a critical barrier that malfunction in a way that defies logic, amplifying the crew’s paranoia. They swing open and shut on their own, cycling erratically inside the console room. Susan declares this behavior impossible, as the doors respond only to deliberate commands. The doors close abruptly in front of Ian as he approaches, then reopen moments later, as if taunting the crew. This autonomous motion underscores the TARDIS’s breakdown, leaving the crew feeling exposed and vulnerable. The doors’ behavior is a tangible manifestation of the unseen force at work, turning a mundane feature of the ship into a source of dread and confusion.

Before: Fully responsive to crew commands, opening and closing …

After: Cycling open and shut autonomously, defying crew input …

Before: Fully responsive to crew commands, opening and closing only when directed.

After: Cycling open and shut autonomously, defying crew input and contributing to the sense of an unseen presence.

TARDIS Console Room Medical and Hydration Dispenser

The TARDIS water dispenser is a critical resource that fails at a pivotal moment. Susan reaches for it to fetch liquid for the Doctor’s wound but finds it empty, a stark indication of the ship’s broader malfunction. The failure of this integrated fixture underscores the crew’s vulnerability, as even basic medical supplies are unavailable. The empty dispenser serves as a tangible clue that the TARDIS is not just malfunctioning mechanically but is actively depriving the crew of essential resources, amplifying their sense of helplessness and foreshadowing further systemic failures.

Before: Fully stocked with liquid, ready for use by …

After: Empty, with no liquid available, leaving the crew …

Before: Fully stocked with liquid, ready for use by the crew during emergencies.

After: Empty, with no liquid available, leaving the crew without a critical resource for medical care.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

TARDIS Central Console Room

The TARDIS console room is the epicenter of the malfunction, where the crew sprawls amid chaos. The Doctor lies on the floor, Ian slumps in a chair, and Susan drapes over the console, all disoriented and injured. The lights flicker during violent lurches, and the doors cycle open and shut on their own, creating a disorienting and hostile environment. Susan’s attempt to operate the console results in her collapse, while Barbara tends to the injured crew. The room, once a control hub, now feels like a battleground, where the crew’s survival hinges on uncovering the source of the malfunction. The atmosphere is one of creeping dread, as the TARDIS’s instability mirrors the crew’s mounting fear and confusion.

Atmosphere Tension-filled with flickering lights, erratic door movements, and the hum of malfunctioning machinery; the air …

Function Epicenter of the malfunction and battleground for the crew’s survival; the console room’s systems are …

Symbolism Represents the TARDIS as an active antagonist, its once-familiar interior now a hostile and unpredictable …

Access None; the crew has full access, but the environment is hostile and unpredictable, with doors …

Flickering lights that cast eerie shadows across the console room. The hum of malfunctioning machinery, interspersed with sudden, violent lurches. The acrid smell of ozone from the sparking console, mingling with the metallic tang of blood from the Doctor’s wound. The erratic cycling of the doors, which defy logic and amplify the crew’s sense of vulnerability.

TARDIS Medical Storage Room

The TARDIS medical storage room is a compact adjacent compartment off the console room, where Susan ducks in to grab bandages and ointment amid the ship’s violent lurches. The shelves hold medical supplies ready for crises, their contents gleaming under dim, flickering lights. The space hums with the TARDIS’s unstable energy, offering quick relief for neck pains and injuries tied to the malfunction. Its tight confines amplify the crew’s desperation as doors cycle wildly nearby, serving as a temporary refuge amid the chaos. The medical storage room symbolizes the crew’s reliance on Susan’s knowledge and the TARDIS’s failing systems, as even basic care becomes a struggle.

Atmosphere Dimly lit and claustrophobic, with the hum of unstable energy and the flicker of failing …

Function Secondary resource hub for medical supplies, offering temporary relief amid the chaos of the console …

Symbolism Represents the crew’s desperation and reliance on Susan’s expertise, as even basic care becomes a …

Access None; Susan enters freely, but the erratic behavior of the TARDIS makes the journey hazardous.

Dim, flickering lights that cast long shadows across the shelves of medical supplies. The hum of unstable energy, a low-frequency vibration that permeates the room. The scent of antiseptics and ointments, mingling with the metallic tang of the TARDIS’s failing systems. The tight, confined space, which amplifies the sense of urgency and desperation.

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 6

Causal

"The disorientation and confusion established in the initial awakening lead directly to Susan's struggle to fetch water and her subsequent pain and memory loss. Initial state influences later action."

TARDIS doors malfunction as Susan collapses