Master’s assassination attempt thwarted by Jo
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Jo interrupts the Master as he is about to shoot the Doctor, distracting him long enough for the Doctor to seize the dematerialization circuit from the Master's TARDIS, preventing his escape from Earth.
Jo reveals the impending RAF strike on the quarry, causing the Master to change his plans and decide to take the Doctor and Jo to the quarry.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Fearful but brave, with a sense of urgency and determination as she interrupts the Master’s threat and reveals the RAF’s strike, knowing the stakes are life and death.
Jo Grant enters the UNIT laboratory unexpectedly, distracting the Master and interrupting his assassination attempt on the Doctor. She reveals the critical information about the RAF’s impending strike on the quarry, which forces the Master to abandon his plan. Her timely intervention and bravery play a pivotal role in turning the tide of the confrontation.
- • To protect the Doctor and prevent the Master from carrying out his assassination plan.
- • To provide critical information that can disrupt the Master’s plans and shift the balance of power.
- • The Doctor’s quick thinking and strategic mind can outmaneuver the Master if given the opportunity.
- • Her knowledge of the RAF’s strike is a crucial piece of information that can change the course of the confrontation.
Arrogant and calculating, with a momentary frustration as his plans are disrupted by the Doctor’s quick thinking and Jo’s intervention. His emotional state shifts from confidence to tactical retreat as he reassesses the situation.
The Master descends the spiral staircase into the UNIT laboratory, armed with a cylinder weapon, intent on assassinating the Doctor. He engages in a verbal duel with the Doctor, revealing his plans for the Nestene invasion and the activation of the plastic daffodils. When the Doctor seizes the dematerialization circuit, the Master shifts his threat to Jo Grant, demanding its return. Jo’s revelation of the RAF’s impending strike on the quarry forces the Master to abandon his immediate plan, sparing the Doctor’s life temporarily and redirecting his focus to the quarry.
- • To assassinate the Doctor and eliminate his interference in the Nestene invasion plan.
- • To secure the dematerialization circuit to ensure his own escape from Earth.
- • The Doctor is his only worthy intellectual opponent, and eliminating him will remove the primary obstacle to his plans.
- • Jo Grant is a pawn that can be used to coerce the Doctor into compliance.
Calm, confident, and strategically focused, with a hint of urgency beneath the surface as he navigates the high-stakes confrontation with the Master.
The Doctor stands in the UNIT laboratory, engaged in a tense intellectual duel with the Master over the Nestene invasion plan. He deduces the deadly mechanism of the plastic daffodils and, upon the Master’s arrival, quickly seizes the dematerialization circuit from the lab bench. He uses this as leverage to stall the Master’s assassination attempt, threatening to destroy the circuit if he is killed. His calm and strategic demeanor masks the urgency of the situation, and he relies on Jo’s timely intervention to reveal the RAF’s impending strike on the quarry, which forces the Master to retreat.
- • To outmaneuver the Master and prevent the activation of the plastic daffodils.
- • To protect Jo Grant and ensure the Master does not carry out his assassination plan.
- • The Master’s arrogance can be exploited to gain the upper hand in a confrontation.
- • Jo Grant’s intelligence and resourcefulness can be relied upon to turn the tide in a critical moment.
The Master’s hypnotized decoy police officer is not physically present in this event but is referenced indirectly as part of …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The plastic film from the daffodil is referenced indirectly in this event as part of the Doctor’s earlier analysis of the Nestene’s deadly mechanism. While not physically present during the standoff, its role in suffocating victims is a critical piece of information that underscores the urgency of the Doctor’s efforts to stop the Master. The film’s ability to harden and seal victims’ noses and mouths is a key detail that the Doctor has already deduced, adding to the tension of the confrontation.
The Master’s cylinder weapon is a central object in this event, serving as the primary tool of his assassination attempt on the Doctor. He levels it at the Doctor during their verbal duel, shifting his aim to Jo Grant when the Doctor seizes the dematerialization circuit. The weapon’s presence heightens the tension, as it represents the immediate threat of violence. Jo’s revelation of the RAF’s strike forces the Master to lower the weapon, temporarily averting the threat but leaving the standoff unresolved.
The Master’s radio impulse for daffodil activation is a critical object in this event, representing the immediate threat of mass casualties. The Master brandishes it as part of his leverage during the standoff, intending to use it to trigger the daffodils’ deadly mechanism. Jo’s revelation of the RAF’s strike on the quarry forces the Master to abandon his immediate plan to activate the impulse, shifting the focus of the confrontation and buying time for the Doctor to counter the invasion.
The TARDIS dematerialization circuit is the pivotal object in this event, serving as the leverage the Doctor uses to stall the Master’s assassination attempt. The Doctor seizes it from the lab bench during the distraction caused by Jo’s entrance, threatening to destroy it if the Master kills him. This object becomes the focal point of the standoff, with the Master demanding its return and the Doctor using it to negotiate for their lives. Its theft disrupts the Master’s escape plan, forcing him to retreat and shift his focus to the quarry.
The Nestene autojet is mentioned indirectly by the Master as part of his broader invasion plan. He describes it as his ‘small contribution’ to the Nestenes’ landing, implying that it will be used to transport their forces once the daffodils have created chaos. While not physically present in this event, its role in the invasion is a critical piece of information that underscores the scale of the threat the Doctor and UNIT are facing.
The plastic daffodils are referenced indirectly in this event as the core of the Nestene invasion plan. The Master reveals that 450,000 of these daffodils have been distributed and will be activated by a radio impulse to suffocate victims, creating chaos for the Nestene landing. The Doctor’s earlier analysis of their deadly mechanism (the plastic film) is critical to understanding the stakes of the confrontation. While not physically present, their role as the primary weapon of the invasion looms large over the standoff.
The UNIT laboratory bench serves as a critical prop in this event, holding the TARDIS dematerialization circuit that the Doctor seizes to force the standoff. The bench’s presence in the lab provides the Doctor with the opportunity to grab the circuit during the distraction caused by Jo’s entrance. Its sturdy, cluttered surface reflects the lab’s dual role as a scientific workspace and a battleground for intellectual and physical confrontations.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The spiral staircase into the UNIT laboratory is a key element in this event, serving as the Master’s dramatic entrance point. Its coiled design and echoing footsteps create a sense of inevitability as he descends, cylinder weapon in hand, to confront the Doctor. The staircase’s confined space adds to the tension, as the Master’s arrival is both sudden and ominous. Jo’s later entrance up the same staircase interrupts the standoff, providing a critical distraction that allows the Doctor to seize the dematerialization circuit.
The UNIT laboratory is the primary setting for this high-stakes confrontation, serving as both a scientific workspace and a battleground for the Doctor’s intellectual duel with the Master. The lab’s cluttered benches, Bunsen burners, and dissection tools create a tense atmosphere, where the Doctor’s analysis of the plastic daffodils’ deadly mechanism is interrupted by the Master’s armed descent. The spiral staircase adds a dramatic element, as the Master’s entrance heightens the tension, and Jo’s timely arrival shifts the dynamics of the standoff. The lab’s confined space amplifies the urgency of the confrontation, with every object and piece of equipment potentially playing a role in the outcome.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is represented in this event through Jo Grant’s revelation of their impending strike on the quarry. The Brigadier’s order for the airstrike is a critical piece of information that disrupts the Master’s assassination plan and forces him to retreat. The RAF’s role as UNIT’s aerial strike force underscores the military coordination required to counter the Nestene threat. Their involvement shifts the battlefield from the UNIT laboratory to the quarry, where the final showdown will take place.
The Nestene Consciousness is represented in this event through the Master’s actions as their agent and the plastic daffodils as their weapon. The Master’s reveal of the daffodils’ distribution and activation plan underscores the Nestenes’ opportunistic and ruthless strategy, using hypnotized humans and Autons to infiltrate Earth’s infrastructure. Their goal of creating chaos through mass casualties is a direct threat to UNIT and the Doctor’s efforts to stop the invasion. The Master’s shift in focus to the quarry after Jo’s revelation of the RAF strike indicates the Nestenes’ adaptability and their reliance on the Master’s tactical expertise to execute their plan.
UNIT is represented in this event through the Doctor’s role as Chief Scientific Adviser and the lab’s function as a hub for analyzing the Nestene threat. The organization’s military and scientific capabilities are on full display, as the Doctor uses his expertise to deduce the daffodils’ deadly mechanism while UNIT’s resources (e.g., lab equipment, intelligence networks) provide the tools for his analysis. Jo Grant’s presence as a UNIT aide highlights the organization’s reliance on civilian support in countering extraterrestrial threats. The RAF’s impending strike, ordered by the Brigadier, further underscores UNIT’s coordination with other military branches to preempt the invasion.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor learns about the Nestenes' ability to animate plastics (beat_f84433453a6ec780), and later the Master reveals the Nestenes' plan to use animated daffodils to take over Earth (beat_a7a9c8a5816e272e)."
Brigadier confirms plastic threat escalation"The Master reveals his plan for mass fatalities (beat_a7a9c8a5816e272e) and then Jo accidentally reveals the impending RAF strike on the quarry (beat_cacdce3245307ab0), thus, the Master changes his plans."
Master reveals daffodil invasion plan"Knowing the Doctor is an intelligent threat, The Master arrives armed and ready for confrontation (beat_8caa60f4b20187fd): Jo distracts the Master allowing the Doctor to steal the dematerialization circuit (beat_61505673618dac97). Jo consistently demonstrates bravery in assisting the Doctor."
Master reveals daffodil invasion plan"Immediately following the Doctor deducing the daffodils' activation mechanism (beat_cc2c6b67ef49232b), the Master arrives. These beats occur in quick succession due to the pacing."
Jo triggers lethal daffodil mechanism"Immediately following the Doctor deducing the daffodils' activation mechanism (beat_cc2c6b67ef49232b), the Master arrives. These beats occur in quick succession due to the pacing."
Doctor deduces daffodil trigger mechanism"The Master reveals his plan for mass fatalities (beat_a7a9c8a5816e272e) and then Jo accidentally reveals the impending RAF strike on the quarry (beat_cacdce3245307ab0), thus, the Master changes his plans."
Master reveals daffodil invasion plan"The Master decides to take the Doctor and Jo to the quarry in beat_cacdce3245307ab0, and then they do arrive at the quarry in beat_ed83a9d537f02480."
Brigadier aborts strike too late"Knowing the Doctor is an intelligent threat, The Master arrives armed and ready for confrontation (beat_8caa60f4b20187fd): Jo distracts the Master allowing the Doctor to steal the dematerialization circuit (beat_61505673618dac97). Jo consistently demonstrates bravery in assisting the Doctor."
Master reveals daffodil invasion planThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"MASTER: "Good afternoon, Doctor. I hope I'm not interrupting anything important.""
"DOCTOR: "If you fire that thing, you will never be able to leave this planet.""
"MASTER: "You're bluffing on an empty hand, Doctor.""
"DOCTOR: "I'm not bluffing and my hand, as you can see, is not empty. If you kill me, you will destroy the dematerialisation circuit from your own Tardis.""
"JO: "He's beaten already! They're going to bomb the quarry.""