Doctor Who
S25E9
· Silver Nemesis Part 2

Ace sabotages diversion plan

Ace outwardly complies with the Doctor’s order to deploy Nitro Nine against the Cybermen vehicle but instead reveals she never brought the volatile explosive. Her defiant admission exposes a deeper rift in their mission strategy, as she refuses to enact the Doctor’s distract-and-seize plan prior to securing the Nemesis statue. The tense exchange underscores Ace’s growing independence and skepticism toward the Doctor’s tactics, reinforcing their evolving partnership as they navigate the escalating threat posed by Lady Peinforte and the Cybermen’s converging pursuit of the artifact. key_dialogue: [ DOCTOR: I don't suppose you've completely ignored my instructions and secretly prepared any Nitro Nine, have you? ACE: What if I had? ACE: Of course not. I'm a good girl. I do what I'm told. ]

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

3

The Doctor and Ace devise a plan to distract the guards of the Cyber spacecraft by using Ace's Nitro Nine to blow up a nearby vehicle.

calm to determination ['underneath a hedge', 'Cyber spacecraft']

Ace confirms she didn't bring Nitro Nine and playfully teases the Doctor about following instructions.

banter to focused interaction

The Doctor instructs Ace to blow up the vehicle, and Ace prepares to carry out the plan.

determination to action

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

2
The Seventh Doctor
Time Lord
 primary

Amused inquisitiveness masking underlying concern about her reliability

The Doctor shades himself among dense foliage alongside Ace, his voice low but probing as he challenges her compliance with his instructions. He shakes a branch and mimics a birdcall to mislead potential observers, calculating whether her defiance crossed a line or if she genuinely obeys.

Goals in this moment
  • • Test Ace’s obedience to his authority and strategy
  • • Maintain operational secrecy until the Nemesis statue is secured
Active beliefs
  • • Strict adherence to his plans prevents unnecessary risk
  • • Ace’s loyalty must be implicitly demonstrated, not negotiated
Character traits
Probing interrogator Strategic manipulator Controlled facade
Follow The Seventh …'s journey
Ace
primary

Playfully defiant with an undercurrent of serious resistance

Ace sneezes, drawing attention before adopting a nonchalant tone that contrasts sharply with the Doctor’s caution. She stands and collects her rucksack, grinning with feigned compliance that hides her refusal to carry out his dangerous plan. Her defiance is a deliberate challenge to his control.

Goals in this moment
  • • Protect herself from the risks of the Doctor’s plan
  • • Assert her independence in decision-making
Active beliefs
  • • The Doctor’s tactics often prioritize objectives over safety
  • • Her judgment is as valid as his in chaotic situations
Character traits
Defiant provocateur Strategic dissembler Confident in her autonomy
Follow Ace's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

2
Restraining Tree Branch

The Doctor uses a hedge branch to create a sound distraction that prevents the guards from investigating Ace’s sneeze, turning an accidental noise into a controlled element of their subterfuge. The action is subtle but pivotal in maintaining their concealment.

Before: A gnarled forest branch lying near the hedge, …
After: Held by the Doctor, shaken to mimic a …
Before: A gnarled forest branch lying near the hedge, undisturbed in the undergrowth
After: Held by the Doctor, shaken to mimic a birdcall and create misdirection
Ace's Rucksack

Ace’s rucksack shifts on her shoulder as she moves to stand openly, an ostensible sign of compliance that masks her refusal to use its contents for destruction. Its bulging compartments remain undisturbed and unchallenged by the Doctor’s probing question, becoming a symbol of her guarded autonomy.

Before: Slung over Ace’s shoulder, containing a mix of …
After: Still in Ace’s possession, openly displayed but functionally …
Before: Slung over Ace’s shoulder, containing a mix of tools, stolen Cyberman parts, and misdirection—a potential arsenal she controls
After: Still in Ace’s possession, openly displayed but functionally withheld as a challenge to the Doctor’s authority

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Exterior of Cyber Spaceship

The docking area outside the Cyber spacecraft serves as the tactical staging ground where the Doctor and Ace conceal themselves beneath a hedge while observing enemy movements. Its metallic expanse and service panels provide cover but also heighten the tension of potential discovery.

Atmosphere Stealthy and tense, with the weight of impending conflict pressing against every sound
Function Covert observation and preparation point
Symbolism A microcosm of their fragile alliance—cooperation under pressure amid divergent goals
Access Guarded area with restricted entry to unknown personnel
Floodlights cast harsh white and blue pools over the tarmac and shadows Cool halocarbon fumes escape from vents beneath the spacecraft

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What led here 4
Causal medium

"The Doctor's distraction of De Flores and Karl (beat_7bed24b09203dd78) fits into the plan he devises to use Nitro Nine on the vehicle (beat_d00246792d418cb6), demonstrating the Doctor’s need to control multiple threats simultaneously."

Doctor lures foes into explosive trap
S25E9 · Silver Nemesis Part 2
Symbolic Parallel medium

"The Doctor and Ace observing the Cybermen's vulnerability to gold (beat_6b2aefa1773061f1) parallels their later plan to use explosives (Nitro Nine) against them (beat_d00246792d418cb6), symbolizing their reliance on elemental defenses and force."

Nemesis battle rages at crash site
S25E9 · Silver Nemesis Part 2
Symbolic Parallel medium

"The Doctor and Ace observing the Cybermen's vulnerability to gold (beat_6b2aefa1773061f1) parallels their later plan to use explosives (Nitro Nine) against them (beat_d00246792d418cb6), symbolizing their reliance on elemental defenses and force."

Doctor and Ace steal the Nemesis bow
S25E9 · Silver Nemesis Part 2
Symbolic Parallel medium

"The Doctor and Ace observing the Cybermen's vulnerability to gold (beat_6b2aefa1773061f1) parallels their later plan to use explosives (Nitro Nine) against them (beat_d00246792d418cb6), symbolizing their reliance on elemental defenses and force."

De Flores loses the silver bow
S25E9 · Silver Nemesis Part 2