Doctor tests Jamie and Ben’s disguises
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Jamie and Ben, disguised as Zaroff's guards, enter the marketplace. After a brief, tense exchange with the Doctor, who is in disguise, they await Zaroff's arrival, preparing to complete their part of the plan.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Frustrated and tense, balancing impatience with the need to maintain their cover
Ben, also disguised in a wetsuit as a guard, enters the market with Jamie and confronts the Doctor. His frustration with the Doctor’s feigned ignorance is evident, and he snaps at him, calling him a 'fool.' When Zaroff arrives, Ben quickly falls into line, following orders to search for the Doctor. His impatience and tension highlight the high stakes of their infiltration.
- • Confirm the Doctor’s location without revealing their true identities
- • Avoid detection by Zaroff’s forces while staying in character
- • Ensure the rebellion’s plan is not compromised by the Doctor’s deception
- • The Doctor’s actions are a test of their loyalty and readiness for the rebellion
- • Zaroff’s arrival is a direct threat that requires immediate and disciplined action
- • Their disguises and quick thinking are vital to the success of the rebellion
Cautious and protective, focused on ensuring the safety of her allies
Ara, a servant girl in Atlantis, quickly conceals Polly under a rug as Zaroff’s guards approach. She then takes the Doctor’s place at the fountain to misdirect Zaroff, her quick thinking and resourcefulness aiding the rebellion. Her protective and cautious nature is evident as she ensures Polly’s escape and helps maintain the rebellion’s cover.
- • Protect Polly from detection by Zaroff’s guards
- • Misdirect Zaroff to buy time for the Doctor and others to escape
- • Maintain the rebellion’s secrecy by avoiding suspicion
- • Her quick actions are essential to the rebellion’s success
- • Zaroff’s guards must be misdirected to protect her allies
- • The rebellion’s survival depends on her ability to think and act swiftly
Suspicious and authoritative, focused on enforcing Zaroff’s orders without question
A guard in Zaroff’s forces searches the market for strangers, questioning Nola about suspicious activity. He attempts to jab a rug hiding Polly with his trident but is stopped by Nola’s defiance. His authoritative and suspicious demeanor reflects the regime’s oppressive control, and his actions heighten the tension in the market.
- • Locate and capture any strangers in the market
- • Follow Zaroff’s orders to search the area thoroughly
- • Maintain the regime’s control over the market and its inhabitants
- • Strangers in the market pose a threat to Zaroff’s regime
- • His duty is to enforce Zaroff’s orders without hesitation
- • The market must be kept under strict surveillance to prevent rebellion
Tense and fearful, balancing loyalty to the rebellion with the need to avoid detection
Jamie, disguised in a wetsuit as one of Zaroff’s guards, enters the market with Ben and questions the Doctor about his whereabouts. His urgency and fear of exposure are palpable as he realizes the Doctor is feigning ignorance. When Zaroff arrives, Jamie quickly falls in line, following orders to search for the Doctor, his loyalty to the rebellion momentarily overshadowed by the need to avoid suspicion.
- • Confirm the Doctor’s location without revealing their true allegiance
- • Avoid arousing Zaroff’s suspicion while maintaining their cover
- • Ensure the rebellion’s plan remains intact despite the unexpected arrival of Zaroff
- • The Doctor’s feigned ignorance is a test of their loyalty and competence
- • Zaroff’s arrival poses an immediate threat that must be navigated carefully
- • Their disguises and quick thinking are essential to the rebellion’s survival
Defiant and protective, focused on ensuring the safety of her allies despite the danger
Nola, a stallholder in the Atlantean market, quickly conceals Polly under a rug as Zaroff’s guards search the area. She defends her actions by claiming the guards are damaging her carpets, her defiance and resourcefulness aiding the rebellion. Her quick thinking and boldness help protect Polly and maintain the rebellion’s cover.
- • Protect Polly from detection by Zaroff’s guards
- • Misdirect the guards to buy time for the rebellion’s plans
- • Maintain the rebellion’s secrecy by avoiding suspicion
- • Her defiance and quick actions are crucial to the rebellion’s success
- • Zaroff’s guards must be challenged to protect her allies
- • The rebellion’s survival depends on her ability to think and act boldly
Feigned nonchalance masking deep strategic focus and protective urgency
The Doctor, disguised as a sailor with a headscarf and cloak, plays a recorder to blend into the Atlantean market. He engages in a tense verbal sparring match with Jamie and Ben, feigning ignorance about their search for him. When Zaroff arrives, he deliberately reveals himself by shouting 'Zaroff!', drawing attention away from Polly and the others. His playful yet strategic demeanor masks the high stakes of the rebellion, and his quick thinking triggers the chaotic chase that follows.
- • Test Jamie and Ben’s loyalty and competence in their disguises
- • Avoid detection by Zaroff’s guards while maintaining the rebellion’s cover
- • Draw Zaroff’s attention away from Polly and the others to ensure their escape
- • Jamie and Ben’s disguises and loyalty are critical to the rebellion’s success
- • Zaroff’s arrival signals an immediate threat that must be neutralized through misdirection
- • The rebellion’s survival depends on calculated risks and split-second decisions
Strategically composed with an undercurrent of urgency and protectiveness
The Doctor, while disguised as a sailor, subtly asserts his authority over Jamie and Ben by engaging in a verbal duel that tests their loyalty. His playful tone belies the seriousness of the situation, and his decision to reveal himself to Zaroff is a calculated move to protect his companions. His actions drive the escalation of tension and the subsequent chase, positioning him as the linchpin of the rebellion’s strategy.
- • Ensure Jamie and Ben’s disguises and loyalty are reliable for the rebellion
- • Avoid detection by Zaroff’s forces while maintaining the upper hand
- • Protect Polly and the others by drawing Zaroff’s focus onto himself
- • The rebellion’s success hinges on the trust and competence of its members
- • Zaroff’s arrival is a direct threat that must be managed through misdirection and quick action
- • His role as the rebellion’s strategist requires him to take calculated risks for the greater good
Anxious but composed, relying on her allies to navigate the dangerous situation
Polly, disguised in a sea-shell bodice, seaweed skirt, and decorative headdress, is hidden under a rug by Ara and Nola as Zaroff’s guards search the market. She remains silent and still, relying on her allies to protect her from detection. Her resourcefulness and trust in Ara and Nola are evident as she escapes the market unnoticed, her disguise and quick thinking aiding her survival.
- • Avoid detection by Zaroff’s guards to protect the rebellion’s plans
- • Trust Ara and Nola to guide her to safety
- • Remain hidden and silent to prevent compromising the mission
- • Ara and Nola are reliable allies who will protect her
- • Her disguise and quick actions are essential to avoiding capture
- • The rebellion’s success depends on her ability to stay hidden and undetected
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Doctor’s cloak, a key part of his sailor disguise, helps him blend into the Atlantean market. The cloak’s loose folds and neutral color allow him to move unnoticed among the stallholders and shoppers. When Jamie and Ben approach him in their guard disguises, the cloak’s bulk adds to his casual, unassuming appearance. The cloak’s role in his disguise is critical, as it enables him to test Jamie and Ben’s loyalty without drawing attention, though it is ultimately discarded when Zaroff spots him and the chase begins.
The Doctor’s recorder, used as part of his sailor disguise, serves as a functional prop to blend into the bustling Atlantean market. He plays it casually while engaging in the tense exchange with Jamie and Ben, feigning ignorance about their search for him. The recorder’s rhythmic sounds help maintain his cover, allowing him to observe the market and coordinate with his allies without arousing suspicion. Its playful yet strategic use underscores the Doctor’s ability to multitask under pressure, using seemingly mundane objects to further his goals.
Ben and Jamie’s wetsuits, used as part of their guard disguises, allow them to blend into Zaroff’s forces and patrol the market undetected. The wetsuits’ sleek, uniform appearance helps them move freely among the guards, enabling them to approach the Doctor and question him about his whereabouts. The disguises strain credibility as Zaroff’s arrival forces them to fall in line, but their effectiveness in the initial infiltration is critical to the rebellion’s plan. The wetsuits’ role in the event highlights the high stakes of their undercover operation and the fragility of their cover.
The fish market fountain serves as a central landmark in the bustling Atlantean market. The Doctor sits beside it, playing his recorder to blend into the crowd, while Ara later occupies the spot to misdirect Zaroff. The fountain’s saltwater, sampled by Polly earlier, underscores the market’s submerged reality. Its presence provides a fixed point in the chaotic evasion, disguise, and pursuit that unfold around it. The fountain’s role in the event is both practical—a meeting point for the Doctor and Ara—and symbolic, representing the market’s tension-filled atmosphere.
Nola’s market hiding rug is a critical tool in concealing Polly from Zaroff’s guards. When the guards approach, Nola quickly yanks the rug from her stall and drapes it over Polly, pressing her flat against the floor. The rug’s coarse weave and market grime provide effective camouflage, allowing Polly to remain hidden as the guards probe the area with their tridents. Nola’s firm grip on the rug and her defiant stance further protect Polly, making the rug an essential object in her escape. The rug’s role in the rebellion is underscored by its use in misdirection and protection.
The Doctor’s tambourine, used as part of his sailor disguise, serves as a functional prop to blend into the Atlantean market. He rattles it rhythmically while sitting by the fountain, adding to his casual, unassuming demeanor. The tambourine’s percussive sounds help maintain his cover, allowing him to observe the market and coordinate with his allies without arousing suspicion. Its playful yet strategic use underscores the Doctor’s ability to multitask under pressure, using seemingly mundane objects to further his goals. The tambourine is discarded when Zaroff spots him, no longer needed for his disguise.
Polly’s seaweed skirt, another component of her fish-person disguise, complements the sea-shell bodice to create a convincing appearance. The skirt’s damp, textured strands help her blend into the market’s bustling crowd, and its seaweed material adds authenticity to her disguise. When Ara hides her under a rug, the skirt’s folds press against her legs, heightening the tension of her concealment. The skirt’s role in her escape is pivotal, as it allows her to move undetected and avoid capture by Zaroff’s guards.
Polly’s decorative headdress, part of her fish-person disguise, completes her transformation into a market stallholder. The headdress, combined with the sea-shell bodice and seaweed skirt, allows her to move unnoticed among the fish people. When Ara conceals her under a rug, the headdress’s decorative elements press against her, adding to the discomfort of her hiding place. The headdress’s role in her escape is critical, as it enables her to evade detection and maintain her cover in the chaotic market.
The guard’s trident is a symbol of Zaroff’s oppressive regime and a tool for enforcing control in the Atlantean market. When the guard attempts to jab the rug hiding Polly, Nola seizes the trident’s shaft, halting the probe and protecting Polly. The trident’s prongs, designed for intimidation and capture, highlight the regime’s ruthless methods. Nola’s defiance in grabbing the trident underscores the tension between the rebellion and Zaroff’s forces, making the trident a potent symbol of the power struggle in the market.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Atlantean fish market is a bustling, crowded space filled with stalls, fish people, and the tension of Zaroff’s regime. The market’s narrow passageways and dense crowd provide both cover and chaos, allowing the Doctor, Polly, Jamie, and Ben to evade detection while also heightening the stakes of their infiltration. The market’s role in the event is central, as it serves as the neutral ground where disguises are tested, loyalties are questioned, and the rebellion’s fragile trust is revealed. The market’s atmosphere is tense and urgent, with whispered conversations, patrolling guards, and the constant threat of exposure.
Nola’s stall is a cramped, cluttered space in the Atlantean fish market, heaped with carpets and rugs that provide both merchandise and concealment. When Zaroff’s guards approach, Nola quickly conceals Polly under a rug, her hands steady on the fabric as she defends her actions. The stall’s tight space and market grime add to the tension of Polly’s concealment, and Nola’s defiance in grabbing the guard’s trident underscores the stall’s role as a refuge for the rebellion. The stall’s clutter and carpets serve as both a hiding place and a symbol of the rebellion’s resourcefulness in evading detection.
The saltwater fountain stands as a central landmark in the bustling Atlantean fish market, dispensing saltwater that Polly samples and identifies as oceanic. The Doctor sits beside it, playing his recorder to blend into the crowd, while Ara later occupies the spot to misdirect Zaroff. The fountain’s presence provides a fixed point in the chaotic evasion, disguise, and pursuit that unfold around it. Its saltwater, sampled by Polly, underscores the market’s submerged reality and the high stakes of the rebellion’s mission. The fountain’s role in the event is both practical—a meeting point for the Doctor and Ara—and symbolic, representing the tension and urgency of the market’s atmosphere.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
Zaroff’s Regime is represented in this event through the oppressive presence of Zaroff’s guards, who patrol the market, question stallholders, and search for strangers. The regime’s authority is evident in the guards’ routine vigilance, their use of tridents to probe suspicious activity, and their obedience to Zaroff’s orders. The regime’s influence is felt in the tension and fear that permeate the market, as well as in the rebellion’s need to evade detection and maintain their cover. The regime’s goals in this event are to locate and capture the Doctor, suppress any signs of rebellion, and maintain control over Atlantis.
Zaroff’s Forces are actively represented in this event through the patrolling guards who search the market for strangers, question Nola about suspicious activity, and follow Zaroff’s orders to capture the Doctor. The forces’ influence is felt in the tension and fear that permeate the market, as well as in the rebellion’s need to evade detection and maintain their cover. The forces’ goals in this event are to locate and capture the Doctor, suppress any signs of rebellion, and maintain control over the market.
The Fish People are represented in this event through the actions of Nola and Ara, who aid the rebellion by concealing Polly and misdirecting Zaroff’s guards. The Fish People’s influence is felt in their quiet resistance to Zaroff’s regime, as well as in their role as strategic allies for the Doctor and his companions. Their goals in this event are to protect Polly from detection, aid the rebellion’s escape, and challenge Zaroff’s oppressive control through subtle acts of defiance.
The Rebellion Against Zaroff is represented in this event through the actions of the Doctor, Polly, Jamie, and Ben, who test loyalties, evade detection, and challenge Zaroff’s regime. The rebellion’s influence is felt in their strategic maneuvers, their use of disguises to infiltrate the market, and their reliance on allies like Nola and Ara to aid their escape. Their goals in this event are to test Jamie and Ben’s loyalty, avoid detection by Zaroff’s forces, and draw Zaroff’s attention away from Polly and the others to ensure their escape.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Doctor's plan to kidnap Zaroff directly leads him and Polly to disguise themselves and assess the market as a location to begin the attempt."
Doctor strategizes fish rebellion to starve Zaroff"The Doctor's plan to kidnap Zaroff directly leads him and Polly to disguise themselves and assess the market as a location to begin the attempt."
Doctor Deploys Fish People Rebellion"The Doctor's plan to kidnap Zaroff directly leads him and Polly to disguise themselves and assess the market as a location to begin the attempt."
Doctor unveils Zaroff kidnapping plan"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor and Polly evade Zaroff’s guards in the market"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Nola conceals Polly from Zaroff’s guards"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Zaroff’s Paranoid Hunt Exposes the Doctor"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor reveals himself to Zaroff"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor and Polly evade Zaroff’s guards in the market"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Nola conceals Polly from Zaroff’s guards"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Zaroff’s Paranoid Hunt Exposes the Doctor"Zaroff arrives in the marketplace and questions Ara about the Doctor, eventually leading the Doctor to reveal himself and capture Zaroff."
Doctor reveals himself to Zaroff"The Doctor captures Zaroff, but this leads directly to Zaroff revealing his nuclear reactor, greatly escalating the stakes."
Zaroff’s collapse and reactor threat"The Doctor captures Zaroff, but this leads directly to Zaroff revealing his nuclear reactor, greatly escalating the stakes."
Doctor splits team after Zaroff’s collapseThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"BEN: Hey! Did you see anyone come through the market place? DOCTOR: A man? BEN: Yes. DOCTOR: About five foot nine? BEN: That's right. DOCTOR: Black coat, baggy trousers and a bow tie? BEN: Exactly. DOCTOR: No. As a matter of fact I haven't. BEN: You fool."
"DOCTOR: Zaroff! ZAROFF: There he is! There he is! Stop that man!"
"JAMIE: He's gone. We'd better get in position. BEN: Right."