Doctor conceals TARDIS crisis from Susan
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Doctor, worried about the TARDIS's condition and Susan's incapacitation, asks Ian for help with the fault locator. Ian agrees, but cautions the Doctor about the control column.
The Doctor decides to check the fault locator first, seemingly avoiding a potential electric shock from the control column while Ian subtly warns Barbara to watch Susan and keep the TARDIS problems a secret to not worry her.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Suspicious and reactive, with a growing sense of betrayal as she realizes the group is hiding the truth from her.
Susan, implied to be sneaking away to retrieve scissors, is the catalyst for the group's secrecy. Her actions, though not directly observed in this segment, drive the tension and foreshadow her eventual breakdown. Her absence from the conversation underscores her growing isolation and the group's fractured trust.
- • Uncover the truth about the TARDIS's malfunction and the group's secrecy.
- • Assert her agency in a situation where she feels increasingly powerless.
- • The group is deliberately hiding critical information from her, which reinforces her sense of being an outsider.
- • The TARDIS's malfunction is a direct threat to her safety, and she must take action to protect herself.
Feigned composure masking deep anxiety and concern for Susan's well-being, with a growing sense of helplessness in the face of the TARDIS's malfunction.
The Doctor, leaning against the wall and struggling with blurred vision, directs Ian to assist with the fault locator. His physical decline and reliance on Ian mark a shift in the power dynamics within the group, as he acknowledges his own limitations in the face of the TARDIS's crisis. His delegation of tasks and secrecy about the TARDIS's state reveal his growing concern for Susan's emotional fragility and his determination to maintain control over the situation.
- • Diagnose the TARDIS's malfunction using the fault locator to prevent further deterioration.
- • Protect Susan from the truth about the ship's condition to avoid exacerbating her paranoia.
- • The TARDIS's malfunction is a critical, potentially catastrophic issue that must be addressed immediately.
- • Susan is emotionally fragile and cannot handle the truth about the ship's problems without further destabilization.
Cautiously compliant, with a growing sense of unease about the group's secrecy and the TARDIS's deteriorating state. She is torn between her loyalty to the group and her discomfort with hiding the truth from Susan.
Barbara, instructed by Ian to keep an eye on Susan and withhold information about the TARDIS's problems, complies with the request. Her compliance reflects her growing caution and adherence to the group's new dynamic of secrecy, as she prioritizes stability over transparency. Her role in this moment is secondary but critical, as she becomes a reluctant participant in the group's fracturing trust.
- • Maintain group cohesion by adhering to Ian's instructions to withhold information from Susan.
- • Protect Susan from further distress by controlling the flow of information, even if it means being dishonest.
- • The group's secrecy is necessary to prevent panic or further instability, especially given Susan's fragile state.
- • Her compliance with Ian's request is justified by the need to prioritize the group's survival over individual transparency.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
Susan's scissors, though not directly visible in this segment, are implied to be retrieved by Susan as she overhears the group's conversation about concealing the TARDIS's problems from her. The scissors symbolize her growing paranoia and the potential for violence as her distrust of the group escalates. Their retrieval foreshadows her later breakdown, where she wields them in a frenzied attempt to stab Ian, marking a turning point in the group's unraveling trust.
The TARDIS Control Column, sparking with electric danger, becomes a symbol of the ship's volatility and the escalating crisis. Ian warns the Doctor away from it, highlighting its potential to deliver an electric shock and underscoring the TARDIS's antagonistic role in the group's struggle. The control column's menace amplifies the tension and urgency of the scene, as the group grapples with the ship's malfunction and the fracturing of their trust.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The TARDIS console room serves as the primary setting for this event, where the group's desperation and the ship's malfunction collide. The flickering lights, violent lurches, and cycling doors create an atmosphere of instability and danger, while the empty water dispenser signals deeper systemic failures. The console room, once a hub of control, now feels like an antagonist, exposing the group's vulnerability and the TARDIS's betrayal of their trust.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The scene emphasizes that The Doctor is showing signs of distress, even blurred vision. This foreshadows the later tension when he is trying to assess the ship's status at the scanner."
Doctor’s physical decline forces Ian’s intervention"After several attempts to propose theories for the source of the problems, the story cuts to Ian's assistance to the Doctor who is worried about the TARDIS. Thus, the failed discussion goes to action."
Barbara challenges the Doctor’s logic"The scene emphasizes that The Doctor is showing signs of distress, even blurred vision. This foreshadows the later tension when he is trying to assess the ship's status at the scanner."
Doctor’s physical decline forces Ian’s intervention"Susan's paranoia is building in this act. Her disorientation and fear are reflected when she accuses Barbara and threatens her with scissors."
Susan’s Paranoia Escalates into Violence"Susan's paranoia is building in this act. Her disorientation and fear are reflected when she accuses Barbara and threatens her with scissors."
Susan’s Paranoia and the Scanner Threat"Susan's paranoia is building in this act. Her disorientation and fear are reflected when she accuses Barbara and threatens her with scissors."
Susan’s Paranoia and the Scanner ThreatThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"DOCTOR: It may even be the main unit. I don't know. I'm very worried about it all. Young man, I think you'll have to help me with that fault locator now that Susan's been put out of action."
"IAN: Barbara. ... Yes. Don't tell her about something being in the ship."
"BARBARA: No, of course not."
"IAN: You know, the less said, the better, eh?"
"DOCTOR: Oh yes, these numbers keep blurring before my eyes, that's all."