Fabula
S5E40 · The Wheel In Space Part 6

Cyberman dismisses Vallance’s value

In the loading bay, Jamie and Flannigan—both in space suits—confront a Cyberman and Vallance, who is also suited up. Flannigan explains he intercepted Vallance while attempting to return to the Operations room after failing to breach the force field. The Cyberman immediately and coldly declares Vallance 'not important,' underscoring the Cybermen’s ruthless, utilitarian logic. This moment exposes the futility of human bargaining with the Cybermen, as Vallance’s perceived importance (and thus his leverage) is stripped away in an instant. The exchange foreshadows the crew’s desperate need for alternative strategies to counter the Cybermen’s invasion, as human lives and alliances hold no weight in the Cybermen’s calculations. The scene also reinforces the Cybermen’s dominance in the Wheel, where even crew members under their control are expendable. Jamie and Flannigan’s presence in space suits suggests they were engaged in a high-stakes mission (likely retrieving the metal plate for the force field trick), and their confrontation with the Cyberman interrupts their progress, raising tension for their next move.

Plot Beats

The narrative micro-steps within this event

2

Jamie and Flannigan, in spacesuits, are confronted by a Cyberman and Vallance (also in a spacesuit) in the loading bay. Flannigan declares that he captured Vallance while trying to return to the operations room.

tense to confrontational ['loading bay']

Flannigan attempts to explain Vallance's importance, however, the Cyberman dismisses him as not important.

determined to dismissive

Who Was There

Characters present in this moment

4
Cyberman 1
primary

Cold and detached, with no hint of empathy or hesitation.

The Cyberman stands cold and unyielding, its mechanical voice stripping Vallance of any perceived importance with the dismissive declaration, 'He is not important.' This exchange underscores the Cybermen’s utilitarian logic, where human lives hold no value beyond their utility in the invasion. The Cyberman’s presence dominates the scene, its indifference a chilling reminder of the enemy’s ruthlessness and the futility of bargaining.

Goals in this moment
  • Assert dominance and control over the humans in the loading bay
  • Undermine any sense of human leverage or resistance
Active beliefs
  • Human lives are expendable and only valuable as tools for the Cybermen’s objectives
  • Resistance is futile and will be crushed without mercy
Character traits
Ruthlessly logical Indifferent to human suffering Dominant and unyielding Utilitarian in decision-making
Follow Cyberman 1's journey

Tense and alert, with a simmering frustration at the Cybermen’s indifference to human life.

Jamie stands in the loading bay, fully suited, his posture tense and alert. He is part of a high-stakes mission—likely retrieving the metal plate to sabotage the force field—but is interrupted by the confrontation with the Cyberman and Vallance. His presence in the suit suggests he was actively engaged in the mission, and his silence during this exchange implies a mix of wariness and calculation, assessing the Cyberman’s threat level and Vallance’s compromised state.

Goals in this moment
  • Assess the Cyberman’s immediate threat and Vallance’s reliability
  • Protect Flannigan and ensure the mission’s success by retrieving the metal plate
Active beliefs
  • The Cybermen cannot be reasoned with, only fought
  • Vallance is compromised and potentially a liability
Character traits
Warrior instincts Loyalty to the team Resourceful under pressure Cautious in the face of unknown threats
Follow Jamie McCrimmon's journey

Alert and focused, with a underlying current of frustration at the Cybermen’s inhumanity.

Flannigan, also in a space suit, explains that he intercepted Vallance after failing to breach the force field, his voice carrying the weight of the mission’s urgency. He is actively engaged in the confrontation, demonstrating awareness of the Cybermen’s influence and the need for caution. His dialogue reveals his role as a key operative in the station’s defense, and his alert demeanor suggests he is prepared to act if the situation escalates.

Goals in this moment
  • Determine Vallance’s status and whether he is still under Cyberman control
  • Ensure the mission’s success by retrieving the metal plate and sabotaging the force field
Active beliefs
  • The Cybermen are a direct and immediate threat that must be countered
  • Vallance may be compromised but could still provide critical information
Character traits
Dutiful and disciplined Resourceful in high-pressure situations Aware of the Cybermen’s tactics Protective of the station and crew
Follow Flannigan's journey
Supporting 1

Submissive and resigned, with a sense of helplessness in the face of the Cyberman’s dominance.

Vallance, also suited up, is under the Cyberman’s influence, his perceived importance stripped away in an instant. His submissive posture and the Cyberman’s dismissal of him highlight his expendability in the Cybermen’s grand scheme. Vallance’s presence in the scene serves as a stark reminder of the Cybermen’s ability to manipulate and discard human pawns without remorse.

Goals in this moment
  • None (fully under Cyberman control)
  • Unintentionally serves as a pawn in the Cybermen’s strategy
Active beliefs
  • The Cybermen are in control and cannot be defied
  • His own life holds no value in the grand scheme of the invasion
Character traits
Compromised and submissive Expendable in the Cybermen’s eyes Potentially a liability due to his compromised state
Follow Vallance's journey

Objects Involved

Significant items in this scene

1
Jamie, Flannigan, and Vallance's Hazardous Environment Space Suits

The space suits worn by Jamie, Flannigan, and Vallance are critical to the scene, symbolizing their preparedness for a high-stakes mission—likely retrieving the metal plate to sabotage the force field. The suits create a visual contrast with the Cyberman’s mechanical form, emphasizing the humans’ vulnerability and the Cybermen’s dominance. The suits also imply that the mission was interrupted by this confrontation, raising tension about the fate of the mission and the crew’s ability to counter the Cybermen’s invasion.

Before: Fully functional and worn by Jamie, Flannigan, and …
After: Unchanged, but the mission’s progress is interrupted by …
Before: Fully functional and worn by Jamie, Flannigan, and Vallance, ready for the mission.
After: Unchanged, but the mission’s progress is interrupted by the Cyberman’s intervention.

Location Details

Places and their significance in this event

1
Space Station Loading Bay (Wheel)

The loading bay serves as a battleground in this scene, its sterile and industrial atmosphere heightening the tension between the humans and the Cyberman. The bay’s functional role as a cargo handling zone is repurposed into a high-stakes confrontation, where the fate of the station and its crew hangs in the balance. The presence of the suited figures and the Cyberman creates a stark visual contrast, emphasizing the urgency and danger of the situation. The bay’s access points and industrial echoes contribute to the sense of isolation and desperation.

Atmosphere Tense and oppressive, with a sense of urgency and danger permeating the air.
Function Battleground for the confrontation between the humans and the Cyberman, interrupting the mission to sabotage …
Symbolism Represents the fragile line between safety and invasion, where the station’s defenses are tested and …
Access Restricted to authorized personnel, but the Cybermen’s presence threatens to breach these boundaries.
Sterile, industrial lighting casting harsh shadows Echoes of machinery and distant alarms adding to the tension Bulky space suits contrasting with the Cyberman’s sleek, mechanical form

Organizations Involved

Institutional presence and influence

1
Cybermen

The Cybermen’s presence in the loading bay is a direct manifestation of their organizational dominance and ruthless efficiency. Their utilitarian logic is on full display as they dismiss Vallance’s importance, underscoring their indifference to human life. The Cybermen’s actions in this scene reflect their broader goal of invading the Wheel and converting or eliminating its crew, using any means necessary. Their cold and unyielding approach serves as a chilling reminder of the threat they pose to the station and its inhabitants.

Representation Through the Cyberman’s direct actions and dialogue, embodying the organization’s ruthless efficiency and indifference.
Power Dynamics Exercising absolute authority over the humans in the scene, with no room for negotiation or …
Impact Reinforces the Cybermen’s institutional power and the fragility of human defenses against their invasion. The …
Assert dominance and control over the humans in the loading bay Undermine any sense of human leverage or resistance to the invasion Through the Cyberman’s cold and unyielding demeanor, stripping away human agency By demonstrating the futility of resistance through the dismissal of Vallance’s importance

Narrative Connections

How this event relates to others in the story

What this causes 2

"Jamie and Flannigan are confronted by Vallance and a Cyberman that makes them need to use the metal plate trick (beat_088bd8f44efee4a9)."

Jamie and Flannigan disable a Cyberman
S5E40 · The Wheel In Space Part …

"Jamie and Flannigan are confronted by Vallance and a Cyberman that makes them need to use the metal plate trick (beat_088bd8f44efee4a9)."

Cybermen breach loading bay defenses
S5E40 · The Wheel In Space Part …

Key Dialogue

"FLANNIGAN: I could not get through the force field to the Operations room, and I caught this man on the way back."
"CYBERMAN: He is not important."