Arbitan's Wrist Teleportation Device

Compact wrist-worn teleportation gadget provided by Arbitan to the TARDIS crew as a safer alternative to acid-sea submersibles. The device features a dial that, when twisted, activates instantaneous transport to the programmed destination across Marinus. Barbara Wright impulsively activates hers first, vanishing in a flash, followed in quick succession by Ian Chesterton, Susan Foreman, and the Doctor under Arbitan's urgent command. The mechanism becomes a critical plot device, trapping the crew in their mission after Arbitan's assassination and forcing them to navigate Marinus while evading Voord forces.

1 appearances

Purpose

Transport wearers instantly to a pre-programmed location on Marinus

Significance

Forces the crew into Arbitan's blackmail quest for the five keys; Barbara's snap activation escalates tension to irreversible action, stranding them on the mission after Voord assassins kill Arbitan and destroy escape options.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S1E21 · The Sea of Death

Arbitan’s Blackmail and the Teleportation Trap

The dial on Arbitan’s teleportation device is the activation mechanism that triggers the crew’s instantaneous transport. Barbara twists it impulsively, vanishing in a flash and shocking the others into following suit. The dial symbolizes the crew’s irreversible commitment to the mission, as its activation removes their ability to turn back. It is a small but critical object that propels the narrative forward with urgency.

Before: Attached to the teleportation devices, the dials are set to the same destination. The crew is unaware of the immediate consequences of twisting them until Barbara demonstrates the effect.

After: Activated by Barbara, the dials transport the crew to the predetermined location. Their use is a point of no return, as the crew is now fully engaged in the mission and cannot easily retreat.

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