Doctor Who
Object

Laboratory Bench Gas Tap (and Gas)

A laboratory bench gas tap (and the flammable gas it dispenses) that plays a critical role in the shrunken group's survival. Initially, Ian turns the tap's handle seeking water or gas but finds it dry. Later, connected to a Bunsen burner, the tap becomes a focal point for the group's desperate attempt to ignite gas for a diversionary fire. The Doctor rallies Ian, Barbara, and Susan to turn its lever together, aiming to release gas for a controlled explosion amid lab intrusions and Barbara's poisoning. The invisible, flammable gas itself is ignited with a match under the Doctor's urgent guidance, with the group's survival depending on the precision of the ignition.
6 appearances

Purpose

Dispensing gas for Bunsen burner experiments; repurposed to ignite a diversionary fire exposing Forrester's insecticide plot

Significance

Drives the group's desperate sabotage plan against capture, links scientific ingenuity to survival tactics, heightens stakes with interruption and Barbara's decline, shifts from failed resource to tactical weapon in their miniature crisis

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

6 moments
S2E2 · Dangerous Journey
Barbara Conceals Her Injury

The laboratory bench gas tap becomes a symbol of their shrunk predicament—an object that, in normal circumstances, would offer a solution (water or gas), but here stands as a useless relic of their diminished scale. Ian spots it amid the bench's clutter, turning its handle in vain ('No water, though, Barbara. Sorry.'). Its failure underscores their helplessness, forcing them to rely on their wits rather than the tools of the giant world around them. The tap's dry uselessness mirrors the broader theme of resource scarcity in their survival struggle.

Before: A functional gas tap on the laboratory bench, part of the bench's cluttered surface, surrounded by test tubes, wheat seeds, and paperclips. Its handle is intact, but its connection to water or gas is unknown to Ian and Barbara.
After: The gas tap remains unchanged physically—its handle is still turned, but no water or gas flows. It is now confirmed as a dead end, its potential as a resource exhausted, leaving Ian and Barbara to focus on other options for survival.
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S2E3 · Crisis
Fire diversion plan formulated under threat

The gas tap on the laboratory bench becomes the focal point of the group’s desperate plan to start a fire. Ian identifies it as the potential ignition source, his gaze locking onto it as he considers the feasibility of turning it on to release gas for the Bunsen burner. The object is central to their strategy, symbolizing both hope and risk—the hope of creating a diversion that could save them, and the risk of failure or discovery. Its dry state earlier in the scene adds a layer of tension, as the group must now rely on it functioning despite prior evidence to the contrary. The gas tap’s role is purely functional, but its narrative weight is immense, as it represents the thin line between their survival and capture.

Before: Dry and seemingly non-functional, as previously attempted by Ian without success. Positioned on the laboratory bench, connected to the Bunsen burner but not actively in use.
After: Remains untouched and unused, as the group’s plan is abruptly interrupted by the opening of the lab door. The gas tap’s potential as an ignition source is left unresolved, heightening the tension and uncertainty of their situation.
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S2E3 · Crisis
Ambush forces desperate retreat

The gas tap to the Bunsen burner becomes the focal point of the group's sabotage plan. Ian positions himself near it, preparing to turn it on to ignite the gas and create a diversionary fire. The object symbolizes both the group's agency in the face of danger and the fragility of their plan—its potential to expose Forrester's plot is abruptly cut short by the lab door opening, leaving it unused but central to the tension of the moment.

Before: Attached to the Bunsen burner on the laboratory bench, dry and ready to be turned on. It is a critical component of the sabotage plan, symbolizing the group's last hope for creating a diversion.
After: Unused but still in place on the laboratory bench. The interruption by the lab door prevents the group from executing the plan, leaving the gas tap as a symbol of their thwarted efforts and the heightened danger they now face.
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S2E3 · Crisis
Group turns gas tap under threat

The laboratory bench gas tap is the focal point of this high-stakes maneuver, serving as both a tool and a battleground. Its lever becomes the literal and symbolic fulcrum around which the group’s efforts revolve. The tap’s mechanism, though mundane in the giant’s world, is a matter of life and death for the shrunken companions. Turning it requires their combined strength, symbolizing their unity and desperation. The tap’s status as a potential ignition source for a diversionary fire adds another layer of urgency, as the group must act quickly before the giant’s hand closes in on them.

Before: The gas tap is in a neutral, unactivated state, its lever stationary and its potential as an ignition source untapped. It looms large in the companions’ miniature world, its metallic surface cold and unyielding.
After: The gas tap’s lever is partially turned, its mechanism engaged but not yet fully activated. The tap remains a volatile and critical tool, its role in the group’s escape plan now more imminent. The companions’ collective effort has set the stage for the next phase of their desperate struggle.
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S2E3 · Crisis
Matchbox Battering Ram Escape Plan

The laboratory bench gas tap is referenced indirectly as part of the escape plan, with Susan confirming it is ready to turn on. While not physically present in the matchbox, its readiness is critical to the next phase of the escape—likely a diversion or ignition source. The gas tap symbolizes the companions’ reliance on both improvisation and the tools of the giant’s world to turn the tables on their predicament. Its status as 'ready' underscores the precision and coordination required for their survival.

Before: Ready to be turned on, positioned in the laboratory (outside the matchbox) and connected to a Bunsen burner, awaiting activation as part of the escape plan.
After: Unchanged physically, but its readiness is now a confirmed part of the escape strategy, awaiting activation in the next phase of the plan.
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S2E3 · Crisis
Doctor Corrects Match-Striking Technique

The matchbox serves as both a tool and a surface for Ian’s attempts to strike the match. Its cardboard structure is sturdy enough to withstand the force of Ian’s strikes, yet its role is critical in the precision required to ignite the matchhead. The Doctor’s instruction to 'hit the box at a sharper angle' highlights the matchbox’s dual function: as a striker and as a component of the larger plan to trigger the gas explosion. Its involvement is passive but essential, acting as the counterpart to the matchstick in this high-pressure ritual.

Before: The matchbox is intact and positioned for use, its striker surface ready for Ian to scrape the matchstick against. It is part of the group’s improvised escape plan, awaiting activation.
After: The matchbox remains unchanged in this moment, its striker surface still intact but unused. Its role in the event is unresolved, as the match has yet to be lit.
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