Bent Hairpin

The Doctor straightens a simple metal hairpin into a crude but effective lockpicking tool. Its prongs now form a single flexible shaft, bent at a right angle with the tines pressed flush to create a narrow pick. The thin wire shows faint scratches along its length from forced bending, yet remains rigid enough to manipulate the door’s locking mechanism despite the advanced security. Romana and Rohm-Dutt use it to stretch the ritual creepers binding them, pulling until the plant fibers loosen just enough to free their wrists under the temple’s sealing glass.

2 appearances

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments

S16E6 · The Pirate Planet Part 2

Doctor bends rules to breach the mountain gate

A bent hairpin serves as the Doctor’s improvised lockpick after the sonic screwdriver fails. The Doctor straightens and modifies it to manipulate the door’s lifting mechanism through a narrow mechanical seam. Despite its crude origin, the hairpin succeeds in overcoming the advanced security by exploiting secondary mechanical vulnerabilities.

Before: A simple metal hairpin, bent and straightened into a functional tool

After: Used and discarded, having successfully opened the door

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S16E19 · The Power of Kroll Part 3

Doctor shatters temple glass with primal scream

The straightened hairpin, now a flexible lockpicking tool, is used by Romana and Rohm-Dutt to pull the stretched creepers taut beyond their breaking point. They slide it under the heaviest fibers near their wrists, stretching them until the plant strands begin to fray and loosen, granting momentary mobility.

Before: Bent, worn metal hairpin from Romana's hair, now unbent into a right-angled pick—scratched from bending but rigid.

After: Still functional, dropped or discarded in the escape rush; likely left embedded in the temple floor.

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