Doctor Who
Object

Decoy Corpses' Patchwork Uniforms

Corpses propped up as trench decoys wear uniforms stitched with anachronistic weaponry—mismatched guns and gear from different eras. This patchwork reveals years of war and scavenged resources. The Doctor spots them first and comments, 'Even the dead have a part to play,' as Sarah, Harry, and he navigate the grim scene amid gas attacks and ambushes.
2 appearances

Purpose

Equip soldiers and, in death, prop up corpses as deceptive sentinels to mislead enemies in prolonged trench warfare.

Significance

Highlights the Kaled-Thal war's desperation and futility, serving as the Doctor's clue to resource scarcity and cyclical brutality that fractures the group's path to Davros.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

2 moments
S12E11 · Genesis of the Daleks Part 1
The Door to Davros: War’s Hidden Vein

The propped-up corpses serve as a grim tableau of the war’s futility, their uniforms a patchwork of anachronistic weaponry reflecting the Kaleds’ dwindling resources. The Doctor’s observation—‘Even the dead have a part to play’—highlights their symbolic role as decoys, masking the trenches’ true state of abandonment. Their presence underscores the war’s cyclical horror, where even the dead are repurposed to sustain the illusion of strength. The corpses’ respirators become critical tools for survival during the gas attack, as the Doctor, Sarah, and Harry scavenge them to avoid suffocation.

Before: Propped upright in the trenches, wearing patchwork uniforms and clutching outdated weapons, serving as decoys to make the trenches appear manned.
After: Their respirators are torn off by the Doctor, Sarah, and Harry during the gas attack, leaving the corpses even more desecrated and exposed.
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S12E11 · Genesis of the Daleks Part 1
The Gas Shell Gambit: Separation and Capture in the Trenches

The corpses propped up as sentries serve as a grim illusion of defense, symbolizing the desperation of the war on Skaro. They are discovered by the Doctor, who notes their role in making the trenches appear fully manned. During the gas attack, the group scavenges respirators from these corpses, using them to survive the toxic fumes. The corpses thus transition from a symbolic element to a practical tool for survival, highlighting the war’s inhumanity and the lengths to which the characters must go to endure.

Before: Propped up as sentries along the trench walls, wearing tattered uniforms and outdated weapons, creating the illusion of a fully manned defense.
After: Several corpses have been stripped of their respirators, leaving them even more desolate and exposed. The group’s interaction with them underscores the war’s brutality and the characters’ desperation.
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