Gebek rescues the Doctor from the cave-in using the sonic lance, and in the nick of time too because the red Aggedor SFX returns to try and pew the Doctor. Soldiers arrive to have a fight with the miners, and the Doctor joins in to help Gebek and Ettis.
Sarah, having heard about the cave-in, goes to look for the Doctor.
She gets lost and instead finds a mysterious door that pews her with a special effect when she knocks on it. Eckersley rescues Sarah, and he is very keen to convince her that there is nobody behind the door, even though she - and we - have seen that there is movement through the window.
The Doctor and Gebek go to speak with Queen Thalira, and as soon as they have gone off-screen Ettis is back trying to persuade the miners to go along with his one idea, of stealing Federation weapons and then using them in armed rebellion.
Soldiers try to capture Gebek, but the Doctor knocks them out with his Venusian Oojah. This bit is padding, and very high grade too.
Ettis captures Sarah and Alpha Centauri and tries to force them to "open the armoury door" so he and the miners can get their paws on the Federation's phasers, or any other pewpewpew guns they might happen to have in there. The spirit of Aggedor will presumably be fine with them doing that then? Ettis is a typical religious fundamentalist - it's only blasphemy when it's something he doesn't want.
Alpha Centauri opens the doors for them, but also sets off the alarm. The miners steal the pewpewpew guns, but Ortron and the queen are alerted to what has happened. It is still not clear who is the biggest baddy in this story, with several characters competing for the position, each trying to outdo the others to prove they're the real "Monster" of Peladon (ah, do you see what they did there?) and Ortron makes his play when he says
"You see, your Majesty, already the rebellion has begun. This is what comes of softness with the common people."
Ettis runs off with Sarah as a "hostage." She quickly escapes from him, and is then immediately captured by Ortron.
In the time it has taken Ettis and the miners to reach the citadel, force open the armoury, steal the weapons, and then run away, the Doctor and Gebek still haven't reached the citadel. The miners run past them on their way back from their raid.
Gebek: "Ettis, what new folly is this?"Ettis: "No folly, Gebek - victory! Now that we've got the new Federation weapons, we'll see who rules on Peladon."
The Doctor arrives at the temple set in time to hear Ortron questioning Sarah. Well, I say questioning, but really he has already made up his mind (or what he is pleased to call his mind, mew) that she was helping Ettis.
The Doctor enters and says
"Do forgive me, old chap, but you've got it all wrong."
and
"My dear chap, you're just not listening, are you. No one's admitting anything."
Why do I get the impression that the Doctor is using the word "chap" in place of another four-letter word when he talks to Ortron?
Ortron: "Oh mighty Aggedor, make known thy will. How shall we punish those who have offended against thee?"Doctor: "Well? And what did he say?"Ortron: "You have blasphemed in the temple of Aggedor, therefore by Aggedor shall you both be punished."
This seems familiar. Are they by any chance going to be put into a pit?
"Prepare the pit!"
Mew. At least when Terry Nation reuses things from his older stories he reuses the good stuff. The Doctor is pushed into the pit, and Sarah after him. The queen comes in to try to stop Ortron, but he says to her
"The decision is no longer yours or mine, your Majesty. The girl and the Doctor have gone to face the judgement of Aggedor."
The Doctor and Sarah hear a rar. Can it be? This story hasn't gotten off to a great start, but the arrival of the real (and therefore super-cute) Aggedor at this point could be just what it needs to lift it to greatness. The Doctor takes out a torch to see what made the noise. It is! It's...
Aggedor!
This is the purrfect moment for the cliffhanger; with just a glimpse before the credits, it keeps us in suspense for more Aggedor cuteness to come in the next episode.
No comments:
Post a Comment