Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 45 "Destiny of the Daleks"

It's the aftermath of the Key To Time adventure and Romana has decided it's time for her to regenerate. But she's doing something new we haven't seen before, she's choosing her body. It's interesting to note however, the Time Lords did give the second Doctor a choice of what he looked like, so this shouldn't be so surprising. When Romana comes out looking like Princess Astra, the Doctor sends her back. Next she comes out very short and blue, then as a voluptuous gypsy and a tall Amazonian woman. The Doctor rejects them all and says she needs to show a little style. When she comes out next, she's dressed like the Doctor and he finally accepts it, but she still looks like Astra underneath.

Because of the randomizer the Doctor installed after the Guardian swore revenge on him, the Tardis crew is back to visiting unknown places. Investigating the current planet (which looks like a quarry), a trembling causes bits of a building to fall on top of the Doctor. He decides to read a book as Romana goes back to the Tardis for K-9. However, while Romana is gone, the Doctor is rescued and captured by a strange, unemotional, alien race.

Meanwhile, Romana finds out she's being followed. While she's trying to lose him, she falls into the remains of an underground city. She soon learns she's on Skaro and the Daleks are still active. She is captured immediately and interrogated. Despite their technological lie detector she lies and claims she knows nothing about the Daleks. The machine indicates she's telling the truth. Thinking she's not a threat, they put her in a forced labor camp where the only way out, is if you die. Romana feigns death and uses a Time Lord trick of stopping her hearts. She's taken to the surface and buried.

The Doctors new 'friends' are the Movellans, a robotic race at war with the Daleks. They have come to Skaro to find out what the Daleks are searching for. The Doctor then meets Tyssan, the one who was following Romana. He tells the Doctor he must have spooked her before she was captured by the Daleks. The Doctor suggests he go on ahead to see if he can find what the Daleks are certain for. On the way, he finds Romana's grave, but she's already dug her way out. With Tyssan, the Doctor and Romana infiltrate the Dalek base and discover what the Daleks have been searching for: DAVROS!

It turns out, the Daleks and the Movellans have reached a stalemate in their war. With both groups knowing exactly how to outmaneuver each other. The Doctor congratulates them on discovering peace. Unfortunately, with the Daleks having Davros, the Movellans believe he can help them break the stalemate so they try to force the Doctor into helping them. He refuses so they threaten Romana. But the Doctor has shown Tyssan how to immobilize the Movellans and with the free Dalek slaves, stages a revolt. One escapes and tries to set off a device which will obliterate the planet, but Romana is successful in disarming him.

With the Movellan threat taken care of, the Doctor turns his attention back to Davros and the Daleks. This time, the Doctor tricks Davros into blowing up his Daleks. Defeated and captured, the Doctor puts Davros into suspended animation and gives him to Tyssan who is to take him to stand trial for crimes against the galaxy. With the Movellans nonoperational, Tyssan and the rest of the freed slaves take their ship to escape the planet.

WHO: Romana

PLANET OF ORIGIN: Gallifrey, era uncertain.

REASON FOR JOINING: Still traveling with the Doctor, Romana has regenerated - for reasons unknown.

NEXT: The Time Lord Prison Planet

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 44 "The Armageddon Factor"

The Doctor and Romana have five pieces of the Key of Time and are beginning their search for the sixth. The Doctor tries to park the Tardis in orbit around Atrios to see where their final mission will take them. Initially the Tardis has trouble finding Atrios but soon discovers it, though millions of miles where it should be. The Doctor realizes this will not be the typical mission, more may be involved than meets the eye.

The planet Atrios is at war with Zeos and on the brink of loosing the war. Princess Astra and medic Merak are romantically involved, but more importantly secretly trying to contact Zeos in hopes of ending the war. All attempts by Astra have failed and she's worried the Marshall is suspicious. Merak assures her they are still safe, or the Marshall would have done something about them trying to contact Zeos. Shortly after, the Marshall gives orders Princess Astra is to be locked away in a part of the city teaming with radiation.

The Marshall is determined to make sure he wins the war at all costs. Several times he 'meditates' in front of a mirror, much to the puzzlement of his right hand man Shapp. Shapp notices he seems to be talking to someone. Once the Doctor arrives, the Marshall blames him for the death of a guard, but when the Doctor claims to be able to help win the war, the Marshall takes a liking to the Doctor and is willing to work with him.

The Doctor tells the Marshall he'll need K-9 to help build a shield to stop the Zeons from attacking, but Shapp informs them K-9 was found and sent the furnaces to be melted down (per the Marshall's order). The Doctor runs after K-9 in hopes of saving him from being melted into slag. While doing so, Romana notices the Marshall is very agitated and mutters to himself, "the Doctor does not die.... yet."

The Doctor quickly discovers the Marshall is actually a puppet to some unknown shadow. He discovers a trans-mat which takes them, not to Zeos, but to a hidden base between both planets. On this planet is Mentalis, a computer that has been waging the war the Marshall has been fighting. K-9 talks to Mentalis and informs the Doctor if the Marshall is successful in his attack, Mentalis' fail-safe is to blow itself up, taking Atrios and Zeos with it.

While trying to figure out who this mystery shadow person is the Doctor runs into Drax, another Timelord. Drax recognizes the Doctor but calls him Theet. The Doctor is horrified to find out Drax built Mentalis, though under pain of death by the Shadow. It doesn't take long before the Doctor convinces him to switch sides and help the Doctor. Drax agrees Timelords should stick together and agrees to help. He starts off building a gun which can shrink people.

Once the gun is complete, Drax uses the gun on the Doctor and himself. The Doctor actually wanted Drax to shrink one of the Shadow's guards. Drax hadn't realized the Doctor opened his Tardis, which the gave the guard access. He went in and retrieved the first five segments of the Key to Time, claiming to know where the sixth piece was. The Doctor uses his miniature size to infiltrate the Shadow's domain (who turns out to be a servant of the Black Guardian). He reveals that Princess Astra is actually the final segment to the Key to Time. The Doctor grabs the completed Key and runs for the Tardis with Drax, Romana and K-9.

Safely in the Tardis and with Drax happily departed, the Doctor is contacted by the White Guardian who immediately tells the Doctor to release the Key to Time to him. When the Doctor asks what will happen to Astra, the White Guardian tells him she is a sacrifice for maintaining peace in the galaxy. This callous view of life makes the Doctor realize the White Guardian is really the Black Guardian in disguise. Not fooled, the Doctor disperses the Key to Time, the segments returning to their original forms, including Princess Astra. Now reunited with her lover Merak.

WHO: Romana I

DEPARTURE LOCATION: In the Tardis (Time and Location unknown)

REASON FOR DEPARTURE: It's unclear if Romana regenerates after being tortured by the Shadow, or simply wanted to change her appearance. Either way, it's not talked about on-screen and doesn't happen till the next episode.

NEXT: Return To Skaro

Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 43 "Ribos Operation"

While in mid-flight, the Doctors Tardis suddenly stops and he hears a calling from outside of the Tardis. The Doctor realizes only a Guardian could have so much power, so he accepts the invitation to step out of the Tardis. The Guardian is sending the Doctor on a mission to search for the Key of Time. With the Key, the White Guardian will be able to restore balance to the universe.

Despite his objections, the Doctor is given a new companion to help him on his quest for the six segments of the Key of Time. Before leaving, the Guardian reminds the Doctor there is also a black guardian who wants the Key for evil purposes. The Doctor is to trust no one. Heading back to the Tardis, he finds Romana already inside the Tardis. However, she claims the President of Gallifrey sent her on this mission.

The couple are given a 'tracer' which connects to the Tardis and draws it to the nearest segment of the Key of Time. The pieces have been disguised as ordinary objects. Once landing on the planet, the tracer can be disconnected from the Tardis and helps locate the hidden piece. While investigating the planet Ribos, they run into a couple of con artists named Garron and Unstoffe.

Things turn sour when the con artists intended target, the Graff Vynda-K discovers he's being conned. The 'intelligent' man that he is, Graff deduces the Doctor and Romana are working alongside Garron. He orders their capture, but Unstoffe manages to escape. He befriends Binro, an outcast on the 'backward' planet for believing the stars in the sky are not jewels, and they may not be alone in the universe.

When Unstoffe confirms Binro's theory, he agrees to help Unstoffe escape. To do so they enter the catacombs. Meanwhile the Doctor has summoned K-9 and with his help, escape along with Romana & Garron. Unwilling to accept defeat, Graff follows everyone into the catacombs. He manages to kill Binro, but soon after there is a cave in and the Graffs guards all die and he accidentally blows himself up.

With the situation now over, the Doctor departs with an expensive piece of jethrik owned by Garron, which he had used to con the Graff that Ribos was an expensive planet. Garron tries to steal back the jethrik, but the Doctor manages to switch it with a piece of stone. Once safely in the Tardis, Romana used the tracer to transform the jethrik into the first piece of the Key of Time.

WHO: Romana

PLANET OF ORIGIN: Gallifrey, era uncertain.

REASON FOR JOINING: Was asked by the 'President of Gallifrey' to help the Doctor on his quest for the Key of Time.






NEXT: Armageddon Day

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Dr. Who (The Early Years) - Part 42 "The Invasion of Time"

Strange things are already afoot once this episode begins. The Doctor is outside of the Tardis and talking to a few aliens, discussing a plan. He has K-9 and Leela in the tardis, forbidding them to come out or turn on the scanner. When she tries the scanner anyway, she realizes the Doctor has locked it. Bemused, Leela wonders why the Doctor doesn't trust her. After signing a contract, the Doctor returns to the Tardis and sets the co-ordinates for Gallifrey.

Upon arriving to Gallifrey, the Doctor claims full rights to the presidency. Since he last visited, no new president has been inaugurated. With no other rivals to challenge him, the Doctor is made president and given the rod, the sash and coronet of Rassilon. He runs into Borusa again, who is puzzled by the Doctors behaviour. The Doctor is now short tempered and verbally abusive to Borusa.

One of the Doctors first acts as President is to banish Leela outside of the Timelord citadel, but she manages to escape. While on the run, she meets Rodan. She's a glorified 'traffic cop', monitoring space but not getting involved. Despite being protected, Rodan lowers the shield protecting her, sensing Leela is not a threat to her. Leela is shocked by her and every Timelord vow of non-intervention.

The Doctor next orders to have his private room completely covered in lead. He stresses to Borusa he wants it everywhere. Floors, ceiling, even the door. While his redecoration is in progress, the Doctor shocks Borusa and the rest of the Timelords even more when he allows the Vardans access to Gallifrey. They are a telepathic race striving to invade Gallifrey, and ultimately all of time. Travelling along wavelengths, they partially materialize.

After her chat with Rodan, Leela realizes the Doctor is not a traitor as he always has a plan. She decides the Doctor must have wanted her outside the city for a reason. She convinces Rodan to join her. While in the Gallifreyan wastelands, the two meet the Outsiders. They are Gallifreyans who have rejected Timelord ways to live a simpler life. Leela convinces them to join in the fight, to regain control of Gallifrey.

To get the full trust of the Vardans, the Doctor orders K-9 to destroy the Transduction Barrier, which protects Gallifrey from being invaded. He then invites Borusa into his special lead-lined room (shielding his thoughts from the Vardans). Now with Borusa's full support, the Doctor devises a way to rid Gallifrey of the Vardans, and putting their planet into a time-loop. But celebrations come to early as the Sontarans invade, while the Transduction Barrier is still down.

The Doctor, Leela, Borusa, K-9 & Rodan all retreat to the Tardis, but the Sontarans are able to break in with help from Kelner, another Timelord. While in the Tardis, we get to see many corridors, a workshop and the swimming pool. The Doctor instructs Rodan to help build a de-mat gun which he uses to destroy the Sontarans. The gun is powered by the Great Key of Rassilon, and after used in the demat gun, the key destroys the de-mat gun and erases the Doctors memory, giving him no knowledge of even claiming to be president. When he opts to leave, Leela decides to stay behind.

WHO: Leela
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Gallifrey
REASON FOR DEPARTURE: Leela has taken a liking to Andred and prefers to stay behind with him, rather than follow with the Doctor. Though she does tell the Doctor she'll miss him.





NEXT: The Key To Time

Bonus Photo

Leela in the Tardis Pool Room