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