Narrative Web
S12E15
Tragic
View Graph

Genesis of the Daleks Part 5

When the Time Lords send the Doctor to prevent the Daleks' creation, he confronts moral dilemmas of genocide as he infiltrates a war-torn Kaled city and faces Davros, the scientist responsible for engineering the Dalek race, deciding the fate of the universe.

On assignment from the Time Lords, the Doctor, along with Harry and Sarah, is sent to the planet Skaro during the Kaled-Thal war, tasked with preventing the genesis of the Daleks or mitigating their future threat.

Skaro is mired in a seemingly endless war between the Kaleds and the Thals. The Kaleds, mutated and nearing their final form, are led by the brilliant but ruthless scientist Davros, who seeks to engineer the perfect life form to survive the planet’s harsh conditions. Davros has been genetically engineering his own race to remove their weaknesses and create a superior, emotionless being, encased in a metallic shell, known as the Daleks. The Doctor discovers the horrific experiments and ethical implications of Davros's work; he sees that the Daleks' inherent drive for domination will spread tyranny across the universe.

Captured by Davros, The Doctor is forced to reveal future Dalek defeats, information Davros integrates into the Dalek programming. Meanwhile, a faction of Kaled scientists plots against Davros, fearing his Dalek project has spiraled out of control. Gharman, the leader of the dissident Kaled scientists, organizes a rebellion against Davros, believing the Dalek project has perverted the Kaled's original goals. The Doctor warns them of Davros’s foresight and potential trap, but they proceed, undeterred.

As the Thal army prepares a final assault on the Kaled dome, the Doctor contemplates his mission. He struggles with the decision to commit genocide, weighing the potential destruction of an entire species against the countless lives the Daleks would eventually destroy. He gains access to the incubation room where the first Daleks are being developed. Resolved, the Doctor plants explosives, intending to wipe out the Daleks in their infancy. But ultimately hesitates, questioning the morality of his actions.

Davros, aware of the growing rebellion, seemingly capitulates, offering to listen to the demands of the scientific and military elite. However, this is a ruse. As the rebel leaders gather to present their ultimatum, Davros reveals his true plan: a new breed of Daleks loyal only to him. Simultaneously, the Doctor prepares to detonate the explosives in the incubation room, but finds himself unable to commit the act of genocide. Before he can decide, he's pulled from the room by an angry, newly-formed Dalek.

Ultimately, the Doctor, Harry, and Sarah escape, leaving the Kaled dome amidst chaos and destruction. The Kaled rebellion has begun, and the Thal army makes their final assault. The Doctor, though failing to erase the Daleks from existence, sows the seeds of their future conflicts and imperfections, ensuring they are not an unstoppable force. The Thal army advances on the Kaled dome.


Events in This Episode

The narrative beats that drive the story

25