Ping-Cho’s Hashashin tale reveals hidden threats
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Ping-Cho entertains the group with a dramatic tale of Ala-eddin and the Hashashins, describing their deceptive methods and reign of terror, capturing everyone's attention with this historical account.
Ian explains that the word 'Hashashin' is the origin of the word 'Assassin', connecting Ping-Cho's story to modern language and revealing the lasting impact of the Hashashins' legacy.
Polo reveals that some of Ala-eddin's followers lived near Tun-Huang, specifically in the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes, linking the historical tale to their present location and foreshadowing potential danger.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Anxious and determined, masking her unease with a composed exterior while internally driven to act on her suspicions about Tegana’s betrayal.
Barbara attempts to urgently speak to Ian about Tegana’s suspicious behavior, noting she caught him off-guard. She defers to Ian’s suggestion to discuss it later but remains visibly tense, her suspicion unaddressed. After the story, she follows Tegana out of the room, hinting at covert investigation to uncover his true intentions.
- • To warn Ian about Tegana’s suspicious behavior and potential threat to the group.
- • To investigate Tegana’s actions covertly by following him after the story.
- • Tegana is hiding something dangerous that could endanger the caravan.
- • Ian and the group need to be alerted to the potential betrayal before it’s too late.
Cautiously observant, balancing the need to address Barbara’s concerns with the group’s current focus on the story, while subtly reinforcing the underlying tension through his dialogue.
Ian listens to Barbara’s warning about Tegana but defers the discussion to a later time, prioritizing the group’s immediate engagement with Ping-Cho’s story. He engages in the conversation about the Hashashins, noting the English word ‘assassin’ derives from ‘Hashashin,’ which subtly reinforces the theme of hidden threats. His cautious demeanor reflects his pragmatic approach to managing tensions within the group.
- • To maintain group cohesion by deferring Barbara’s warning to a more opportune moment.
- • To engage with the Hashashin legend to subtly highlight the parallels between past and present threats.
- • Barbara’s concerns about Tegana are valid but require a strategic moment to address.
- • The Hashashin legend serves as a metaphor for the hidden dangers within the caravan.
Reflective and concerned, grappling with the realization that the past’s dangers are mirrored in the present, particularly through Tegana’s potential betrayal.
Polo thanks Ping-Cho for her story and confirms that some of Ala-eddin’s followers lived in the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes near Tun-Huang, directly tying the legend to the group’s present danger. His reflective demeanor underscores the gravity of the situation, as the past’s violence resurfaces through Tegana’s hidden allegiance to Noghai’s forces. Polo’s revelation serves as a foreshadowing of the betrayal that will soon unfold.
- • To acknowledge the relevance of the Hashashin legend to the group’s current situation.
- • To foreshadow the betrayal by revealing the proximity of the Hashashins’ followers to Tun-Huang.
- • The legend of the Hashashins is a warning of the deceptive threats that may be lurking within the caravan.
- • Tegana’s actions may be tied to the same kind of betrayal that once plagued the region.
Engaged and foreboding, as she weaves the legend with a mix of storytelling skill and subtle warning, aware of the dangers it may foreshadow for the group.
Ping-Cho recounts the vivid legend of Ala-eddin and the Hashashins, describing their deceptive tactics, hallucinogenic drugs, and the ‘paradise’ they used to manipulate followers. She confirms the location of Ala-eddin’s lair but reveals that some followers lived in the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes near Tun-Huang, directly tying the legend to the group’s present danger. Her storytelling is both engaging and foreboding, heightening the group’s unease as the parallels to their situation become clear.
- • To share the local lore of the Hashashins, thereby providing context for the group’s current situation.
- • To foreshadow the betrayal by revealing the proximity of the Hashashins’ followers to Tun-Huang.
- • The legend of the Hashashins is a cautionary tale that applies to the group’s present dangers.
- • Her storytelling can serve as a warning to the group about the deceptive threats they may face.
Eager and perceptive, driven by a mix of curiosity about the legend and a growing sense of unease as the story’s parallels to their current situation become clear.
Susan encourages Ping-Cho to tell the story of the Hashashins, demonstrating her curiosity and engagement with the local lore. She asks probing questions about the proximity of Ala-eddin’s lair and the location of the Hashashins’ followers, which leads Polo to reveal the unsettling truth about the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes. Her questions serve to tie the legend directly to the group’s present danger, heightening the tension.
- • To uncover the full story of the Hashashins and their connection to the present location.
- • To prompt Polo to reveal the proximity of the Hashashins’ followers, thereby foreshadowing the group’s immediate danger.
- • The Hashashin legend holds clues to the dangers the group is facing in the present.
- • Polo’s knowledge of the region is crucial to understanding the threats they may encounter.
Calculating and deceptive, operating in the shadows while the group’s attention is focused on the story, thereby allowing him to advance his hidden agenda.
Tegana is mentioned by Barbara as the subject of her suspicions. Although he does not speak or appear in this segment, his absence and Barbara’s decision to follow him out of the room imply that he is acting suspiciously, reinforcing the theme of hidden betrayal. His off-screen presence looms large, as the group’s unease grows in parallel with the foreshadowing of his treachery.
- • To maintain his cover as a loyal member of the caravan while secretly advancing Noghai’s agenda.
- • To avoid detection by Barbara and the group, ensuring his betrayal remains undiscovered for as long as possible.
- • The group’s focus on the Hashashin legend provides an opportunity to act without suspicion.
- • His allegiance to Noghai is more important than his temporary role within Polo’s caravan.
Appreciative and engaged, though somewhat detached, as his primary focus remains on the broader implications of the story and its connection to the group’s immediate dangers.
The Doctor compliments Ping-Cho on her storytelling, indicating his appreciation for the cultural exchange and the narrative’s vividness. Although he does not speak further, his presence and brief acknowledgment subtly reinforce the group’s engagement with the legend, which serves as a foreshadowing of the betrayal to come.
- • To encourage the group’s engagement with the local lore, which may provide clues to their current situation.
- • To subtly reinforce the theme of deception and hidden threats through his acknowledgment of the story.
- • The Hashashin legend holds valuable insights into the dangers the group is facing.
- • Ping-Cho’s storytelling is a crucial part of uncovering the truth about Tegana’s betrayal.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Cave of Five Hundred Eyes is revealed as a location where some of Ala-eddin’s followers once dwelled, directly tying the Hashashin legend to the group’s present danger. Polo’s revelation about the cave’s proximity to Tun-Huang serves as a foreshadowing of the betrayal that will soon unfold, as the past’s violence resurfaces through Tegana’s hidden allegiance to Noghai’s forces. The cave’s eerie name and association with the Hashashins heighten the group’s unease, as it becomes a symbol of the hidden threats they may soon face.
The Hashashin Legend is central to this event, as Ping-Cho’s vivid retelling of Ala-eddin’s manipulation of his followers through deception and hallucinogenic drugs serves as a chilling parallel to the present danger within Marco Polo’s caravan. The legend’s themes of hidden threats, betrayal, and the use of illusion to control others directly foreshadow Tegana’s treachery. Susan’s questions about the Hashashins’ proximity to Tun-Huang force Polo to reveal the unsettling truth about the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes, tying the past’s violence to the group’s immediate peril.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Cave of Five Hundred Eyes is revealed as a location where some of Ala-eddin’s followers once dwelled, directly tying the Hashashin legend to the group’s present danger. Although the cave is not physically present in this scene, its mention by Polo serves as a foreshadowing of the betrayal that will soon unfold. The cave’s eerie name and association with the Hashashins heighten the group’s unease, as it becomes a symbol of the hidden threats they may soon face. Its proximity to Tun-Huang underscores the immediacy of the danger, as the past’s violence resurfaces through Tegana’s hidden allegiance to Noghai’s forces.
The Tun-Huang Way Station serves as a neutral meeting ground where the group gathers to listen to Ping-Cho’s story of the Hashashins. Its role in this event is twofold: it provides a temporary respite from the desert’s harsh realities, and it becomes the setting for the revelation of the legend’s parallels to the group’s present danger. The station’s atmosphere is tense and foreboding, as the story’s themes of deception and betrayal begin to resonate with the group’s growing unease about Tegana’s true intentions.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Hashashin organization is invoked through Ping-Cho’s legend, which describes Ala-eddin’s manipulation of his followers through deception and hallucinogenic drugs. The legend’s mention of the Hashashins’ reign of terror and their eventual defeat by Hulagu serves as a foreshadowing of the betrayal within Marco Polo’s caravan. The organization’s ruthless tactics and fanatical loyalty to Ala-eddin parallel Tegana’s hidden allegiance to Noghai, underscoring the cyclical nature of violence and betrayal in the region.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
Within this episode
"Susan making the first mention of the Hashashin makes it so that Ping-Cho can follow up with her story."
Doctor reveals Hashashin knowledgeAcross episodes
"Susan's post-sandstorm challenge to Tegana's motives directly informs Ping-Cho's later storytelling about the Hashashins, with both events showing the growing awareness of deception."
Susan challenges Tegana’s deception"Susan’s tactical manipulation of Ping-Cho to follow Tegana (Episode 15) sets up her later suspicion of Tegana, which Barbara tries to communicate to Ian (Episode 16). This mirrors Susan’s proactive distrust of authority figures."
Susan manipulates Ping-Cho into trailing Tegana"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashins mirrors Susan's earlier manipulation tactics, both involving stories used to influence or warn others."
Susan manipulates Ping-Cho into trailing Tegana"Susan's longing for permanence and stability in Episode 15 parallels the later introduction of the Hashashin tale in Episode 16, which deals with deception, lost paradise, and false security."
Susan’s longing for permanence"Ping-Cho’s storytelling about the Hashashins directly informs her ability to challenge Tegana’s lies in Episode 17."
Polo dismisses Ping-Cho’s evidence against Tegana"Ping-Cho’s telling of the Hashashin legend in Episode 16 (about deception, paradise, and assassins) directly reflects the real danger posed by Tegana, who uses lies and manipulation (like the Hashashins) to control others."
Doctor confronts Tegana with Barbara’s handkerchief"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashins (Episode 16) is directly referenced when Ian validates Susan's claim that the quartz eyes are moving (Episode 17)."
Ian discovers the hidden door in the cave"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashin in Episode 16's 'Ping-Cho’s Hashashin tale reveals hidden threats' directly foreshadows the discovery of the hidden chamber behind the quartz eyes in the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes in Episode 17."
Ian discovers the hidden door in the cave"Susan’s curiosity about the Hashashin legend in Episode 16 evolves into her active involvement in plot-twisting conversations about Tegana’s lies in Episode 17, as she and Ping-Cho strategize to expose him."
Susan and Ping-Cho plot Tegana’s exposure"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashin in Episode 16 ('Ping-Cho’s Hashashin tale reveals hidden threats') sets up her later actions in Episode 17, including her fear of abandonment and her willingness to confront Tegana's lies."
Doctor reveals Ping-Cho’s TARDIS exposure"Ping-Cho's story about the Hashashin cult foreshadows the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes as a place of deception and hidden threats."
Ian discovers the hidden door in the cave"Ping-Cho's storytelling of the Hashashin legend in E16 foreshadows the discovery of Tegana's lies and the hidden dangers of the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes in E17."
Polo dismisses Ping-Cho’s evidence against Tegana"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashin (valley of paradise and manipulation) in Episode 16 sets up the Doctor's growing unease about her knowledge of the TARDIS key in Episode 17."
Doctor reveals Ping-Cho’s TARDIS exposure"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashin lore in Episode 16 directly leads to the Doctor and Susan investigating the Cave of Five Hundred Eyes in Episode 17, as her tales foreshadow the actual threats they face."
Ian discovers the hidden door in the cave"Ping-Cho’s storytelling about the Hashashins’ deception foreshadows the real-world deception Tegana employs against Marco Polo and the travelers."
Doctor confronts Tegana with Barbara’s handkerchief"The theme of misplaced trust (exemplified by Polo's blind faith in Tegana and Ping-Cho's in Susan) continues when Susan accidentally reveals secret knowledge to Tegana who is eavesdropping."
Susan reveals TARDIS key location to Tegana"Ping-Cho's storytelling about the Hashashin legend (Episode 16) parallels her later fear of abandonment and eavesdropping on Susan (Episode 17), where the theme of deception and hidden dangers (central to the Hashashin story) manifests in the travelers' own community."
Susan and Ping-Cho plot Tegana’s exposureThemes This Exemplifies
Thematic resonance and meaning
Key Dialogue
"PING-CHO: 'Gracious maidens, gentle lords, pray attend me while I tell my tale of Ala-eddin, the Old Man of the Mountains, who by devious schemes, evil designs and foul murders ruled the land. No host of arms, no vast array of banners served this wicked lord. They were but few, ruthless, reckless men who obeyed his cruel commands. Thus did he persuade them. Promising paradise, he gave his followers a potent draught and whilst they slept transported them to a vale where streams of milk and honey, wine and water, flowed. Here were gardens and flowers of every hue and essence. Here, too Golden pavilions outshone the sun and even the stars of heaven envied the bejewelled interiors strewn with incomparable silks, tapestries, and treasures. Hand-maidens, dulcet-voiced, soft of face, attended them, and thus bemused did they dwell in this man-made paradise until Ala-eddin intent upon some evil deed, proffered again the hashish draught and brought them sleeping to his castle. What lord, are we cast out of paradise? Awakening, they cried. Not so. Go abroad, seek out my enemies and strike them down. But care not for your lives. Paradise is eternal.'"
"SUSAN: 'Ping-Cho, is the lair of Ala-eddin near here?', PING-CHO: 'No, Susan. It was on a mountain called Mount Alumet in Persia.', POLO: 'So he did, Susan. Some of Ala-eddin's followers lived near here, in the cave of Five Hundred Eyes.'"
"IAN: 'Charming, Ping-Cho, charming. Susan, do you know that we use the word Hashashin in English today?', SUSAN: 'No.', IAN: 'Yes. Assassins.'"