Alydon reveals Thal suffering and Dalek deception
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Alydon urges Susan to question the Daleks' motives for wanting the drugs and offers her an additional supply, solidifying her trust in him. He identifies himself as Alydon of the Thal race, reinforcing the Daleks' previous statements about mutations.
Alydon offers Susan his cloak to protect her from the cold. They discuss the Thals being survivors of a final war and the dangers from radiation persists, with Alydon wondering iof the Daleks have seen them, and if they call the Thals mutations, what does that make the Daleks.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Urgent and calculated—his empathy for Susan is genuine, but his primary goal is securing the drugs (and potentially Susan’s cooperation) to save his own people, even if it means exploiting her desperation.
Alydon reveals himself as a Thal survivor, strategically exposing the Daleks' hypocrisy to undermine Susan’s trust in them. He frames the Thals as victims of Dalek aggression, using emotional appeals (e.g., 'We are the survivors of a final war') and practical offers (anti-radiation drugs, his insulating cloak) to forge an alliance. His urgency in accompanying Susan to the Dalek city wall suggests both protection and self-interest, as the Thals’ starvation drives their desperation. His cloak, a symbolic gesture, becomes a tool for manipulation as much as trust.
- • Gain Susan’s trust to secure the anti-radiation drugs for the starving Thals.
- • Position the Thals as moral victims to counter Dalek propaganda and justify alliance.
- • The Daleks are irredeemable oppressors who will exploit Susan’s group if given the chance.
- • Susan’s compassion for her friends can be leveraged to help the Thals survive.
Desperate hope tinged with fear—her trust in Alydon is born of necessity, not certainty, as she weighs the lives of her loved ones against the unknown threats of Skaro.
Susan steps out of the TARDIS into the petrified forest, her initial fear and confusion giving way to cautious engagement as she realizes Alydon is not a Dalek but a Thal. She reveals her mission—to retrieve drugs for her imprisoned grandfather (the Doctor) and friends (Ian and Barbara)—and her growing distrust of the Daleks. Her acceptance of Alydon’s cloak and his offer to accompany her marks a turning point, as she shifts from isolation to fragile alliance, driven by desperation and empathy for the Thals' plight.
- • Secure the anti-radiation drugs to save her grandfather and friends from radiation sickness.
- • Navigate the moral ambiguity of trusting the Thals while distrusting the Daleks.
- • The Daleks are deceptive and cannot be trusted, as Alydon implies.
- • The Thals, though desperate, may be the only path to survival for her group.
Not directly observable, but implied to be coldly calculating—Susan’s growing distrust suggests they are seen as inhuman and untrustworthy.
The Daleks are referenced indirectly as the captors of Susan’s group and the antagonists demanding the drugs. Alydon’s revelations frame them as deceptive and hypocritical, exploiting Susan’s distrust to turn her against them. Their absence in this scene is telling—they operate through manipulation (holding prisoners, demanding drugs) rather than direct confrontation, reinforcing their role as shadowy, controlling forces.
- • Obtain the anti-radiation drugs from Susan to ensure their own survival.
- • Maintain control over Susan’s group by exploiting their desperation.
- • All other lifeforms (including Thals and humans) are inferior and expendable.
- • Survival justifies any means, including deception and captivity.
Desperate and hopeful—their survival depends on Susan’s trust and the drugs she can secure.
The Thals are represented through Alydon, who frames them as victims of Dalek aggression, starving and desperate for survival. Their plight is used to justify their alliance with Susan, as Alydon leverages her empathy to secure her cooperation. The Thals’ absence in the scene reinforces their vulnerability—they are not present to defend themselves, relying on Alydon as their spokesman.
- • Secure the anti-radiation drugs to survive the radiation sickness.
- • Form an alliance with Susan to counter the Daleks’ threat.
- • The Daleks are their enemies and cannot be trusted.
- • Susan’s compassion can be leveraged to help them survive.
Ian is referenced as one of the imprisoned companions suffering from radiation sickness, alongside Barbara and the Doctor. His capture …
The Doctor is mentioned as one of the imprisoned companions suffering from radiation sickness, motivating Susan’s urgency. His absence in …
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The TARDIS serves as Susan’s sanctuary and point of departure in this scene. She steps out of it into the petrified forest, marking the transition from safety to danger. Its presence implies that she could retreat to it if threatened, but her decision to engage with Alydon and venture toward the Dalek city wall shows her commitment to her mission. The TARDIS is not directly interacted with in this event, but its role as a symbol of home and escape looms over Susan’s choices, reinforcing the stakes of her actions.
The anti-radiation drugs are the central bargaining chip in this scene, symbolizing both survival and manipulation. Alydon reveals that he intentionally left the drugs for Susan earlier, framing them as a gift to build trust. His offer of a 'further supply' and his insistence that she hide them underscores their value—not just as a cure for her friends’ radiation sickness, but as a potential leverage point for the Daleks. The drugs become a tangible representation of the moral dilemma Susan faces: trust the Thals (and risk Dalek retaliation) or refuse their help (and risk her friends’ lives). Their possession shifts from accidental discovery to a calculated exchange, embedding them in the power dynamics of Skaro.
The TARDIS serves as Susan’s sanctuary and point of departure in this scene. She steps out of it into the petrified forest, marking the transition from safety to danger. Its presence implies that she could retreat to it if threatened, but her decision to engage with Alydon and venture toward the Dalek city wall shows her commitment to her mission. The TARDIS is not directly interacted with in this event, but its role as a symbol of home and escape looms over Susan’s choices, reinforcing the stakes of her actions.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The outer wall of the Dalek city is the looming destination of Susan and Alydon’s journey, symbolizing the boundary between freedom and captivity. It represents the Daleks’ institutional power—a barrier that Susan must navigate to rescue her friends, but also a reminder of their control over Skaro. The wall’s stark, unyielding presence underscores the desperation of Susan’s mission, as she must rely on Alydon’s guidance to approach it safely. Its role in the event is both practical (a physical obstacle) and symbolic (a representation of the Daleks’ dominance and the moral choices Susan must make).
The petrified forest serves as a liminal space between the Thals’ refuge and the Daleks’ domain, embodying the tension between survival and moral ambiguity. Its eerie, silent atmosphere—marked by towering, fossilized trees—amplifies the sense of isolation and desperation that both Susan and Alydon feel. The forest is a neutral ground where trust must be built, but also a place of hidden dangers, as Alydon’s initial fright of Susan suggests. It functions as a threshold: Susan must cross it to reach the Dalek city wall, symbolizing her transition from passive victim to active participant in Skaro’s conflicts. The forest’s oppressive stillness mirrors the moral weight of Susan’s choices.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Thals are represented through Alydon, who frames them as victims of Dalek aggression, starving and desperate for survival. Their plight is used to justify their alliance with Susan, as Alydon leverages her empathy to secure her cooperation. The Thals’ absence in the scene reinforces their vulnerability—they are not present to defend themselves, relying on Alydon as their spokesman. Their desperation drives their strategic use of the drugs and Alydon’s cloak as tools to build trust, but also hints at their potential for betrayal if their needs are not met.
The Daleks are the unseen but dominant force in this scene, their influence felt through their captivity of Susan’s group and their demand for the anti-radiation drugs. Alydon’s revelations frame them as deceptive and hypocritical, exploiting Susan’s distrust to turn her against them. Their absence in the scene is strategic—they operate through manipulation (holding prisoners, demanding resources) rather than direct confrontation, reinforcing their role as shadowy, controlling forces. The Daleks’ institutional power is implied through the wall of their city and the radiation sickness of Susan’s friends, both of which serve as tools of control.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
Within this episode
"Alydon offering the cloak follows directly from their discussion about the Thals being survivors of a final war and the persistent dangers from radiation. The cloak represents a tangible symbol of trust and protection."
Susan learns Thals are Dalek survivors"Susan initially expresses fear towards Alydon but gradually builds trust as he offers help and information. This trust is solidified when Alydon vouches for the Thals and explains their situation to Susan."
Susan learns Thals are Dalek survivors"Alydon's cloak, initially given to protect Susan from the cold and radiation, is later identified by Ian as an insulating material that can disrupt the Daleks' power source, turning it from a symbol of protection to a key element in the prisoners' escape plan. This spans multiple scenes and acts, from the forest encounter to the formulation of the escape plan inside the detention cell."
Prisoners deduce Dalek power vulnerability"Alydon's cloak provides the means for disabling the Dalek in the prison cell. This insulating properties of the cloak that were discussed between Alydon and Susan directly allow for the disabling of the dalek by disrupting its electrical connection."
Prisoners Disable Dalek in Coordinated EscapeAcross episodes
"The Daleks' confirmation that the Doctor is dying and others are ill (Episode 6) calls back to Alydon's revelation that the Thals' mutations are due to Dalek war radiation (Episode 7), reinforcing the Daleks' role as the source of suffering."
Daleks confirm Susan’s disappearance"The Daleks' plan to use Susan as bait (from Episode 6) directly leads to her encounter with Alydon and the Thals in Episode 7, where she learns the truth about their suffering and the Daleks' deception."
Daleks reveal their betrayal plan"Ian's public exposure of the Doctor's lie about the fluid link in Episode 6 is mirrored in Episode 7 when Susan stands by her own lie about being able to pilot the TARDIS (lock manipulation knowledge), showing the group's increasing willingness to deceive to protect each other."
Ian Exposes the Doctor’s Lie"The Daleks' plan to exploit Susan's solo mission as bait for the Thals escalates into a direct confrontation between Susan and a Thal survivor, Alydon, who reveals the Daleks' deception and the Thals' true suffering."
Daleks reveal their betrayal plan"The Daleks' use of paralyzing rays to enforce control in Episode 6 mirrors their use of psychological manipulation to enforce control over the Thals in Episode 7, both showcasing their technologically-enhanced brutality."
Daleks paralyze Ian to enforce control"The act of proving one's worth through practical skill (fire-making) parallels the Thals' moral proof of their humanity through survival and resilience in 'The Escape'. Both episodes judge characters and groups by their ability to provide or sustain life."
Fire Proves Their Worth to Za"The Daleks' confirmation that the Doctor is dying in Episode 6 runs THEMATICALLY PARALLEL to Alydon's explanation in Episode 7 that the Thals are suffering due to radiation's lingering effects. Both highlight the Daleks' role as unintentional (or deliberate) purveyors of death and decay."
Daleks confirm Susan’s disappearance"Alydon's accusation in Episode 7 ('If they call us mutations, what must they be like?') is echoed in Episode 9 when the Daleks acknowledge their dependency on radiation as a 'poison' to others, reinforcing their monstrous nature."
Daleks confirm radiation dependency"Alydon's revelation of Thal suffering in Episode 7 directly causes the group's observation of Thal movement in Episode 8, establishing the Thals' active role in seeking food despite the Daleks' deceptive traps."
Thals spotted in Dalek trap"Alydon's exposure of the Daleks' hypocrisy and their deceptive tactics (calling Thals 'mutations' while being radiation-dependent themselves) sets up the immediate crisis in Episode 9 where the Daleks actively sabotage the TARDIS by stealing the fluid link, reinforcing their ruthless methods."
Ian reveals the fluid link theft"Susan's initial encounter with Alydon and her exposure of Thal suffering (Episode 7) directly fuels the group's motivation to help the Thals in Episode 8, driving their escape attempts and deception of the Daleks."
Ian bluffs past Dalek guard"Alydon's initial encounter with Susan establishes his cautious pragmatism in dealing with the Daleks, setting up his later confrontation with Temmosus over trust in the same Daleks."
Alydon and Temmosus clash over Dalek trust"Alydon’s challenge to Dalek authority and Susan’s acceptance of Thal trustworthiness (Episode 7) influence Barbara’s later suspicions of Tegana and her urgency to warn Ian, reflecting continuity in human trust and skepticism frameworks."
Barbara’s Unheeded Warning to Ian"Alydon's revelation that the Daleks' radiation dependence stems from war crimes escalates into the Daleks' own confirmation in Episode 9 that radiation is essential for their survival, showing the Daleks' hypocrisy and inhumanity as their weakness is exposed."
Daleks confirm radiation dependencyPart of Larger Arcs
Key Dialogue
"SUSAN: Who are you? What do you want?"
"ALYDON: I am Alydon of the Thal race. I shall go with you through the forest to the outer wall of the city, if you will allow me."
"ALYDON: We are the survivors of a final war. But the radiation still persists and that is why your friends are ill. I wonder if the Daleks have seen us."
"ALYDON: If they call us mutations, what must they be like?"