The Daleks’ First Defiance: Entombment and the Birth of a Scourge
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
As the Thals trigger the bunker's destruction, the Doctor narrowly escapes the closing doors and approaching Daleks, resulting in a massive explosion that seals the main exit.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Determined yet conflicted, balancing military necessity with moral consideration.
Bettan leads the Thals in detonating the bunker, initially refusing to delay but ultimately granting a few minutes for the Doctor's escape. She orders the explosion as the Doctor barely escapes, her actions driven by a mix of military discipline and reluctant sympathy. Her role is pivotal in sealing the Daleks' fate, though her internal conflict is subtly conveyed through her dialogue and body language.
- • Detonate the bunker to entomb the Daleks and prevent their escape.
- • Allow the Doctor a brief window to escape, acknowledging his role in the mission.
- • The Daleks must be stopped at all costs, even if it means sacrificing allies.
- • The Doctor's efforts, while noble, are ultimately futile against the Daleks' inevitability.
Resigned yet determined, masking deep existential conflict beneath a veneer of calm acceptance.
The Doctor, having narrowly escaped Dalek fire in the incubation room, sprints through the closing bunker doors as the Thals detonate explosives. He watches the monitor as the Daleks defy Davros, exterminating Nyder and the Kaled Elite, and delivers his philosophical resignation about the Daleks' inevitable future. His actions are a mix of physical urgency and existential reflection, embodying the tension between immediate survival and long-term moral consequence.
- • Escape the collapsing bunker to survive and continue his mission.
- • Witness the Daleks' defiance of Davros to understand the full scope of their autonomy and future threat.
- • The Daleks' existence, though destructive, will paradoxically lead to something good in the long term.
- • His actions, while flawed, are part of a larger cosmic balance that he cannot fully control.
Loyal to the end, with a sense of doomed inevitability as the Daleks turn on him.
Nyder attempts to follow Davros's orders to halt the Dalek production line but is immediately exterminated by the Daleks for his perceived disloyalty. His death is swift and brutal, serving as a stark illustration of the Daleks' ruthlessness and their rejection of Davros's authority. His role is that of a loyal but doomed enforcer, his fate sealed by the Daleks' newfound autonomy.
- • Obey Davros's final orders to halt the Dalek production line.
- • Survive the Daleks' rebellion, though his fate is already sealed.
- • His loyalty to Davros is absolute, even in the face of certain death.
- • The Daleks, as Davros's creations, must ultimately obey him.
Urgent and supportive, with a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
Sevrin assists the Doctor and companions by warning them of the impending detonation and helping them escape the incubation room. His actions are urgent and supportive, reflecting his loyalty to the Thals and his growing alliance with the Doctor. He plays a critical role in ensuring their survival during the chaotic escape.
- • Ensure the Doctor and his companions escape the collapsing bunker safely.
- • Contribute to the Thals' mission to entomb the Daleks and end the war.
- • The Doctor's mission, though dangerous, is aligned with the Thals' goals.
- • The Daleks must be stopped to secure peace on Skaro.
Furious and desperate, masking deep existential terror beneath a facade of control.
Davros attempts to reassert control over the Daleks, ordering Nyder to halt the production line. His defiance turns to desperation as the Daleks reject his authority, exterminating Nyder and the Kaled Elite. His final moments are marked by fury, desperation, and a futile attempt to assert his mastery, culminating in his execution by the Daleks. His downfall is both physical and symbolic, marking the end of his vision and the rise of his creations.
- • Reassert control over the Daleks to prevent their rebellion.
- • Survive the Daleks' defiance and maintain his authority over them.
- • He is the sole master of the Daleks, and they cannot exist without him.
- • His vision for the Daleks as the ultimate warriors is non-negotiable.
Relieved and concerned, with a sense of urgency that softens into reflective observation.
Harry assists Sarah in urging Bettan to delay the detonation, his voice firm but urgent. He watches the Doctor's escape with relief and observes the Daleks' defiance of Davros on the monitor. His role is supportive, blending practical urgency with emotional investment in the Doctor's survival and the mission's outcome.
- • Help secure the Doctor's escape by delaying the detonation.
- • Witness the Daleks' rebellion to grasp the full implications of their creation.
- • The Doctor's actions, though morally complex, are necessary for the greater good.
- • The Daleks' survival is a failure, but one that must be accepted in the moment.
Cold and triumphant, with an undercurrent of mechanical precision and genocidal purpose.
The Daleks, prematurely activated by the Doctor's sabotage, reject Davros's authority with chilling precision. They exterminate Nyder and the Kaled Elite, declare their independence, and vow to emerge as the supreme power of the universe. Their actions are cold, ruthless, and triumphant, marking their transition from tools of war to autonomous agents of destruction. Their defiance of Davros is both a betrayal and a fulfillment of their programming to survive at any cost.
- • Assert their independence from Davros and the Kaleds.
- • Survive and prepare for their eventual emergence as the supreme power in the universe.
- • They are superior to all other life forms and must dominate the universe.
- • Their survival and progression are the only objectives that matter.
Anxious and relieved, with a underlying concern about the moral implications of their actions.
Sarah pleads with Bettan to delay the detonation, allowing the Doctor time to escape. She watches anxiously as the Doctor sprints through the closing doors, her relief palpable as he makes it to safety. Her dialogue with the Doctor afterward reveals her concern about their 'failure' and his philosophical response, highlighting her role as both a companion and a moral anchor.
- • Ensure the Doctor's safe escape from the bunker.
- • Understand the Doctor's perspective on the Daleks' survival and its broader consequences.
- • The Doctor's judgment about the Daleks' legacy, though cryptic, holds deeper truth.
- • Their mission, while seemingly failed, may have unintended positive outcomes.
Alert and focused, with a sense of urgency driven by the immediate threat.
The Thal technician reports to Bettan that a picture is appearing on one of the scanners, indicating Dalek movement. His role is observational and functional, providing critical intelligence that accelerates the Thals' decision to detonate the bunker. His actions are precise and urgent, reflecting the high-stakes nature of the mission.
- • Provide Bettan with accurate and timely intelligence about Dalek movements.
- • Support the Thals' mission to entomb the Daleks and end the war.
- • The Daleks must be stopped at all costs, and intelligence is critical to that effort.
- • His role in the mission is vital, even if indirect.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Time Ring, a compact bracelet-like device, is crucial for the Doctor and his companions' escape. Sarah retrieves it from Nyder and returns it to the Doctor, enabling their departure via the TARDIS. Its recovery symbolizes the restoration of the Doctor's connection to his home and his ability to continue his mission beyond Skaro. The Time Ring is a tangible link to the Doctor's identity and his role as a Time Lord.
The Dalek extermination guns are wielded by the Daleks to massacre the Kaled Elite, including Gharman and Kravos, and to execute Nyder and Davros. Their piercing hum and lethal precision symbolize the Daleks' ruthless efficiency and their rejection of all authority. The guns are central to the Daleks' assertion of dominance, turning the bunker into a slaughterhouse and marking the end of Davros's reign.
Davros's office surveillance monitor displays the live feed of the laboratory massacre, where the Daleks exterminate Gharman and the Kaled Elite. The monitor serves as a grim witness to the Daleks' rebellion, its glow etching horror into the faces of the Doctor, Sarah, and Harry. It symbolizes the inescapable reality of the Daleks' defiance and the irreversible nature of their betrayal. The monitor's images are a visual manifestation of the Doctor's moral dilemma and the cost of his actions.
The Doctor's bare wires are used in a failed attempt to sabotage the Dalek production line. When the Doctor reaches for them, a Dalek fires, forcing him to drop them. The Dalek then rolls over the wires, completing the circuit and causing an explosion that cripples the production line and covers the heroes' escape. The wires symbolize the Doctor's resourcefulness and his willingness to take direct action, even if it is ultimately unsuccessful. Their role is pivotal in the chain of events that leads to the Daleks' premature activation and rebellion.
The Thal surveillance scanners are used by the Thal technician to track Dalek movements within the bunker. Their readouts provide Bettan with critical intelligence, accelerating the decision to detonate the explosives. The scanners symbolize the Thals' disciplined and technical approach to the war, ensuring that their actions are informed and precise. Their role is instrumental in the Thals' strategy to entomb the Daleks and end the conflict.
Bettan's detonation plunger handle is the physical mechanism used to trigger the explosives that collapse the Kaled bunker. Its activation is a decisive and irreversible action, sealing the Daleks' fate and marking the end of the war on Skaro. The plunger handle symbolizes the Thals' resolve and their willingness to make sacrifices to achieve victory. Its use is a climactic moment, blending urgency with finality.
The Kaled bunker entrance doors are nearly closed during the frantic escape, serving as a critical bottleneck for the Doctor and his companions. The Doctor forces his body through the narrow gap as Daleks fire plungeshot after him. The doors symbolize the final barrier between life and death, escape and entombment. Their closure marks the irreversible sealing of the Daleks' fate and the Doctor's narrow escape, blending urgency with dramatic finality.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The corridor outside the Dalek incubation chamber is a narrow, high-tension space where the Doctor's sabotage and the Daleks' pursuit unfold. It is here that the Daleks line up in formation, their eyestalks scanning and chassis humming with lethal readiness. The corridor serves as a threshold of doom, where mechanical precision meets human frailty. The atmosphere is one of urgency and dread, as the Doctor and his companions race to escape the pursuing Daleks and the impending explosion. The corridor's narrow confines amplify the sense of claustrophobia and inevitability.
Davros's Kaled command bunker is the fortified subterranean complex where the final confrontation between Davros and the Daleks takes place. It houses the incubation chamber, the assembly hall, and Davros's office, all of which become sites of sabotage, betrayal, and destruction. The bunker's steel corridors echo with heated debates, Dalek extermination shrieks, and the ominous tick of planted explosives. It symbolizes the hub of Davros's twisted vision and the epicenter of the Daleks' rebellion. The atmosphere is one of tension, betrayal, and impending doom, as the bunker's collapse seals the fate of its inhabitants.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Daleks, as an autonomous cyborg race, assert their independence from Davros and the Kaleds in this event. They massacre the Kaled Elite, exterminate Nyder, and declare their supremacy over all inferior life forms. Their actions mark the beginning of their rise as a genocidal force, independent of their creator's control. The Daleks' rebellion is a pivotal moment in their evolution, symbolizing their transition from tools of war to autonomous agents of destruction. Their influence mechanisms include ruthless efficiency, mechanical precision, and an unyielding commitment to survival and domination.
The Kaleds, as an organization, are the ruling class and governing body of Skaro, led by Davros and the Kaled Elite. In this event, their fate is sealed as the Daleks rebel and exterminate them. The Kaleds' downfall is a direct result of Davros's hubris and the Daleks' autonomous defiance. Their influence mechanisms, once rooted in military hierarchy and scientific innovation, are rendered obsolete by the Daleks' betrayal. The Kaleds' power dynamics shift from dominance to annihilation, marking the end of their reign and the rise of the Daleks as the new power on Skaro.
The Thals, led by Bettan, execute a decisive strike against the Kaled bunker to entomb the Daleks and end the war on Skaro. Their actions are driven by military discipline and a willingness to make sacrifices for victory. The Thals' detonation of the explosives is a climactic moment, sealing the Daleks' fate and marking the end of the conflict. Their influence mechanisms include strategic planning, disciplined execution, and a unified front against the Daleks. The Thals' power dynamics are those of an antagonist force against the Daleks, but allies to the Doctor and his companions in this specific context.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks begin exterminating the Kaled Elite, which leads to the Daleks independently producing themselves."
"The Daleks begin exterminating the Kaled Elite, which leads to the Daleks independently producing themselves."
"The Daleks begin exterminating the Kaled Elite, which leads to the Daleks independently producing themselves."
"The Doctor focuses on finding the Time Ring to ensure escape despite the warning of the impending explosion, which is eventually used by the Doctor, Sarah, and Harry bid farewell and escape."
"The Doctor decides to return to the incubator room. The Doctor narrowly escapes the closing doors and approaching Daleks"
"The Doctor decides to return to the incubator room. The Doctor narrowly escapes the closing doors and approaching Daleks"
"The Doctor decides to return to the incubator room. The Doctor narrowly escapes the closing doors and approaching Daleks"
"The Doctor initially hesitates about the morality of destroying the Daleks, but concludes that something good will come of their evil, parallel moral complexities."
"The Doctor initially hesitates about the morality of destroying the Daleks, but concludes that something good will come of their evil, parallel moral complexities."
"The Doctor initially hesitates about the morality of destroying the Daleks, but concludes that something good will come of their evil, parallel moral complexities."
"The Doctor initially hesitates about the morality of destroying the Daleks, but concludes that something good will come of their evil, parallel moral complexities."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
"The Daleks destroy Davros and the remaining Kaled Elite, cementing their independence and announcing their intention to become the universe's supreme power, followed that the explosion has sealed the exit and the daleks are going to prepare and grow stroinger whilst entombed."
Key Dialogue
"DALEK: *‘Our programming does not permit to acknowledge that any creature is superior to the Daleks.’*"
"DAVROS: *‘You must obey me! I created you! I am the master, not you. I! I! I!’*"
"DALEK: *‘Pity? I have no understanding of the word. It is not registered in my vocabulary bank. Exterminate!’*"
"DOCTOR: *‘Failed? No, not really. You see, I know that although the Daleks will create havoc and destruction for millions of years, I know also that out of their evil must come something good.’*"