The Daleks' First Massacre: Peace Shattered, Exile Forced
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
The Doctor encounters celebrating Thals who thank him for bringing peace, but their celebration is cut short by the arrival of the Daleks, who immediately begin exterminating them.
Bettan witnesses the Daleks' attack, prompting the Doctor to urge her to hide and then decides they must escape the Thal dome, seeking a way out into the wastelands.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Urgent and alarmed, with a deep sense of guilt and moral conflict over the Daleks' creation and the failure to prevent their rise.
The Doctor, having removed his Thal protective suit and adjusted his scarf, is caught in the transition from celebration to chaos as the Daleks attack. He immediately shifts into a protective and directive role, urging Bettan to flee and leading her toward the wastelands. His actions are driven by urgency and a deep sense of responsibility for the unfolding tragedy, reflecting his moral conflict over the Daleks' creation.
- • Ensure Bettan's survival by guiding her to safety in the wastelands.
- • Avoid direct confrontation with the Daleks to preserve his own life and continue his mission to stop them.
- • The Daleks must be stopped at all costs to prevent their genocidal campaign.
- • Diplomacy and negotiation are no longer viable options; survival and resistance are the only paths forward.
Triumphant and ruthless, reveling in the Daleks' success and the abandonment of his own race, driven by an unyielding desire for power and dominance.
Davros, observing the destruction of the Kaled dome, declares the Daleks as the sole focus of all future research, abandoning his own dying race. His triumphant and ruthless demeanor underscores his commitment to the Daleks' supremacy and his willingness to sacrifice everything—including his own people—for their dominance. This moment solidifies his role as the architect of the Daleks' rise and the enemy of all life on Skaro.
- • Ensure the Daleks become the sole focus of all research and development, abandoning all other projects.
- • Solidify the Daleks' dominance on Skaro and beyond, eliminating any opposition.
- • The Daleks are the ultimate weapon and the key to universal supremacy.
- • Sacrificing the Kaleds is a necessary step to ensure the Daleks' success and his own legacy.
Terrified and disoriented, but rapidly shifting to a state of determined survival and nascent resistance against the Daleks.
Bettan is initially caught off guard by the Daleks' attack, her confusion and terror evident as she questions the Doctor about the creatures. She quickly transitions into a state of survival mode, following the Doctor's lead as they flee the Thal dome. Her actions reflect a mix of fear, determination, and a growing resolve to resist the Daleks, marking the birth of her role as a leader in the Thal resistance.
- • Survive the Dalek attack by fleeing the Thal dome with the Doctor.
- • Understand the nature of the Daleks and their threat to her people.
- • The Doctor's warnings about Davros and the Daleks were accurate, and her people are in grave danger.
- • Resistance and survival are now the only options for the Thals.
Initially joyful and relieved, rapidly shifting to sheer terror and despair as they are massacred by the Daleks, with survivors experiencing profound trauma and a sense of hopelessness.
The Thals, initially celebrating their victory over the Kaleds, are caught completely off guard by the Daleks' attack. Their joy turns to terror as the Daleks open fire, slaughtering them without mercy. The few who survive are forced to flee into the wastelands, marking the end of their civilization and the beginning of their exile. Their fate serves as a stark reminder of the Daleks' genocidal nature and the fragility of peace on Skaro.
- • Survive the Dalek attack by fleeing the dome.
- • Reunite with any remaining Thal survivors in the wastelands.
- • Their victory over the Kaleds was a false hope, and the Daleks represent a far greater threat.
- • Their only chance for survival lies in fleeing and finding refuge in the wastelands.
None (emotionless, driven solely by their programming and Davros' commands).
The Daleks, now fully operational, launch a surprise attack on the Thal dome, slaughtering the celebrating Thals with their extermination guns. Their relentless 'Exterminate!' cries echo through the corridors as they trundle past the Doctor and Bettan, embodying their genocidal nature and absolute lack of mercy. Their actions mark the beginning of their campaign to dominate Skaro and beyond.
- • Eliminate all non-Dalek life in the Thal dome as part of their genocidal mission.
- • Establish dominance and fear among the remaining Thals and other potential threats.
- • All non-Dalek life is inferior and must be exterminated.
- • Their purpose is to serve Davros and enforce his vision of universal supremacy.
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The Thal guard's protective suit, worn by the Doctor earlier in the scene, is removed as he prepares to flee the dome. This suit, designed to shield against Skaro's toxic environment, is now rendered useless against the Daleks' advanced weaponry. Its removal signifies the Doctor's shift from a disguised observer to an active participant in the unfolding crisis, prioritizing mobility and survival over protection from the planet's hazards.
The Doctor's scarf, a practical yet symbolic item, is adjusted around his neck as the Daleks attack. It serves as a reminder of his identity and purpose, grounding him amid the chaos. The scarf clings to him as he urges Bettan to flee, symbolizing his role as a protector and his connection to his own time and mission. Its presence underscores the contrast between the Doctor's humanity and the Daleks' mechanical brutality.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The wastelands, a treacherous and unforgiving expanse between Thal and Kaled territories, become the only refuge for the surviving Thals and the Doctor as they flee the Dalek attack. This desolate landscape, filled with rubble and toxic winds, tests the survivors' endurance and resolve. It serves as a stark contrast to the relative safety of the Thal dome, forcing them to confront the harsh realities of their new existence as exiles and resistance fighters.
The Kaled dome ruins, a smoldering shell of what was once the Kaleds' last stronghold, serve as a backdrop for Davros' declaration of the Daleks' supremacy. The destruction of the dome symbolizes the end of the Kaled race and the beginning of the Daleks' dominance. Davros stands amid the ruins, his triumphant and ruthless demeanor underscoring his commitment to the Daleks' future and his willingness to abandon his own people for their success.
The Thal dome, once a symbol of hope and celebration for the Thals, becomes a battleground as the Daleks launch their surprise attack. The corridors, filled with the sounds of joy and relief just moments before, are now echoing with the chilling cries of 'Exterminate!' and the screams of the dying. The dome's fall marks the end of the Thals' civilization and the beginning of their exile into the wastelands, transforming a place of sanctuary into a graveyard.
Organizations Involved
Institutional presence and influence
The Daleks, as an organization, launch their first major offensive against the Thals, slaughtering them without mercy in the Thal dome. This event marks the beginning of their genocidal campaign and their rise as the dominant force on Skaro. Davros' declaration of the Daleks as the sole focus of all future research solidifies their role as the new rulers of Skaro, with absolute authority and a mandate to exterminate all non-Dalek life.
The Kaleds, as an organization, are effectively abandoned by Davros as he declares the Daleks the sole focus of all future research. Their dome is destroyed, and their people are left to die, marking the end of their civilization and the beginning of the Daleks' dominance. The Kaleds' fate serves as a warning of Davros' ruthlessness and the Daleks' genocidal nature, with their extinction paving the way for the Daleks' rise.
The Thals, as an organization, are decimated by the Daleks' surprise attack on their dome. Their celebration of victory over the Kaleds is cut short, and their civilization is reduced to a handful of survivors fleeing into the wastelands. This event marks the end of the Thals as a cohesive society and the beginning of their exile and resistance against the Daleks. Their fate serves as a warning of the Daleks' genocidal nature and the fragility of peace on Skaro.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
"The Daleks' readiness leads directly to their attack on the celebrating Thals, shattering the illusion of peace."
"The Daleks' readiness leads directly to their attack on the celebrating Thals, shattering the illusion of peace."
"The Daleks' readiness leads directly to their attack on the celebrating Thals, shattering the illusion of peace."
"The celebration cut short leads directly to the need for escape."
"The Daleks' brutal attack is thematically paralleled by Davros's declaration of the Daleks as the sole focus, underlining Davros's ruthless ambition."
"Escaping the Thal leads to the Doctor explaining the Daleks merciless nature."
"The celebration cut short leads directly to the need for escape."
"The Daleks' brutal attack is thematically paralleled by Davros's declaration of the Daleks as the sole focus, underlining Davros's ruthless ambition."
Key Dialogue
"THAL: (The happy group goes round a corner and meets -) Peace! Thank you!"
"DALEK: (The Thals die. The Doctor hears the sounds and meets Bettan running away.) Exterminate. Exterminate!"
"DOCTOR: (The Daleks trundle past.) Keep back. Get out of sight."
"DOCTOR: We've got to get out of the Thal dome."
"BETTAN: Are those the Daleks?"
"DOCTOR: (Bettan nods.) Out into the wastelands. Do you know a way?"
"DOCTOR: Good. Yes, they are the Daleks. Come on, lead the way."
"DAVROS: (Meanwhile, the smoking shell of the Kaled dome falls in on itself.) The beginning, only the beginning. From this moment, all other research must cease. Absolute priority is to be given to the building of my Dalek force. Nothing, absolutely nothing, must delay this glorious project!"