Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 16, Episode 24 - The Armageddon Factor: Part Four - full transcript
The Doctor sends Shapp and Merak back to Atrios to try and halt the Marshal's attack, while he and Romana attempt to disable Mentalis.
Faster!
Faster!
We have a problem.
Well, several problems.
Mentalis knows,
but won't tell about Astra.
Refuses us access to the memory banks,
but tells us that
the Marshal is on his way here
to blow this place to smithereens!
But won't it react?
Oh, yes.
Mentalis is convinced it's invincible.
It's been programmed
not to accept defeat.
-Then it'll stop him.
-It'll counterattack.
Unfortunately, it's been programmed
that the war is over.
So it can't attack. It thinks it's won.
That's the trouble with machines.
So, what will happen?
Well, it will self destruct. I think
''obliteration'' was the term it used.
-So, if the Marshal attacks...
-Which he will!
There will be a rather large...bang.
Big enough to blow up Zeos,
take Atrios with it
and make certain the whole thing
ends in a sort of draw.
That's the way
these military minds work.
The Armageddon factor.
Target located, sir.
Excellent. Prepare to attack.
Has it ever occurred to you, Shapp,
that you and the Marshal and this thing
are in an arena playing out a game
for some evil, alien spectator?
-The third force?
-Yes, I think I've met him.
Calls himself the Shadow.
Astra. Princess Astra.
Do you hear me?
Yes, I hear you.
Good.
There are certain duties
you must perform.
Yes.
You will help me in my quest.
You understand?
Yes.
Astra, you are to meet your lover.
Smile.
What are you going to do?
Well, we're going to try and neutralize
and dismantle Mentalis here.
It's absolutely essential that
while I'm fiddling
it doesn't have to be distracted
by an attack from the Marshal.
Now, listen, I want you two to go back
to Atrios via the transmat.
You, Shapp, are to contact the Marshal.
Tell him he's won.
Tell him the war's over.
Tell him anything you like,
but stop him taking any further action.
-And if I can't?
-Well, then, Mentalis...
If the Marshal refuses to listen?
-Well, then, Mentalis...
-If he insists on going ahead?
Well, then, Mentalis will go into its
Armageddon sequence,
we'll be bits of dust
flying around the cosmos,
including the Marshal.
You might even tell him that.
What are you waiting for?
What about Astra?
Merak, don't worry about Astra.
We'll find her.
Your duty lies with your patients.
You must go back to Atrios with Shapp.
Oh, very well.
Merak.
What are you doing, Merak? Come on!
Ah.
Merak!
Astra?
Astra, it's me, Merak!
Astra, where are you?
Astra!
Merak.
Astra!
Merak.
K9, are you sure this is all right?
Affirmative.
I mean, it doesn't feel
threatened or anything?
Negative. Proceed.
Doctor, do you think
it was the Shadow who built this?
Oh, more than likely. Yeah.
Well, since there don't seem to be any
Zeons on Zeos, if you know what I mean,
presumably, it's the Shadow
who's got the Princess.
More than likely. The question is where?
What about
between Atrios and Zeos?
Do you remember?
Romana, that's brilliant! Of course!
He's got a third planet all to himself.
-Right! All we have to do is find it!
-After I've stopped this.
-Well, if you can stop it!
-What?
-What have you done?
-I don't know! K9, what have I done?
You have triggered
primary alert function.
-Blast!
-Affirmative.
And now it's waiting to blow itself up.
If required, to resist attack.
Let's hope Shapp reaches the Marshal
before he does anything silly.
We're very vulnerable till that's done.
Yes, rather like sitting
inside a time bomb.
What's that, K9?
Well?
-Assimilating information!
-Sorry.
-Well?
-Hostile craft approaching.
What?
There! Zeos at last!
I shall crush it like a rotten egg!
Faster, man, faster!
The Marshal! Shapp must have missed him.
Entering self-destruct sequence.
In self-destruct sequence.
-It's going to blow itself up!
-Yes.
And us with it.
Unless!
Doctor, look out!
Arm all warheads.
Missiles armed and targeted, sir.
That was close.
How did they manage to miss?
Well, they weren't aiming at me.
They were aiming at that,
the control centre.
Like a scorpion
stinging itself to death,
as soon as it sensed
I was trying to interfere
with the sequence,
it destroyed its own control centre.
It's mindless now.
Clicking towards oblivion. How long, K9?
Damage renders data unavailable.
The TARDIS!
Come on, K9!
Within range, sir.
Go in closer. As close as you dare.
Here, take a look at this.
Ah, you put the five pieces together.
Good.
-Have you got the Tracer?
-Yes.
Lock it, lock it.
Now what?
Well, it was just an idea.
I thought if we had five-sixths of
the pieces, it might give us some power.
Obviously, Guardian technology
doesn't work that way.
-If only we had the sixth piece!
-Yeah.
-Or a sixth piece!
-What do you mean?
-What do you see there?
-A gap.
Exactly!
A gap the shape of the sixth piece.
Oh!
We know what it looks like.
We can make one.
Steady now.
Atrion Control to
Marshal. Marshal? Come in, Marshal!
This is Shapp. Imperative you abort.
Repeat. Imperative you abort mission.
-Turn that thing off!
-Sir.
Useless bureaucrats
trying to steal our thunder!
Closer.
Closer!
Prepare to strike!
Wait for it, man!
Wait for the order!
There we are.
Ah, what did you use?
-Chronodyne.
-Is that compatible?
Well, it's as compatible as anything
we've got!
Compatibility ratio, 74%.
Component, therefore,
unstable and liable to deteriorate.
Yes, and so are we if this doesn't work.
This should, in theory,
give us powers of balance and stasis.
We should be able to create
a neutral, timeless zone, for a while.
Now, how does it go?
Hang on, let me just...
-Lock it! Lock it!
-All right.
Fire!
-We've failed.
-Have we?
Fire!
Fire!
Fire!
Doctor, I've got it!
Fire!
Fire!
We did it!
Well, 99%.
Correction. 99.6%.
Even better!
We haven't stopped them dead.
We got them in a three-second time loop!
What?
I've stopped the universe.
Still, they'll never notice.
Just imagine, somewhere someone's
just slipped on a banana skin,
and he'll be wondering forever
when he's gonna hit the ground!
Doctor, why isn't it affecting us?
Oh, come on, Romana!
I mean, if it affected the operators,
no one would be able to use it!
Even the Guardians would think of that!
So, at the moment, we've got absolute
power over everything, everywhere.
Yes.
Yes, it's quite a feeling, isn't it?
Gods for an hour or two.
Negative.
Deterioration rate of chronodyne chip
is in direct proportion
to area affected.
Well, of course it is!
Just imagine the amount of power
required to stop the entire universe.
How long have we got, K9?
Insufficient information
for accurate prediction.
Probability, then.
Probability is for maximum 3.25 minutes.
-Three and a quarter minutes!
-Maximum. Now 3.13 minutes.
Hang on, if we've got so much power,
we ought to be able to localise it
in some way. That should help.
Yes. How do you set about
localising a time loop?
Well, if one has godlike powers,
one ought to be able to use them,
-oughtn't one?
-Eh?
Command it.
Oh, yes. Yeah. Step aside.
-I... Hey, I'd better get this right.
-Affirmative.
I command that the spatial temporal loop
be confined to the vicinity
of the Marshal's vessel,
the coordinates of which
are already known.
-There.
-And the Zeon computer room!
And the Zeon computer room!
Let it be done!
I thought I handled that rather well.
-All power corrupts, Doctor.
-Oh, come on!
It's only a three-second time loop.
-Negative. Time loop stretching.
-Already? How much?
0.3 milliseconds per second.
-And the chronodyne chip?
-Now deteriorating.
Yes, I thought you'd say that.
-I think we should move.
-Yes. Nothing lasts forever.
The Doctor has been forced
to use the Key to Time.
It is no longer in a place of safety.
You will lure the Doctor here
and help me gain access to the TARDIS.
-You understand?
-I understand.
Go with her.
Come on, quickly.
Remember, that time loop is stretching.
Doctor, come on!
The time loop is stretching!
Merak?
Merak, I'm here! Are you hurt?
My leg. It's twisted.
-What happened?
-You fell. I tried to save you, but...
-I thought you were...
-Can you stand?
-I think so.
-Here, let me help you.
Not very hopeful, is it?
Whoever built this
had a very twisted mind.
Oh!
Halt, who goes there? Identify.
K9, it's me, Merak.
Affirmative. You may enter.
Stop!
Identify second unit.
-What is it?
-It's called K9.
-It belongs to the Doctor.
-Affirmative.
Repeat. Identify second unit.
K9, this is Astra. Princess Astra.
The Doctor thinks that
she may be able to help him.
Hostile presence detected.
-Where?
-Hostiles approaching. Take cover.
Quick, hide!
What's this?
It belongs to the Doctor.
What's inside? I must see inside!
It's no use, Astra.
Only the Doctor and Romana can get in.
What's the matter?
It's the air in here.
Perhaps we should go back to Atrios.
No, we must go on!
We must find your friends!
Hostiles repulsed. Most satisfactory.
Who is there? Identify.
Galactic computer distress call
received. Please identify.
K9 answering computer distress call.
Please identify.
Please identify source of distress.
Doctor, I found her! This is Astra!
-She was captured by the Zeons.
-Was she, now?
How do you do? I'm delighted to see you.
I'm the Doctor. This is Romana.
-Hello.
-Merak's told me about you.
-So, you rescued her from the Zeons?
-I escaped.
-How did you manage that?
-Through a tunnel of light.
I was on my way to the transmat
when I heard her calling.
Then I fell and hurt myself.
I think one of the guards
who was after me took a shot at him.
Very likely. Very likely.
Where are they now?
Well, they were coming after us,
but K9 chased them away.
-Good. Good.
-I think Merak needs medical attention.
Yes. Look, Astra,
why don't you and Merak
go back to Atrios via the transmat?
-He'll show you the way.
-I'd feel safer with you.
Well, I dare say, but we've got
a few complicated things to do
and Merak does need attention.
I think the thing you should do
is go back
and show your people that you're free.
-He's right, Astra.
-Of course I'm right. Off you go, now.
-Hope to see you soon.
-Come on, this way.
-Odd.
-Very odd.
I think we should concentrate
on the Shadow and the third planet.
All right.
This is not Atrios.
Neither is this Zeos.
What is this place?
It's not far now. Just over there.
Oh, my leg!
You'll have to help me up, Astra.
I have more important work to do.
What do you mean?
I'd stay and watch you die,
but I haven't the time.
You're... You're not Astra!
You fool!
-K9? K9?
-He was on guard.
Yeah. Something must have happened.
Doctor!
What's that?
Doctor!
Help! They're after me! Doctor!
Yes, what is it? Shh. What is it?
Quick. Key?
-Doctor, quickly!
-All right. All right.
Where's Merak? Is he all right?
I got him into the transmat shaft,
but they were on me
before I could follow.
-He's safe, though.
-Good.
Doctor, the time loop.
It has stretched to about five seconds
by the look of it.
Yes. That gives us
about an hour of real time.
If it goes on stretching and if
the false piece lasts long enough!
Listen, I'll get a fix
on the third planet.
-It's a pretty little thing, isn't it?
-What is it?
It's the Key to Time.
-Are you all right, Astra?
-Yes, perfectly.
Well, now you've seen it,
does it trigger off any hidden memories?
No. It means nothing to me.
That's a pity.
I was hoping you'd be able to
tell us where the sixth piece is.
The sixth piece?
Yes, look.
We have the other five segments.
Now we're looking for
the sixth and final one.
Think, Astra.
Think.
I wouldn't touch it. It's hot.
-Got it!
-Good! Good!
Set the coordinates.
Let's get on our way.
Your friends have arrived.
We must greet them.
Affirmative, Master.
You fool, Doctor!
The Key to Time is mine!
Faster!
We have a problem.
Well, several problems.
Mentalis knows,
but won't tell about Astra.
Refuses us access to the memory banks,
but tells us that
the Marshal is on his way here
to blow this place to smithereens!
But won't it react?
Oh, yes.
Mentalis is convinced it's invincible.
It's been programmed
not to accept defeat.
-Then it'll stop him.
-It'll counterattack.
Unfortunately, it's been programmed
that the war is over.
So it can't attack. It thinks it's won.
That's the trouble with machines.
So, what will happen?
Well, it will self destruct. I think
''obliteration'' was the term it used.
-So, if the Marshal attacks...
-Which he will!
There will be a rather large...bang.
Big enough to blow up Zeos,
take Atrios with it
and make certain the whole thing
ends in a sort of draw.
That's the way
these military minds work.
The Armageddon factor.
Target located, sir.
Excellent. Prepare to attack.
Has it ever occurred to you, Shapp,
that you and the Marshal and this thing
are in an arena playing out a game
for some evil, alien spectator?
-The third force?
-Yes, I think I've met him.
Calls himself the Shadow.
Astra. Princess Astra.
Do you hear me?
Yes, I hear you.
Good.
There are certain duties
you must perform.
Yes.
You will help me in my quest.
You understand?
Yes.
Astra, you are to meet your lover.
Smile.
What are you going to do?
Well, we're going to try and neutralize
and dismantle Mentalis here.
It's absolutely essential that
while I'm fiddling
it doesn't have to be distracted
by an attack from the Marshal.
Now, listen, I want you two to go back
to Atrios via the transmat.
You, Shapp, are to contact the Marshal.
Tell him he's won.
Tell him the war's over.
Tell him anything you like,
but stop him taking any further action.
-And if I can't?
-Well, then, Mentalis...
If the Marshal refuses to listen?
-Well, then, Mentalis...
-If he insists on going ahead?
Well, then, Mentalis will go into its
Armageddon sequence,
we'll be bits of dust
flying around the cosmos,
including the Marshal.
You might even tell him that.
What are you waiting for?
What about Astra?
Merak, don't worry about Astra.
We'll find her.
Your duty lies with your patients.
You must go back to Atrios with Shapp.
Oh, very well.
Merak.
What are you doing, Merak? Come on!
Ah.
Merak!
Astra?
Astra, it's me, Merak!
Astra, where are you?
Astra!
Merak.
Astra!
Merak.
K9, are you sure this is all right?
Affirmative.
I mean, it doesn't feel
threatened or anything?
Negative. Proceed.
Doctor, do you think
it was the Shadow who built this?
Oh, more than likely. Yeah.
Well, since there don't seem to be any
Zeons on Zeos, if you know what I mean,
presumably, it's the Shadow
who's got the Princess.
More than likely. The question is where?
What about
between Atrios and Zeos?
Do you remember?
Romana, that's brilliant! Of course!
He's got a third planet all to himself.
-Right! All we have to do is find it!
-After I've stopped this.
-Well, if you can stop it!
-What?
-What have you done?
-I don't know! K9, what have I done?
You have triggered
primary alert function.
-Blast!
-Affirmative.
And now it's waiting to blow itself up.
If required, to resist attack.
Let's hope Shapp reaches the Marshal
before he does anything silly.
We're very vulnerable till that's done.
Yes, rather like sitting
inside a time bomb.
What's that, K9?
Well?
-Assimilating information!
-Sorry.
-Well?
-Hostile craft approaching.
What?
There! Zeos at last!
I shall crush it like a rotten egg!
Faster, man, faster!
The Marshal! Shapp must have missed him.
Entering self-destruct sequence.
In self-destruct sequence.
-It's going to blow itself up!
-Yes.
And us with it.
Unless!
Doctor, look out!
Arm all warheads.
Missiles armed and targeted, sir.
That was close.
How did they manage to miss?
Well, they weren't aiming at me.
They were aiming at that,
the control centre.
Like a scorpion
stinging itself to death,
as soon as it sensed
I was trying to interfere
with the sequence,
it destroyed its own control centre.
It's mindless now.
Clicking towards oblivion. How long, K9?
Damage renders data unavailable.
The TARDIS!
Come on, K9!
Within range, sir.
Go in closer. As close as you dare.
Here, take a look at this.
Ah, you put the five pieces together.
Good.
-Have you got the Tracer?
-Yes.
Lock it, lock it.
Now what?
Well, it was just an idea.
I thought if we had five-sixths of
the pieces, it might give us some power.
Obviously, Guardian technology
doesn't work that way.
-If only we had the sixth piece!
-Yeah.
-Or a sixth piece!
-What do you mean?
-What do you see there?
-A gap.
Exactly!
A gap the shape of the sixth piece.
Oh!
We know what it looks like.
We can make one.
Steady now.
Atrion Control to
Marshal. Marshal? Come in, Marshal!
This is Shapp. Imperative you abort.
Repeat. Imperative you abort mission.
-Turn that thing off!
-Sir.
Useless bureaucrats
trying to steal our thunder!
Closer.
Closer!
Prepare to strike!
Wait for it, man!
Wait for the order!
There we are.
Ah, what did you use?
-Chronodyne.
-Is that compatible?
Well, it's as compatible as anything
we've got!
Compatibility ratio, 74%.
Component, therefore,
unstable and liable to deteriorate.
Yes, and so are we if this doesn't work.
This should, in theory,
give us powers of balance and stasis.
We should be able to create
a neutral, timeless zone, for a while.
Now, how does it go?
Hang on, let me just...
-Lock it! Lock it!
-All right.
Fire!
-We've failed.
-Have we?
Fire!
Fire!
Fire!
Doctor, I've got it!
Fire!
Fire!
We did it!
Well, 99%.
Correction. 99.6%.
Even better!
We haven't stopped them dead.
We got them in a three-second time loop!
What?
I've stopped the universe.
Still, they'll never notice.
Just imagine, somewhere someone's
just slipped on a banana skin,
and he'll be wondering forever
when he's gonna hit the ground!
Doctor, why isn't it affecting us?
Oh, come on, Romana!
I mean, if it affected the operators,
no one would be able to use it!
Even the Guardians would think of that!
So, at the moment, we've got absolute
power over everything, everywhere.
Yes.
Yes, it's quite a feeling, isn't it?
Gods for an hour or two.
Negative.
Deterioration rate of chronodyne chip
is in direct proportion
to area affected.
Well, of course it is!
Just imagine the amount of power
required to stop the entire universe.
How long have we got, K9?
Insufficient information
for accurate prediction.
Probability, then.
Probability is for maximum 3.25 minutes.
-Three and a quarter minutes!
-Maximum. Now 3.13 minutes.
Hang on, if we've got so much power,
we ought to be able to localise it
in some way. That should help.
Yes. How do you set about
localising a time loop?
Well, if one has godlike powers,
one ought to be able to use them,
-oughtn't one?
-Eh?
Command it.
Oh, yes. Yeah. Step aside.
-I... Hey, I'd better get this right.
-Affirmative.
I command that the spatial temporal loop
be confined to the vicinity
of the Marshal's vessel,
the coordinates of which
are already known.
-There.
-And the Zeon computer room!
And the Zeon computer room!
Let it be done!
I thought I handled that rather well.
-All power corrupts, Doctor.
-Oh, come on!
It's only a three-second time loop.
-Negative. Time loop stretching.
-Already? How much?
0.3 milliseconds per second.
-And the chronodyne chip?
-Now deteriorating.
Yes, I thought you'd say that.
-I think we should move.
-Yes. Nothing lasts forever.
The Doctor has been forced
to use the Key to Time.
It is no longer in a place of safety.
You will lure the Doctor here
and help me gain access to the TARDIS.
-You understand?
-I understand.
Go with her.
Come on, quickly.
Remember, that time loop is stretching.
Doctor, come on!
The time loop is stretching!
Merak?
Merak, I'm here! Are you hurt?
My leg. It's twisted.
-What happened?
-You fell. I tried to save you, but...
-I thought you were...
-Can you stand?
-I think so.
-Here, let me help you.
Not very hopeful, is it?
Whoever built this
had a very twisted mind.
Oh!
Halt, who goes there? Identify.
K9, it's me, Merak.
Affirmative. You may enter.
Stop!
Identify second unit.
-What is it?
-It's called K9.
-It belongs to the Doctor.
-Affirmative.
Repeat. Identify second unit.
K9, this is Astra. Princess Astra.
The Doctor thinks that
she may be able to help him.
Hostile presence detected.
-Where?
-Hostiles approaching. Take cover.
Quick, hide!
What's this?
It belongs to the Doctor.
What's inside? I must see inside!
It's no use, Astra.
Only the Doctor and Romana can get in.
What's the matter?
It's the air in here.
Perhaps we should go back to Atrios.
No, we must go on!
We must find your friends!
Hostiles repulsed. Most satisfactory.
Who is there? Identify.
Galactic computer distress call
received. Please identify.
K9 answering computer distress call.
Please identify.
Please identify source of distress.
Doctor, I found her! This is Astra!
-She was captured by the Zeons.
-Was she, now?
How do you do? I'm delighted to see you.
I'm the Doctor. This is Romana.
-Hello.
-Merak's told me about you.
-So, you rescued her from the Zeons?
-I escaped.
-How did you manage that?
-Through a tunnel of light.
I was on my way to the transmat
when I heard her calling.
Then I fell and hurt myself.
I think one of the guards
who was after me took a shot at him.
Very likely. Very likely.
Where are they now?
Well, they were coming after us,
but K9 chased them away.
-Good. Good.
-I think Merak needs medical attention.
Yes. Look, Astra,
why don't you and Merak
go back to Atrios via the transmat?
-He'll show you the way.
-I'd feel safer with you.
Well, I dare say, but we've got
a few complicated things to do
and Merak does need attention.
I think the thing you should do
is go back
and show your people that you're free.
-He's right, Astra.
-Of course I'm right. Off you go, now.
-Hope to see you soon.
-Come on, this way.
-Odd.
-Very odd.
I think we should concentrate
on the Shadow and the third planet.
All right.
This is not Atrios.
Neither is this Zeos.
What is this place?
It's not far now. Just over there.
Oh, my leg!
You'll have to help me up, Astra.
I have more important work to do.
What do you mean?
I'd stay and watch you die,
but I haven't the time.
You're... You're not Astra!
You fool!
-K9? K9?
-He was on guard.
Yeah. Something must have happened.
Doctor!
What's that?
Doctor!
Help! They're after me! Doctor!
Yes, what is it? Shh. What is it?
Quick. Key?
-Doctor, quickly!
-All right. All right.
Where's Merak? Is he all right?
I got him into the transmat shaft,
but they were on me
before I could follow.
-He's safe, though.
-Good.
Doctor, the time loop.
It has stretched to about five seconds
by the look of it.
Yes. That gives us
about an hour of real time.
If it goes on stretching and if
the false piece lasts long enough!
Listen, I'll get a fix
on the third planet.
-It's a pretty little thing, isn't it?
-What is it?
It's the Key to Time.
-Are you all right, Astra?
-Yes, perfectly.
Well, now you've seen it,
does it trigger off any hidden memories?
No. It means nothing to me.
That's a pity.
I was hoping you'd be able to
tell us where the sixth piece is.
The sixth piece?
Yes, look.
We have the other five segments.
Now we're looking for
the sixth and final one.
Think, Astra.
Think.
I wouldn't touch it. It's hot.
-Got it!
-Good! Good!
Set the coordinates.
Let's get on our way.
Your friends have arrived.
We must greet them.
Affirmative, Master.
You fool, Doctor!
The Key to Time is mine!