Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 2, Episode 39 - Checkmate - full transcript

The Doctor finally discovers what the Monk is up to and must move fast to prevent his opponent from altering the course of history.

(DOCTOR WHO THEME)

Let me have a look.

We can get inside!

It's a Tardis.

The Monk's got a Tardis!

I repeat my question.
Which fires and what are they for, hmm?

All right, then.

They're a signal for King Hardrada
and the Viking fleet.

I see.

They'll think it's a landing place.
They'll come in unsuspecting!

-And then...
-Well? Out with it!



I'm going to destroy them!

Hey, Vicki. Come take a look at this.

He's... He's got
a sort of fantastic private collection.

He's got something from every period
and every place.

Hey, come and take a look at this.

Looks like some kind of neutron bomb,
I think.

Pretty unpleasant-looking things,
whatever they are.

Hey, these could be fired by that weapon
we saw up on the cliff top.

I wonder what he wants to do.
Sink a ship?

He could sink a whole navy
with that lot, I should think.

Yes, but the point is
why would he want to?

Why has he done a lot of things?
Listen to this.

-Why? What have you got there?
-A logbook, a sort of diary.

-Listen, ''Met Leonardo da Vinci...''
-Who?



Da Vinci! Listen!

''Met Leonardo da Vinci
and discussed with him

-''the principles of powered flight.''
-What?

Da Vinci lived in the Middle Ages.

I know he tried to build
a flying machine, a sort of aeroplane.

I know! And according to this,
it was the Monk who put him up to it.

And listen to this.
''Put ?200 in a London bank in 1 968.

''Nipped forward 200 years and collected
a fortune in compound interest.''

So that's it! You're a time meddler!

No wonder you wanted to get rid of me.

And what are you trying
to get up to this time, hmm?

-I'm sure you'll approve, Doctor.
-Are you quite mad?

You know as well as I do the golden
rule about space and time travelling.

''Never, never interfere
with the course of history.''

And who says so?
Doctor, it's more fun my way.

I can make things happen
ahead of their time!

-Is that so?
-Yes, indeed.

For instance,

do you really believe the ancient
Britons could have built Stonehenge

without the aid
of my anti-gravitational lift?

And what mischief
are you up to now, hmm?

Mischief? No, no. A master plan.
A master plan to end all master plans!

Oh, is that so?

The whole course of history changed
in one single swoop.

By wiping out the Viking fleet?

Exactly, Doctor, exactly!

Of course, obviously,
I don't have to remind you

that the main reason William the
Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings

was because King Harold had to march

to Stamford Bridge
and defeat the Vikings first.

So you plan to save him
the journey, hmm?

That's right. Precisely!
A fresh army, no desertions.

King Harold will kick William back to
Normandy before he knows what happened.

-It's quite a plan, eh?
-Oh, yes. It's quite a plan.

It's quite a plan, yes.

I count myself
a very fortunate person indeed

to be here in time
to prevent this disgusting exhibition!

-You haven't prevented it yet, Doctor.
-Haven't I? Where is this machine?

-I don't allow anybody in there.
-Where is it, hmm?

-This way, Doctor.
-Hmm!

Ulf?

Ulf, where are you? Ulf?

Vikings!

Where've you been?

The Monk tricked me into a cell
then knocked me out.

Can't you even guard one old man?

You haven't done much better yourself.

Come on.
We should get back to the forest.

No, we'll stay here.

-Here?
-Safer than being outside,

unless you prefer to meet
the Saxons again.

They wouldn't take us
so easily this time.

-Nor would we be hampered by the mead.
-Maybe not. But I'll choose the monks

and whatever treasure may be stored
inside these walls.

Treasure.

Oh.

Well, here we are. That's my time ship.

Oh, so that's it, eh?
This horrible block of stone.

This horrible block of stone, as you
call it, is a perfect Saxon sarcophagus.

-A Saxon what?
-Sarcophagus.

Yes, quite so.

And more in keeping with the period,
I would say, than a modern police box.

What's the matter, Doctor?
Can't you repair your camouflage unit?

Now, now, now,
don't try and bamboozle me.

It so happens that your machine

fits into this monastery,
but it's sheer luck.

Luck? Luck?
Oh, no, there's no luck about it.

I couldn't have picked a better place
for my headquarters than this.

A deserted monastery right on the coast,

gullible peasants who believe
everything I say to them.

(LAUGHING) No, Doctor.

No, I planned to materialise my ship
on this very spot

disguised as a sarcophagus,
and here it is.

I see. And all this
is part of your master plan, hmm?

Precisely.

There's nothing hit-or-miss
about my machine.

Oh, isn't there now?

Well, let's have a look
at this great wonder, hmm?

(DOCTOR CHUCKLES)

Yes, well, tell me, how does one
exactly get into this sarcophagus, hmm?

Hammer and chisel?

(CLEARS THROAT)

This way, Doctor.

Oh, mind your head.

STEVEN: ''Destroy Viking fleet,
Norman landing,

''Battle of Hastings, meet King Harold''?

-Well, it seems to tell the whole story.
-But why, Steven?

Why is he planning to do it?
What's his reason?

That's a very good point, my child.
Indeed, a very good point.

I must ask him that myself.

Doctor! You're safe!

-Safe? Of course I am safe!
-Oh, are we glad to see you, Doctor.

Good gracious me.
I see you found the machine.

Keep your eye on that, young man.

I thought I'd told you
to wait outside the Tardis.

-Oh, we...
-Yes. Well, we...

You know, all this is very surprising.
That's a Mark 4!

Yes, yes, indeed.

-Is that later than yours, Doctor?
-Hmm?

Oh! I forgot all about it.

-Oh? Forgot? Forgot what, child? Hmm?
-Doctor.

-Doctor...
-Hmm?

...we haven't got a time machine
any more.

Haven't we now? Oh, I say.

Well, I wonder what
that's supposed to mean, hmm?

Well, you know...
You know we left it on the beach.

Yes, I remember very well, yes.

It so happens that I was there
at the time.

My dear, I may appear
a little half-witted at times, but I...

-Doctor!
-Oh!

-The tide came in.
-Oh! Is that all, my child?

-Well, isn't that enough?
-The water cannot affect the Tardis.

It won't wash away. It'll still be there
when the tide goes down.

Now stop fretting, my dear.

Well, I must confess,
I do congratulate you.

It's a splendid machine.

Although, I do note there's been
quite a few changes.

Oh, yes, indeed, Doctor.

In fact, this one is fitted
with the automatic drift control.

Oh, I see. Yes, of course.

Thereby you can suspend yourself
in space with absolute safety.

Precisely, Doctor.

By the way, I tried to get into your
police box, but the door was locked.

-What type's yours, Doctor?
-Mind your own business.

Look, I take it you both come
from the same place, Doctor.

Yes, I regret that we do,

but I would say
that I am 50 years earlier.

Now, when are you going to answer
my questions, hmm?

Which questions?

The reason
for this deliberate destruction.

-I... I want to improve things.
-Improve things?

Ha! Improve things, yes, that's good!

(DOCTOR CHUCKLES)

Very good.

-Improve what, for instance?
-Well, for instance,

Harold, King Harold,
I know he'd be a good king.

There wouldn't be
all those wars in Europe.

Those claims over France
went on for years and years.

With peace, the people'd be able
to better themselves.

With a few hints and tips from me,

they'd be able
to have jet airliners by 1 320.

Shakespeare'd be able to put Hamlet
on television.

-He'd do what?
-The play Hamlet on television.

Oh, yes, quite so.
Yes, of course, I do know the medium.

-Yeah.
-Were you going to kill the Vikings?

Yes. Yes, I was. You see,
if I didn't, then King Harold...

What are we going to do
with this fellow, hmm?

What can we do with this man?
He's utterly irresponsible.

Hmm!

He wants to destroy
the whole pattern of world history.

Hmm!

-Steven! Doctor!
-DOCTOR: Hmm?

Oh, quick, quick!

Ah-ha!

Long live King Hardrada!
Those are your enemies. There! Quick!

(ALL CLAMOURING)

The old man... The old man
who journeyed here spoke

-of a Viking invasion descending on us.
-ALL: Viking invasion?

And the Monk asked us to light
beacon fires on the cliff tops.

(ALL CLAMOURING)

The old man spoke the truth!
He had no reason to lie.

Fires on the cliff tops would guide
the ships in to land. Viking ships!

(ALL CLAMOURING)

We know and respect the monastery
as a place of worship.

But what of a Viking spy
who passes himself off as a monk?

(ALL CLAMOURING)

Look!

WULNOTH: Eldred.
EDITH: Eldred. Oh...

-The monastery...
-What of it? What have you seen?

-Vikings.
-MAN: Vikings!

-There are Vikings hiding there.
-Is that enough?

-Do you need more proof?
-ALL: No, no.

Arm yourselves!
We know how to treat the raiders!

Come along, come along. If we want
to send signals to your ships,

-we mustn't delay like this, you know.
-What are these things?

They are... They're charms, my son,
to guide your ships to sheltered waters.

Come along.

I know you don't understand,
but believe me,

your ships will know they're there.

(STEVEN GRUNTING)

I can't find a sharp enough stone
anywhere.

Those Vikings sure know
how to tie knots.

It looks as though that Monk's going
to get away with it after all.

Yes, but he can't, can he?
I mean, I don't know much about history,

but I do know that William the Conqueror
did win the Battle of Hastings.

Up till now he did.

If the Monk changes it, I suppose
our memories will change as well.

What about the history books?

That's all right.
They're not written yet.

They'll just write
and print the new version.

But that means that the exact minute,
the exact second that he does it,

every history book, every...

Well, the whole future of every year
and time on Earth will change

just like that,
and nobody'll know that it has?

I suppose that's what I'm trying to say.

Well, there's more to this
time travelling than meets the eye.

What's the matter with the Doctor?
He's not gone to sleep, has he?

-Doctor, are you awake?
-Wide awake, my dear.

As a matter of fact, I was just
turning over in my mind

what we're going to do
with this Monk fellow.

He won't listen.
He's determined to have his own way.

He's got to be stopped.
He must be stopped!

MONK: Come along, come along, come on.

Yes, yes, they are rather heavy,
aren't they?

But they're a sort of special charm,
you understand.

-And where are we taking them?
-To the cliff top.

Now come along. I won't be stopped.
Hurry, I'll open the door for you.

There. Come.

(CHUCKLING)

Ha-ha!

(ALL SHOUTING)

DOCTOR: Oh.

Ah, yes, thank you. Thank you, indeed.

Oh, it's a good thing for us that
you decided to make a search, hmm?

Oh, without your help,
we'd never have known

the Monk was a Viking spy, would we?

Ah, yes, the Monk.
Now, was he caught, hmm?

Now, Wulnoth and the others
will not let him escape,

nor the two Vikings that are with him.

Hmm, yes, yes, no doubt they'll catch
up with him and the rest of them.

But that Monk, you know,
still worries me.

I think he's got some tricks
left up his sleeve.

-Hmm. Where are you going to now?
-Oh, we shall continue with our travels.

Oh, you must come back to the village
with us before you go

-so we can bid you farewell.
-Oh, yes, certainly, certainly,

but we have one or two things to do here
at the monastery first.

But we don't want to delay you.
We will follow on, hmm?

What a charming woman. Mmm, charming.

Well now, you two, come along.
We've got a lot to do.

-Such as what?
-Shall we go back to the Tardis?

Oh, you know we can't do that, my child,
not until we stop this time meddler.

Have either of you got a pencil
and paper on you, hmm?

-No.
-No, afraid not.

Well, now, be a good fellow and go into
the machine and try and find one.

-Yes, okay, Doc.
-Hmm?

Tor.

-Who are you going to write to?
-To the Monk, of course.

(CHUCKLING) Who else?

Here, this way.

Ah, yes. Behind that tree there,
there's an old well.

We can hide there. Quick!

There's no well there. Where's he gone?

(SAXONS SHOUTING)

Ooh!

Mr Taylor! Where are you
with that string, dear boy?

-Here you are, Doctor. I found some.
-Gracious me, come along.

What's that thing under there, Doctor?

Now keep your nose out, child.
Never mind.

Did you hear what I said?
Keep your nose away.

Do you want to get a shock?
This is a very dangerous business.

Now keep still, all of you.

Tie this in a knot.

Now, the vibrations.

Ticklish. Get back, get back!

Now, you two, go outside.
I'll follow in a minute.

But, Doctor, what exactly are you doing?

Don't, please, ask me questions!
Go, child! Outside!

Well, what are you trying to do?

Is he coming out yet?

Yes, yes, here he is.

Now, back. Elbow room, please.

Now keep still.

We're not out of the wood yet.

Ah! There it is!

Ha-ha! I've done it, I've done it,
I've done it!

(DOCTOR LAUGHING)

-Well, nothing's happened, Doctor.
-Hasn't it? Hasn't it, my dear boy?

-Come on, aren't you going to tell us?
-Yes, sometime, my dear, sometime.

Here, put that in your pocket.
Quite safe.

-Ah, now.
-Oh, is that the letter you wrote

-to the Monk?
-Yes.

Do keep hands off it, young lady.

I don't want you nosing
into peoples' personal

and private correspondence.

Gracious me!
Well, I think we've finished here.

-Now let's go.
-Back to the Tardis?

Yes, certainly, back to the Tardis.
Yes, come along.

There it is, my dear.
There's the Tardis.

Safe and sound. Didn't I tell you so?

Oh, am I glad to see
that old police box again!

Oh, glad indeed.

Well, we must start
climbing down the cliff

and get aboard as soon as we can.
There's going to be an invasion shortly.

What? You mean any minute now

the Viking fleet's going
to sail past here?

Yes, my boy, yes. And history will be

-allowed to take its natural course.
-Allowed to take its natural course.

You know, I'm beginning to like the idea
of being a crewmember on a time machine.

A crewmember? You'll be lucky!
He's the crew, were just the passengers.

Yes, and both very welcome ones,
my dear.

Come along, come along.
Come on, come on!

It's a heck of a way down.
Wish we had a pair of wings!

(GASPING) Oh.

Oh, I'm getting too old
for this sort of thing. It's ridiculous.

Yes, I was right. They've gone.

Well, I suppose I'd better be
on my way again, too.

(SIGHING)

(COUGHING)

The Doctor.

''My dear fellow,

''I'm sure you will excuse me,
but I didn't want to say goodbye

''as you are obviously going
to be very busy for some time.''

He's right there.

''Just in case you still have ideas
about your master plan,

''I've taken precautions
to stop your time meddling.''

How could he stop a Mark 4?

''Possibly one day in the future,
when you've learnt your lesson,

''I shall return and release you.''
Release me? Ha! Me?

(LAUGHING) Oh, the old fool! Oh...

I wonder what he meant by release me.

Well, I'll be going.

(CHUCKLING)

Ah!

What's he done?

Ah, he's...
He's taken my dimensional control.

He's ruined my time machine!
I'm... I'm marooned.

Marooned in 1 066.

Oh, Doctor.

Doctor!

Doctor!

(WHOOSHING)