Doctor Who (1963–1989): Season 6, Episode 19 - The Krotons: Episode One - full transcript

The TARDIS lands on a nameless desolate planet where The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe learn the native Gonds are ruled by the mysterious and unseen Krotons, where The Krotons chooses their top students to join The Krotons in their machine as their companions. But The Doctor, Jamie and Zoe discover The Krotons are crystalline alien beings and are turning The Gonds mental power into energy and are feeding off it.

Sincro: wyxchari

Class three-one-nine-six in the first grade. The names of the first selected candidates are: Male... Abu-Gond!

The second name is female... Vana-Gond!

No!

Abu-Gond and Vana-Gond; alone of your generation you have been chosen for the highest honour that can befall a Gond. You are now the companions of the Krotons!

Our warmest, our most sincere congratulations to you both. You will now... you will now step forward for the investiture of your robes of honour. Eelek?

Please Thara!

You can't go, I won't let you go!

I must!

Look Vana, we can run away - there's still time!

You know that's not possible, we must always obey.



Why?!

Because my son, it is the law of the Krotons!

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

Pwoar, bad eggs. Let's try somewhere else...

No wait a minute... Where are we?

Och, you don't expect him to know do you?

Well let's explore shall we?

An umbrella?

Yes, twin suns. It's bound to be hot.

Oh.

I don't think I like it here, looks dead.

Aye, it smells dead.

Sulphur isn't it? It could be poisonous.

No-no-no-no, the instruments in the TARDIS would have told us. No it's a...



It's a mixture of ozone and sulphur - very bracing!

What's that?

Oh yes, fascinating structures. Magnesium silicate.

Eh?

He means mica.

Oh, er, what..?

Dead is it?!

A city!

Yes, fascinating architecture. It's more typical of a... of a low gravity planet, yet the gravity here seems fairly normal, yes.

Inca perhaps?

Yes Zoe, possibly.

Hey, Doctor!

Come on, let's see what he's up to. Careful.

Doctor, down here!

Well what is it?

Don't know... there's a ramp here.

Yes and there's a door as well. Is it a wall?

I hardly think so Zoe.

Phwoar, that smell's a lot stronger round here.

Oh this is interesting!

What Doctor?

Oh, metal isn't it?

What, metal covered in moss and lichen?

Well, er...

Metal? Would you say so? I... I think we'd better get away from here.

What?

Come along.

But why?

Well this isn't a building, this is a machine. Come along...

Machine?

Doctor, it's opening!

Come on, quickly - Behind the rocks!

What's the matter with him?

Ssh!

Oh that poor man!

What happened to him Doctor?

I don't know Jamie. Come on, let's... let's get away from here.

Can't you give the order she doesn't have to go, you're our leader!

But the Krotons have chosen Vana, it is a great honour!

Honour?! WHY do we TAKE their orders?!

Vana.

We don't even know if they exist!

Thara, you can't say things like that!

Get out of the way.

She's not going into that machine!

She has to go in. No-one defies the Krotons.

Alright!

Now don't be so stupid!

Thara!

Disarm him!

Keep back!

Oh, well I hope they're friendly.

Now just leave this to me Zoe.

We are friends!

It's alright, now don't be afraid!

We have trouble.

Who are you?

Buh.. buh.. buh... One of your people has been, just...

You're strangers. Where are you from?

Well if we told you it wouldn't mean anything.

Answer me! Where are you from?

There's no time for explanations! As I say, one of your people has been...

They're not Gonds! Their clothes, the way they're dressed!

Look we are friendly!

Look are you gonna let us pass or what?

Doctor! Look...

Do something about him, he's your son!

I'm warning you, one step nearer...

Thara, will you be reasonable? The Krotons have sent for Vana.

She'd not going, nobody comes back from there!

Let me go Thara, please!

I don't want them to hurt you.

A bit of sense, just in time.

That doorway, it's like the other one.

Aye, and she's wearing a cloak just like that chap we saw killed.

Is she being sacrificed?

Oh I-I don't think so Zoe, they're-they're too civilised for that.

Can we not stop them?

Well we can try.

Just a minute, wait!

He's interrupting the ceremony! Take them!

Ah, you wouldn't be so tough without these guards around you!

Get back!

I accept your challenge!

Oh you do do you? Aye, well that's just fine with me then.

Now Jamie don't be so rash!

Ah don't worry Doctor, I'll soon see to this laddie.

Do you want this?

Oh I'll not be needing that thank you.

Oh Jamie, watch out!

Jamie!

Oh Doctor! Oh can't we stop them?

No Zoe, I think they...

Oh Jamie! Oh Jamie come on!

Doctor look, the girl!

What is happening? Who are these people?

That was the very question I was going to ask you! What is happening here? Where has that girl gone?

Eelek, they forced their way through!

Who are you?

There is no time to explain!

Look, you wouldn't understand even if we told you.

We're from another planet, another world.

That girl, now where has she gone?

How can they be from another planet?

Och we're just wasting time, now where has she gone!

What's behind that wall?

The Krotons! They've sent her to join the Krotons!

Well what are the Krotons?

The Krotons live in the machine, so we're told!

Vana is joining the Krotons, it is a great honour.

Honour! She didn't want to go! Nobody really wants to disappear into that thing.

How do you open this door?

Why are you asking so many questions?

Because a moment ago we saw a young man dressed in a silver robe just like that girl, we saw him killed!

Abu-Gond!

That's ridiculous, how can these people have seen Abu-Gond?

He is with the Krotons.

Aye, well we saw someone killed anyway. He came out of that machine and was...

Vaporised.

Aye!

Right round the other side!

Other side?

You have been in the wasteland?

They're contaminated... you're contaminated! No-one goes into the wasteland.

Why not?

Because it's poisoned, and you will die.

Well it-it it may have been poisoned once, but I can assure you it's quite safe now.

Doctor, that girl! If she comes out that way...

Oh Jamie you're right!

Come on!

Oh we must save her!

I know!

Well come on!

That's what I'm saying!

Where are you going?

To the wasteland!

Well you can't, it's against the law of the Krotons!

I'm going with them!

Thara come back!

If they can go into the wasteland, I can!

Thara! You'll die!

I wonder how long... I imagine we haven't much time.

Well what are you going to do?

Now you keep away Zoe, keep right away!

Can I help?

Well Mister...

Thara.

Yes, well you can find a few more stones like this.

What?!

Well if you want to help! Now then...

Ah yes, that one.

Right! Come down here...

Doctor, I think I can hear something!

Yes Zoe, so can I.

Vana!

Keep down!

Oh Doctor quick!

Oh Doctor look out!

Oh Doctor hurry!

Quick!

Oh my dear... What's happened, what have they done to her?

The vandals - look at that!

Well that could have been you!

My favourite umbrella!

She doesn't know me. She can't speak or anything.

Aye, it's something that the Krotons have done to her!

Let me see...

Oh dear... this is almost catatonic.

Well isn't there anything you can do?

I'm not a Doctor of medicine you know Zoe. However, if there's no damage to the tissue, uh... Is there anywhere we can take her?

My father's house is quite near on the edge of the community.

Good. Well let's take her there, give me a hand. Come on Jamie.

It's almost impossible to believe. The Krotons have always been our good friends; our benefactors.

Well you've only got to see what they've done to Vana.

Aye...

Yes, poor child.

How is she?

Just the same!

You're resting, you're calmly resting. Your mind is quite empty, you're resting. Now you're going to sleep Vana, sleep... Feeling sleepy, very sleepy... sleep...

...You see, every so often the two best of our students have entered the machine to join the Krotons. They can't all have been murdered!

Well it's possible. If they had you wouldn't know because this spray stuff just...

Dissolves everything. In any case, none of your people ever go into the wasteland.

But why should they do it? Why should they kill the best two of our students?

What are they like these Krotons?

No living person has ever seen them. They never come out of the machine.

Never?

Not since the beginning; not for thousands of years.

How is she?

She's asleep at last.

Is she going to be alright, though?

Well I hope so Jamie, it's difficult to tell.

Oh thank you.

And she was one of the finest students we've ever produced.

Oh really? Competition for you Zoe.

Selris was just saying that no-one's ever seen these Krotons.

Aye, they never leave that machine.

How did all this begin Selris?

According to our legends, silver men came out of the sky and built a house among us. The Gonds attacked them but the silver men caused a poisonous rain to fall killing hundreds of our people and turning the earth black.

The wasteland!

Yes. Because it was said that ever afterward anyone who set foot there would die in terrible pain.

Who are you? What do you want? Leave me alone!

The Krotons; you must know a lot about them...

What do you mean?

You're their servant aren't you? You work for them.

I am only the Custodian of the Learning Hall.

Course! So you can tell us what we want to know.

I am forbidden to discuss the secrets.

We only want to know how to get at them!

We want to see the Krotons for ourselves.

Nobody has seen the Krotons, not for thousands of years!

You're sure they don't come out of the machine in the darkness when there's no-one here?

No. Come out? Never!

Then how do they give their orders? Answer me!

There are messages. You must know that!

What else?

Sometimes... There is a voice...

But you've never seen them? There's no way you can get inside there?

Only the companions of the Krotons may enter.

And now we know what happens to them. But you can summon the Krotons can't you?

It is not for me to summon them, I obey their commands.

If we can't get in there then we must fetch them out. Their precious teaching machines... Smash them!

Smash the machines? Guards! Guannfff...

Ribo, do not hurt him! Tie his hands and gag him.

Well keep then! We've quarrel is not with you.

But what happened after this war with the Krotons?

Ever since we have lived in peace with them. The Krotons never show themselves to us, but we learn from them through the teaching machines.

Teaching machines?

Yes, in the Hall of Learning, where you were today. The machines fill the mind with knowledge.

And everyone uses these machines?

Well, when they are young; that is the law.

Whose law Selris?

Our law - the Gonds'.

But I thought that you said all your laws were given you by the Krotons?

Yes, all our science, all our culture... Everything we have has come from the machine.

I see, a sort of self-perpetuating slavery. And the Krotons always choose your two most promising students?

To be their companions, yes. Do you think they've all been killed?

Aye well we saw one of them killed anyway.

Well why are they doing it Doctor, what's the point?

Well it's time it was stopped anyway, it's high time it was stopped!

What shall I tell my people? How can I explain?

Explain what? Just tell the truth!

What, that they've been tricked? That for thousands of year the best of our students have been dying, murdered by the Krotons?!

Well what are you afraid of?

Another war between your people and the Krotons you mean.

Yes... There could be terrible bloodshed - another wasteland here in our community.

Selris...

Ah Beta, come and meet our guests. Th.. my friends, this is Beta our controller of Science and my son's good friend...

That's what I'm here for - do you know what Thara's planning?

Planning.

He and some students from school have gone down to the Learning Hall. They're going to wreck the machines!

No!

You've got to stop them Selris. I came as quickly as I could, but they'll be there by now.

Then it's too late!

Not if we cut through the wasteland.

Aye, it's the shortest route.

Wasteland?

But the poison!

Oh that wore off a long time ago, it's quite safe now.

Oh well look, we've been in it twice today and we're alright!

Very well!

Come on!

There! That should fetch them out!

Come on, let's wreck another!

Smash..!

STOP! THIS IS A WARNING - LEAVE THE HALL. ALL GONDS LEAVE THE HALL NOW.

It's the Krotons!

LEAVE THE HALL. ALL GONDS LEAVE THE HALL NOW.

That's just a voice, listen! Come out you Krotons and fight!

THIS IS A WARNING.

Come ouut!

Murderers!

No, no, stop it!

Leave it alone! What are you doing?!

Stop it, stop it all of you! Listen to me, this will do no good at all! These Krotons must have enormous Scientific powers, you can't defeat them with axes!

Now if this was an atomic-laser, it might be more use!

An atomic-laser? Is that better than an axe?

Look at the damage you've done - completely senseless!

Look what they did to our friends Father!

Destroying the machines won't avenge Abu... or help Vana, will it?

But we can't get in there! If we attack their machines...

The Krotons will come out!

I think something's coming out now!

Doctor, what is it?

I don't know Zoe, but keep well clear of it!

Look out!

What's it doing?

It seems to be looking at us.

Well how can it, it's not alive... is it?

Doctor it's after you!

Ah, oh, oh... ah-ah oh ooh oh er ah oh..!