The Armageddon Factor
Encyclopedia
The Armageddon Factor is a serial in the British
science fiction television series Doctor Who
, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 20 January to 24 February 1979. It is the last story in The Key to Time arc, and the last to feature Mary Tamm
as Romana
.
and Romana
to Atrios, a world caught in a perpetual, stalemated war with its planetary neighbour Zeos. But the Black Guardian
is closing in...
and Romana
arrive on the planet Atrios, which has endured a recent bombing by their neighbouring planet Zeos, with whom they are at war. The Marshal of Atrios is about to launch a counterstrike on Zeos, but the Doctor finds that Zeos is deserted save for the giant computer Mentalis, which is controlling the war. He also discovers that the true opponent is a third planet called the Planet of Evil, ruled by "the Shadow". The Shadow, an agent of the Black Guardian
, has Princess Astra of Atrios captive, threatening to torture her if she doesn't give him the location of the final segment of the Key to Time (which she doesn't know).
After disabling Mentalis, with the assistance of Romana and K-9
, the Doctor creates a substitute sixth segment out of chronodyne, which gives the Key enough power to create a time loop
in which to trap the Marshal's ship (armed with missiles for the final strike) as well as the Mentalis control room (engaged in an automatic self-destruct sequence). On the Planet of Evil, the Doctor encounters an old Academy mate, a fellow Time Lord
named Drax, who has been employed under duress by the Shadow but agrees to help the Doctor. Drax referred to the Doctor by the nickname "Thete", short for Theta Sigma. Drax also talked about him getting his doctorate. It wasn't until the Doctor reminded Drax that he was the Doctor, that he started to call him Doctor.
With K-9 and Astra now under his control, the Shadow wants the Key for himself, and forces the Doctor to retrieve it for him. The Doctor leads the Mute to his TARDIS and opens the door, but is suddenly shrunk to tiny size by Drax, using the dimensional stabilizer from his own (in-need-of-repair) TARDIS. (Originally, as implied by the Doctor's reaction, Drax was supposed to use the shrinking beam on the Mute, but deliberately shrinks the Doctor instead. Episode 5 ends on this scene, and it's only at the beginning of Episode 6 that Drax shrinks himself as well, having misinterpreted the Doctor's plan.)
The Mute returns to the Shadow with the Key, but the Doctor realises why the Shadow has requested it: Astra is the final segment, and is transformed in front of everyone. Using their diminished size, the Doctor and Drax smuggle themselves into the Shadow's lair inside of the now-restored K-9. Drax again uses the stabilizer, this time to return them to their normal size. The Doctor snatches the partially assembled Key and the final segment, and disappears with Romana and K9 in the TARDIS
, assembling the Key after dealing with the Mentalis self-destruct (with the help of Drax) as well as the Marshal's missiles (using the TARDIS to deflect them onto the Planet of Evil).
The White Guardian
appears to congratulate the Doctor on finding and assembling the Key to Time, and requests that it be sent to him. However, the Doctor, realising that it is actually the Black Guardian
in disguise—due to his lack of compassion for the fate of Princess Astra—orders the Key to re-disperse. Enraged, the Black Guardian, now reverted to his true form, threatens him with death. In an attempt to shake him off, the Doctor fits a randomiser into the TARDIS console, sending it to an unknown location in time and space, and leaving the Doctor and the Guardian with no idea of where they are headed.
, was published by Target Books
in June 1980. A typo has the Marshall introduce himself as the warlord of Zeos.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
science fiction television series Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 20 January to 24 February 1979. It is the last story in The Key to Time arc, and the last to feature Mary Tamm
Mary Tamm
Mary Tamm is an English actress. She is best known for being the first actress to play the character of Romana in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, opposite Tom Baker as the Doctor, from the 1978–1979 season known collectively as The Key to Time.-Early life:Mary Tamm was born in...
as Romana
Romana
Romana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar, is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
.
Synopsis
The quest for the final segment to the Key to Time brings the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
and Romana
Romana
Romana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar, is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
to Atrios, a world caught in a perpetual, stalemated war with its planetary neighbour Zeos. But the Black Guardian
Black Guardian
The Black Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was played by Valentine Dyall....
is closing in...
Plot
In their search for the final segment of the Key to Time, the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
and Romana
Romana
Romana, short for Romanadvoratrelundar, is a fictional character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
arrive on the planet Atrios, which has endured a recent bombing by their neighbouring planet Zeos, with whom they are at war. The Marshal of Atrios is about to launch a counterstrike on Zeos, but the Doctor finds that Zeos is deserted save for the giant computer Mentalis, which is controlling the war. He also discovers that the true opponent is a third planet called the Planet of Evil, ruled by "the Shadow". The Shadow, an agent of the Black Guardian
Black Guardian
The Black Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was played by Valentine Dyall....
, has Princess Astra of Atrios captive, threatening to torture her if she doesn't give him the location of the final segment of the Key to Time (which she doesn't know).
After disabling Mentalis, with the assistance of Romana and K-9
K-9 (Doctor Who)
K-9, or K9, is the name of several fictional robotic canines in the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, first appearing in 1977...
, the Doctor creates a substitute sixth segment out of chronodyne, which gives the Key enough power to create a time loop
Time loop
A time loop or temporal loop is a common plot device in science fiction in which time runs normally for a set period but then skips back like a broken record. When the time loop "resets", the memories of most characters are reset...
in which to trap the Marshal's ship (armed with missiles for the final strike) as well as the Mentalis control room (engaged in an automatic self-destruct sequence). On the Planet of Evil, the Doctor encounters an old Academy mate, a fellow Time Lord
Time Lord
The Time Lords are an ancient extraterrestrial race and civilization of humanoids in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, of which the series' eponymous protagonist, the Doctor, is a member...
named Drax, who has been employed under duress by the Shadow but agrees to help the Doctor. Drax referred to the Doctor by the nickname "Thete", short for Theta Sigma. Drax also talked about him getting his doctorate. It wasn't until the Doctor reminded Drax that he was the Doctor, that he started to call him Doctor.
With K-9 and Astra now under his control, the Shadow wants the Key for himself, and forces the Doctor to retrieve it for him. The Doctor leads the Mute to his TARDIS and opens the door, but is suddenly shrunk to tiny size by Drax, using the dimensional stabilizer from his own (in-need-of-repair) TARDIS. (Originally, as implied by the Doctor's reaction, Drax was supposed to use the shrinking beam on the Mute, but deliberately shrinks the Doctor instead. Episode 5 ends on this scene, and it's only at the beginning of Episode 6 that Drax shrinks himself as well, having misinterpreted the Doctor's plan.)
The Mute returns to the Shadow with the Key, but the Doctor realises why the Shadow has requested it: Astra is the final segment, and is transformed in front of everyone. Using their diminished size, the Doctor and Drax smuggle themselves into the Shadow's lair inside of the now-restored K-9. Drax again uses the stabilizer, this time to return them to their normal size. The Doctor snatches the partially assembled Key and the final segment, and disappears with Romana and K9 in the TARDIS
TARDIS
The TARDISGenerally, TARDIS is written in all upper case letters—this convention was popularised by the Target novelisations of the 1970s...
, assembling the Key after dealing with the Mentalis self-destruct (with the help of Drax) as well as the Marshal's missiles (using the TARDIS to deflect them onto the Planet of Evil).
The White Guardian
White Guardian
The White Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was played by Cyril Luckham, with the exception of a vocal message in The Stones of Blood which was performed by Gerald Cross....
appears to congratulate the Doctor on finding and assembling the Key to Time, and requests that it be sent to him. However, the Doctor, realising that it is actually the Black Guardian
Black Guardian
The Black Guardian is a character in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was played by Valentine Dyall....
in disguise—due to his lack of compassion for the fate of Princess Astra—orders the Key to re-disperse. Enraged, the Black Guardian, now reverted to his true form, threatens him with death. In an attempt to shake him off, the Doctor fits a randomiser into the TARDIS console, sending it to an unknown location in time and space, and leaving the Doctor and the Guardian with no idea of where they are headed.
Continuity
- This is the sixth of six linked serials that comprise the whole of Season 16, known collectively as The Key to Time.
- Drax refers to the Doctor by the name "Theta Sigma". Not counting aliases like John Smith, this was the first time an actual name (albeit a nickname) was attached to the Doctor. Later, in The Happiness PatrolThe Happiness PatrolThe Happiness Patrol is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in three weekly parts from 2 November to 16 November 1988.-Plot:...
, the Doctor states that Theta Sigma was his old college nickname. Later, in "The Pandorica OpensThe Pandorica Opens"The Pandorica Opens" is the twelfth episode, and first in a two-part story, in the fifth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who, broadcast on 19 June 2010. The Doctor's friends send him a warning; he deals with a message on a cliff, a mysterious box and a love story that...
" (2010 series), the characters for theta and sigma are the first two symbols under River Song's "Hello Sweetie" message written to the Doctor as the oldest words in recorded history. - Drax also features in the novels Divided LoyaltiesDivided Loyalties (Doctor Who)Divided Loyalties is a BBC Books original novel written by Gary Russell and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who...
(in a flashback sequence to the First Doctor's school days) and The Quantum ArchangelThe Quantum ArchangelThe Quantum Archangel is a BBC Books original novel written by Craig Hinton and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Sixth Doctor and Mel, the Master, and an appearance by an alternate version of the Third Doctor...
(in an alternate timeline where he is working with the MasterMaster (Doctor Who)The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
, the RaniRani (Doctor Who)The Rani is a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. She was played by Kate O'Mara. The word "Rani" means "queen" in the Urdu and Hindi languages and "The Rani" follows the naming convention for other renegade timelords, "The Doctor," "The Monk," "The War...
and MortimusMeddling MonkThe Meddling Monk, or simply The Monk, was a fictional character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. Played by the British comic actor Peter Butterworth, the character appeared in two stories: as an adversary of the First Doctor.Other than the...
to destroy Earth), as well and in Search for the DoctorSearch for the DoctorSearch for the Doctor is a Seven House adventure book written by Dave Martin and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Sixth Doctor and K-9-Plot:...
, a "Make Your Own Adventure" bookGamebookA gamebook is a work of fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making effective choices. The narrative branches along various paths through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages...
by Dave Martin. - Valentine DyallValentine DyallValentine Dyall was an English character actor, the son of veteran actor Franklin Dyall. Dyall was especially popular as a voice actor, due to his very distinctive sepulchral voice, he was known for many years as "The Man in Black", narrator of the BBC Radio horror series Appointment With Fear.In...
would return as the Black Guardian in the Black Guardian Trilogy, consisting of the Fifth DoctorFifth DoctorThe Fifth Doctor is the fifth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is portrayed by Peter Davison....
serials Mawdryn UndeadMawdryn UndeadMawdryn Undead is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in four twice weekly parts from 1 February to 9 February 1983...
, TerminusTerminus (Doctor Who)Terminus is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from 15 to 23 February 1983...
and EnlightenmentEnlightenment (Doctor Who)Enlightenment is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was originally broadcast in four twice-weekly parts from March 1 to March 9, 1983...
. - The fate of Princess Astra is revealed in the Big Finish ProductionsBig Finish ProductionsBig Finish Productions is a British company that produces books and audio plays based, primarily, on cult British science fiction properties...
audio story The Chaos PoolThe Chaos PoolThe Chaos Pool is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. -Plot:...
, the third in new series of Key to Time stories that start with The Judgement of IsskarThe Judgement of IsskarThe Judgement of Isskar is a Big Finish Productions audio drama based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. -Plot:The Key to Time must be sought again, due to the Doctor's carelessness during its last assembling...
. They reveal that the Doctor's use of a substitute sixth segment for the Key to Time disrupted the balance of the segments and caused them to decay, resulting in them causing significant damage to the Web of Time. Chaos Pool also explains Romana's decision to regenerateRegeneration (Doctor Who)Regeneration, in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, is a biological ability exhibited by Time Lords, a race of fictional humanoids originating on the planet Gallifrey. This process allows a Time Lord who is old or mortally wounded to undergo a transformation into a new...
and take Astra's form in the next TV story Destiny of the DaleksDestiny of the DaleksDestiny of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 1 September to 22 September 1979. The story introduces Lalla Ward as the newly-regenerated Romana....
. - In the spin off series The Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane AdventuresThe Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen...
episode The Wedding of Sarah Jane SmithThe Wedding of Sarah Jane SmithThe Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 and 30 October 2009. It is the third serial of the third series. It guest stars David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, marking the first appearance of parent programme Doctor Whos...
, The Trickster mentioned how the Doctor once held the Key to Time. - Footage of the Black Guardian from this story forms the final part of a montage of the Fourth Doctor's enemies just prior to his regeneration in LogopolisLogopolisLogopolis is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 28 February to 21 March 1981. It was Tom Baker's last story as the Doctor and marks the first appearance of Peter Davison in the role...
.
Production
- Working titles for this story included ArmageddonArmageddonArmageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
. - In the original draft of the script, the Black Guardian did not appear at all. He was only inserted in the later drafts by incoming script editor Douglas AdamsDouglas AdamsDouglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
and Producer Graham Williams. - This story was the last that Bob Baker wrote with Dave Martin. Baker's next story, Nightmare of EdenNightmare of EdenNightmare of Eden is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 24 November to 15 December 1979.-Synopsis:...
, would be a solo effort.
In print
A novelisation of this serial, written by Terrance DicksTerrance Dicks
Terrance Dicks is an English writer, best known for his work in television and for writing a large number of popular children's books during the 1970s and 80s.- Early career :...
, was published by Target Books
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well known for their highly successful range of...
in June 1980. A typo has the Marshall introduce himself as the warlord of Zeos.
Broadcast, VHS and DVD releases
- During transmission of Part Five, a technical breakdown resulted in the episode going off the air for a few minutes (the break occurring at the point where the Doctor is being escorted to the TARDIS by the Mute). Music was played and a caption slide displayed until the fault was rectified. When transmission restarted, there was a repeat of the action immediately prior to the break; the videotape having been slightly rewound. A reconstruction of the break can be found as a bonus item on this serial's remastered DVD release.
- This story was released on VHSVHSThe Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in June 1995. - This serial, along with the rest of season sixteen, was released on DVD in North America as part of the Key to Time box set in 2002. The set was only available in Region 1.
- A remastered limited edition Key to Time box set was released in Region 2 in the United Kingdom on 24 September 2007. It contains more extras than the previously released US set. This remastered set was released in Region 1 on March 3 2009.