A Religious Experience (comic story)

Summary
The First Doctor and Ian are enjoying an evening stroll along the beach on the planet Seetar in the Malachi System, when they are approached by a group of savages. A giant worm-like creature emerges from the sand and the savages begin to worship it. The worm appears ready to eat one of the natives but Ian intervenes distracting it with his torch and blinding the creature by throwing a cricket ball into its eyestalk.

Following their defeat of the creature the natives begin a celebration in the travellers honour. They are offered fruit and the savages prepare a human sacrifice. Ian prevents this sacrifice and they quickly return to the TARDIS where Barbara and Vicki are waiting. They wonder whether they will have had any lasting influence on the culture.

Many years later the Seventh Doctor arrives on the planet to find that human sacrifice has continued and they worship images of his former self, Ian and the TARDIS. The Doctor makes clear that it is time for these sacrifices to finally come to an end.

Characters

 * First Doctor
 * Seventh Doctor
 * Ian Chesterton
 * Barbara Wright

Continuity

 * The Doctor refers to his previous visit to Quinnis in the fourth universe stating that it had twice the indigenous life and a purple sea. The Doctor's visit to the planet Quinnis is also referrenced in The Edge of Destruction.
 * The Doctor refers to Susan and contemplates whether he was right to leave her on Earth in The Dalek Invasion of Earth.
 * Ian refers to his encounters with Daleks and Saracens in The Daleks, The Dalek Invasion of Earth and The Crusade respectively.
 * The Doctor states, "Welll, I won't be needing this cricket ball just yet" (italics used in original comic) - This could be a reference to the fact that his fifth incarnation always carries a cricket ball.
 * When Ian sees the savages about to carry out a human sacrifice it reminds him of the events of The Aztecs.

For The First Doctor:

 * A Religious Experience takes place during TV: The Chase.

For The Seventh Doctor:

 * A Religious Experience takes place after COMIC: The Crossroads of Time.
 * A Religious Experience takes place before PROSE: Christmas in Toronto.