Revelation of the Daleks (TV story)

Synopsis
The Sixth Doctor and Peri encounter the Daleks on the planet Necros, where the mercenary Orcini is on a mission to kill Davros.

Plot
The TARDIS lands on Necros, the location of the funeral home and suspended animation centre Tranquil Repose. The Sixth Doctor and Peri have come to visit a deceased scientist acquaintance. On the way, the Doctor points out great numbers of flowers that are similar to the soybean in terms of food versatility. The Doctor is attacked by a mutant, and Peri is forced to kill him to save the Doctor. Before he dies, the mutant tells the Doctor that the Great Healer used him as a genetic experiment and his appearance and hostility were a direct result of the experiments.

At Tranquil Repose, a disc jockey plays songs and chats as a form of entertainment to those who are in suspended animation. He keeps the asleep aware of current events, but saves for moments of private reflection the fact that cures for some of the afflicted have been perfected decades ago.

A couple, Natasha and Grigory, have illegally entered Tranquil Repose, also looking for the man the Doctor is visiting — Arthur Stengos, Natasha's father. Upon finding his assigned suspended animation capsule, they discover it is empty. Shocked, they continue looking and head downward. They find a dark room filled with pulsating brains and other experiments. Grigory walks past a glass dalek casing with a mutating red creature inside it. It opens its eye, and Grigory comments on how gruesome the thing is. When Natasha looks at it, the creature opens its mouth and starts saying "Na.. tasha? Natasha?". Natasha is shocked as she realises it is the head of her father, and he is being metamorphosised into a Dalek.

Kara, who owns a company which distributes food throughout the galaxy (though one of many), is a pawn of the Great Healer, who is in actuality Davros (now apparently reduced to a disembodied head in a tank as a result of being infected by the Movellan virus). He takes virtually all the money she makes. To dissolve this arrangement, she has hired the mercenary Orcini and his squire, Bostock. She provides a transmitter to Orcini which has a five-button passcode. This must be entered when Orcini enters Davros's headquarters. Orcini accepts the contract solely for the honour of killing Davros. With Davros eliminated, she believes she will have the power and the capital necessary to control the galaxy.

Arthur Stengos, who is now just a head with red flesh growing over him, explains to Natasha and Grigory what's going on. He tells them that the brains of everybody in Tranquil Repose are being used to metamorphosise into new Dalek mutants. He says that his mind has been conditioned to serve 'The Great Healer', but he can't remember who 'The Great Healer' actually is. As a last request, he orders his daughter to kill him before he fully mutates. While hesitating, Grigory pulls up his own gun willing to do it, but Natasha stops him and shoots her father herself. The two are then captured, thrown in a cell, and questioned by Takis and Lilt, who try rum on Grigory as a truth serum.

The Doctor and Peri arrive and are greeted by Tasambeker. Intrigued by the DJ's recordings, Peri wants to meet him and the Doctor urges her to do so, despite having Jobel as a companion. The Doctor wants to see the person who erected a statue dedicated to his passing and the Doctor suspects trouble.

Orcini destroys a Dalek and Davros is notified. He is convinced Kara has sent assassins, so he deploys some Daleks to bring her to him. They arrive, kill her secretary, and take her back.

Peri departs, and the Daleks capture the Doctor. He is thrown into a cell with the Natasha and Grigory who are soon rescued by Orcini as scapegoats. Orcini penetrates Davros's lair, and he and Bostock empty their guns into Davros' life-support system. Davros appears to be killed by the ensuing explosion, but Orcini realises that the kill was too easy. Sure enough, the real Davros - who in fact survived the virus unscathed - appears with a group of Daleks. Orcini and Bostock try to shoot their way out, but the two are quickly subdued, with one of Orcini's legs being blown off in the process. Kara is brought in and he betrays her motives to Davros. Shocked, Kara states that they are both dead. Orcini responds "You before me," and kills her for her betrayal — the "transmitter" was actually a bomb.

Natasha and Grigory infiltrate the incubator room yet again, and plan to destroy the brains that are scheduled for metamorphosis. When Natasha tries to fire her gun, it dies due to lack of power. Grigory reckons there's a self-destruct switch on the brain incubator console. He presses some buttons, but stops as Natasha spots a glass Dalek incubator materialise, and she cries "There's another Dalek!"

The Doctor, via communicator, warns Peri to get back to the TARDIS and hail the President's ship which is on en route carrying the body of the deceased First Lady. The DJ persuades Peri to use his equipment. Overhearing the transmission, Davros orders the DJ killed and Peri captured. The DJ produces a sonar weapon which blows up two Daleks as they enter his room, but is killed when a third Dalek enters. Peri is captured. The Doctor overhears the events via broadcast audio and rushes to save her but is caught by two Daleks en route. Both meet back in Davros' laboratory where he reveals that he has a new army of Daleks, hidden in catacombs somewhere underneath his laboratory.

Natasha and Grigory plan to escape the incubator room before the Dalek fully grows. They make their way to the door, but Natasha turns around and notices that the glass Dalek has disappeared. The two look up to spot a Dalek machine hovering high above the ground towards them. The two try to open the door, but the flying Dalek exterminates them before self destructing.

Daleks not loyal to Davros arrive from Skaro, called by Takis, who now realise what has been going on. The Skaro Daleks demand to be taken to Davros. Takis leads the way, and shortly some of Davros's Daleks appear and the two factions engage in battle. The Skaro Daleks win and progress toward Davros.

Davros is shocked when the Skaro Daleks enter the room and tries to persuade them that it is the Doctor who should be captured. However, the Skaro Daleks do not recognize the Doctor due to his regeneration. They take Davros back to Skaro to be executed for crimes committed against the Daleks.

Orcini wants to explode the bomb before Davros's ship leaves - he hesitates and allows all to leave only because of the Doctor. The Doctor wants to create a timer, but Orcini claims there is no time. They all rush out and Orcini blows the bomb after hugging the body of Bostock, who was exterminated by a Dalek a few minutes ago. The Doctor states that Orcini did die for something very honourable: the destruction of Davros's new generation of Daleks.

Peri wants a vacation, so the Doctor agrees: "All right, I'll take you to B--"

Cast

 * The Doctor — Colin Baker
 * Peri Brown — Nicola Bryant
 * Davros — Terry Molloy
 * Kara — Eleanor Bron
 * Vogel — Hugh Walters
 * Jobel — Clive Swift
 * Tasambeker — Jenny Tomasin
 * Takis — Trevor Cooper
 * Lilt — Colin Spaull
 * DJ — Alexei Sayle
 * Orcini — William Gaunt
 * Bostock — John Ogwen
 * Grigory — Stephen Flynn
 * Natasha — Bridget Lynch-Blosse
 * Head of Arthur Stengos — Alec Linstead
 * Computer Voice — Penelope Lee
 * Daleks — John Scott Martin, Cy Town, Tony Starr, Toby Byrne
 * Dalek Voices — Royce Mills, Roy Skelton
 * Mutant — Ken Barker

Crew

 * Assistant Floor Manager - Jo O'Leary
 * Costumes - Pat Godfrey
 * Designer - Alan Spalding
 * Film Cameraman - John Walker
 * Film Editor - Ray Wingrove
 * Incidental Music - Roger Limb
 * Make-Up - Dorka Nieradzik
 * Producer - John Nathan-Turner
 * Production Assistant - Elizabeth Sherry
 * Production Associate - Angela Smith
 * Script Editor - Eric Saward
 * Special Sounds - Dick Mills
 * Studio Lighting - Don Babbage
 * Studio Sound - Andy Stacey
 * Theme Arrangement - Peter Howell
 * Title Music - Ron Grainer
 * Visual Effects - John Brace

Quotes

 * Tasambeker: I'm sorry, Mr. Jobel.
 * Jobel: Oh, I might have guessed you'd be here.
 * Tasambeker: An attendant has been murdered.
 * Jobel: What a pitty it couldn't have been you.


 * Tasambeker: He wants you dead.
 * Jobel: Oh, dead? I am Jobel! The place wouldn't funtion without me!


 * Davros: (Attacking Orcini and Bostock,) You are fools! You can not kill me! I am Davros!


 * Kara: (Viewing Vogel's body,) How inconvinent. You know how difficult it is...to find good secretaries.


 * Davros: I created you! I am your master!
 * Dalek: We serve only the Supreme Dalek''.
 * Davros: That upstart! I can make you all Supreme Daleks! I have the power! You must OBEY ME!


 * Peri: When we've finished here, can we take a real holiday?
 * The Doctor: I know somewher truly...tranquil, peaceful, restul. A palicer for the cares of minds.
 * Peri: Can we go somewhere fun?
 * The Doctor: Fun? Oh, I suppose anywhere will be peaceful after Necros. All right, I'll take you to B...

Story Notes

 * This is the first appearance of a clear Dalek (frequently known as a Glass Dalek).


 * This is the first time Davros and his Daleks are seen on screen to hover above the ground (however Remembrance of the Daleks would be the first to show a Dalek hovering up stairs).

Ratings
to be added

Myths
to be added

Influences

 * The synthesis of food protein from those Tranquil Repose clients Davros considers unworthy of becoming Daleks is highly reminiscent of "Soylent Green". Eric Saward confirms fan speculation that the Evelyn Waugh novel, "The Loved One," was his main inspiration for this story in the 2005 DVD commentary, with several characters in Tranquil Repose based directly upon names from Waugh's novel.

Location Filming
to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * Davros and his Daleks reconised the Doctor. When the Renegade Daleks come to take Davros, he tells them to take the Doctor instead, but his image does not not compute with their known appearance of the Doctor. Davros replies to this by shouting "He's regenerated, fool!"

Continuity

 * Davros is next seen in The Juggernauts.


 * The Doctor explains to Peri that if he took her to Earth after she had died, it would be possible for her to see her own gravestone. In Silver Nemesis, Lady Peinforte shows her servent, Richard, his grave.

DVD and Video Releases
DVD Releases

Released as Doctor Who: Revelation of the Daleks.

Released:
 * Region 2 11th July 2005
 * PAL - BBC DVD BBCDVD1357


 * Region 4 1st September 2005
 * Region 1 6th June 2006
 * NTSC- Warner Video E2504

Target Novelisations
to be added