Deity of the Daleks

A three part Doctor Who story

Working Titles:

IN THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR

RENUNCIATION OF THE DALEKS

DEITY OF THE DALEKS


Tagline: The Doctor encounters and old and familiar enemy, but things are not as they seem.


In the name of the Doctor.

The newly regenerated Doctor, and his latest companion, Zhu, land on the human colony of Europa. It is approximately 5 billion years into our future, and the sun has begun to expand. Europa is consequently warmer. A sealed colony has been established there.

As is often the case the Doctor arrives during an ongoing conflict. He quickly establishes that the trouble is being caused by Autons, under the control of a Nestene Consciousness. He introduces himself to the human defenders of the colony and is surprised to find that not only have they heard of him, but they are actively hostile to him.

Taking both the Doctor and Zhu prisoner the humans are attacked by Autons and several are killed.
The episode ends with the Autons about to kill Zhu and the Doctor. This is stopped by the use of Dalek weapons. Daleks swarm around the group, shouting that they must defend the Companion, and the Doctor. They also proclaim that they must cleanse the unbelievers, “In The Name of The Doctor”. To the Doctor’s bewildered horror, the Daleks exterminate both Autons and humans alike.

Notes: The Daleks are mainly of Tardis blue in colour. One which seems to be the leader is slightly larger, it’s colouring is cardinal red, and it’s dome is shaped like a mitre. Close examination will reveal more unusual design features. It’s voice is noticeably deeper than that of the main group of Daleks.

Note: Zhu is based loosely on Zhu Meichu the Chinese Princess Changping. This is not explicit, but she has a cybernetic left arm and hand.

Renunciation of the Daleks

The ’rescued’ Doctor and Zhu are taken to a Dalek ship. In what appears to be a large hallway, the Doctor is confronted by huge doors modelled on those of the Tardis, (Complete with ‘Police Telephone’ sign). The usual sound of a Dalek ship is replaced by a similar sound, but modelled on the first few notes of the Doctor Who theme tune.

The ‘Cardinal’ Dalek moves towards the doors, followed by the Tardis Blue Daleks, apparently presuming the Doctor will follow. The Doctor, drags Zhu off, and they go through a side doorway into a passageway. This proves to travel around the perimeter of a church. The Doctor discovers this by selecting a door at random, and peeking through. He is rendered shell shocked by what he sees.

The Church is a 24 sided regular polygon. At it’s centre is a replica of the Tardis console. The walls prominently feature the ‘round things’, but also have huge glass windows, depicting the Companions as Saints. These scenes usually feature other monsters that the Doctor has encountered.
(Bernard Cribbins will have two stained glass windows, one from his character in the Peter Cushing Doctor film, and the other his Donna era character)

Above the central altar, holographic projections of the various incarnations of the Doctor are cycled through. Some of them are accompanied by audio, all these are of the Doctor when angry and vengeful. The new incarnation is conspicuously absent from those shown.

There is a pulpit that rotates around the altar, so that the speaker will face all of the audience at some point. Around the altar are Daleks, arranged in wedges, mainly the Tardis blue variety, with a few ‘Cardinals’. There are one or two non Dalek worshippers too. The pulpit is currently occupied by a humanoid High Priestess who is wearing a Gallifreyan influenced robe. Behind the Pulpit, a huge screen follows her rotation, and currently shows the High Priestess.

She is addressing the congregation of Daleks, and her amplified voice is echoed by the Daleks in the church.

“He is the Dark Lord.”

“The Predator of the Daleks.”

“The Deathbringer.”

“The One Without Mercy.”

“The Great Scourge.”

“The Living Death.”

“The Executioner.”

“The Oncoming Storm.”

“Destroyer of Worlds”

“Our Hatred is pure.”

“We will cleanse the unbelievers.”

“In the name of the Doctor.”

A ‘Cardinal’ Dalek, rolls towards the Pulpit, interrupting the liturgy by announcing that “The Dark Lord is here.”

This causes a cacophony of Dalek voices, amongst which certain phrases will be heard repeated, “He has no mercy.”, “All praise the Dark Lord.”, “Our hatred is pure.” being prominent.

The Doctor looks sick and closes the door, but at that moment another Dalek is seen coming along the passageway. This is an inquisitor Dalek. It’s colours are black and gold. Although it’s dome is a conventional Dalek shape, it has a single flashing light, clearly modelled on that of the Tardis. Instead of a plunger, it has a golden question mark. It’s weapon is also clearly different from that of conventional Daleks, being more elaborate. (When we eventually see one fire, we see that it has a sort of heat, death ray, victims melt and burn.)

The Inquisitor identifies the Doctor, and he is escorted into the church.

The High Priestess who was addressing the Daleks is through the Doctor’s questioning revealed to have once been a part of the Sisterhood of Karn. (Alternatively she could be a previous companion of the Doctor).

The Doctor launches a tirade against the Daleks for making him their god. The Daleks are clearly scared of him. They also volunteer that they have renunciated the Dalek ideal that all creatures other than Daleks should be destroyed, and instead only destroy those who will not follow their belief in the Dark Lord (i.e. The Doctor).

Through what they say, it is clear that the Daleks expect the Doctor to destroy them. However they view this as being a blessing, and believe that their deaths will ‘mingle their hatred with that of the Dark Lord’.

The huge screen now shows a view inside the Europa colony. A deep Dalek voice (basso profondo), announces that the Martyrs are about to cleanse the unbelievers. Daleks strapped with explosives are then seen sliding into the scene, they are screaming, “Our hated is pure”, then “In the name of the Doctor.” Then they explode and the view is cut off abruptly to a brief ‘white noise’ shot.

There is a flicker, and the new incarnation’s rant against the Daleks is shown holographically over the altar. The Doctor watches himself and looks appalled.


Deity of the Daleks


The Doctor regains some composure, and tries to take command of the situation, arguing that as the Daleks are worshipping him as a god, they should obey his commandments. The Daleks chorus, “We obey”. The Doctor then demands that they cease all attacks on Europa.

A Cardinal Dalek informs him that Europa has already been destroyed completely, “In the name of the Doctor.”

The Doctor becomes angry again and demands who is responsible for ‘all this’, then clarifies, asking who gave them the idea of worshipping him, and who is in charge here.

“Is it you?” He asks the High Priestess, but she denies this saying she only echoes the words of ‘The Prophet”.

The Doctor is incredulous, he cannot believe that a Dalek would spontaneously develop any sense of religion.

The High Priestess informs him that the Prophet isn’t A Dalek. The Doctor picks up on the tense of this straight away, and says “So this prophet is still around? Where is he then? Let’s see him or her. Come out come out wherever you are.” (He is clearly losing it a bit at this point.)

The deep voice heard in the previous episode is now heard again.
“Calm yourself Dark Lord.” It is possible to detect a note of sarcasm in the pronunciation of Dark Lord. Then the voice continues, “I am here.”

One of the walls of the church becomes brightly illuminated, the ‘round things’ being the source of the illumination.

From this light a familiar looking shape detaches itself coming forwards. It looks like Davros.

The Doctor is becoming unhinged at this point.

“You. It can’t be you. I saw you die. I’ve seen you die so many times. You’re dead.” he screams “You’re dead.”

The voice replies “Clearly I am not Doctor.” (It is still the basso profondo Dalek voice, and not Davros’ usual voice.)

The Doctor then watches as the figure detaches itself from the ‘Dalek chair’ it came in on, and skips towards him saying, in a normal voice

“You could say I’ve regenerated.”

He stands in front of the Doctor with a shit eating grin saying “It’s me Doctor.”

The figure is the Master and he is besides himself with glee at how well his plan has succeeded.

He explains that he created the church for the Doctor, asking “Do you like it?”

He further explains how eagerly the Daleks took it up, saying that it surprised even him.

The Doctor is furious, the angriest he has ever been seen. Telling the Master to put and end to his games right away, or he (The Doctor) will stop it himself.

The Master mocks him and taunting tells the Doctor how perfect a Dark Lord he is, that he makes a perfect god for the Daleks. The Daleks chorus “Worship the Dark Lord.”

The Master then says that he couldn’t stop it now even if he wanted to. “It’s spread Doctor, oh how it has spread, setting Dalek against Dalek, believer against unbeliever. Endless war, endless chaos, and all in the name of the precious Doctor.”

The Doctor grabs the Master and looks as though he will tear him limb from limb.

The Tardis Cloister Bell sounds, stopping him in his tracks. But everyone else including the Master freezes too, as though time has stood still. Turning to the Tardis he sees the doors open, and Clara Oswald steps out, she is surrounded by a ‘halo’ of light. Walking over to the Doctor she tells him that he is better than this, that the Master is a liar, and exaggerates. That though the Master has created the new religion, it is doomed from the start, because of him – The Doctor.

Clara reminds him of who is is and has been, and that no matter what the Master says or the Daleks believe, he is a force for good. She finishes by stroking his face and saying, “One I’ve not seen before.” then smiles and says “Run you clever boy/girl*, and remember who you are.”

Clara vanishes and time resumes. The Doctor releases the Master and tells him that he isn’t worth it. Taking Zhu’s hand he leads her away into the Tardis, giving a parting shot that he’s no god, and that the Master cannot trick him into being one. He’s just the Doctor, and he always will be.

* As appropriate.

Additional expansion: (Added 7th November 2022)

The Last Doctor



On regenerating the new Doctor somehow knows that this is his last body. Everything that happens going forwards is tinged by this knowledge, including his being ginger, "Ginger! You saved being ginger till last?"

This Doctor is world weary, he still does the things the Doctor does, but with a feeling that it is never going to be enough. He encounters Daleks, and realises that no matter how many times he has defeated them, they are still going, and that they have had countless victories in situations where he was not present.

When the Master realises that this is the Doctor's last incarnation, he revels in the knowledge and takes every opportunity to rub this in. He suggests that the Doctor can surely beg, borrow or steal a few more regenerations, and the Doctor is just human enough to consider this, much to the Master's glee. However for the Doctor the end is never really in doubt.

Eventually, the Doctor does die. The Master has made sure that he's there to witness it. Maybe he has even engineered things so that he, the Master can be the hand that delivers the killing blow at long last. This should fail, and that pleasure be snatched from him somehow. Perhaps have the companion kill him to save him? This would work if the Master was planning a lengthy death in some sort of time envelope where whilst seconds passed in real time, the agony was stretched into years within the envelope.

The Doctor does however die before the Master's eyes. The Master gloats, then has an epiphany, he is the dark god to the Doctor's bright god. One cannot exist without the other. He has won and lost.

Whilst reeling from this revelation the Master has a vision. It is the Doctor, a multiple, pluralistic Doctor, that flickers between all his know regenerations. The Master is outraged, the Doctor is dead, he, the Master has been cheated somehow, the Doctor has lied to him. The Doctor assures him that he truly is dead, prompting a smile from the Master, until the Doctor announces, "But I get to choose my successor."

The Doctor then explains that he was fulfilling a vital role in the existence of the universe, and one that cannot be left empty. He as the previous occupant has to choose a successor, and he has chosen the Master. The Master protests loudly that this cannot be, whereupon the Doctor stretches out a hand, and causes the Master to begin regenerating. He tell the Master that it not only can be, it is. He tells him that he is receiving thirteen new regenerations, and that he will now assume the Doctor's role as a force for good.


Regeneration of River Song.

Following the departure of Tennant's Doctor we see River Song in some happy fantasy with a family. As we watch the fantasy gets brighter and brighter, till we realise that we are seeing regeneration energy. River Song screams and we cut to see the skeletal space suited body regenerate into a new woman. The Vashta Nerada are destroyed by the excess of regeneration energy, allowing the new version of River to escape.

She eventually encounters the Last Doctor, and when she realises that he is the Doctor greets him with "Hello Sweety."

Companion notes:

Zhu Champing is 28, and of Chinese ethnicity. She is stylish and has something of Ace's fearlessness about her. The prosthetic arm she has is powerful enough to be able to crush a Dalek weapon or eyestalk.

When There Was War (Episode title)

The Doctor arrives during an invasion of earth by an alien race. Unusually he does not seem inclined to interfere, despite being directly asked for help by the head of Unit. The aliens strike at multiple sites around the planet, and make strong gains until former enemies are forced to unite to defeat them. We see Russians fighting alongside Americans, and Chinese soldiers working with Australians amongst others.

The aliens are defeated, and in teh aftermath the various governments of earth are forced to recognise that they can no longer afford to fight one another as there are other threats. A new age of co-operation is ushered in, and the Doctor reveals that he knew this would happen.


The Last Dance (Episode title)

Newly regenerated River is broody, and discusses children with the Doctor. Susan is addressed, and the Doctor's 'daughter' is also touched on again.


The Problem Is The Doctor (Episode title)

Daleks meet.

"The problem is the Doctor." says a Dalek.

"The problem is always the Doctor." Responds another Dalek.

They agree a plan to simultaneously destroy every incarnation of the Doctor throughout time. They send Daleks Assassination squads to known times and places where each incarnation of the Doctor will be. Soon there are only the first three Doctor's left. The third Doctor is exterminated in front of the first two. Then the Dalek's gloat and tell the first two Doctors that this is the end, and explain their plan and what it means.

They are interrupted by the Fugitive Doctor, who they are unaware of, and so had not killed. She destroys the assassination squad. Then the three Doctors travel to the origin of the plan.

"The problem is the Doctor." Says a Dalek voice.

"The problem is always the Doctor." Responds the Fugitive Doctor, and the three Doctors destroy the planners.