Post by Babu Baboon on Jun 11, 2017 7:03:40 GMT -6
Rick Lundeen wrote a nice synopsis for last night's episode
The Empress of Mars
On Earth, NASA finds the words "God save the Queen" written on the surface of Mars. The Doctor, Bill and Nardole venture to Mars to investigate, and they discover that the planet is occupied by human soldiers from Victorian Britain. Nardole goes back to the TARDIS, but the TARDIS goes faulty, causing him and the ship to leave Mars. He has to ask Missy for help to get back.
Meanwhile the Doctor and Bill meet with the soldiers, and see that they have allied themselves with an Ice Warrior called Friday. The captain, Catchlove claims that they found Friday trapped on a spaceship, and in exchange for helping him to fix the ship Friday has allowed the soldiers to use Ice Warrior technology to mine the surface of Mars. The Doctor works out that Friday is using them to gain access to his hive, but Catchlove refuses to believe him. The device used by the soldiers uncovers the tomb of the Ice Queen. Colonel Godsacre orders his men to watch the tomb and to let nobody near it until the morning. One of the soldiers, Jackdaw decides to take a crystal from the tomb and in doing so he awakens the Ice Queen, Iraxxa.
As the soldiers prepare to fire upon the two, the Doctor tries to convince Iraxxa to have mercy on the humans and to let them go without harm, and that without help the Ice Warriors will no longer be able to survive on Mars' surface. At first she doesn't buy the story, but after talking to Bill she decides to spare them valuing Bill's word above everyone else's. Then, one of the soldiers fires a stray bullet and Iraxxa opens fire. Catchlove assumes control over Godsacre claiming him as a deserter, and uses the Ice Warrior device to trap Iraxxa and Friday in the tomb. He also has the Doctor, Bill and Godsacre locked up. Iraxxa awakens the Ice Warriors in the hive.
As the Doctor tries to formulate a plan of action, the Ice Warriors launch their attack. Friday teams up with the Doctor and Bill and distracts Iraxxa long enough for the Doctor to gain control of the device, whist Godsacre runs away. The Doctor threatens to use the device to drown them all under ice, as they are located under Mars' north pole. In the crossfire, Catchlove holds Iraxxa at knifepoint and attempts to force her to help him pilot a spaceship back to Earth, but Godsacre reappears and kills Catchlove, before begging Iraxxa to kill him. Iraxxa honours Godsacre's ability to kill one of his own without remorse, and promises to call off the attack so long as Godsacre pledges himself to the Ice Warriors, which Godacre agrees to. The Doctor calls Alpha Centauri, who welcomes them to the Galactic Federation.
The Doctor and Bill help Godsacre to leave a message for humanity on Mars: "God save the Queen". Nardole re-appears with the TARDIS and onboard is Missy, who is piloting the ship back to Mars, and seems concerned about the Doctor's health.
Next: Eaters of the Light
The Empress of Mars
On Earth, NASA finds the words "God save the Queen" written on the surface of Mars. The Doctor, Bill and Nardole venture to Mars to investigate, and they discover that the planet is occupied by human soldiers from Victorian Britain. Nardole goes back to the TARDIS, but the TARDIS goes faulty, causing him and the ship to leave Mars. He has to ask Missy for help to get back.
Meanwhile the Doctor and Bill meet with the soldiers, and see that they have allied themselves with an Ice Warrior called Friday. The captain, Catchlove claims that they found Friday trapped on a spaceship, and in exchange for helping him to fix the ship Friday has allowed the soldiers to use Ice Warrior technology to mine the surface of Mars. The Doctor works out that Friday is using them to gain access to his hive, but Catchlove refuses to believe him. The device used by the soldiers uncovers the tomb of the Ice Queen. Colonel Godsacre orders his men to watch the tomb and to let nobody near it until the morning. One of the soldiers, Jackdaw decides to take a crystal from the tomb and in doing so he awakens the Ice Queen, Iraxxa.
As the soldiers prepare to fire upon the two, the Doctor tries to convince Iraxxa to have mercy on the humans and to let them go without harm, and that without help the Ice Warriors will no longer be able to survive on Mars' surface. At first she doesn't buy the story, but after talking to Bill she decides to spare them valuing Bill's word above everyone else's. Then, one of the soldiers fires a stray bullet and Iraxxa opens fire. Catchlove assumes control over Godsacre claiming him as a deserter, and uses the Ice Warrior device to trap Iraxxa and Friday in the tomb. He also has the Doctor, Bill and Godsacre locked up. Iraxxa awakens the Ice Warriors in the hive.
As the Doctor tries to formulate a plan of action, the Ice Warriors launch their attack. Friday teams up with the Doctor and Bill and distracts Iraxxa long enough for the Doctor to gain control of the device, whist Godsacre runs away. The Doctor threatens to use the device to drown them all under ice, as they are located under Mars' north pole. In the crossfire, Catchlove holds Iraxxa at knifepoint and attempts to force her to help him pilot a spaceship back to Earth, but Godsacre reappears and kills Catchlove, before begging Iraxxa to kill him. Iraxxa honours Godsacre's ability to kill one of his own without remorse, and promises to call off the attack so long as Godsacre pledges himself to the Ice Warriors, which Godacre agrees to. The Doctor calls Alpha Centauri, who welcomes them to the Galactic Federation.
The Doctor and Bill help Godsacre to leave a message for humanity on Mars: "God save the Queen". Nardole re-appears with the TARDIS and onboard is Missy, who is piloting the ship back to Mars, and seems concerned about the Doctor's health.
Next: Eaters of the Light