Treasure Trail (comic story): Difference between revisions

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'''''Treasure Trail''''' was a 1976 ''[[TV Comic]]'' story that was published a couple of weeks after the conclusion of the debut of ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]'' on [[television]].
'''''Treasure Trail''''' was a [[1976 (releases)|1976]] ''[[TV Comic]]'' story that was published a couple of weeks after the conclusion of the debut of ''[[The Seeds of Doom (TV story)|The Seeds of Doom]]'' on [[television]].


Like several other ''[[Doctor Who]]'' stories, it was set in [[World War II]]. Unusually, however, it took place late in the war, about a month after the [[Battle of Monte Cassino]], in a [[Borosini|northern Italian village]] whose inhabitants were [[partisan]]s. Of the many glimpses of World War II provided by ''Doctor Who'', ''Treasure Trail'' may be the only one set amongst the Italian resistance.
Like several other ''[[Doctor Who]]'' stories, it was set in [[World War II]]. Unusually, however, it took place late in the [[war]], about a [[month]] after the [[Battle of Monte Cassino]], in a [[Borosini|northern Italian village]] whose inhabitants were [[partisan]]s. Of the many glimpses of World War II provided by ''Doctor Who'', ''Treasure Trail'' may be the only one set amongst the Italian resistance.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
The [[Time Lord]]s send the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah-Jane]] on another mission without clear instructions. They find themselves under [[Nazi]] aircraft fire almost immediately upon disembarking [[the TARDIS]]. The Doctor's people have dumped them near the northern [[Italy|Italian]] town of [[Borosini]] in [[1944]].
The [[Time Lord]]s send the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah-Jane]] on another mission without clear instructions. They find themselves under [[Nazi]] [[aircraft]] fire almost immediately upon disembarking [[the TARDIS]]. The Doctor's people have dumped them near the [[north]]ern [[Italy|Italian]] [[town]] of [[Borosini]] in the [[summer]] of [[1944]].


Suspected by the local villagers of being Nazi spies, they are brought before the town's [[priest]], [[Father (title)|Father]] [[Antonio (Treasure Trail)|Antonio]]. The Doctor convinces the priest they are [[English]], using the writing on the TARDIS' [[police box]] exterior as proof. Any doubt about the pair's identity, however, is far less significant than that [[Hermann Goering|Goering]]'s Nazis are entering the village. It seems they are after whatever artistic treasures they can find.
Suspected by the local [[village]]rs of being Nazi [[Spy|spies]], they are brought before the town's [[priest]], [[Father (title)|Father]] [[Antonio (Treasure Trail)|Antonio]]. The Doctor convinces the priest they are [[English]], using the [[writing]] on the TARDIS' [[police box]] exterior as proof. Any doubt about the pair's identity, however, is far less significant than that [[Hermann Goering|Goering]]'s Nazis are entering the village. It seems they are after whatever [[art]]istic treasures they can find.


They storm into the church, and Antonio shows them the [[Raphael (painter)|Raphael]] hanging in the knave. Impressed, [[Lieutenant]] [[Schuler (Treasure Trail)|Schuler]] spreads word of the painting up the Nazi chain of command. Meanwhile, the villagers fear that the Nazis will just steal their art as they've already done elsewhere in [[Europe]].
They storm into the church, and Antonio shows them the [[Raphael (painter)|Raphael]] hanging in the knave. Impressed, [[Lieutenant]] [[Schuler (Treasure Trail)|Schuler]] spreads word of the painting up the Nazi chain of command. Meanwhile, the villagers fear that the Nazis will just steal their art as they've already done elsewhere in [[Europe]]. The Doctor offers his aid and wins Antonio's trust by bringing him forward in time to [[1976]], so he can see the rebuilt [[Monte Cassino]] [[monastery]].


[[Giovanni (Treasure Trail)|Giovanni]], a local [[partisan]] who has given the Doctor and Sarah a hard time, confirms that there's a massive shipment of stolen art soon to pass through by [[train|rail]]. The Doctor proposes to blow the line. They do this, retrieve all the stolen art via a [[mule]] trail, and bring it all back to the TARDIS. The Time Lords send the TARDIS to [[1948]], where the Doctor offloads the art. To the Italian press, it seems as though the art has magically reappeared. One priest in [[Borosini]] knows it's ''not'' magic, but it's a secret he vows to take to his grave.
[[Giovanni (Treasure Trail)|Giovanni]], a local [[partisan]] who has given the Doctor and Sarah a hard time, confirms that there's a massive shipment of stolen art soon to pass through by [[train]]. The Doctor [[Operation Stop Thief|proposes]] to blow the [[Railway|line]]. They do this, retrieve all the stolen art via a [[mule]] trail, and bring it all back to the TARDIS. The Time Lords send the TARDIS to [[April]] [[1948]], where the Doctor offloads the art. To the Italian press, it seems as though the art has magically reappeared. Only Antonio and Giovanni in Borosini knows it's ''not'' [[magic]], but it's a [[secret]] they [[vow]] to take to their [[grave]]s.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
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* [[Giovanni (Treasure Trail)|Giovanni]]
* [[Giovanni (Treasure Trail)|Giovanni]]
* [[Paolo (Treasure Trail)|Paolo]]
* [[Paolo (Treasure Trail)|Paolo]]
* [[Maria (Treasure Trail)|Maria]]
* [[Lieutenant]] [[Schuler (Treasure Trail)|Schuler]]
* [[Lieutenant]] [[Schuler (Treasure Trail)|Schuler]]
* [[Major]] [[Linz]]
* [[Major]] [[Lunz (Treasure Trail)|Lunz]]
* [[Hans (Treasure Trail)|Hans]]
* [[Hans (Treasure Trail)|Hans]]


Line 49: Line 50:


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* This story makes no significant references to other [[DWU]] fiction.
* This story makes no significant references to other [[DWU]] fiction, although it does follow on from ''[[The Dalek Revenge (comic story)|The Dalek Revenge]]'' and ''[[Virus (comic story)|Virus]]'', with the TARDIS still under the control of the Time Lords.
* It is never explained why the Time Lords deem the Italian treasures important enough to send the Doctor to save them. However, in the later audio story, ''[[Fallen Angels (audio story)|Fallen Angels]]'', the [[Fifth Doctor]] refers to the works of [[Raphael (painter)|Raphael]] as a [[fixed point in time]]. Another audio story, ''[[Operation: Hellfire (audio story)|Operation: Hellfire]]'', shows that the Time Lords have sent the Doctor [[Operation Hellfire|on a mission]] during the Second World War once [[1943|before]].


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
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[[Category:Stories set in 1948]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1948]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1944]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1944]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1976]]

Revision as of 21:40, 7 July 2020

RealWorld.png

Treasure Trail was a 1976 TV Comic story that was published a couple of weeks after the conclusion of the debut of The Seeds of Doom on television.

Like several other Doctor Who stories, it was set in World War II. Unusually, however, it took place late in the war, about a month after the Battle of Monte Cassino, in a northern Italian village whose inhabitants were partisans. Of the many glimpses of World War II provided by Doctor Who, Treasure Trail may be the only one set amongst the Italian resistance.

Plot

The Time Lords send the Fourth Doctor and Sarah-Jane on another mission without clear instructions. They find themselves under Nazi aircraft fire almost immediately upon disembarking the TARDIS. The Doctor's people have dumped them near the northern Italian town of Borosini in the summer of 1944.

Suspected by the local villagers of being Nazi spies, they are brought before the town's priest, Father Antonio. The Doctor convinces the priest they are English, using the writing on the TARDIS' police box exterior as proof. Any doubt about the pair's identity, however, is far less significant than that Goering's Nazis are entering the village. It seems they are after whatever artistic treasures they can find.

They storm into the church, and Antonio shows them the Raphael hanging in the knave. Impressed, Lieutenant Schuler spreads word of the painting up the Nazi chain of command. Meanwhile, the villagers fear that the Nazis will just steal their art as they've already done elsewhere in Europe. The Doctor offers his aid and wins Antonio's trust by bringing him forward in time to 1976, so he can see the rebuilt Monte Cassino monastery.

Giovanni, a local partisan who has given the Doctor and Sarah a hard time, confirms that there's a massive shipment of stolen art soon to pass through by train. The Doctor proposes to blow the line. They do this, retrieve all the stolen art via a mule trail, and bring it all back to the TARDIS. The Time Lords send the TARDIS to April 1948, where the Doctor offloads the art. To the Italian press, it seems as though the art has magically reappeared. Only Antonio and Giovanni in Borosini knows it's not magic, but it's a secret they vow to take to their graves.

Characters

References

to be added

Notes

  • This story makes no significant references to other DWU fiction, although it does follow on from The Dalek Revenge and Virus, with the TARDIS still under the control of the Time Lords.
  • It is never explained why the Time Lords deem the Italian treasures important enough to send the Doctor to save them. However, in the later audio story, Fallen Angels, the Fifth Doctor refers to the works of Raphael as a fixed point in time. Another audio story, Operation: Hellfire, shows that the Time Lords have sent the Doctor on a mission during the Second World War once before.

Continuity