The Rapture (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image=The Rapture cover.jpg  
|image           = The Rapture cover.jpg
|range          = Main Range
|range          = Main Range
|number in range = 36
|number in range = 36
|series=[[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Big Finish ''Doctor Who'' audio stories]]
|series         = ''[[Main Range]]''
|number= 36  
|number         = 36  
|script=The Audio Scripts: Volume Three
|script         = The Audio Scripts: Volume Three
|doctor=Seventh Doctor  
|doctor         = Seventh Doctor
|companions= [[Ace]]  
|companions     = [[Ace|McShane]]
|enemy= [[Gabriel (The Rapture)|Gabriel]], [[Jude (The Rapture)|Jude]]  
|enemy           = [[Gabriel (The Rapture)|Gabriel]], [[Jude (The Rapture)|Jude]]
|setting= [[San Antonio, Spain|San Antonio]] and [[Es Vedrà]], [[Ibiza]], [[14 May|14]] to [[15 May]] [[1997]]  
|setting         = [[San Antonio, Spain|San Antonio]] and [[Es Vedrà]], [[Ibiza]], [[14 May|14]] to [[15 May]] [[1997]]
|writer= [[Joseph Lidster]]
|writer         = Joseph Lidster
|director= [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
|director       = [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
|music=[[Jim Mortimore]], [[Jane Elphinstone]], [[Simon Robinson]] & [[Feel]]
|producer        = Jason Haigh-Ellery and [[Gary Russell]]
|sound= [[Jim Mortimore]]
|music           = [[Jim Mortimore]], [[Jane Elphinstone]], [[Simon Robinson]] & [[Feel]]
|cover=[[Clayton Hickman]]
|sound           = [[Jim Mortimore]]
|publisher= Big Finish Productions
|cover           = [[Clayton Hickman]]
|release date= [[September (releases)|September]] [[2002 (releases)|2002]]
|publisher       = Big Finish Productions
|format= 4 Episodes on 2 CDs  
|release date   = 26 September 2002
|production code= [[List of production codes|7V]]  
|format         = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|isbn= ISBN 1-903654-74-2
|production code = [[List of production codes|7V]]
|prev= ...ish (audio story)  
|isbn           = ISBN 978-1-90365-474-3 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-84435-744-4 (digital)
|next= The Sandman (audio story)}}
|prev           = ...ish (audio story)
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the thirty-sixth [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|monthly ''Doctor Who'' audio story]] produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It featured the [[Seventh Doctor]] played by [[Sylvester McCoy]] and [[Ace]] played by [[Sophie Aldred]]. This was the fifth audio story to feature this pairing of Doctor and companion. Each episode featured remixes of the [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme]], a device employed by Big Finish on numerous occasions.
|next           = The Sandman (audio story)
|made prev      = Spare Parts (audio story)
|made next      = The Church and the Crown (audio story)
|epcount = 4
}}{{audio stub}}
{{spotify|album=68yy6V8YPjVTmtC3M8yMrO|height=350}}
'''''{{StoryTitle}}''''' was the thirty-sixth story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Joseph Lidster]] and featured [[Sylvester McCoy]] as the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Sophie Aldred]] as [[Ace]].
 
This was the fifth audio story to feature this pairing of Doctor and companion. Each episode featured remixes of the [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme]], a device employed by Big Finish on numerous occasions.


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
Line 36: Line 44:


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part 1 ===


Ibiza, 14 May 1997: A new club, the Rapture, has opened on the Spanish island of Ibiza.  Its owners and DJs, Gabriel and Jude, call it a spiritual experience.  In the crowd are Liam and Caitriona, two young partygoers; Caitriona is already high on a mix of pills, though their guide, Brian, thinks the drugs are unnecessary—the Rapture is an experience on its own.  He may be right; the music and the laser show synchronize with the sunset over the smaller island of Es Vedra, making it practically entrancing.
=== Part One ===
[[Tony Blackburn (in-universe)|Tony Blackburn]] in [[Ibiza]] gives a radio story about a new club, [[The Rapture]], run by [[Gabriel (The Rapture)|Gabriel]] and [[Jude (The Rapture)|Jude]], who are brothers and [[DJ]]s. Tony then plays a song.


Ace and the Doctor arrive in the evening. Ace continues to struggle with the deaths of the Nazi Kurtz and the art patron Madame Salvadori in their recent adventures, and she worries that her travels with the Doctor have inured her to all the deaths. Trying to distance herself from that aspect of her personality, she has given up her nickname, and chooses to be called by her surname, McShane. The Doctor takes her to Ibiza to rest and recover, and introduces her to a time-displaced friend, Gustavo Riviera, whom the Doctor once rescued from the Spanish Civil War.  He runs a bar in Ibiza now; and he suggests to McShane that she might find some rest at the Rapture. She leaves the Doctor with Gustavo and goes to visit the new club. Meanwhile, Gustavo describes the two DJs as “angels”, a term they use for themselves; the Doctor is not reassured, as those who call themselves angels are often the opposite.  The Doctor goes to see the club for himself.
[[Caitriona Henderson]] and [[Liam McShane]] are called over by [[Brian (The Rapture)|Brian]], who says they need to leave so they can get the Rapture. [[Ace|McShane]] complains to [[Seventh Doctor|the Doctor]] that they're not in [[London]] as he promised. She just wants a normal day, no death, no monsters. The Doctor says that this is why he's brought her to Ibiza in 1997, and introduces her to [[Gustavo Riviera]], whose life the Doctor saved when he was little. Gustavo recommends the Rapture, as a good place to relax. There, McShane meets Brian. The Doctor is still with Gustavo, where they are catching up. Gustavo tells the Doctor that Jude and Gabriel are angels who will be able to help McShane, and the Doctor fears trouble.


At the Rapture, McShane meets Brian and hits it off with him, drinking and talking. Liam and Caitriona are on the dancefloor; Caitriona is having a good time, but Liam has his concerns.  He is interrupted, however, when he sees McShane across the room.  He recognises her as Ace; and he shows Caitriona a picture of her for identification. She urges him to speak with Ace alone and introduce himself. The duo introduce themselves; Caitriona nearly gets into a fight with another clubgoer, but Liam stops her, and with McShane they head onto the dancefloor.  Above, in the DJ box, Gabriel watches the crowd with doubts of his own; his brother Jude reassures him, and refocuses him on their mission and the faith necessary for it.  They are spreading the word of the Lord; and soon He will descend and save the believers.
Jude tells Gabriel that tonight is the night. They discuss events from the Bible as if they were there, and then Gabriel goes to DJ. Caitrionia's pills are kicking in, and Liam is talking to her when he sees McShane talking to Brian, recognising her as Ace. The Doctor is still talking to Gustavo about McShane, and decides to join her at the Rapture. Brian tells McShane about Liam and Caitriona ("Cat"), who both come over. They all begin dancing. The Doctor turns up, but the [[Bouncer (The Rapture)|bouncer]] turns him away because he looks too old for the club.


Liam tries to find out more about McShane’s life for the past decade; entranced by the music, she doesn’t notice. Over the speakers, Gabriel begins quoting scripture as the sun sets beyond the club’s windows; he talks about the biblical Rapture before cranking up the music. The crowd is enthralled, including Brian, who does not drink or use drugs. As the music peaks, the clubgoers become silent and fully entranced. Alarmed, Brian goes to the DJ room to try to stop the situation—but only Jude is there. The self-proclaimed “angel” shoots him with a laser pistol for interfering.
Gabriel arrives and gives a speech about the biblical rapture, claiming he is the angel of salvation. Brian feels strange, and people keep bumping into Kat. Mid sentence, she stops talking, as does everyone in the club except for Brian. Everyone inside the club starts saying, "behold the rapture". Brian finds Jude, who attacks him. The Doctor has made his way into the club, finding McShane in a trance, like everyone else, except for Gabriel, who is still shouting about the rapture from his DJ booth on high, fifteen feet above the dance floor.
=== Part Two ===
Suddenly, everyone breaks out of the trance. McShane doesn't want the Doctor to interrupt her "normal" night. He agrees to let her come back with him and Cat, after they're done dancing. Jude receives a call from someone whose help allowed them to do all this. Meanwhile, Liam has just been sick and McShane decides to go back with him while Cat stays at the club. Gabriel, angel of music, manages to wake Brian, telling him he's going to heaven, and then attacks him while Brian screams. Meanwhile, Liam tells McShane about how he met Cat at university, and how he's now trying to help her through her illness. He calls her Ace, making her realise he knows her already, finding a picture of her in his apartment.


Outside, the bouncer will not let the Doctor in—until the bouncer too falls under the spell of the music. Slipping inside the club, the Doctor finds he cannot rouse any of the audience—and Gabriel is starting up the music again.
Gabriel buys something from Gustavo just after Cat buys some tortilla chips from him, allowing the pair to meet. The Doctor appears and tells Gustavo about the trance while Cat tells Gabriel about her depression, and how the music helps her. He insists he's really an angel, and she asks him to fly her away from her life. Gustavo tells the Doctor that the music is like a church for young people, while the Doctor insists this isn't a good thing, reminding him of Franco, who manipulated people with Bible quotes and religion. Liam reveals to McShane that he's her brother, explaining that when his father found their mother, [[Audrey Dudman]], cheating on him with another man, he took Liam and walked out.


=== Part 2 ===
Gabriel gives Cat "angel dust", to help her fly, and shows her his wings. Liam tells McShane about how he went to see their mother just before their father died, and that's how he knew she went by Ace and had the photo. Gabriel takes Cat flying while Gustavo tells the Doctor that angels have been said to visit the islands in the past, such as when an angel visited the monk, "[[Francisco Palau]]", in 1850. The island he was on ([[Es Vedrà]]) is the island that the partygoers in the Rapture see the sun set behind.
The music climaxes—and suddenly returns to normal.  The crowd awakens with no memory of anything unusual.  The Doctor tries to warn McShane, but she takes it as more manipulation, and loses her temper at him. Reluctantly, he leaves her alone.  Brian is nowhere to be found, and Liam is sick in the restroom; Caitriona is still partying, and so Liam and McShane leave together. Meanwhile, Gabriel finds Brian’s body on the floor of the DJ room, and is upset; Jude says that the man lacked faith, but that Gabriel is doing well.  When Gabriel leaves to play more music, Jude calls their unseen benefactor and assures him that all is going well.  When the club at last closes for the night, Jude awakens Brian—who was only stunned—and promises to make him immortal.  Brian begins screaming.


At Liam and Caitriona’s apartment, Liam explains about his relationship with Caitriona, who suffers from mood swings. However, he slips up and calls McShane “Ace”, a name she has not told him. She becomes furious and confronts him; her rage grows when she sees he has a picture of her. She assumes he is manipulating her like so many others—but he stuns her to silence when he reveals the truth: his name is Liam McShane, and he is her younger brother.
McShane laments the loss of the life she could have had if she'd had a brother and wasn't so lonely growing up, crying. She begins to tell him about her life while Cat gets higher, flown over the island. Listening hard, Cat can hear things down below on the island, like McShane arguing with Liam and deciding to leave. Gabriel tells Cat that she has become God, and then she hears clapping as Liam and "Dorothy" tell Tony Blackburn, the radio host how happy they are to have found each other, and then Liam says no one likes Cat. McShane and the Doctor call to her, saying she's cursed, and then a voice tells Cat she must kill Dorothy, or Liam will leave her and everything will fall.
=== Part Three ===
Liam wakes up, telling Cat that McShane wants nothing to do with him. Cat is still hearing the Doctor's voice in her head. McShane finds the Doctor. She feels overwhelmed by her issues. The pair notice Gabriel carrying something, following him to a boat, where they hide to watch him. They talk about Liam, and how [[Kurtz]]'s death hit McShane so hard because it happened in their safe place, the TARDIS. Cat talks to Gustavo, and she and Liam decide to go back to the Rapture and work out what happened the night before.


With the Rapture closed for the night, Caitriona visits Gustavo’s bar for something to eat.  In line, she meets Gabriel, and eventually leaves with him, just missing the returning Doctor. The Doctor discusses the odd happenings at the Rapture with Gustavo; Gustavo brushes off his concerns, saying that the youth are looking for meaning in the music and the atmosphere—much like a religious experience. Gustavo reveals his concern for the youth of the day, who have nothing to believe in or fight for; do they not need guidance from their elders?  The DJs may not be the angels they claim to be, but they offer guidance.  Then again, Ibiza has been visited by angels before...a 19th-century monk named Francisco Paolo claimed to have been visited by angels on Es Vedra. Meanwhile, Caitriona is talking to one of the erstwhile angels. She admits that she is very depressed, and hates herself, though for no apparent reason; she claims that Gabriel’s music is the only thing keeping her going.  He insists he is really an angel, and offers her “angel dust” to help her fly to Heaven with him.  She accepts the dust.
The boat has taken the Doctor and McShane to Es Vedrà, where Gabriel is entering a cave. They follow him. The Doctor tells her about the biblical rapture, and the pair watch Gabriel talk about voices he hears. Cat and Liam are at the club, and they split up, with Cat still hearing voices from last night's angel dust trip in her head. Gabriel is talking to a bright glowing light about a prophecy. The Doctor and McShane see a body - Brian. He's offering sacrifices to "his Lord". McShane talks Gabriel into believing she and the Doctor want to be Gabriel's disciples, and they follow him to his church. Liam finds Jude in the Rapture, who is about to make contact with God.


Liam explains that he was born when Ace was four years old. Shortly afterward, their mother Audrey was caught by their father Harry having an affair with Harry’s best friend.  Rather than stay to retaliate, Harry simply snatched up the infant Liam and left, never to return; he only left Dorothy—Ace—behind out of necessity, as she was at playschool at the time. Liam never knew about her until four years ago, when Harry had a heart attack and revealed the truth.  He left to find his mother and sister, but when he found Audrey, she revealed that Ace had been missing for several years. When he returned home, Harry was dead; Liam missed his father’s death by an hour.  He produces a letter from their father as proof, and Ace breaks down, realising her life could have been very different. She tells him about her life—but then shuns him, insisting there is no room in her life for a brother.  Angry and hurt, he storms out, leaving her to sleep on the couch; she wrestles with her own hurt and guilt.  Meanwhile, Caitriona is very high; she sees a rainbow of colours, and hears hints of Liam and Ace’s argument. Gabriel leads her through these alleged revelations, but she is confronted with her own dark side and worst fears.  She sees the Doctor as well; in her visions he is cast as the evil, soul-devouring Sandman. She feels herself falling, and the vision tells her to kill Ace to save herself; under the force of her will, she sees the apartment collapsing, crushing Ace to death.
Gabriel explains that the rapture is occuring that night, within the Rapture nightclub. Jude tells Liam that Ibiza is the least holy place on Earth, and that's why there are angels there. That having no great enemy to fight like Hitler or Franco has caused their generation has become selfish, and so those without an enemy create one: mental illness. Religion allows people purpose, and those without it turn to drugs and are obsessed with fame. Liam insists Jude is not an angel, and Jude admits that he is not. Just then, Gabriel, the Doctor, and McShane enter. Gabriel leaves, and the Doctor says the glowing light they saw was an interdimensional portal, and "angel dust" is a drug: PCP. Gabriel and Jude are members of the [[Euphorian Empire]], who were peaceful until they were attacked by the [[Scardatura]]. Jude wants to use humans as soldiers.


=== Part 3 ===
Gabriel finds Cat, but she barely remembers him. Jude explains that Gabriel used to be a composer who wrote sad songs, but he was conscripted and went mad with shellshock, which is why he thinks he's an angel. Jude took him to Earth so he wouldn't be killed for his madness. They had visited Earth once before, where they met Francisco Palau, and so they returned to this place of safety. Jude gave him angel dust and told him he was an angel; but his madness is breaking through again, so Jude wants to give his people an army so they'll allow Jude and Gabriel to return home, and hopefully help Gabriel. The Doctor says that he can help Gabriel instead.
15 May 1997: In the morning, Caitriona awakens with a headache and no memory of the end of her evening. She thinks nothing odd of this as Liam returns. Ace is gone, and so Liam takes Caitriona to Gustavo’s for breakfast; Gustavo tells her she left with Gabriel. Liam suggests returning to the Rapture to piece together what happened to Caitriona.


Ace meets the Doctor on the beach, and makes up with (temporarily at least); they see Gabriel putting an odd parcel onto a boat. They slip aboard the boat, which heads for Es Vedra.  En route, he reveals that he met Liam during the night. He suspects that Ace uses the TARDIS to hide from real life; this is why Kurtz, who died in the TARDIS, hit her so hard—it was within her safety zone. She is not convinved; but someday she must stop running.  On Es Vedra, they follow Gabriel into a cave, as the Doctor fills her in on the biblical doctrine of the Rapture, which the alleged angels are abusing. They witness Gabriel speaking to what he claims to be God, via a large glowing orb; he voices doubts, and explains that he is haunted by memories of a war that never happened.  He has come to present a sacrifice: the still body of Brian. Ace slips and gives away their presence; Gabriel confronts them.  Ace covers by claiming they are here seeking salvation.  He is pleased, and offers to take them back to the Rapture, his “church”; however, they will have to take the boat, as he is out of angel dust, which would let them fly.  He explains that tonight is the night of the ultimate communion, in which everyone in the Rapture will be, well, enraptured; the Doctor suspects this is cover for a planned mass kidnapping.
Gabriel thinks he can help Cat with her depression, so they return to the dance floor, where Gabriel plays her music, with Brian's screams mixed in, making her enter a trance. Meanwhile, Liam hits Jude because of the harm he's been causing. They all return to the nightclub, where Jude reveals who's been financing the nightclub: Gustavo.
=== Part Four ===
Gustavo explains that he thinks young people take too much for granted, especially democracy, which is why he was financing the club - he thought the young should go and fight in Jude and Gabriel's war for democracy, like they had back in his day. However, he has now realised he needs to stop interfering, let people make their own choices, so is at the club now to correct his wrong. Cat under a trance forces him into a lift up to the DJ's box. Jude tries to make Gabriel remember the awful war and try to give up the Rapture, but Gustavo attacks Gabriel when he realises that he killed Brian and recorded his screams. They both fall out of the box to their deaths.


Liam and Cat split up inside the vacant Rapture. Liam goes to the office, and meets Jude, who claims he is here to save the world’s youth. Liam counters with his own faith in God, which tells him this angel is an imposter. Jude admits as much—but before he can act further, Gabriel arrives with the Doctor and Ace.  Jude sends Gabriel to prepare for tonight’s activity, leaving the Doctor and Ace behind to be “baptized”. The Doctor confronts Jude, and reveals that the “angel dust” is the drug by that name, also called PCP or Phencyclidine—this explains Caitriona’s visions last night.  However, he is confounded by the fact that Gabriel really believes himself to be an angel.  He threatens to reveal the truth to Gabriel, forcing Jude to confess.  They are aliens, exiles from the Euphorian empire; their peaceful society was attacked and overrun by the Scordatura.  Though they fought, they were beaten, leading to the conscription of non-soldiers to fight, including composers such as Gabriel. Gabriel could not cope, and went mad, killing his commander; Jude rescued him from court-martial. They knew of a dimensional portal which led from their world to Es Vedra; they had used it as children, leading to the “angelic” encounter recorded by Francisco Paolo.  They escaped to 1997 Ibiza to recover; and there, Jude decided to take new recruits from the local population to become soldiers for the Euphorians.  He combined the drugs and the music to give Gabriel a new personality; but now it is failing.  Adapting texts from the Bible that Paolo had long ago given him, he created the Rapture and its dogma to bring in the youths who would become their soldiers when they inevitably return home.
The others leave the room so Jude can be alone with Gabriel's body, but Cat is still out on the dance floor. The Doctor decides to take Jude somewhere where he can find peace. Liam tries to go and get Cat, but finds the door is locked. Jude declares that he will get revenge by destroying all humans using Gabriel's music and Cat. The Doctor tells Liam that by using a bipolar woman as his best friend, he can be addicted to helping her instead of facing his own problems, just like how Cat does drugs and goes dancing to avoid hers, and how Jude was addicted to helping his brother. Without Gabriel, he himself becomes mad and will seek revenge. The Doctor still has a CD from Gustavo, and so they decide to play it.


Although the Doctor is disgusted by Jude’s choices and methods, he is sympathetic to the cause, and offers to help Gabriel in some other way—but he won’t allow the kidnapping and conscription. These guideless children of Earth will soon enough have their own wars to fight. Jude is intrigued by the offer; but as the Doctor and Ace leave, Liam threatens to kill Jude if anyone he loves is hurt by this situation.
Tony Blackburn is at the Rapture, speaking over radio ACL about the club. The Doctor thinks if he gets the CD into the DJ booth and play it, it will help. He starts going though a ventilation shaft to reach the booth. Liam apologises to McShane. Blackburn describes the club as Jude welcomes the clubgoers to the Rapture. McShane and Liam pound on the door, but no one can hear them.


Downstairs, Gabriel finds his recent disciple Caitriona. He leads her to the dancefloor, then retreats to the booth to play music for her; the music has the sound of Brian’s screams cut into it. It overwhelms her, and she begs Gabriel to save her from madness. She falls into a trance as the Doctor, Ace, and Liam arrive. Gabriel offers to introduce the Doctor to their benefactor, who made this possible; the Doctor is horrified to see Gustavo enter the club.
The Doctor arrives in the booth with Jude, who has modified his brother's music so that anyone listening will lose their minds. He tells Cat -"Gabriel's legacy" - to bring him "Satan's disciples", and she brings Liam and McShane to the DJ booth. Jude insists that he cannot forget his brother and forgive humans for what they did to him, so will kill the Doctor's friends in agony. He orders Cat to shoot McShane and Liam, and the Doctor says he won't forgive Jude. The deadly music begins. Cat shoots herself, and McShane tries to stop Liam from killing Jude. In the struggle, McShane falls off the booth, but Jude catches her, though doesn't pull her back in. The Doctor convinces Jude to allow him to play a disc that he says will restore his faith in humanity.


=== Part 4 ===
He plays it; it's the sound of Gabriel killing Brian. He talks about Jude, how he keeps saving him and pitying him, instead of respecting him. The disc ends and the Doctor talks about how McShane and Liam have found each other for the first time, how he should understand how important that sibling bond is, how terrible it would be for them to lose each other. He even offers for Jude to come with him in the TARDIS. He brings McShane back up to safety, but Jude says he can't live without his brother, and decides to go back to his people through the portal on Es Vedrà. He leaves, and they realise Cat has survived - the gun wasn't at full power, as she subconsciously set it low so she wouldn't kill her friends.
Gustavo explains that he funded the Rapture in the belief that Jude and Gabriel would bring purpose to the youth of Ibiza. He expected them to persuade the young people, not enslave them.  Gabriel summons Caitriona to the DJ booth; seeing that she is entranced, Gustavo realises the truth. The Doctor tries to calm Gustavo while Jude tries to explain to Gabriel about the change in plans; but they are interrupted by Ace, who has realised that the screaming in the music is a recording of Brian’s death.  Gustavo declares Gabriel to be evil, and attacks him; both of them fall burst through the glass of the booth and fall to the dance floor—and their deaths. Gustavo holds on just long enough to give the Doctor a CD prepared by Gabriel.  Jude is grief-stricken; the others retreat to the office to give him a moment to mourn. This proves to be a mistake; for Jude decides that humanity must pay for his brother’s death—and they will suffer through Gabriel’s music. He locks the Doctor’s group into the office.


The Doctor realises he has misunderstood Jude.  The key is Ace; just as she has hidden from her reality in the TARDIS many times, Jude used his extensive care for Gabriel’s madness to keep his own madness at bay. Now, it can be unleashed.  There is one chance: the CD left by Gabriel and given to the Doctor by Gustavo.  As evening arrives, the club’s doors open, admitting thousands; and with this event’s publicity, millions more will listen in by radio. Liam locates a ventilation shaft, and helps the Doctor to escape through it; the Doctor promises to save Caitriona, and heads for the DJ booth. Meanwhile, Ace and Liam try to shout warnings to the clubgoers, but they can’t make themselves heard.  Jude begins to play Gabriel’s last composition—but he has remixed it, and now it will make the hearers die in pain.
The Doctor starts to make an announcement to the clubgoers, but McShane interrupts it by telling them to party, to enjoy their lives, playing dance music. Tony Blackburn concludes his broadcast. Later, the Doctor talks to Cat, who knows that McShane will come with the Doctor, leaving Liam. McShane promises she'll come back to Liam one day, though she needs to stay with the Doctor for now. They say goodbye, and she and the Doctor leave.


The Doctor arrives in the DJ booth and tries to reason with Jude.  Jude will have none of it, and sends Caitriona to retrieve Ace and Liam, whom he calls “Satan’s disciples”.  Caitriona places them in the lift while Jude makes his point: the Doctor wants him to forgive his brother’s killers, but would he do the same if Jude forces Caitriona to murder Liam and Ace?  He starts the final segment of music, and orders Caitriona to use his laser pistol and kill them; but she cannot bring herself to do it, and turns the weapon on herself.  In a rage, Liam attacks Jude, who overpowers him; Jude grabs Ace and dangles her over the dance floor.  If he lets go, she will die like Gabriel.  The Doctor begs him to wait; he produces the CD, and promises that it will restore Jude’s faith.  Jude allows it, and the Doctor stops the music, waking the clubgoers from their trance.  He plays the CD, and reveals that it contains a confession, made by Gabriel to Brian after Brian’s murder.  Gabriel admits that he killed Brian to save him, because Jude had taught him that the dead would rise during the Rapture. The thing he wanted most was for Jude to be proud of him.  He reveals that despite his delusions, he was aware that Jude was saving him from a madness even worse, and he felt that Jude might resent him for it.  In Caitriona he had found a kindred spirit, and so he was drawn to her; if he could save her, he could make Jude stop regretting his relationship with his brother.  Jude is abashed; he in fact never regretted having a brother.  Confronted with what he is doing, he realises that if he kills Ace, he is inflicting the same fate on Liam that has been visited on him—a life without a sibling.  He lets her down safely, giving them a chance. Jude declares that he will return to his homeworld and face justice; Ace argues against it, saying it will allow him to get away with his crimes here—but he slips away while she argues.  Caitriona then awakens; the Doctor reveals that he had seen her subconsciously set the gun on “stun” before she used it.  Even in her trance, on some level she had still been herself.  The Doctor starts to address the crowd—but Ace cuts him off by simply turning on some more Earthly dance music and restarting the party.
=== Post-Credits ===
 
In London, a woman called Bridget receives an email from an anonymous person confessing their love to her. The email says they composed a song for her, which is attached to her email. She and her friend open the file: it's Gabriel's music. They go silent.
Over a few days, Liam and Ace grow acquainted, but he chooses not to join her in her exotic life.  He stays behind with Caitriona.  Ace, meanwhile, will keep on—but now she has something to look forward to at home.  The TARDIS departs, having seen the last of Jude...or maybe not.  Later, an office worker in London receives an email with a music file attached—and when she plays it, the minds of all the office workers are blown.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
* [[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Sylvester McCoy]]
* [[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Sylvester McCoy]]
* [[Ace]] - [[Sophie Aldred]]
* [[Ace]] - [[Sophie Aldred]]
* [[Tony Blackburn]] - [[Tony Blackburn|Himself]]
* [[Tony Blackburn (in-universe)|Tony Blackburn]] - [[Tony Blackburn|Himself]]
* [[Jude (The Rapture)|Jude]] - [[Matthew Brenher]]
* [[Jude (The Rapture)|Jude]] - [[Matthew Brenher]]
* [[Gabriel (The Rapture)|Gabriel]] - [[Neil Henry]]
* [[Gabriel (The Rapture)|Gabriel]] - [[Neil Henry]]
Line 87: Line 97:
* [[Caitriona Henderson]] - [[Anne Bird]]
* [[Caitriona Henderson]] - [[Anne Bird]]
* [[Brian (The Rapture)|Brian]] - [[Daniel Wilson]]
* [[Brian (The Rapture)|Brian]] - [[Daniel Wilson]]
* Bouncer / Clubber - [[Jeremy James]]
* [[Bouncer (The Rapture)|Bouncer]] / [[Clubber (The Rapture)|Clubber]] - [[Jez Fielder|Jeremy James]]
 
== Crew ==
 
* Cover Art - [[Clayton Hickman]]
* Director - [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Executive Producer - [[Jacqueline Rayner]]
* Music - [[Jim Mortimore]], [[Jane Elphinstone]], [[Simon Robinson]] and Feel
* Producers - [[Gary Russell]] and Jason Haigh-Ellery
* Sound Design - Jim Mortimore
* Writer - [[Joseph Lidster]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
=== The Doctor ===
=== The Doctor ===
* The Doctor fought with Gustavo's father during the [[Spanish Civil War]] ([[1936]]-[[1939]]).  
* The Doctor fought with Gustavo's father during the [[Spanish Civil War]] ([[1936]]-[[1939]]).
* The Doctor knows how to make [[Sofrit Page]]s and [[sangria]]s.
* The Doctor knows how to make [[Sofrit Page]]s and [[sangria]]s.


Line 97: Line 117:
* Ace was born on [[20 August]] [[1970]] to [[Audrey Dudman|Audrey]] and [[Harry McShane]].
* Ace was born on [[20 August]] [[1970]] to [[Audrey Dudman|Audrey]] and [[Harry McShane]].
* Gustavo considered returning to mainland [[Spain]] but eventually decided against it.
* Gustavo considered returning to mainland [[Spain]] but eventually decided against it.
* Liam describes himself as a "[[Christianity|Christian]] [[science fiction|sci-fi]] moppet."
* Liam describes himself as a "[[Christian]] [[science fiction|sci-fi]] moppet."


=== Earth history ===
=== Earth history ===
Line 104: Line 124:
=== Television series ===
=== Television series ===
* Liam is a fan of the science fiction series ''[[The X-Files]]'' and ''[[Professor X]]''.
* Liam is a fan of the science fiction series ''[[The X-Files]]'' and ''[[Professor X]]''.
== Gallery ==
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true" widths="250">
The Rapture cover.jpg|Original CD cover
The rapture clean.jpg|Textless cover art
The_Rapture_Comic_Preview.jpg|Comic Preview from [[DWM 322]]. Illustration by [[Martin Geraghty]]
</gallery>


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
[[File:The_Rapture_Comic_Preview.jpg|thumb|Comic Preview from [[DWM 322]]. Illustration by [[Martin Geraghty]].]]
* In keeping with the story's Ibiza theme, this audio drama features remixes of the [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme]] for each episode.
[[File:The rapture clean.jpg|thumb|Textless cover art]]
* [[Tony Blackburn (in-universe)|Tony Blackburn]] says he'll play a song that listeners "haven't heard in about a month", and then the Doctor Who theme tune plays, referencing the fact that the main range audios were released once a month.
* This audio drama features remixes of the [[Doctor Who theme|''Doctor Who'' theme]] for each episode.
* When asked where she's from, McShane replies "I'm from over the rainbow", in reference to her name being inspired by Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz series. Later, when talked to [[Liam McShane]], she says that she's been over a "twisted rainbow".
* The first draft scripts had individual episode titles: ''Essential Selection'', ''A Higher State of...'', ''Deeper'' and ''Euphoric Breakdown''.
* [[Caitriona Henderson|Caitriona]] says "fuck" in part one, marking a rare occurrence of swearing in Doctor Who media.
* This would be the final audio drama released in the main range to feature the Seventh Doctor and Ace travelling alone until ''[[1963: The Assassination Games (audio story)|1963: The Assassination Games]]'' in [[November (releases)|November]] [[2013 (releases)|2013]]. The next story, ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|The Harvest]]'', would add [[Thomas Hector Schofield|Hex]] as a companion.
* When Liam sees the TARDIS dematerialising, he says "Wicked!", echoing his sister's catchphrase.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[20 April (production)|20]] and [[21 April (production)|21 April]] and [[12 May (production)|12 May]] 2002 at [[The Moat Studios]].
* The first draft scripts had individual episode titles: ''Essential Selection'', ''A Higher State of...'', ''Deeper,'' and ''Euphoric Breakdown''.
* This would be the final audio drama released in the Main Range to feature the Seventh Doctor and Ace travelling alone until ''[[1963: The Assassination Games (audio story)|1963: The Assassination Games]]'' in [[November (releases)|November]] [[2013 (releases)|2013]]. The next story, ''[[The Harvest (audio story)|The Harvest]]'', would add [[Hex]] as a companion.
* This audio drama was recorded on [[20 April (production)|20]] and [[21 April (production)|21 April]] and [[12 May (production)|12 May]] [[2002 (production)|2002]] at [[the Moat Studios]].
* [[Jim Mortimore]]'s score for the story was released, alongside the scores to ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]] ''and ''[[Bang-Bang-a-Boom! (audio story)|Bang-Bang-a-Boom!]] '', as part of the ''[[Music from the Seventh Doctor Audio Adventures (soundtrack)|Music from the Seventh Doctor Audio Adventures]]'' release.
* [[Jim Mortimore]]'s score for the story was released, alongside the scores to ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]] ''and ''[[Bang-Bang-a-Boom! (audio story)|Bang-Bang-a-Boom!]] '', as part of the ''[[Music from the Seventh Doctor Audio Adventures (soundtrack)|Music from the Seventh Doctor Audio Adventures]]'' release.
* DJ [[Tony Blackburn]]'s guest role marked the fourth time a celebrity played himself in a ''Doctor Who'' production, and the first time it was done in a Big Finish audio story.
* DJ [[Tony Blackburn]]'s guest role marked the fourth time a celebrity played himself in a ''Doctor Who'' production, and the first time it was done in a Big Finish audio story.
* Francisco Palau was a real person who supposedly lived on [[Es Vedrà]]<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Palau</ref>.
* Despite the cover mentioning there being 17 tracks, the [[Spotify]] release has 26.
* This story is placed between ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'' and [[Doctor Who (TV story)|the 1996 TV Movie]].
* This story was originally released on CD. It is now available as a download, as well as to stream on Spotify.
* The date is given as Friday 14 May, despite the fact that 14 May was a Wednesday in 1997.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* Ace tells Brian that ten years have passed since she left [[Perivale]] in [[1987]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dragonfire (TV story)|Dragonfire]]'')
* Ace tells Brian that ten years have passed since she left [[Perivale]] in [[1987]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Dragonfire (TV story)|Dragonfire]]'')
* Ace mentions the recent deaths of Feldwebel [[Kurtz]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Colditz (audio story)|Colditz]]'') and Madame [[Salvadori]], who was killed by the [[Krill]] on [[Duchamp 331]] during the [[26th century]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]]'') She describes the former as one of the worst things that she has ever seen.
* Ace is using the name 'McShane'. ([[AUDIO]]: [[Colditz]])
* Ace mentions [[Colditz]] and [[Fenric]].
* The Doctor can be heard while [[Caitriona Henderson|Caitriona]] is flying calling himself "the Sandman", as Ace calls herself one of the living dead. ([[AUDIO]]: [[The Sandman (audio story)|The Sandman]])
* Ace mentions the recent deaths of [[Kurtz]] ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Colditz (audio story)|Colditz]]'') and Madame [[Salvadori]], who was killed by the [[Krill]] on [[Duchamp 331]] during the [[26th century]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]]'') She describes the former as one of the worst things that she has ever seen.
* Ace refers to [[Fenric]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'') and her recent visit to [[Colditz Castle]] in [[October]] [[1944]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Colditz (audio story)|Colditz]]'')
* Ace refers to [[Fenric]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'') and her recent visit to [[Colditz Castle]] in [[October]] [[1944]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Colditz (audio story)|Colditz]]'')
* Ace quotes the [[First Doctor|First Doctor's]] "One day, I shall come back" speech. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dalek Invasion of Earth (TV story)|The Dalek Invasion of Earth]]'')
* Caitriona sees a "{{Delgado|n=man in a golden mask}}" in Ace's mind. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]]'')
* Caitriona sees a "{{Delgado|n=man in a golden mask}}" in Ace's mind. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]]'')
* Liam mentions the science fiction series ''[[Professor X]]''. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[No Future (novel)|No Future]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[Return of the Living Dad (novel)|Return of the Living Dad]]'')
* Liam mentions the science fiction series ''[[Professor X]]''. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[No Future (novel)|No Future]]'', ''[[Return of the Living Dad (novel)|Return of the Living Dad]]'')
* Liam refers to the British manned missions to [[Mars]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'')
* Liam refers to the British manned missions to [[Mars]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Ambassadors of Death (TV story)|The Ambassadors of Death]]'')
* Ace remembers telling the Doctor that the sea made her feel small and insignificant in [[Maiden's Point]] in [[1943]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'')
* Ace remembers telling the Doctor that the sea made her feel small and insignificant in [[Maiden's Point]] in [[1943]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'')
* The Doctor refers to the deaths of [[Mike Smith]] ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]''), [[Sorin|Captain Sorin]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'') and [[Karra]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'')
* The Doctor refers to the deaths of [[Mike Smith]], ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'') [[Sorin|Captain Sorin]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Curse of Fenric (TV story)|The Curse of Fenric]]'') and [[Karra]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'')
* The Doctor is initially alarmed when Ace describes the seaweed as "[[Weed creature|killer]]" before realising that it was only a figure of speech. ([[TV]]: ''[[Fury from the Deep (TV story)|Fury from the Deep]]'')
* The Doctor is initially alarmed when Ace describes the seaweed as "[[Weed creature|killer]]" before realising that it was only a figure of speech. ([[TV]]: ''[[Fury from the Deep (TV story)|Fury from the Deep]]'')
* Ace refers to the Doctor's previous habit of playing the [[spoon]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'', ''[[The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (TV story)|The Greatest Show in the Galaxy]]'')
* Ace refers to the Doctor's previous habit of playing the [[spoon]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'', ''[[The Greatest Show in the Galaxy (TV story)|The Greatest Show in the Galaxy]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Colditz (audio story)|Colditz]]'')
* Caitriona sees the Doctor in the form of the demonic [[Sixth Doctor|Sandman]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Sandman (audio story)|The Sandman]]'')
* During his [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]], the Doctor would once again fight in the Spanish Civil War in [[1936]] and [[1937]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[History 101 (novel)|History 101]]'')
* During his [[Eighth Doctor|eighth incarnation]], the Doctor would once again fight in the Spanish Civil War in [[1936]] and [[1937]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[History 101 (novel)|History 101]]'')


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{bigfinish|releases/v/the-rapture-202|The Rapture}}
{{bigfinish|releases/v/the-rapture-202|The Rapture}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf36.htm|The Rapture}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf36.htm|The Rapture}}
* {{tetrap|7/rapture.html|The Rapture}}
{{tetrap|7/rapture.html|The Rapture}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[Category:Seventh Doctor audio stories]]
 
[[Category:Doctor Who monthly audio stories]]
[[Category:2002 audio stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1997]]
[[Category:Stories set in 1997]]
[[Category:Stories set on Ibiza]]
[[Category:Stories set on Ibiza]]
[[Category:Ace audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories with unique variations of the Doctor Who theme]]
[[Category:Audio stories with unique variations of the Doctor Who theme]]
[[Category:Seventh Doctor Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:2002 Main Range audio stories]]

Latest revision as of 23:12, 17 November 2024

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audio stub
▶︎
Spotify

The Rapture was the thirty-sixth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Joseph Lidster and featured Sylvester McCoy as the Seventh Doctor and Sophie Aldred as Ace.

This was the fifth audio story to feature this pairing of Doctor and companion. Each episode featured remixes of the Doctor Who theme, a device employed by Big Finish on numerous occasions.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Ibiza, 1997, and thousands of young people are acting like mindless zombies.

Which is to be expected. Ibiza, the island of dance music, sex, drugs and alcohol, is the ultimate hedonistic paradise.

God has sent help from on high to save the sinners of Ibiza. He has sent His angels to save their souls.

Which would be simple enough if these souls didn't include an alien time-traveller working in a bar, a woman who disappeared in 1987, a young man carrying a photograph of a girl he's never met and an Irish girl who doesn't even know who she is anymore.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part One[[edit] | [edit source]]

Tony Blackburn in Ibiza gives a radio story about a new club, The Rapture, run by Gabriel and Jude, who are brothers and DJs. Tony then plays a song.

Caitriona Henderson and Liam McShane are called over by Brian, who says they need to leave so they can get the Rapture. McShane complains to the Doctor that they're not in London as he promised. She just wants a normal day, no death, no monsters. The Doctor says that this is why he's brought her to Ibiza in 1997, and introduces her to Gustavo Riviera, whose life the Doctor saved when he was little. Gustavo recommends the Rapture, as a good place to relax. There, McShane meets Brian. The Doctor is still with Gustavo, where they are catching up. Gustavo tells the Doctor that Jude and Gabriel are angels who will be able to help McShane, and the Doctor fears trouble.

Jude tells Gabriel that tonight is the night. They discuss events from the Bible as if they were there, and then Gabriel goes to DJ. Caitrionia's pills are kicking in, and Liam is talking to her when he sees McShane talking to Brian, recognising her as Ace. The Doctor is still talking to Gustavo about McShane, and decides to join her at the Rapture. Brian tells McShane about Liam and Caitriona ("Cat"), who both come over. They all begin dancing. The Doctor turns up, but the bouncer turns him away because he looks too old for the club.

Gabriel arrives and gives a speech about the biblical rapture, claiming he is the angel of salvation. Brian feels strange, and people keep bumping into Kat. Mid sentence, she stops talking, as does everyone in the club except for Brian. Everyone inside the club starts saying, "behold the rapture". Brian finds Jude, who attacks him. The Doctor has made his way into the club, finding McShane in a trance, like everyone else, except for Gabriel, who is still shouting about the rapture from his DJ booth on high, fifteen feet above the dance floor.

Part Two[[edit] | [edit source]]

Suddenly, everyone breaks out of the trance. McShane doesn't want the Doctor to interrupt her "normal" night. He agrees to let her come back with him and Cat, after they're done dancing. Jude receives a call from someone whose help allowed them to do all this. Meanwhile, Liam has just been sick and McShane decides to go back with him while Cat stays at the club. Gabriel, angel of music, manages to wake Brian, telling him he's going to heaven, and then attacks him while Brian screams. Meanwhile, Liam tells McShane about how he met Cat at university, and how he's now trying to help her through her illness. He calls her Ace, making her realise he knows her already, finding a picture of her in his apartment.

Gabriel buys something from Gustavo just after Cat buys some tortilla chips from him, allowing the pair to meet. The Doctor appears and tells Gustavo about the trance while Cat tells Gabriel about her depression, and how the music helps her. He insists he's really an angel, and she asks him to fly her away from her life. Gustavo tells the Doctor that the music is like a church for young people, while the Doctor insists this isn't a good thing, reminding him of Franco, who manipulated people with Bible quotes and religion. Liam reveals to McShane that he's her brother, explaining that when his father found their mother, Audrey Dudman, cheating on him with another man, he took Liam and walked out.

Gabriel gives Cat "angel dust", to help her fly, and shows her his wings. Liam tells McShane about how he went to see their mother just before their father died, and that's how he knew she went by Ace and had the photo. Gabriel takes Cat flying while Gustavo tells the Doctor that angels have been said to visit the islands in the past, such as when an angel visited the monk, "Francisco Palau", in 1850. The island he was on (Es Vedrà) is the island that the partygoers in the Rapture see the sun set behind.

McShane laments the loss of the life she could have had if she'd had a brother and wasn't so lonely growing up, crying. She begins to tell him about her life while Cat gets higher, flown over the island. Listening hard, Cat can hear things down below on the island, like McShane arguing with Liam and deciding to leave. Gabriel tells Cat that she has become God, and then she hears clapping as Liam and "Dorothy" tell Tony Blackburn, the radio host how happy they are to have found each other, and then Liam says no one likes Cat. McShane and the Doctor call to her, saying she's cursed, and then a voice tells Cat she must kill Dorothy, or Liam will leave her and everything will fall.

Part Three[[edit] | [edit source]]

Liam wakes up, telling Cat that McShane wants nothing to do with him. Cat is still hearing the Doctor's voice in her head. McShane finds the Doctor. She feels overwhelmed by her issues. The pair notice Gabriel carrying something, following him to a boat, where they hide to watch him. They talk about Liam, and how Kurtz's death hit McShane so hard because it happened in their safe place, the TARDIS. Cat talks to Gustavo, and she and Liam decide to go back to the Rapture and work out what happened the night before.

The boat has taken the Doctor and McShane to Es Vedrà, where Gabriel is entering a cave. They follow him. The Doctor tells her about the biblical rapture, and the pair watch Gabriel talk about voices he hears. Cat and Liam are at the club, and they split up, with Cat still hearing voices from last night's angel dust trip in her head. Gabriel is talking to a bright glowing light about a prophecy. The Doctor and McShane see a body - Brian. He's offering sacrifices to "his Lord". McShane talks Gabriel into believing she and the Doctor want to be Gabriel's disciples, and they follow him to his church. Liam finds Jude in the Rapture, who is about to make contact with God.

Gabriel explains that the rapture is occuring that night, within the Rapture nightclub. Jude tells Liam that Ibiza is the least holy place on Earth, and that's why there are angels there. That having no great enemy to fight like Hitler or Franco has caused their generation has become selfish, and so those without an enemy create one: mental illness. Religion allows people purpose, and those without it turn to drugs and are obsessed with fame. Liam insists Jude is not an angel, and Jude admits that he is not. Just then, Gabriel, the Doctor, and McShane enter. Gabriel leaves, and the Doctor says the glowing light they saw was an interdimensional portal, and "angel dust" is a drug: PCP. Gabriel and Jude are members of the Euphorian Empire, who were peaceful until they were attacked by the Scardatura. Jude wants to use humans as soldiers.

Gabriel finds Cat, but she barely remembers him. Jude explains that Gabriel used to be a composer who wrote sad songs, but he was conscripted and went mad with shellshock, which is why he thinks he's an angel. Jude took him to Earth so he wouldn't be killed for his madness. They had visited Earth once before, where they met Francisco Palau, and so they returned to this place of safety. Jude gave him angel dust and told him he was an angel; but his madness is breaking through again, so Jude wants to give his people an army so they'll allow Jude and Gabriel to return home, and hopefully help Gabriel. The Doctor says that he can help Gabriel instead.

Gabriel thinks he can help Cat with her depression, so they return to the dance floor, where Gabriel plays her music, with Brian's screams mixed in, making her enter a trance. Meanwhile, Liam hits Jude because of the harm he's been causing. They all return to the nightclub, where Jude reveals who's been financing the nightclub: Gustavo.

Part Four[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gustavo explains that he thinks young people take too much for granted, especially democracy, which is why he was financing the club - he thought the young should go and fight in Jude and Gabriel's war for democracy, like they had back in his day. However, he has now realised he needs to stop interfering, let people make their own choices, so is at the club now to correct his wrong. Cat under a trance forces him into a lift up to the DJ's box. Jude tries to make Gabriel remember the awful war and try to give up the Rapture, but Gustavo attacks Gabriel when he realises that he killed Brian and recorded his screams. They both fall out of the box to their deaths.

The others leave the room so Jude can be alone with Gabriel's body, but Cat is still out on the dance floor. The Doctor decides to take Jude somewhere where he can find peace. Liam tries to go and get Cat, but finds the door is locked. Jude declares that he will get revenge by destroying all humans using Gabriel's music and Cat. The Doctor tells Liam that by using a bipolar woman as his best friend, he can be addicted to helping her instead of facing his own problems, just like how Cat does drugs and goes dancing to avoid hers, and how Jude was addicted to helping his brother. Without Gabriel, he himself becomes mad and will seek revenge. The Doctor still has a CD from Gustavo, and so they decide to play it.

Tony Blackburn is at the Rapture, speaking over radio ACL about the club. The Doctor thinks if he gets the CD into the DJ booth and play it, it will help. He starts going though a ventilation shaft to reach the booth. Liam apologises to McShane. Blackburn describes the club as Jude welcomes the clubgoers to the Rapture. McShane and Liam pound on the door, but no one can hear them.

The Doctor arrives in the booth with Jude, who has modified his brother's music so that anyone listening will lose their minds. He tells Cat -"Gabriel's legacy" - to bring him "Satan's disciples", and she brings Liam and McShane to the DJ booth. Jude insists that he cannot forget his brother and forgive humans for what they did to him, so will kill the Doctor's friends in agony. He orders Cat to shoot McShane and Liam, and the Doctor says he won't forgive Jude. The deadly music begins. Cat shoots herself, and McShane tries to stop Liam from killing Jude. In the struggle, McShane falls off the booth, but Jude catches her, though doesn't pull her back in. The Doctor convinces Jude to allow him to play a disc that he says will restore his faith in humanity.

He plays it; it's the sound of Gabriel killing Brian. He talks about Jude, how he keeps saving him and pitying him, instead of respecting him. The disc ends and the Doctor talks about how McShane and Liam have found each other for the first time, how he should understand how important that sibling bond is, how terrible it would be for them to lose each other. He even offers for Jude to come with him in the TARDIS. He brings McShane back up to safety, but Jude says he can't live without his brother, and decides to go back to his people through the portal on Es Vedrà. He leaves, and they realise Cat has survived - the gun wasn't at full power, as she subconsciously set it low so she wouldn't kill her friends.

The Doctor starts to make an announcement to the clubgoers, but McShane interrupts it by telling them to party, to enjoy their lives, playing dance music. Tony Blackburn concludes his broadcast. Later, the Doctor talks to Cat, who knows that McShane will come with the Doctor, leaving Liam. McShane promises she'll come back to Liam one day, though she needs to stay with the Doctor for now. They say goodbye, and she and the Doctor leave.

Post-Credits[[edit] | [edit source]]

In London, a woman called Bridget receives an email from an anonymous person confessing their love to her. The email says they composed a song for her, which is attached to her email. She and her friend open the file: it's Gabriel's music. They go silent.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Earth history[[edit] | [edit source]]

Television series[[edit] | [edit source]]

Gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • In keeping with the story's Ibiza theme, this audio drama features remixes of the Doctor Who theme for each episode.
  • Tony Blackburn says he'll play a song that listeners "haven't heard in about a month", and then the Doctor Who theme tune plays, referencing the fact that the main range audios were released once a month.
  • When asked where she's from, McShane replies "I'm from over the rainbow", in reference to her name being inspired by Dorothy Gale from the Wizard of Oz series. Later, when talked to Liam McShane, she says that she's been over a "twisted rainbow".
  • Caitriona says "fuck" in part one, marking a rare occurrence of swearing in Doctor Who media.
  • When Liam sees the TARDIS dematerialising, he says "Wicked!", echoing his sister's catchphrase.
  • The first draft scripts had individual episode titles: Essential Selection, A Higher State of..., Deeper, and Euphoric Breakdown.
  • This would be the final audio drama released in the Main Range to feature the Seventh Doctor and Ace travelling alone until 1963: The Assassination Games in November 2013. The next story, The Harvest, would add Hex as a companion.
  • This audio drama was recorded on 20 and 21 April and 12 May 2002 at the Moat Studios.
  • Jim Mortimore's score for the story was released, alongside the scores to Dust Breeding and Bang-Bang-a-Boom! , as part of the Music from the Seventh Doctor Audio Adventures release.
  • DJ Tony Blackburn's guest role marked the fourth time a celebrity played himself in a Doctor Who production, and the first time it was done in a Big Finish audio story.
  • Francisco Palau was a real person who supposedly lived on Es Vedrà[1].
  • Despite the cover mentioning there being 17 tracks, the Spotify release has 26.
  • This story is placed between Survival and the 1996 TV Movie.
  • This story was originally released on CD. It is now available as a download, as well as to stream on Spotify.
  • The date is given as Friday 14 May, despite the fact that 14 May was a Wednesday in 1997.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

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  1. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Palau
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