The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
{{real world}}
{{ImageLinkTV}}
{{ImageLinkTV}}
{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image          = QuillTheMetaphysicalEngine.jpg
|image          = QuillTheMetaphysicalEngine.jpg
|season number  = Series 1 (Class)
|season number  = Series 1 (Class)
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|story number    = 6
|story number    = 6
|episode number  = 7
|episode number  = 7
|main character  = [[Andrea Quill|Miss Quill]]
|scripturl      = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/class-episode-7-shooting-script-08.07.16.pdf
|featuring      = Ballon
|main character  = [[Andrea Quill|Quill]]
|featuring2      = Dorothea Ames
|featuring      = Charlie Smith
|featuring3      = Coal Hill defenders
|featuring2      = Matteusz Andrzejewski
|enemy          = [[Miss Quill's arn]]
|enemy          = [[Dorothea Ames]]
|setting        = {{il|[[Coal Hill Academy]], [[November]] [[2016]];|[[Metaphysical engine]];|[[Arn Heaven]];|[[Lorr ap Thriss]];|[[First Quill nest]];|[[Cabinet of Souls]]}}
|setting        = {{il|[[Coal Hill Academy]], [[November]] [[2016]];|[[Metaphysical engine]];|[[Arn Heaven]];|[[Lorr ap Thriss]];|[[First Quill nest]];|[[Cabinet of Souls]]}}
|writer          = [[Patrick Ness]]
|writer          = Patrick Ness
|director        = [[Wayne Che Yip]]
|director        = [[Wayne Che Yip]]
|producer        = [[Derek Ritchie]]
|producer        = [[Derek Ritchie]]
|release date    = [[26 November (releases)|26 November]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]]
|release date    = 26 November 2016
|network        = [[BBC Three]]
|network        = BBC Three
|format          = 1x45 minute episode
|format          = 1x45 minute episode
|production code = 1.7
|production code = 1.7
Line 35: Line 35:
|bts3            =  
|bts3            =  
}}
}}
'''''The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did''''' was the seventh episode of ''[[Class (TV series)|Class]]''. It was written by [[Patrick Ness]], directed by [[Wayne Che Yip]] and featured [[Greg Austin]] as [[Charlie Smith]], [[Fady Elsayed]] as [[Ram Singh]], [[Sophie Hopkins]] as [[April MacLean]], [[Vivian Oparah]] as [[Tanya Adeola]], [[Jordan Renzo]] as [[Matteusz Andrzejewski]] and [[Katherine Kelly]] as [[Andrea Quill|Miss Quill]].
'''''The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did''''' was the seventh episode of ''[[Class (TV series)|Class]]''. It was written by [[Patrick Ness]], directed by [[Wayne Che Yip]], and featured took place during the events of the preceding story, ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]''.
 
It saw [[Miss Quill]] get her [[Arn (species)|arn]] removed, as promised by [[Dorothea Ames]] in ''[[Brave-ish Heart (TV story)|Brave-ish Heart]]''. This episode takes place during the events of the preceding story, ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]''.
 
Whilst the previous episode was "Quill-lite", this episode featured almost nothing of the students and instead focused on Quill. It revealed that she held more of a grudge against the [[Rhodian]]s than she did towards the [[Shadow Kin]], and that she intended to get revenge on the [[Charlie Smith|only remaining]] Rhodian.
 
It also revealed a more sinister side to [[the Governors]], as they forced Quill to kill a new found [[Ballon|friend]] and suggested that they were expecting Quill to have died from the surgery of removing her arn.
 
It is also the first episode in which the [[Coal Hill Space-Time Rift]]s do not make an appearance.


== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
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|Electrician2=Matthew Challenger
|Electrician2=Matthew Challenger
|Electrician3=Stephen McLean
|Electrician3=Stephen McLean
|Electrician4=Andrew Williams
|Electrician4=Andrew Williams (electrician)
|StuntCoOrdinator=Crispin Layfield
|StuntCoOrdinator=Crispin Layfield
|StuntCoOrdinator2=
|StuntCoOrdinator2=
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}}
}}


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* Miss Quill mentions [[cat]]-obsessed people on the Internet.
* Miss Quill mentions [[cat]]-obsessed people on the Internet.
* Dorothea tries to touch a [[hiding plant]].
* Dorothea tries to touch a [[hiding plant]].


=== Coal Hill School ===
=== Coal Hill Academy ===
* Some of the Governors believe the [[Coal Hill Space-Time Rift|tears in space-time]] around Coal Hill aren't accidental.
* Some of the Governors believe the [[Coal Hill Space-Time Rift|tears in space-time]] around Coal Hill aren't accidental.
* Posters for a [[Coal Hill School Orchestra]] concert are seen.
* Posters for a [[Coal Hill School Orchestra]] concert are seen.
* Posters for the [[Level Two Careers Fair]] can be seen.
* Posters for the [[Level Two Careers Fair]] can be seen.
* Posters for the school's [[Sport Work Shop]]s can be seen.
* Posters for the school's [[Sport Work Shop]]s can be seen.
* The [[Science Club]] is held in [[Lab 2A]].
* The [[Science Club]] is held in [[Lab 2A (Coal Hill)|Lab 2A]].


=== People ===
=== People ===
* Miss Quill is [[pregnant]].
* Quill becomes [[pregnant]].
* Ballon is looking for [[Ballon's family|his family]].
* Ballon is looking for [[Ballon's family|his family]].


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=== Philosophy ===
=== Philosophy ===
* Miss Quill claims [[metaphysics]] aren't real.
* Quill claims [[metaphysics]] aren't real.


=== Technology ===
=== Technology ===
* The Governors detain Ballon with [[Governors' handcuffs|a special kind of handcuffs]]. [[Dorothea Ames]] has [[Governors' handcuff key|a key]] to deactivate them.
* The Governors detain Ballon with [[Governors' handcuffs|a special kind of handcuffs]]. [[Dorothea Ames]] has [[Governors' handcuff key|a key]] to deactivate them.
* Miss Quill mentions [[train]]s.
* Quill mentions [[train]]s.
* Miss Quill gets her [[displacement gun]] back.
* Quill gets her [[displacement gun]] back.
* Quill says that the [[Cabinet of Souls]] is "[[dimensional transcendentalism|bigger on the inside]]".


=== Science ===
=== Science ===
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=== Locations ===
=== Locations ===
* Miss Quill wonders whether they travelled to the [[Peak District]].
* Quill wonders whether she, Ames and Ballon travelled to the [[Peak District]].
* [[Lorr Hell]] is visited.
* [[Lorr Hell]] is visited.
* [[Rhodia]] is mentioned.
* [[Rhodia]] is mentioned.
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== Story notes ==
== Story notes ==
* "[[Bad Girls]]" by [[M.I.A.]] plays over the final moments of the episode.
* "[[Bad Girls]]" by [[M.I.A.]] plays over the final moments of the episode.
* The story takes place during the events of ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'' and the beginnings and endings of both episodes are the same scenes, only this time told from Quill's perspective.
* The story takes place during the events of ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'', and the beginnings and endings of both episodes are the same scenes, only this time told from Quill's perspective.


=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
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=== Filming locations ===
=== Filming locations ===
''to be added''
''to be added''
=== Broadcasts ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Date
!Time
!Channel
!class="unsortable"|Notes
|-
|[[Monday]] [[30 January (releases)|30 January]] [[2017 (releases)|2017]]
|22:45
|[[BBC One]] except [[BBC One Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland]] & Northern Ireland HD
|
|-
|[[Monday]] [[30 January (releases)|30 January]] [[2017 (releases)|2017]]
|23:40
|[[BBC One Northern Ireland]] & Northern Ireland HD only
|
|}


=== Production errors ===
=== Production errors ===
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== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The boards with posters are seen again. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'', ''[[The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo (TV story)|The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo]]'', ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'')
* Quill leaves the children in Class B3 to serve an hour's [[detention]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'')
* Miss Quill again says "[she is] war itself". ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'')
* [[Dorothea Ames]] is honouring her agreement with Quill to get her arn removed. ([[TV]]: ''[[Brave-ish Heart (TV story)|Brave-ish Heart]]'')
* [[Unified Intelligence Taskforce|UNIT]] is mentioned. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Invasion (TV story)|The Invasion]]'', ''[[Brave-ish Heart (TV story)|Brave-ish Heart]]'' et al.)
* Quill again says "[she is] war itself". ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'')
* The [[Coal Hill Space-Time Rift|tears in space and time]] are mentioned. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'' - ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'')
* The [[Operation Double|protection]] of the [[Zygon]]s on Earth is mentioned by Ames. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Zygon Invasion (TV story)|The Zygon Invasion]]'')
* The [[Operation Double|protection]] of the [[Zygon]]s on Earth is mentioned. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Day of the Doctor (TV story)|The Day of the Doctor]]'', ''[[The Zygon Invasion (TV story)|The Zygon Invasion]]'' / ''[[The Zygon Inversion (TV story)|The Zygon Inversion]]'')
* Quill lost her loved one during the war. Previously, she recognised hands of a friend she lost in a war created from her memory. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Stone House (novel)|The Stone House]]'')
* [[Rhodia]] is mentioned. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'')
* Quill mentions that the last person she kissed was [[The Inspector|a robot]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo (TV story)|The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo]]'')
* Miss Quill says that the [[Cabinet of Souls]] is "(way) [[dimensional transcendentalism|bigger on the inside]]", words commonly used to refer to [[the Doctor's TARDIS]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Runaway Bride (TV story)|The Runaway Bride]]'', et al.)
* Quill thoughtfully mentions that she and Ballon both wear forms, referring to the fact that she doesn't really look like she does. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'')
* Miss Quill mentions that the last person she kissed was [[The Inspector|a robot]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo (TV story)|The Coach with the Dragon Tattoo]]'')
* Quill gets a new [[displacement gun]] to replace the one crushed by [[Corakinus]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'')
* Miss Quill lost her loved one during the war. Previously, she recognised hands of a person created from her memory, hands she held when she was a kid of a friend lost in a war. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Stone House (novel)|The Stone House]]'')
* Quill rescues Charlie from being dragged into [[Prison (Detained)|a prison]] in Class B3. ([[TV]]: ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'')
* Quill thoughtfully mention that they both wear forms, referring to the fact that she doesn't really look like she does. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'')
* Dorothea Ames requests to speak with the [[Chair of the Governors|Chair]], but is interrupted before she gets a chance to do do. ([[TV]]: [[The Lost (TV story)|''The Lost'']])
* The [[Cabinet of Souls]] reappears. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'', ''[[Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart (TV story)|Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart]]'' / ''[[Brave-ish Heart (TV story)|Brave-ish Heart]]'')
* Miss Quill gets her [[displacement gun]] back. She previously wasn't able to use it, and her original such gun was crushed by [[Corakinus]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'' et al.)
* Dorothea Ames mentions the [[Shadow Kin]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'', ''[[Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart (TV story)|Co-Owner of a Lonely Heart]]'' / ''[[Brave-ish Heart (TV story)|Brave-ish Heart]]'')
* The [[Prison (Detained)|prison]] is trying to pull Charlie in. ([[TV]]: ''[[Detained (TV story)|Detained]]'')
* [[EverUpwardReach Ltd|Ever Upward Reach]] is mentioned again. ([[TV]]: ''[[For Tonight We Might Die (TV story)|For Tonight We Might Die]]'', ''[[Brave-ish Heart (TV story)|Brave-ish Heart]]'')


== Home video releases ==
== Home video releases ==
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''to be added''
''to be added''


== Foonotes ==
== External links ==
{{reflist}}
{{chakoteya|Class/107.html|The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did}}
{{ClassTV}}
{{ClassTV}}
{{TitleSort}}
{{TitleSort}}
[[Category:Class television stories]]
[[Category:Class television stories]]
[[Category:Series 1 (Class) stories]]
[[Category:Series 1 (Class) stories]]
[[Category:Quill television stories]]
[[Category:Quill television stories]]

Latest revision as of 08:24, 22 April 2024

RealWorld.png

The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did was the seventh episode of Class. It was written by Patrick Ness, directed by Wayne Che Yip, and featured took place during the events of the preceding story, Detained.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

With the gang trapped in detention and out of the way, Miss Quill accepts Dorothea's astonishing offer: to help remove the arn from her head, so she can finally reclaim her freedom.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Charlie, Ram, April, Tanya and Matteusz are out of the way in detention. Before leaving, she tells them she has things to do and does not want to be disturbed. She then locks them in the classroom, and goes to see Dorothea in the school hall.

Dorothea warns her that if they proceed with the operation to remove the arn, Quill may die. Quill states that she wants to either die or have freedom. As they are discussing, a man named Ballon arrives and Dorothea says that they can begin. She takes out a device and they are all miniaturised and transported inside it.

They arrive in a mysterious forest that is clearly not on Earth. Dorothea orders Quill to remember her earliest childhood memory while Ballon charges into the forest, returning with a dead animal, which he reveals to be an arn, the first step to removing the arn in Quill's head. Dorothea explains that the device is a metaphysical engine, capable of transferring individuals into a thought or belief, in this case, the "idea of" the heaven of the arn.

Dorothea activates the device again, sending the trio to the version of hell believed by the Ballon's species, the Lorr. He reveals that he is a shape-shifter who is frozen in one form. Here, Quill and Ballon encounter the devil of the Lorr, from whom they must extract blood. Ballon fears the being, but Miss Quill consoles him with her people's concept of the "first fear" that they must overcome. Meanwhile, Dorothea contacts the Governers, claiming that the mission is not going as planned. Ballon manages to overcome his fear and extracts the blood from the being, freeing his hands.

Finally, the trio must obtain the brain of a Quill so Ballon can learn their anatomy. They travel to the idea of Quill heaven (despite Quill claiming such a place cannot exist) and encounter the birth of the Quill goddess. Quill attacks the goddess, furious at her for allowing her people to die. The goddess attempts to speak to Quill, however Ballon decapitates her before she can, later claiming he believed the goddess was Quill's first fear and he wanted to help her as she helped him. Quill begins to feel the arn causing her pain, which Dorothea states is due to her believing the surgery will work.

Dorothea activates the small device.

Having obtained all the necessary materials, the trio return to Coal Hill. After practising on the goddess' head, Ballon successfully removes the arn from Quill's brain. Although she is in extreme pain and has severe disfigurement to her face, Ballon uses the flesh of the Lorr devil to 'heal' her skin, resulting in a long scar being visible on her face but all other injuries removed. After announcing that she is proud of the scar, as it was a mark of honour for a soldier, she realises she is attracted to Ballon and the two have sex. After they wake, they notice that Dorothea is absent, and explore the school to find her. They eventually find their way to a vast desert where Dorothea is standing. Dorothea announces that 'Coal Hill' was simply an illusion and they are actually in the Cabinet of Souls. She also announces that she has actually left and that she is appearing by hologram only. She tells them the Governors only expected one of them to survive, and as such only provided enough energy for one of them to escape the Cabinet. She suggests that a fight to the death will be necessary, given the warrior status of their respective races. She provides Quill with her gun, and informs Ballon that the Governors have located his niece (the only other living member of his species) on Earth. She also warns that time passes faster in the Cabinet, and they may die of old age within a day if they do not escape.

Although they initially try to resist, they eventually realise they must fight or they will both die. Ballon overpowers Quill and takes the gun. Quill demands that he shoot her with honour. He fires the gun, however Dorothea tricked them and made the gun shoot the person holding it rather than the person they are aiming it. Quill is devastated at Ballon's death and buries his body in the sand. As she stands to leave, the souls of the Rhodians appear to her, and she announces that she wishes for them to be dead.

She returns to the real Coal Hill and discovers that she has aged several months at least, however she has only been absent for 45 minutes in real time. She then returns to the classroom, and where the students are. She tells them about the Arn and then collapses. However, we also see that Quill is noticeably several months pregnant.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Miss Quill mentions cat-obsessed people on the Internet.
  • Dorothea tries to touch a hiding plant.

Coal Hill Academy[[edit] | [edit source]]

People[[edit] | [edit source]]

Species[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Quill refers to the Zygons as "zygotes".
  • Ballon is a Lorr.
  • Ames says that now Quill can "force a certain Prince to wipe the Shadow Kin from the grinning, smirking face of the universe".

Poetry[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Quill refers to the poet on Earth and quotes her poem, "Home", as saying, "no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark."

Music[[edit] | [edit source]]

Philosophy[[edit] | [edit source]]

Technology[[edit] | [edit source]]

Science[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Ames has a machine that is metaphysical in nature. Quill claims that metaphysics are just thought and theory.

Organisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Businesses[[edit] | [edit source]]

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • "Bad Girls" by M.I.A. plays over the final moments of the episode.
  • The story takes place during the events of Detained, and the beginnings and endings of both episodes are the same scenes, only this time told from Quill's perspective.

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

Final UK Ratings: 0.68 million

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Broadcasts[[edit] | [edit source]]

Date Time Channel Notes
Monday 30 January 2017 22:45 BBC One except Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD
Monday 30 January 2017 23:40 BBC One Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD only

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

DVD releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Metaphysical Engine, or What Quill Did was featured in the series one DVD boxset, which was released in the UK (Region 2) on 16th January 2017, followed by a Region 1 release on 11th July. The Region 1 release contained an additional blooper reel and various deleted scenes that were not present on the Region 2 release.

Blu-ray releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

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