The Transcendence of Ephros (audio story): Difference between revisions

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{{real world}}
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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image           =  
|image                 =  
|range           = The Third Doctor Adventures (audio series)
|range                 = The Third Doctor Adventures (audio series)
|series in range = The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2
|series in range       = The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2
|series number in range = 2
|series number in range = 2
|number in series = 1
|number in series       = 1
|number           = 2.1
|number                 = 2.1
|doctor           = Third Doctor
|doctor                 = Third Doctor
|companions       = [[Jo Grant|Jo]]
|companions             = [[Jo Grant|Jo]]
|featuring       =  
|featuring             =  
|enemy           = [[Finsey|Mother Finsey]]
|enemy                 = [[Finsey|Mother Finsey]]
|setting         = [[Ephros]], [[26th century]]
|setting               = [[Ephros]], c.[[2540]]
|writer           = [[Guy Adams (writer)|Guy Adams]]
|writer                 = Guy Adams
|director         = [[Nicholas Briggs]]
|director               = [[Nicholas Briggs]]
|producer         = [[David Richardson]]
|producer               = [[David Richardson]]
|music           = [[Jamie Robertson]]
|music                 = [[Jamie Robertson]]
|sound           = [[David Nagel]]
|sound                 = [[David Nagel]]
|publisher       = Big Finish Productions
|publisher             = Big Finish Productions
|release date     = [[3 November (releases)|3 November]] [[2016 (releases)|2016]]
|release date           = 3 November 2016
|format           = 2 CDs<br/>Download<br/>1st of 2 stories
|format                 = 2 CDs<br/>Download<br/>1st of 2 stories
|production code = BFPDW3RD02
|production code       = BFPDW3RD02
|isbn             = ISBN 978-1-78575-750-1
|isbn                   = ISBN 978-1-78575-750-1 (physical)<br/>ISBN 978-1-78575-751-8 (digital)
|audio anthology = ''[[The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2]]''
|audio anthology       = The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2
|series           = ''[[The Third Doctor Adventures (audio series)|The Third Doctor Adventures]]''
|series                 = ''[[The Third Doctor Adventures (audio series)|The Third Doctor Adventures]]''
|prev             = The Havoc of Empires (audio story)
|prev                   = The Havoc of Empires (audio story)
|next             = The Hidden Realm (audio story)
|next                   = The Hidden Realm (audio story)
|epcount=4}}'''''The Transcendence of Ephros''''' was the first story in ''[[The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2]]''. It was written by [[Guy Adams (writer)|Guy Adams]] and featured [[Tim Treloar]] as solely the [[Third Doctor]], for the first time, and [[Katy Manning]] as [[Jo Grant]].
|epcount               = 4
}}{{Audio stub}}
'''''The Transcendence of Ephros''''' was the first story in audio anthology ''[[The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2]]'', produced by [[Big Finish Productions]]. It was written by [[Guy Adams]] and featured [[Tim Treloar]] as the [[Third Doctor]] and [[Katy Manning]] as [[Jo Grant]].


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
Line 34: Line 36:
== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
=== Part one ===
[[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Jo Grant|Jo]] arrive on the planet [[Ephros]] only to discover that something is wrong with it. They discover something interesting only to be interrupted by a tremor into which the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] falls into, seemingly stranding them until they find a way to retrieve it. Hearing a strange noise, they make a run for it and when they are cornered, they are saved by [[Temper (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Temper]], a follower of Sultan who brings them to the camp of followers and mistakenly assumes they are followers of [[Followers of Galactux|Galactux]]. There they meet mother [[Finsey]] who explains the purpose of the camp. The Doctor and Temper set out to retrieve the TARDIS using some of the camp's equipment and the Doctor asks him about "The Transcendence" which is to take place tomorrow and the Doctor discovers that they are harnessing the energy that will be released when the planet explodes tomorrow which will [[kill]] them all...
[[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] and [[Jo Grant|Jo]] arrive on [[Ephros]] and find that, rather than the verdant paradise that they were expecting, it is hot, the ground is covered in sand and the [[star]]s are in a grid pattern. A tremor opens the earth and swallows [[the Doctor's TARDIS|the TARDIS]], forcing them to leave a tracker and go in search of help. They are soon cornered by two creatures and saved by [[Temper (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Temper]], who takes them to a valley full of followers of [[Sortan]], camping in anticipation of [[the Transcendence]].
 
Pretending to be from [[Galactux]], the Doctor and Jo are taken to meet [[Finsey|Mother Finsey]]. She agrees to help them and speaks with the Doctor whilst Jo goes to see Temper and his infant daughter, [[Shilly]], and learns about the [[prophet]] Sortan. The Doctor goes with Temper to retrieve the TARDIS, leaving Jo to care for Shilly and gather information from Mother Finsey, and the sky (actually an [[extraction sphere]]) suddenly lights up not long after. The sphere, the two travellers learn, is going to absorb the energy released tomorrow when the planet explodes.
 
=== Part two ===
=== Part two ===
The Doctor and Jo are horrified to learn about the followers' belief that the planet blowing up will help them ride to the next level of consciousness by riding the shock-wave, calling it "[[The Transcendence]]" in imitation of Sultan. Finsey reveals to Jo that she knows they lied earlier about being followers and asks Jo to tell her why they arrived and more about her companion, the Doctor, taking a greater interest in him. The Doctor and Temper descend into the tremor to retrieve the TARDIS while Jo gets into a tricky situation after being taken hostage by [[Quail]] and tries to convince him that she's not a spy, and manages to escape and attempts to find the Doctor. Meanwhile, the Doctor and Temper successfully get to the TARDIS, then once inside check the [[TARDIS information system|data banks]] regarding a creature they saw earlier and discuss their present problems and next course of action. Jo is saved by [[Tessa Bartram|Bartram]], another Galactux employee in league with Quail and sent by their HQ on their orders. She explains the situation to Jo and says there's an unstable energy flux after which they find the Doctor and Temper's vehicle, suspecting the TARDIS is nearby. Just then, a violent tremor occurs and Jo falls in...
Mother Finsey and the other believers plan on ascending to a higher level of consciousness, just as Sortan did, by being on the planet when it is destroyed. The Doctor and Temper descend into the hole, chased by a giant worm, and enter the TARDIS. The Doctor looks in the [[TARDIS information system|data banks]] to identify the worm creature, which seems familiar to him.
===Part three===
 
Luckily Jo is saved by Bartram and the Doctor's TARDIS, with the Doctor and Temper inside, are beamed aboard a station via [[transmat]], while Jo, unaware, tries to dig them up, thinking they've been killed. The Doctor and Temper are then confronted by [[Karswell]], who demands they explain themselves. Jo and Bartram return to camp where she finds Quail dead and realises in horror they've stumbled onto something big and nasty while Jo visits Finsey and asks for her advice. She tries to persuade Jo to follow in her footsteps and just as she learned from her mentor, they must find their own way.
Jo is forced to admit that she and the Doctor are not from Galactux and goes to find him so that they can leave before the destruction of Transcendence in about fifty hours, but she is held at gunpoint by [[George Quail|Quail]]. Unable to convince him that she is not a spy, she escapes and meets [[Tessa Bartram|Bartram]], a Galactux employee who disagrees with the Ephros operation and is suspicious of the company. They go in search of the Doctor and Temper, finding their vehicle, and Jo falls when another tremor occurs.
 
=== Part three ===
Jo is saved by Bartram, but the TARDIS is [[transmat]]ted aboard a station where [[Karswell]] interrogates the Doctor and Temper. The Doctor is soon given free reign by [[Dora (Frontier in Space)|the President]] and discovers that the cause of the tremors and the reason that Ephros will be destroyed is due to [[Throxian Lavaworm]]s, deliberately brought to this planet by somebody. Temper, who welcomes the planet's destruction, knocks the Doctor unconscious.
 
Jo and Bartram return to the camp and find that Quail has been killed. They realise that there is some sort of [[conspiracy]] and that the planet is behaving in a way which [[science]] cannot explain. Mother Finsey tells Jo that, just as she learnt from her mentor, they each must find their own way. Jo and Bartram continue their investigation, but Mother Finsey takes them captive and reveals that she is behind the events, having been inspired by her mentor, [[the Master]].
 
=== Part four ===
Mother Finsey tells Jo and Bartram of how she travelled with the Master before he tried to kill her, only succeeding in rendering her [[blindness|blind]], and that she created this [[religion]] and came up with this scheme as a way to make money through Galactux. She leaves them both and goes to central control where she shoots and kills Temper, who renounces his faith and asks the Doctor to care for his family with his dying words. The Doctor contacts Jo and has her change the frequency of Mother Finsey's [[frequency modulator]], which is agitating the worms, and gives Mother Finsey the chance to redeem herself. She refuses.
 
Jo distracts a creature whilst Bartram extracts [[DNA]] from the worms, allowing the Doctor to draw them out. As he is unable to kill them, Karswell takes charge and does it instead. Afterwards, the Doctor and Jo try to explain to the followers that they have been saved, but they are angered by the prevention of the Transcendence and boo them away. Jo is upset by this and gives a final goodbye to Bartram before she and the Doctor leave, unaware of what has happened to Mother Finsey.


Bartram and Jo chat, becoming friends and Bartram finds the planet is behaving strangely and not in a [[Science|scientifically]] explainable way. They investigate further. Meanwhile the Doctor, given free-reign to use the station's equipment by the [[Dora (Frontier in Space)|president]], discovers the cause of the tremors and the planet's upcoming explosion are due to [[Throxian Lavaworm|Throxian Lavaworms]], which the Doctor deduces had to be put there by someone, suspecting Galactux, however, he is knocked out by Temper who welcomes the planet's destruction. Jo and Bartram are suddenly taken hostage by Finsey, who reveals she is behind the events, inspired by her idol, the [[Master]]...
===Part four===
Finsey reveals her history with the Master before he tried to kill her and explains the religions are just her creation, with the whole plan a way to make money through Galactux. Temper ties up the Doctor to stop him from stopping "The Transcendence" and makes his way to the central control where he finds Finsey who reveals her deception and shoots, him, then leaves. Temper manages to free the Doctor before dying, renouncing his faith and begging him to save his [[family]], including his [[wife]] and [[child]]. The Doctor finds Karswell has begrudgingly decided to help and the Doctor manages to get in touch with Jo and Tessa (Bartram). The Doctor instructs them to change the frequency of Finsey's frequency modulator device as it seems to be agitating the worms, causing the current problem hoping to buy some time. Finsey contacts the Doctor to gloat before getting away and reveals to him that the Master was her inspiration and explains that she made up all the religions and tricked the followers and has now swindled said worshipers, disgusting the Doctor. He warns her about the Master's influence and tries to offer her redemption but she cuts contact. Meanwhile Jo distracts a lizard creature from earlier while Bartram extracts [[DNA]] from the worms which allows the Doctor to draw out the worms and kill them. However, the Doctor finds it difficult due to his moral qualms and so Karswell takes charge and does it instead, to the Doctor's sadness. They try to explain to the worshipers that they have been saved from the uprising but they are disappointed and angry and boo the Doctor and Jo away. Jo, upset, gives a final goodbye to Bartram and she and the Doctor take off. Finsey's fate is unknown.
== Cast ==
== Cast ==
* [[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Tim Treloar]]
* [[Third Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Tim Treloar]]
* [[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]]
* [[Jo Grant]] - [[Katy Manning]]
* [[Temper (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Temper]]/[[Follower 1]] - [[Simon Bubb]]
* [[Temper (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Temper]] / [[Follower 1]] - [[Simon Bubb]]
* [[Finsey|Mother Finsey]] - [[Richenda Carey]]
* [[Finsey|Mother Finsey]] - [[Richenda Carey]]
* [[Karswell (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Karswell]] - [[Bernard Holley]]
* [[Karswell (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Karswell]] - [[Bernard Holley]]
* [[George Quail|Quail]]/[[Deputy (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Deputy]] - [[Nigel Peever]]
* [[George Quail|Quail]] / [[Deputy (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Deputy]] - [[Nigel Peever]]
* [[Tessa Bartram|Bartram]]/[[Follower 2]] - [[Karen Henson]]
* [[Tessa Bartram|Bartram]] / [[Follower 2]] - [[Karen Henson]]
 
== References ==


*The Doctor uses the [[sonic screwdriver]] like a [[sonar]] to find the TARDIS in the tremor.
== Worldbuilding ==
*The [[Time Lord|Timelords]] had the [[Throxian Lavaworm|Throxian Lavaworms]] wiped out.
* Mother Finsey makes [[curry]] with [[spiral chilis]].
*Finsey attempts a [[Hyperspace|hyper-space]] jump.
* Jo says that [[Galactux]] sounds like the name of a [[washing powder]].
*Finsey is listening to [[Dutton Trio Hollow Note Label]].
* The Doctor uses the [[sonic screwdriver]] like a [[sonar]] to find the TARDIS in the tremor.
* Temper says that Sortan was a [[prophet]] from the [[Deltar Configuration]] who worked as a debt collector for [[Brinsell Max]]. He went travelling for six years after becoming disillusioned by his job and visited [[Palchek Minor]] where he experienced a rebirth.
* Temper is married to [[Horse (The Transcendence of Ephros)|Horse]]. She works in the [[canteen]].
* The [[Time Lord]]s had the [[Throxian Lavaworm]]s wiped out.
* Finsey attempts a [[Hyperspace|hyper-space]] jump.
* Finsey is listening to [[Dutton Trio Hollow Note Label]].


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* This story for the first time gives a name to the [[President of Earth]] the [[Third Doctor]] encountered in the television story ''[[Frontier in Space (TV story)|Frontier in Space]]''. The Doctor calls her [[Dora (Frontier in Space)|Dora]].
* This story for the first time gives a name to the [[President of Earth]] the [[Third Doctor]] encountered in the television story ''[[Frontier in Space (TV story)|Frontier in Space]]''. The Doctor calls her "[[Dora (Frontier in Space)|Dora]]" and implies she's still cleaning up those events, implying ''Transcendence'' takes place concurrently or shortly after.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* The Doctor refers to the recent business involving [[Draconian]]s, [[Dalek]]s, and [[Ogron]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Frontier in Space (TV story)|Frontier in Space]]'')
* The Doctor refers to the recent business involving [[Draconian]]s, [[Dalek]]s, and [[Ogron]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[Frontier in Space (TV story)|Frontier in Space]]'')
*The Doctor claims he's been offered as a [[sacrifice]] by a fair few [[Religion|religions]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dæmons (TV story)|The Daemons]]'', [[AUDIO]]: [[The Entropy Plague (audio story)|''The Entropy Plague'']] ''et al.'')
* The Doctor claims he's been offered as a [[sacrifice]] by a fair few [[religion]]s. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Dæmons (TV story)|The Daemons]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Entropy Plague (audio story)|The Entropy Plague]]'' ''et al.'')
*The Doctor mentions the [[Time Lord|Timelords]] are his people. ([[TV]]: [[The War Games (TV story)|''The War Games'']] ''et al''.)
* The Doctor mentions the [[Time Lord|Timelords]] are his people. ([[TV]]: ''[[The War Games (TV story)|The War Games]]'' ''et al''.)


== External links ==
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 20:26, 7 April 2024

RealWorld.png

audio stub

The Transcendence of Ephros was the first story in audio anthology The Third Doctor Adventures: Volume 2, produced by Big Finish Productions. It was written by Guy Adams and featured Tim Treloar as the Third Doctor and Katy Manning as Jo Grant.

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

The Doctor and Jo arrive on the dying planet Ephros, where Galactux Power Inc is exploiting the world's remaining resources. But something is stirring beneath the surface...

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Doctor and Jo arrive on Ephros and find that, rather than the verdant paradise that they were expecting, it is hot, the ground is covered in sand and the stars are in a grid pattern. A tremor opens the earth and swallows the TARDIS, forcing them to leave a tracker and go in search of help. They are soon cornered by two creatures and saved by Temper, who takes them to a valley full of followers of Sortan, camping in anticipation of the Transcendence.

Pretending to be from Galactux, the Doctor and Jo are taken to meet Mother Finsey. She agrees to help them and speaks with the Doctor whilst Jo goes to see Temper and his infant daughter, Shilly, and learns about the prophet Sortan. The Doctor goes with Temper to retrieve the TARDIS, leaving Jo to care for Shilly and gather information from Mother Finsey, and the sky (actually an extraction sphere) suddenly lights up not long after. The sphere, the two travellers learn, is going to absorb the energy released tomorrow when the planet explodes.

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

Mother Finsey and the other believers plan on ascending to a higher level of consciousness, just as Sortan did, by being on the planet when it is destroyed. The Doctor and Temper descend into the hole, chased by a giant worm, and enter the TARDIS. The Doctor looks in the data banks to identify the worm creature, which seems familiar to him.

Jo is forced to admit that she and the Doctor are not from Galactux and goes to find him so that they can leave before the destruction of Transcendence in about fifty hours, but she is held at gunpoint by Quail. Unable to convince him that she is not a spy, she escapes and meets Bartram, a Galactux employee who disagrees with the Ephros operation and is suspicious of the company. They go in search of the Doctor and Temper, finding their vehicle, and Jo falls when another tremor occurs.

Part three[[edit] | [edit source]]

Jo is saved by Bartram, but the TARDIS is transmatted aboard a station where Karswell interrogates the Doctor and Temper. The Doctor is soon given free reign by the President and discovers that the cause of the tremors and the reason that Ephros will be destroyed is due to Throxian Lavaworms, deliberately brought to this planet by somebody. Temper, who welcomes the planet's destruction, knocks the Doctor unconscious.

Jo and Bartram return to the camp and find that Quail has been killed. They realise that there is some sort of conspiracy and that the planet is behaving in a way which science cannot explain. Mother Finsey tells Jo that, just as she learnt from her mentor, they each must find their own way. Jo and Bartram continue their investigation, but Mother Finsey takes them captive and reveals that she is behind the events, having been inspired by her mentor, the Master.

Part four[[edit] | [edit source]]

Mother Finsey tells Jo and Bartram of how she travelled with the Master before he tried to kill her, only succeeding in rendering her blind, and that she created this religion and came up with this scheme as a way to make money through Galactux. She leaves them both and goes to central control where she shoots and kills Temper, who renounces his faith and asks the Doctor to care for his family with his dying words. The Doctor contacts Jo and has her change the frequency of Mother Finsey's frequency modulator, which is agitating the worms, and gives Mother Finsey the chance to redeem herself. She refuses.

Jo distracts a creature whilst Bartram extracts DNA from the worms, allowing the Doctor to draw them out. As he is unable to kill them, Karswell takes charge and does it instead. Afterwards, the Doctor and Jo try to explain to the followers that they have been saved, but they are angered by the prevention of the Transcendence and boo them away. Jo is upset by this and gives a final goodbye to Bartram before she and the Doctor leave, unaware of what has happened to Mother Finsey.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • This story for the first time gives a name to the President of Earth the Third Doctor encountered in the television story Frontier in Space. The Doctor calls her "Dora" and implies she's still cleaning up those events, implying Transcendence takes place concurrently or shortly after.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

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