Battlefield (TV story): Difference between revisions

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{{Stub}}
{{Infobox TV|
{{Infobox TV|
story name= Battlefield |
story name= Battlefield |
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==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
The Doctor recieves a distress signal rippling backwards, forwards, and sideways in [[time]] and arrives on [[Earth]] to meet [[Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart]] once again and to battle an enemy from another dimension who he won't face for the first time until the future.  
The TARDIS materialises in the English countryside near the village of Carbury, where a nuclear missile convoy under the command of UNIT's Brigadier Winifred Bambera has run into difficulties. Lying on the bed of the nearby Lake Vortigern is a spaceship from another dimension containing the body of King Arthur, supposedly held in suspended animation, and his sword Excalibur.
 
Ancelyn, a knight from the other dimension, arrives on Earth to aid the King but is followed by his rival Mordred and the latter's mother, a powerful sorceress named Morgaine. They all recognise the Doctor as Merlin - a fact that the Time Lord attributes to events in his own future.
 
A battle breaks out between UNIT and Morgaine's men. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart has come out of retirement to assist in the crisis and ends up using silver bullets to kill the Destroyer - an awesomely powerful creature unshackled by Morgaine to devour the world - although he himself is almost killed in the process.
 
Morgaine tries to fire the nuclear missile but is overcome by shock when the Doctor tells her that Arthur is in fact dead. She and her son are then taken prisoner by UNIT.


==Plot==
==Plot==
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*[[Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
*[[Title Music]] - [[Ron Grainer]]
*[[Visual Effects]] - [[Dave Bezkorowajny]]
*[[Visual Effects]] - [[Dave Bezkorowajny]]
==Quotes==
*'''Morgaine''': (''Making contact with the Doctor'') Merlin...hear me.
*'''The Doctor''': I hear you.
*'''Morgaine''': Do not stand against me this time...for your ''soul's'' sake.
*'''The Doctor''': I can not allow your interferance.
*'''Morgaine''': Then, Merlin...let this be our last ''battlefield''!
*'''The Doctor''': I'd just like to say three things.
*'''Bambera''': What?
*'''The Doctor''': [[Yeti]], [[Auton]]s, [[Dalek]]s. [[Cybermen]] and [[Silurian]]s.
(''The Doctor and Ace are escorted out.'')
*'''Ace''': That was five things.
*'''The Doctor''': She didn't even notice.
*'''Morgaine''': What can you see?
*'''Mordred''': A flying machine. 'Tis like an ornithopter but with whirling blades for wings.
*'''Morgaine''': The people of this world are obsessed with machinery.
*'''Mordred''': It would seem so.
*'''Morgaine''': Well, then. Let us teach them the limitaions of their technologies.
(''She raises her hand and Lethbridge-Stewart's helicopter malfunctions.'')
*'''Mordred''': 'Tis a shrine...to those fallen in battle.
*'''Morgaine''': Ah. They are not the savages you lead us to believe. We fought on their soil without proper respect for the dead.
*'''Mordred''': Mother, I...
*'''Morgaine''': You have dishonored us, Mordred. What is victory without honor?
*'''Morgaine''': Surrender to me what is mine by right of conquest. Give me Excalibur.
*'''Ace''': Never.
*'''Morgaine''': Then you will be given over to [[the Destroyer]] and be come his handmaidens...in ''Hell''.


==References==
==References==
*[[Chess]], [[gold]]
*[[Chess]]
 
==Story Notes==
*[[UNIT]] appears in this story.
*[[UNIT]] appears in this story.
*The Brigadier is married to [[Doris Lethbridge-Stewart]] and has been replaced by [[Winifred Bambera]].
*The Brigadier is married to [[Doris Lethbridge-Stewart]] and has been replaced by [[Winifred Bambera]].
*The Doctor uses [[Bessie]] again.
*The Doctor uses [[Bessie]] again.
*The Brigadier talks of how UNIT has been busy, aquiring bullets that would go through a [[Dalek]], and other bullets for [[Robot Yeti|Yeti]]s and robots, including gold-tipped bullets for [[Mondasian Cybermen|Cybermen]]
*The Brigadier talks of how UNIT has been busy, acquiring bullets that would go through a [[Dalek]], and other bullets for [[Robot Yeti|Yeti]]s and robots, including [[gold]]-tipped bullets for [[Mondasian Cybermen|Cybermen]]
*Morgaine's forces call Earth  Avallion.
*The Doctor and Ace use passes that he thought he would never need again. Her pass belonged to [[Liz Shaw]].
*The Doctor and Ace use passes that he thought he would never need again. Her pass belonged to [[Liz Shaw]].
*The Doctor cries out '[[Yeti]], [[Auton]]s, [[Dalek]]s, [[Mondasian Cybermen|Cybermen]], [[Silurian]]s' when he finds the Brigadier's unconscious body.
*The Doctor from Morgaine's reality was called [[Merlin]] there is some implication that the Doctor ''is'' Merlin (or will be).
==Story Notes==
*This story had the working title of; '''Storm Over Avallion'''.
*Jean Marsh previously played [[Sara Kingdom]] in [[The Daleks' Master Plan]].


===Ratings===
===Ratings===
''to be added''
*Part 1 - 3.1 million viewers
*Part 2 - 3.9 million viewers
*Part 3 - 3.6 million viewers
*Part 4 - 4.0 million viewers


===Myths===
===Myths===
''to be added''
*The incidental music for this story was originally to have been provided by the rock group Hawkwind. ''(It wasn't.)''


===Location Filming===
===Location Filming===
Line 121: Line 96:


==Continuity==
==Continuity==
[[No Future]], [[Happy Endings]], [[The Shadows of Avalon]]
*Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart last appeared in screen in [[Mawdryn Undead]].
*Doris was first mentioned in [[Planet of Spiders]].
*The Doctor meets Lethrbidge-Stewart for the 'first time' (from the Brigadier's perspective) in ''[[NA]]:'' [[No Future]] (and then wipes his memory of the event so he could meet him for the ''first'' time in this story).
 
*Bambera reappears in ''[[NA]]:'' [[Head Games]]'',
*Lethbridge Stewart reappears after this story in ''[[NA]]:'' [[Happy Endings]] (where his memory is restored) and ''[[EDA]]:'' [[The Shadows of Avalon]].


==DVD and Video Releases==
==DVD and Video Releases==
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==Target Novelisations==
==Target Novelisations==
''to be added''
*Novelised as ''[[Battlefield (novelisation)|Battlefield]]'' in [[1991]] by [[Marc Platt]].


==External Links==
==External Links==
''to be added''
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/episodeguide/battlefield/ BBC Episode Guide for '''Battlefield''']
 
*[http://www.gallifreyone.com/episode.php?id=7n Outpost Gallifrey Episode Guide: '''Battlefield''']
*[http://www.drwhoguide.com/who_7n.htm  Doctor Who Reference Guide: Detailed Synopsis - '''Battlefield''']
*[http://www.shannonsullivan.com/drwho/serials/7n.html A Brief History of Time (Travel) entry for '''Battlefield''']


{{stub}}
'''Television'''
'''Television'''


Revision as of 14:52, 22 October 2007


Synopsis

The TARDIS materialises in the English countryside near the village of Carbury, where a nuclear missile convoy under the command of UNIT's Brigadier Winifred Bambera has run into difficulties. Lying on the bed of the nearby Lake Vortigern is a spaceship from another dimension containing the body of King Arthur, supposedly held in suspended animation, and his sword Excalibur.

Ancelyn, a knight from the other dimension, arrives on Earth to aid the King but is followed by his rival Mordred and the latter's mother, a powerful sorceress named Morgaine. They all recognise the Doctor as Merlin - a fact that the Time Lord attributes to events in his own future.

A battle breaks out between UNIT and Morgaine's men. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart has come out of retirement to assist in the crisis and ends up using silver bullets to kill the Destroyer - an awesomely powerful creature unshackled by Morgaine to devour the world - although he himself is almost killed in the process.

Morgaine tries to fire the nuclear missile but is overcome by shock when the Doctor tells her that Arthur is in fact dead. She and her son are then taken prisoner by UNIT.

Plot

to be added

Cast

Crew

References

  • Chess
  • UNIT appears in this story.
  • The Brigadier is married to Doris Lethbridge-Stewart and has been replaced by Winifred Bambera.
  • The Doctor uses Bessie again.
  • The Brigadier talks of how UNIT has been busy, acquiring bullets that would go through a Dalek, and other bullets for Yetis and robots, including gold-tipped bullets for Cybermen
  • The Doctor and Ace use passes that he thought he would never need again. Her pass belonged to Liz Shaw.
  • The Doctor cries out 'Yeti, Autons, Daleks, Cybermen, Silurians' when he finds the Brigadier's unconscious body.
  • The Doctor from Morgaine's reality was called Merlin there is some implication that the Doctor is Merlin (or will be).

Story Notes

Ratings

  • Part 1 - 3.1 million viewers
  • Part 2 - 3.9 million viewers
  • Part 3 - 3.6 million viewers
  • Part 4 - 4.0 million viewers

Myths

  • The incidental music for this story was originally to have been provided by the rock group Hawkwind. (It wasn't.)

Location Filming

to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

  • When Morgaine strikes Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart's helicopter, the smoke box used for this effect can clearly be seen attached to the back of the left landing skid.

Continuity

  • Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart last appeared in screen in Mawdryn Undead.
  • Doris was first mentioned in Planet of Spiders.
  • The Doctor meets Lethrbidge-Stewart for the 'first time' (from the Brigadier's perspective) in NA: No Future (and then wipes his memory of the event so he could meet him for the first time in this story).

DVD and Video Releases

to be added

Target Novelisations

External Links

StubTab.png

Television

Previous story:
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 		Next story:
Ghost Light


All Media

Previous story:
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy 		Next story:
Relative Dementias
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