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== Plot ==
== Plot ==
[[Journey Blue]]'s [[Wasp Delta|ship]] is being shot at by a [[Dalek]] ship, and her brother [[Kai Blue|Kai]] is unconscious. It begins exploded and Journey faints as she is enveloped by the light of the explosion.
[[Journey Blue]]'s [[Wasp Delta|ship]] is being shot at by a [[Dalek]] ship, and her brother [[Kai Blue|Kai]] is unconscious. She tries calling for help, but gets no response from the rest of her team as the Dalek ship closes in. Inside it's saucer, the Dalek orders maximum extermination and the ship fires a powerful last at Journey's vessel. She screams in terror as everything begins blowing up around her.


She awakens, finding herself in the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] [[TARDIS console room|console room]]. The Doctor stares at her silently, holding coffee. Grabbing her gun, Journey demands to know what is going on, as she examines the control room. The Doctor explains that he materialized his time capsule around her the moment of the explosion, saving her. Journey tells him her brother just died; the Doctor retorts that Kai's sister didn't, so she should take some peace in that.
She awakens, finding herself in the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] [[TARDIS console room|console room]]. The Doctor stares at her silently, holding coffee. Grabbing her gun, Journey demands to know what is going on, as she examines the control room to see if anyone else is there. The Doctor explains that he materialized his time capsule around her the moment of the explosion, saving her. Journey tells him her brother just died; the Doctor retorts that Kai's sister didn't, so she should take some peace in that.


Angered, Journey points her gun at the Doctor. He asks her to put her weapon away, because she might shoot him. When Journey says it will put her in control of his vessel, the Doctor laughs "you'd starve to death looking for the light-switch." She demands to be brought back to her command ship, the ''[[Aristotle (spaceship)|Aristotle]]''.  The Doctor tells her to get it right; taking his hint, Journey puts down the gun and politely asks to be taken back. Asking if it's the "big fella" behind the asteroid, the Doctor pilots the TARDIS.
Angered, Journey points her gun at the Doctor. He asks her to put her weapon away, because she might shoot him. When Journey says it will put her in control of his vessel, the Doctor laughs "you'd starve to death looking for the light-switch." She demands to be brought back to her command ship, the ''[[Aristotle (spaceship)|Aristotle]], ''beginning to tell him where it's located However, the Doctor stops her and tells her "not like that." She demands to be brought back to her base.  The Doctor tells her to get it right; taking his hint, Journey puts down the gun and politely asks to be taken back. Asking if it's the "big fella" behind the asteroid, the Doctor pilots the TARDIS.


It lands inside the ship and they depart. Journey is surprised the ship is smaller on the outside. The Doctor notes it's more amusing when said the other way around. The other soldiers are grateful for the Doctor for saving journey, but plan to kill him regardless, to maintain the security of their location (out of paranoia that he may be a Dalek spy). Journey points out that they have need of a physician, however.
It lands inside the ship and they depart. Journey is surprised the ship is smaller on the outside. The Doctor notes it's more amusing when said the other way around; he also makes note that they're in a space hospital. The other soldiers are grateful for the Doctor for saving journey, but plan to kill him regardless, to maintain the security of their location (out of paranoia that he may be a Dalek spy). Journey points out that they have need of a physician, however.
[[File:Rusty.jpg|thumb|220x220px|"Doc... tor?"]]
Journey's uncle, Colonel [[Morgan Blue]] shows the Doctor to a medical wing. The Doctor asks why a hospital needs a doctor, to which Morgan explains that the Aristotle wasn't always hidden; the Daleks got to it first. Since the Daleks had already killed every living thing in the place, the [[Combined Galactic Resistance]] thought it was the best place to turn into their hideout. Passing a capsule, the Doctor immediately recognizes it as shrinking technology. Morgan confirms that the Doctor will be shrunk down and inserted into the patient. "[[Fantastic]] idea for a movie. Terrible idea for a proctologist." the Doctor laughs. Morgan then brings the Doctor to a set of doors, introducing the Doctor to his patient: a [[Rusty|Dalek]]!


Journey's uncle, Colonel [[Morgan Blue]], takes the Doctor to a dying Dalek — later nicknamed [[Rusty]] — that they have managed to capture. At first the Doctor is uninterested in helping the creature, until stunned when the Dalek voices its desire to slaughter the rest of its own kind!
Meanwhile, at [[Coal Hill School]], a new Maths teacher, [[Danny Pink]], a war veteran, meets with some students, the [[Coal Hill Cadet Squad]], in the courtyard. [[Clara Oswald]] and he briefly catch each other's eye. Later, Danny is ending a class when one of his students asks if he has ever killed anyone. The rest of the students groan, and Danny implies that as a soldier, he may have killed enemy soldiers. The student persists by asking if he ever killed anyone who was not a soldier. Danny does not answer, but a lone tear appears in his eye as he dismisses class. Sometime later, Danny is introduced to Clara, one of his fellow teachers. She recalls having seen him in the yard earlier. She then asks if he is going to another colleague's event later, which he indicates that he is not. Having awkwardly turned down her subsequent invitation for a drink, he verbally berates himself later once he has returned to his classroom. Unbeknownst to him, Clara has overheard him. Given another chance, he now accepts her invitation to have a drink.
 
Returning to her office, Clara discovers the Doctor standing there with the takeaway coffee she sent him for [[Deep Breath (TV story)|three weeks ago]] "in Glasgow. That's dead in a ditch."  The Doctor apologizes, telling Clara that he got distracted. She asks by what, to which he says they can always find something and heads to the TARDIS. Clara tries to stop him, but the Doctor grimly says he needs her help.
 
They enter the TARDIS, with the Doctor muttering to himself; he sits on the stairs. Clara sits with him, noticing that he's scared; the Doctor tells her that he's ''terrified''. When asked by what, the Doctor tells her it's the answer to the question he's about to ask; it needs to be well-thought, considered and without restraint. Sipping her coffee, Clara hears the Doctor's question "Am I a good man?" Stunned, Clara tells him that she doesn't know. Sighing, the Doctor admits that he doesn't even know anymore since his [[Siege of Trenzalore|centuries on Trenzalore]]. He heads to the controls, telling Clara that he needs, desperately, for what he's about to do next. When asked where they're going, the Doctor replys "into darkness" and activates the [[fast return switch]].
 
Flashback.
 
The Doctor asks how the Dalek knows who he is (as he's yet to run into them in his current incarnation). Morgan tells the Doctor that the Dalek doesn't know who he is; they promised it medical assistance. The Daleks asks if he's it's doctor. Journey explains they found the Dalek floating in space, deactivated; they didn't know there was a living thing inside until they tried to open it up. The Doctor asks the Dalek why he should help it. It states that Daleks will die; the Doctor tells it to die all it wants and heads to leave. The Dalek then states that it's own kind must be destroyed. Annoyed, the Doctor turns around to mock it, but realizes what it just said and asks the Dalek to repeat itself. The Dalek declares that it's kind is evil and must be destroyed.
 
Back in the TARDIS


Meanwhile, at [[Coal Hill School]], a new Maths teacher, [[Danny Pink]], a war veteran, meets with some students, the [[Coal Hill Cadet Squad]], in the courtyard. [[Clara Oswald]] and he briefly catch each other's eye. Later, Danny is ending a class when one of his students asks if he has ever killed anyone. The rest of the students groan, and Danny implies that as a soldier, he may have killed enemy soldiers. The student persists by asking if he ever killed anyone who was not a soldier. Danny does not answer, but a lone tear appears in his eye as he dismisses class. Sometime later, Danny is introduced to Clara, one of his fellow teachers. She recalls having seen him in the yard earlier. She then asks if he is going to another colleague's event later, which he indicates that he is not. Having awkwardly turned down her subsequent invitation for a drink, he verbally berates himself later once he has returned to his classroom. Unbeknownst to him, Clara has overheard him. Given another chance, he now accepts her invitation to have a drink.
Clara finishes her coffee, considering the idea of a moral Dalek. The Doctor tells her that there is no such thing. Clara notes that's very inflexible thinking for him, even prejudice. Smiling to himself, the Doctor asks if he pays Clara for being his companion, noting that she deserves a raise. Clara smiles broadly, telling the Doctor that he's not her boss; he's one of her hobbies.
 
Back on the ''Aristotle''


Returning to her office, Clara discovers the Doctor standing there with the takeaway coffee she sent him for [[Deep Breath (TV story)|three weeks ago]]. The Doctor claims he needs Clara's help urgently, explaining the situation on the way. He then looks despairingly and sits down. He takes the liberty of asking her to tell him — as honestly as she can — if she thinks he is a good man, to which she answers that she does not know. The Doctor stands up and agrees with her.
The Doctor returns with Clara, mere moments when he last left. He introduces Clara to Journey and Morgan, but has forgotten their names. He introduces Clara as his "carer"; she cares so he doesn't have to. The Doctor greets the Dalek again, telling it he will do his best to help him; a Dalek so damaged that it's developed a conscience, how could any resist such a chance to see what caused this? Clara wonders how they are going to do that, to which the Doctor tells her; they are LITERALLY getting inside it's head.


Back on the ''Aristotle'', the Doctor explains that a malfunction that is also killing it has given the Dalek a conscience and he, fascinated by the idea, has agreed to help it. The group, consisting of the Doctor, Clara, Journey and two other rebel soldiers ([[Ross (Into the Dalek)|Ross]] and [[Gretchen Carlisle|Gretchen]]) are to be shrunken down and inserted into the Dalek's head. When warned not to hold her breath when being shrunk, Clara asks why; the Doctor explains it's like [[Microwave|microwaving]] lasagna without pricking the top: it explodes. He encourages her with "don't be lasagna." Everyone is safely shrunk down and inserted into the Dalek through its [[Eye stalk|eyestalk]] and begin exploring the upper levels.
The group, consisting of the Doctor, Clara, Journey and two other rebel soldiers ([[Ross (Into the Dalek)|Ross]] and [[Gretchen Carlisle|Gretchen]]) are to be shrunken down and inserted into the Dalek's head. The Doctor is against having armed [[babysitter]]s with them, but calms down when he's informed they're only there to kill him and Clara if they turn out to spies. When warned not to hold her breath when being shrunk, Clara asks why; the Doctor explains it's like [[Microwave|microwaving]] lasagna without pricking the top: it explodes. He encourages her with "don't be lasagna."  


The Doctor takes the liberty of introducing the group to Rusty's artificial memory drive which filters out good memories and reinforces bad ones, calling it "evil refined and turned into a machine". The Doctor then asks Rusty what made it turn on its own kind. It turns out that it witnessed the birth of a star, which made it realise the futility of the Daleks' mission of destruction.
Everyone is safely shrunk down and inserted into the Dalek through its [[Eye stalk|eyestalk]] and begin exploring the upper levels. The Doctor takes the liberty of introducing the group to the Dalek's artificial memory drive which filters out good memories and reinforces bad ones, calling it "evil refined and turned into a machine". The Dalek calls for the Doctor, to which he responds with a kind greeting and names him Rusty. Wondering what they're going to do, the Doctor tells them that they can't do a medical examination from there. Ross sets up a zip line, causing the Dalek to scream in agony. The Doctor yells at the idiot; the Dalek is a cyborg, a complete living thing. And what happens when a living thing is wounded? 


Realising that they have to go down, Ross sets up a zip line which inadvertently damages Rusty's body and triggers the release of antibodies. Realising that he cannot save Ross, the Doctor has him swallow a pill that allows him to track where the antibodies store his obliterated remains so that they can hide there. From there the group makes its way to the lower regions where they find the batteries.
Antibodies arrive, with the Doctor telling everyone to remain still or they will be tagged as other invading infections. The Doctor tosses Ross a pill, telling him to swallow; however, Ross is still reduced to dust by the antibodies and hoovered up. Journey asks what Ross swallowed, to which the Doctor answers was a spare power cell. He traces it with the [[sonic screwdriver]], running after the eye that swallowed the ash.This leads everyone to a hole, where the Dalek's victims end up. The Doctor tells them that the antibodies won't stop until they're inside, and it's better going in alive than dead. Everyone jumps in, screaming in terror; except the Doctor, who enjoys the slide.


Discovering a crack in one of the batteries that is leaking deadly radiation that is both killing Rusty and now them, the Doctor seals it off. Now that Rusty is fixed, it immediately returns to its programming and begins slaughtering the station's soldiers. Clara notes, however, that some part of the Doctor is actually pleased. She says that this has justified his belief that there is no such thing as a "good" Dalek.
They end up in green goo, which is actually protein made of the victims; the Daleks harvest sometimes to make sure they are nourished. Ross is on the top layer, so the Doctor tells them to say a few words if they like. Journey pins him against a wall, upset at his indifference towards Ross being killed. The Doctor tells her that this is the weakest point in the Dalek's defense system; "nobody guards the dead." He mutters that [[Doctor Who (1996)|mortuaries]] and [[Deep Breath|larders]] are the easiest places to break out of, noting that he's lived a life. Journey informs Morgan of Ross's death.  


Journey and Clara are furious with the Doctor's apathy, causing Clara to slap him hard — and points out to him that what they have learned is ''not'' that there is no such thing as a good Dalek, but that it is ''possible''. Inspired by Clara's words, the Doctor instructs her, Gretchen, and Journey to make their way back to the memory drive and try to restore Rusty's memories of the star while he tries to reason with Rusty.
The Doctor finds a bolt with a screen in it, undoing the bolt with his sonic. Clara tells Journey and Gretchen that the Doctor will get them out of this, if they listen to his instructions; the hardest part is not killing him before he can do so.  They enter the passage, which the Doctor says is a decontamination tube, so it's a bit hot. Clara tells him not to make any remarks about her hips; he responds that there is nothing wrong with them, she's built like man.


Gretchen sacrifices herself to set up a zipline to get Clara and Journey to the memory core while she fends off the antibodies coming after them. Dying from the antibodies, Gretchen finds herself in [[Matrix data slice|Heaven]], where {{Gomez}} introduces herself and offers her tea. Meanwhile, Rusty calls for backup from the Dalek fleet and plots to join in their slaughter of the rebels.
They exit the passage, as the Doctor hears a [[Geiger counter]] crackle; it's coming from Gretchen, who hands the scanner to the Doctor. The Doctor explains that he's figured out what's wrong with Rusty, leading them further in. Clara wonders what caused Rusty to change his point of view, to which the Doctor asks it. Rusty explains it saw beauty, endless divine perfection; the birth of a star. The Daleks try wiping out all life in the universe, but "life returns, life prevails. Resistance is futile." They get to the batteries, which the Doctor says are leaking [[radiation]]; it's scrambled the casing's [[memory core]], allowing Rusty's morality. The Doctor seals it off, accidentally causing Rusty to revert back to a normal Dalek and begin genocide.  


Clara is able to [[deduce]] how Rusty's memory core works and reactivates all of his suppressed memories. The Doctor, meanwhile, is able to form a [[psychic]] link with Rusty and transfer memories to him. However, instead of simply reawakening its good side, Rusty is inspired by the Doctor's own "Divine Hatred" of the Daleks to instead try to wipe out the rest of its kind, whom it once again sees as evil.
Clara notes, however, that some part of the Doctor is actually pleased. She says that this has justified his belief that there is no such thing as a "good" Dalek. Journey and Clara are furious with the Doctor's apathy, causing Clara to slap him hard — and points out to him that what they have learned is ''not'' that there is no such thing as a good Dalek, but that it is ''possible''. Inspired by Clara's words, the Doctor instructs her, Gretchen, and Journey to make their way back to the memory drive and try to restore Rusty's memories of the star while he tries to reason with Rusty.


Rusty destroys the rest of the Daleks on the station and the Doctor, Clara and Journey are returned to their proper size. Rusty has broadcast a retreat signal to the rest of the Daleks, falsely indicating the Humans' (completely fictional) intention to set the station to self-destruct. Rusty leaves to rejoin its kind, stating it will continue to work against them.
Gretchen sacrifices herself to set up a zipline to get Clara and Journey to the memory core while she fends off the antibodies coming after them. Dying from the antibodies, Gretchen finds herself in [[Matrix data slice|Heaven]], where {{Gomez}} introduces herself and offers her tea. Meanwhile, Rusty calls for backup from the Dalek fleet and plots to join in their slaughter of the rebels.
[[File:Shrunken Twelve at eye level with Rusty.jpg|thumb|220x220px|The Doctor tries getting Rusty to remember his epiphany.]]
Clara is able to [[deduce]] how Rusty's memory core works and reactivates all of his suppressed memories about the star and his realization about life. The Doctor, meanwhile, is able to form a [[psychic]] link with Rusty and transfer memories to him. The beauty of the universe is shown to Rusty, who is in awe. However, soon, the Doctor's hatred of the Daleks manifests and Rusty sees all the mass-murders the Doctor committed towards the Daleks. Despite the Doctor pleading with Rusty to see beyond that, Rusty is more drawn to the hatred towards Daleks and partially reverts back to its enlightened self.


Before it goes Rusty disagrees with the Doctor's assessment that there is no such thing as a good Dalek: it says that the Doctor himself is a good Dalek. The Doctor also views it as something of a hollow victory: the Dalek looked into his soul and saw nothing but hatred.
Rusty destroys the rest of the Daleks on the station and the Doctor, Clara and Journey are returned to their proper size. Rusty has broadcast a retreat signal to the rest of the Daleks, falsely indicating the humans intention to set the station to self-destruct. Rusty leaves to rejoin its kind, stating it will continue to work against them.Before it goes Rusty disagrees with the Doctor's assessment that there is no such thing as a good Dalek: it says that the Doctor himself is a good Dalek. The Doctor also views it as something of a hollow victory: the Dalek looked into his soul and saw nothing but hatred.


Journey attempts to see the Doctor off when he abruptly begins to depart. She wishes to join him on the TARDIS as a companion, but the Doctor turns her down. While he recognises the good in her under the battle-hardened exterior, he just wishes that she wasn't a soldier. Journey watches with a subdued smile as the Doctor and Clara leave.
Journey attempts to see the Doctor off when he abruptly begins to depart. She wishes to join him on the TARDIS as a companion, but the Doctor turns her down. While he recognises the good in her under the battle-hardened exterior, he just wishes that she wasn't a soldier. Journey watches with a subdued smile as the Doctor and Clara leave.

Revision as of 23:59, 28 August 2017

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Into the Dalek was the second episode of the eighth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales, and marked the Twelfth Doctor's first encounter with the Daleks. Danny Pink is also introduced in this episode, as well as his background of being an ex-soldier. However, he doesn't interact with the Doctor until The Caretaker. Also making his first appearance is Coal Hill School headmaster Mr. Armitage, who would be a recurring character in Doctor Who and its spin-off Class.

Featuring the Doctor and Clara leading a miniaturised team inside a Dalek, this story originated as a pitch by Steven Moffat for a Doctor Who video game before deciding to save the idea for an episode, handing it over to Phil Ford. (DOC: Into the Dalek)

The episode explores the Doctor questioning whether or not he is a "good man", which would be a recurring theme addressed in Series 8.

The episode also shows the Doctor's first encounter with the Daleks three weeks after he regenerated, but more importantly from the Doctor's point of view after the 900-year siege on Trenzalore, as the Doctor's hatred for the Daleks is shown to have intensified because of Trenzalore.

This marks the third time that a Dalek has seen the truth about its species. In Evolution of the Daleks, Dalek Sec realized the Daleks needed to return the flesh and "heart" to ensure the survival of their species. In Journey's End, it's revealed that after being driven insane by breaking through a time lock, Dalek Caan also saw the evil of the Daleks and manipulated events to allow the Meta-Crisis Tenth Doctor to be born to kill the New Dalek Empire, and granting Donna Noble the Doctor's knowledge. Much like Caan, Rusty shows an intense hatred of the Daleks because he saw life will continue despite their attempts to wipe it out.

Synopsis

Surrounded by his greatest enemies, the newest Doctor will journey into the most dangerous place in all of the universe. With the limits of his compassion being tested, the Doctor will be forced to ask a question about himself that he doesn't know: "Am I a good man?"

Plot

Journey Blue's ship is being shot at by a Dalek ship, and her brother Kai is unconscious. She tries calling for help, but gets no response from the rest of her team as the Dalek ship closes in. Inside it's saucer, the Dalek orders maximum extermination and the ship fires a powerful last at Journey's vessel. She screams in terror as everything begins blowing up around her.

She awakens, finding herself in the TARDIS console room. The Doctor stares at her silently, holding coffee. Grabbing her gun, Journey demands to know what is going on, as she examines the control room to see if anyone else is there. The Doctor explains that he materialized his time capsule around her the moment of the explosion, saving her. Journey tells him her brother just died; the Doctor retorts that Kai's sister didn't, so she should take some peace in that.

Angered, Journey points her gun at the Doctor. He asks her to put her weapon away, because she might shoot him. When Journey says it will put her in control of his vessel, the Doctor laughs "you'd starve to death looking for the light-switch." She demands to be brought back to her command ship, the Aristotle, beginning to tell him where it's located However, the Doctor stops her and tells her "not like that." She demands to be brought back to her base. The Doctor tells her to get it right; taking his hint, Journey puts down the gun and politely asks to be taken back. Asking if it's the "big fella" behind the asteroid, the Doctor pilots the TARDIS.

It lands inside the ship and they depart. Journey is surprised the ship is smaller on the outside. The Doctor notes it's more amusing when said the other way around; he also makes note that they're in a space hospital. The other soldiers are grateful for the Doctor for saving journey, but plan to kill him regardless, to maintain the security of their location (out of paranoia that he may be a Dalek spy). Journey points out that they have need of a physician, however.

"Doc... tor?"

Journey's uncle, Colonel Morgan Blue shows the Doctor to a medical wing. The Doctor asks why a hospital needs a doctor, to which Morgan explains that the Aristotle wasn't always hidden; the Daleks got to it first. Since the Daleks had already killed every living thing in the place, the Combined Galactic Resistance thought it was the best place to turn into their hideout. Passing a capsule, the Doctor immediately recognizes it as shrinking technology. Morgan confirms that the Doctor will be shrunk down and inserted into the patient. "Fantastic idea for a movie. Terrible idea for a proctologist." the Doctor laughs. Morgan then brings the Doctor to a set of doors, introducing the Doctor to his patient: a Dalek!

Meanwhile, at Coal Hill School, a new Maths teacher, Danny Pink, a war veteran, meets with some students, the Coal Hill Cadet Squad, in the courtyard. Clara Oswald and he briefly catch each other's eye. Later, Danny is ending a class when one of his students asks if he has ever killed anyone. The rest of the students groan, and Danny implies that as a soldier, he may have killed enemy soldiers. The student persists by asking if he ever killed anyone who was not a soldier. Danny does not answer, but a lone tear appears in his eye as he dismisses class. Sometime later, Danny is introduced to Clara, one of his fellow teachers. She recalls having seen him in the yard earlier. She then asks if he is going to another colleague's event later, which he indicates that he is not. Having awkwardly turned down her subsequent invitation for a drink, he verbally berates himself later once he has returned to his classroom. Unbeknownst to him, Clara has overheard him. Given another chance, he now accepts her invitation to have a drink.

Returning to her office, Clara discovers the Doctor standing there with the takeaway coffee she sent him for three weeks ago "in Glasgow. That's dead in a ditch." The Doctor apologizes, telling Clara that he got distracted. She asks by what, to which he says they can always find something and heads to the TARDIS. Clara tries to stop him, but the Doctor grimly says he needs her help.

They enter the TARDIS, with the Doctor muttering to himself; he sits on the stairs. Clara sits with him, noticing that he's scared; the Doctor tells her that he's terrified. When asked by what, the Doctor tells her it's the answer to the question he's about to ask; it needs to be well-thought, considered and without restraint. Sipping her coffee, Clara hears the Doctor's question "Am I a good man?" Stunned, Clara tells him that she doesn't know. Sighing, the Doctor admits that he doesn't even know anymore since his centuries on Trenzalore. He heads to the controls, telling Clara that he needs, desperately, for what he's about to do next. When asked where they're going, the Doctor replys "into darkness" and activates the fast return switch.

Flashback.

The Doctor asks how the Dalek knows who he is (as he's yet to run into them in his current incarnation). Morgan tells the Doctor that the Dalek doesn't know who he is; they promised it medical assistance. The Daleks asks if he's it's doctor. Journey explains they found the Dalek floating in space, deactivated; they didn't know there was a living thing inside until they tried to open it up. The Doctor asks the Dalek why he should help it. It states that Daleks will die; the Doctor tells it to die all it wants and heads to leave. The Dalek then states that it's own kind must be destroyed. Annoyed, the Doctor turns around to mock it, but realizes what it just said and asks the Dalek to repeat itself. The Dalek declares that it's kind is evil and must be destroyed.

Back in the TARDIS

Clara finishes her coffee, considering the idea of a moral Dalek. The Doctor tells her that there is no such thing. Clara notes that's very inflexible thinking for him, even prejudice. Smiling to himself, the Doctor asks if he pays Clara for being his companion, noting that she deserves a raise. Clara smiles broadly, telling the Doctor that he's not her boss; he's one of her hobbies.

Back on the Aristotle

The Doctor returns with Clara, mere moments when he last left. He introduces Clara to Journey and Morgan, but has forgotten their names. He introduces Clara as his "carer"; she cares so he doesn't have to. The Doctor greets the Dalek again, telling it he will do his best to help him; a Dalek so damaged that it's developed a conscience, how could any resist such a chance to see what caused this? Clara wonders how they are going to do that, to which the Doctor tells her; they are LITERALLY getting inside it's head.

The group, consisting of the Doctor, Clara, Journey and two other rebel soldiers (Ross and Gretchen) are to be shrunken down and inserted into the Dalek's head. The Doctor is against having armed babysitters with them, but calms down when he's informed they're only there to kill him and Clara if they turn out to spies. When warned not to hold her breath when being shrunk, Clara asks why; the Doctor explains it's like microwaving lasagna without pricking the top: it explodes. He encourages her with "don't be lasagna."

Everyone is safely shrunk down and inserted into the Dalek through its eyestalk and begin exploring the upper levels. The Doctor takes the liberty of introducing the group to the Dalek's artificial memory drive which filters out good memories and reinforces bad ones, calling it "evil refined and turned into a machine". The Dalek calls for the Doctor, to which he responds with a kind greeting and names him Rusty. Wondering what they're going to do, the Doctor tells them that they can't do a medical examination from there. Ross sets up a zip line, causing the Dalek to scream in agony. The Doctor yells at the idiot; the Dalek is a cyborg, a complete living thing. And what happens when a living thing is wounded?

Antibodies arrive, with the Doctor telling everyone to remain still or they will be tagged as other invading infections. The Doctor tosses Ross a pill, telling him to swallow; however, Ross is still reduced to dust by the antibodies and hoovered up. Journey asks what Ross swallowed, to which the Doctor answers was a spare power cell. He traces it with the sonic screwdriver, running after the eye that swallowed the ash.This leads everyone to a hole, where the Dalek's victims end up. The Doctor tells them that the antibodies won't stop until they're inside, and it's better going in alive than dead. Everyone jumps in, screaming in terror; except the Doctor, who enjoys the slide.

They end up in green goo, which is actually protein made of the victims; the Daleks harvest sometimes to make sure they are nourished. Ross is on the top layer, so the Doctor tells them to say a few words if they like. Journey pins him against a wall, upset at his indifference towards Ross being killed. The Doctor tells her that this is the weakest point in the Dalek's defense system; "nobody guards the dead." He mutters that mortuaries and larders are the easiest places to break out of, noting that he's lived a life. Journey informs Morgan of Ross's death.

The Doctor finds a bolt with a screen in it, undoing the bolt with his sonic. Clara tells Journey and Gretchen that the Doctor will get them out of this, if they listen to his instructions; the hardest part is not killing him before he can do so. They enter the passage, which the Doctor says is a decontamination tube, so it's a bit hot. Clara tells him not to make any remarks about her hips; he responds that there is nothing wrong with them, she's built like man.

They exit the passage, as the Doctor hears a Geiger counter crackle; it's coming from Gretchen, who hands the scanner to the Doctor. The Doctor explains that he's figured out what's wrong with Rusty, leading them further in. Clara wonders what caused Rusty to change his point of view, to which the Doctor asks it. Rusty explains it saw beauty, endless divine perfection; the birth of a star. The Daleks try wiping out all life in the universe, but "life returns, life prevails. Resistance is futile." They get to the batteries, which the Doctor says are leaking radiation; it's scrambled the casing's memory core, allowing Rusty's morality. The Doctor seals it off, accidentally causing Rusty to revert back to a normal Dalek and begin genocide.

Clara notes, however, that some part of the Doctor is actually pleased. She says that this has justified his belief that there is no such thing as a "good" Dalek. Journey and Clara are furious with the Doctor's apathy, causing Clara to slap him hard — and points out to him that what they have learned is not that there is no such thing as a good Dalek, but that it is possible. Inspired by Clara's words, the Doctor instructs her, Gretchen, and Journey to make their way back to the memory drive and try to restore Rusty's memories of the star while he tries to reason with Rusty.

Gretchen sacrifices herself to set up a zipline to get Clara and Journey to the memory core while she fends off the antibodies coming after them. Dying from the antibodies, Gretchen finds herself in Heaven, where Missy introduces herself and offers her tea. Meanwhile, Rusty calls for backup from the Dalek fleet and plots to join in their slaughter of the rebels.

The Doctor tries getting Rusty to remember his epiphany.

Clara is able to deduce how Rusty's memory core works and reactivates all of his suppressed memories about the star and his realization about life. The Doctor, meanwhile, is able to form a psychic link with Rusty and transfer memories to him. The beauty of the universe is shown to Rusty, who is in awe. However, soon, the Doctor's hatred of the Daleks manifests and Rusty sees all the mass-murders the Doctor committed towards the Daleks. Despite the Doctor pleading with Rusty to see beyond that, Rusty is more drawn to the hatred towards Daleks and partially reverts back to its enlightened self.

Rusty destroys the rest of the Daleks on the station and the Doctor, Clara and Journey are returned to their proper size. Rusty has broadcast a retreat signal to the rest of the Daleks, falsely indicating the humans intention to set the station to self-destruct. Rusty leaves to rejoin its kind, stating it will continue to work against them.Before it goes Rusty disagrees with the Doctor's assessment that there is no such thing as a good Dalek: it says that the Doctor himself is a good Dalek. The Doctor also views it as something of a hollow victory: the Dalek looked into his soul and saw nothing but hatred.

Journey attempts to see the Doctor off when he abruptly begins to depart. She wishes to join him on the TARDIS as a companion, but the Doctor turns her down. While he recognises the good in her under the battle-hardened exterior, he just wishes that she wasn't a soldier. Journey watches with a subdued smile as the Doctor and Clara leave.

Clara is returned to Coal Hill School 30 seconds after the Doctor had picked her up, changing into new clothes in the meantime for her evening with Danny. As she leaves, she at last answers the Doctor's question about whether or not he is a good man — while she cannot say for sure that he is a good man, he tries to be one, which is the important thing. This somewhat reassures the Doctor. She joins Danny for their date, trying not to adopt the Doctor's policy against soldiers.

Cast

Uncredited cast

Crew

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

Casting

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.


References

Story notes

Into the Dalek Character Options playset.

Ratings

Filming locations

Production errors

  • A bouncing cushion is visible inside the remains of an exploding Dalek.

Continuity

Home video releases

 DVD releases

  • Doctor Who: Series 8 Boxset

Blu-ray releases

  • Doctor Who: Series 8 Blu-ray Boxset

Digital releases

  • The episode was released on Google Play, iTunes and Amazon Instant Video in HD or SD, also available as part of the Series 8 digital boxset. The digital boxset contains various features: trailer, interviews, The Ultimate Companion, The Ultimate Time Lord, Inside the World Tour and Doctor Who Extra episodes for each episode.
  • In the US, the series was released through digital streaming services Hulu and Netflix with a subscription.

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Gomez' credit is taken from TV: Deep Breath
  2. ↑ http://racheltalalay.tumblr.com/post/125498345964/hello-rachel-i-want-to-know-if-you-directed-any#notes
v • e
Doctor Who television stories
 
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v • e
Dalek television stories
For the purposes of this list, a "Dalek story" is one in which one living, authentic Dalek plays a part within the confines of the story, outside of flashbacks to previous stories and cliffhangers that lead into the following story. For this reason, stories such as The Space Museum are not counted due to the Daleks' appearance being defined by their importance to following stories, while stories such as The Wheel in Space and The Waters of Mars are absent due to the Daleks' only contribution being references to past Dalek stories. Stories like The Wedding of River Song, Hell Bent, Once, Upon Time and The Vanquishers are also not included due to the Daleks' appearance being restricted to a single scene of no consequence to the plot of the story, while the TV movie is also absent due to the Daleks only being heard from off-screen.
First Doctor era
Dr. Who films
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The "Wilderness Years"
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Thirteenth Doctor era
Fourteenth Doctor era
Fifteenth Doctor era
Because of the ubiquity of this race, no attempt will be made here to list every appearance in every medium. Instead, we focus on televised appearances here, and invite you to explore a complete list of appearances elsewhere.
v • e
The Master stories
Early life
Television
Prose
Comic
Audio
Webcast
"Inventor"
Audio
War Chief
Television
Prose
UNIT era
The cycle
ending
Decayed
Master
Tremas
Master
Old
Master
Television
Prose
Bruce
Master
Android/
Echo
Webcast
Prose
"Preacher"
Comics
Reborn
Master
"Merlin"
Prose
Pryce
Television
Child
Master
Comics
War Master
Saxon Master
Missy
The Lumiat
Audio
Spy Master
Unclear
incarnation

Prose
.
Other
realities
Barusa's universe
Prose
Unbound Master
Inferno Earth
Prose
The Warrior's universe
Audio
From stories
considered
not part
of the DWU
by this Wiki
"DWM"
Prose
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Games
"Exclusive!"
Prose
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Comics
According to one account, the Master had the appearance of Roger Delgado while on Gallifrey. According to another, he had Anthony Ainley's likeness. According to another one, the one with James Dreyfus's appearance was the incarnation who ran away from Gallifrey.

Divided Loyalties, A Brief History of Time Lords and The Legions of Death feature, or otherwise acknowledge, the War Chief, but in the process contradicted the notion put forward by other stories that he was an incarnation of the Master.

One account suggests that the incarnation portrayed by Roger Delgado may be the same as the one portrayed by Peter Pratt while some others distinguish them.

According to one account, the incarnation portrayed by Gordon Tipple is the one portrayed by Anthony Ainley, while some others state that the Ainley one was already lost by then.

While fighting to extend his life at the end of his regeneration cycle, many bodies were possessed by the Beevers incarnation, but all kept somehow reverting to his real being until he finally regenerated into the MacQueen one. Hence, these sections cannot be strictly chronological
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