The Zygon Inversion (TV story)

The Zygon Inversion was the eighth episode of the ninth series of Doctor Who produced by BBC Wales.

	Twelfth Doctor
	Clara
	Osgood, Kate
	Bonnie, Zygons
	London, England, 21st century
	Peter Harness Steven Moffat
	Daniel Nettheim
	Peter Bennett
	257b
	7 November 2015
	BBC One
	1x50 minute episode
Doctor Who television stories
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Production order
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Next →	TBA

This episode saw the Twelfth Doctor describe the immense pain he felt while fighting in the Time War in an emotional and angry speech for the first time since his predecessor discovered that the War Doctor had not destroyed Gallifrey. It also revealed that there are two Osgood Boxes, and their design is based on that of the Moment; this symbolises how the Doctor nearly destroyed his entire race with a box, just as Kate and Bonnie were about to destroy theirs.

Synopsis

With the splinter group of Zygons now ahead of the Doctor, there is only one thing standing in their way of obliterating the human race and taking the Earth for themselves: a moral dilemma!

Is Bonnie willing to compromise the peace already in place, just for the sake of Zygons not needing to hide, even if it means making enemies not only of humanity, but of her own race?

Plot

Clara awakens in what seems to her apartment. However, she soon finds many inconsistencies with her home, such as the lack of windows and being unable to leave. Clara checks a magazine, finding it filled with gibberish; she's dreaming. She soon hears Bonnie's voice as the television in the living room turns on, showing exactly what she sees. Clara, realizing that the Doctor is in danger, forces minimal control over Bonnie, making her miss her first shot with a rocket launcher.

Bonnie pays no mind to this, thinking she slipped up; she fires another rocket at Boat One, this time destroying it. Though Bonnie thinks the Doctor is dead, Clara pauses the image on her TV, zooming in on a shadow falling away from the smoke: the Doctor is alive!

On the ground, Osgood removes her parachute, only to find her glasses have been broken in the fall. The Doctor manages to free himself of his own, which has a Union Jack printed on it; he explains its for being incognito in the UK. The Doctor gives Osgood his sonic sunglasses, allowing her their use until she obtains a replacement pair of glasses. However, Osgood points out how silly sonic eye-wear is, comparing it to "visual hearing".

Elsewhere, Bonnie corners a peaceful Zygon, zapping him; unable to maintain his form, the Zygon accidentally transforms in front of humans, who are less than scared. He runs off into a shop to hide, while Bonnie smiles at the act, posting a video of the transformation on the Internet.

The Doctor and Osgood trek on, talking about the Zygons abilities; the Doctor is then left a bit shocked when Osgood tells him that she would shoot him between the eyes for each regeneration, if she were evil, to keep him from talking his way out of the situation. At the same time, Clara subtly makes Bonnie text the Doctor with a simple message "I am awake"; the Doctor is confused by this, wondering if the message is political. However, Osgood realizes that it means that Clara is aware of what's going on, despite being asleep in a Zygon pod; the Doctor then notes his hope is getting worse.

Seeing a police car, the Doctor and Osgood attempt to get help. Passing himself off as "Dr. John Disco", the Doctor tells the police officers that his plane blew up, but there's nothing to worry about. Worrying that they may be Zygons from the splinter group, the Doctor and Osgood begin walking away. However, another pair of officers begin approaching from where they came from. Seeing an abandoned van, they decide to commandeer it; the Doctor manages to hot-wire the vehicle and they escape.

At the Zygon nest, Bonnie telepathically talks to Clara; since they share a heart-beat, Bonnie will know when Clara's lying if her own pulse increases. Bonnie interrogates her, learning that the Osgood Box is at the Black Archive, and that any companion of the Doctor has access. However, Clara taunts Bonnie, saying that even though she's given this information, the Zygon will still need her. "Kate" arrives, explaining that the Doctor is on his way; Bonnie orders that he be copied, if possible, but disposed.

The Doctor and Osgood arrive outside Clara's apartment complex; he takes in the view, calling London a dump. However, Osgood points out that he spent nearly a decade's worth of time taking companions from here. They head into the building and find the secret elevator switch. Descending to the Zygon nest, they attempt negotiation, but Kate shoots her Zygon guards; she's the real one. Kate explains she emptied her gun into the Zygon that attacked her, deciding to pretend it took her place to get close to the Zygons. They then realize that Bonnie took Clara's pod with her to the Black Archive.

At the Black Archive, Bonnie learns why the device is called the Osgood Box - there's two of them. Bonnie has Clara awakened, but finds that she doesn't know which of the boxes is the right one; Clara points out that Bonnie should know this already because they're linked. The Doctor, Osgood and Kate arrive; Kate and Bonnie each stand before a box, discovering each has two buttons - Truth or Consequences. Bonnie's box will either cause the Zygons to revert to their true forms for an hour or make them human for good; Kate's box will either release Z-67 (a gas poisonous to Zygons made by Harry Sullivan) or not.

Comparing her to a child having a tantrum, the Doctor points out Bonnie hasn't thought ahead about the destruction her desire will being; even if she wipes out humanity, there would still be troublemakers. With both Kate and Bonnie willing to press their buttons, the Doctor can't resist making fun of the situation in a game show announcer voice; he then snaps at them, saying this is a scale model of war. This situation is what it always boils down to: two sides sitting down to negotiation after too much suffering and death. After Bonnie says that the Doctor could never understand her situation, the Doctor launches into an agonized tirade, screaming at her that he fought in a war bigger than she could imagine. In his grief, he goes on to say how the Last Great Time War still haunts him to this day; when he closes his eyes, he can still hear the screaming of the victims.

The Doctor then goes on to explain that the Osgood Boxes are based on the Moment, a powerful weapon from the early days of Gallifrey, which he considered using to end the senseless violence destroying reality, even if it meant the lives of innocent children as well. However, he thought better of it, and found a better solution. The pain from that still lives with him, allowing the Doctor to never again attempt something so horrible that it would make him discard his name. The Doctor forgives Bonnie, just as he did with his war incarnation. Bonnie is swayed by the Doctor's words, telling him she's figured out that the boxes are empty. However, Kate is less than amused. Telling Kate that she's already scolded him fifteen times, the Doctor again wipes her memory with the device in the ceiling. However, Bonnie was allowed her memories, so as to prevent this disaster again.

Bonnie returns to her nest, telling her comrades the revolution is over and that they're safe. Outside the nest, the Doctor asks Osgood to travel with him; however, she turns him down, saying that she needs to be around to make the Nightmare Scenario work out like this again. Per the Doctor's request, Clara hugs Osgood on his behalf. However, the Doctor is left bewildered that Osgood never thought of what the TARDIS stood for; he tells her it stands for "Totally And Radically Travels In Space". However, at that moment, Bonnie appears as a second Osgood, telling the Doctor that she will help protect the Earth. Both tell the Doctor that they will tell him which is which when the day comes when it doesn't matter.

After the TARDIS departs, both Osgoods leaves to continue their work.

Cast

• The Doctor - Peter Capaldi
• Clara - Jenna Coleman
• Osgood - Ingrid Oliver
• Kate - Jemma Redgrave
• Etoine - Nicholas Asbury
• Zygons - Aidan Cook, Tom Wilton, Jack Parker
• Voice of the Zygons - Nicholas Briggs

Uncredited cast

• Bonnie - Jenna Coleman, Ingrid Oliver

Crew

Executive Producers   Steven Moffat and Brian Minchin

General production staff Line Producer - Tracie Simpson Production Manager - Steffan Morris Location Manager - Nick Clark Unit Manager - Iestyn Hampson-Jones Production Co-ordinator - Adam Knopf Production Assistant - Sion Crowle Production Accountant - Simon Wheeler Script department Script Editor - David P Davis Script Executive - Lindsey Alford Camera and lighting department 1st Assistant Director - Dan Mumford 2nd Assistant Director - James DeHaviland 3rd Assistant Director - Danielle Richards Assistant Directors - Chris Thomas, Gareth Jones Script Supervisor - Steve Walker Camera Operator - Mark McQuoid Focus Pullers - Jonathan Vidgen, Steve Rees Grip - John Robinson Camera Assistants - Cai Thompson, Matthew Lepper, Scott Waller Gaffer - Mark Hutchings Best Boy - Andrew Gardiner Electricians - Bob Milton, Gareth Sheldon, Gawain Nash, Rob Fernandes	Art department Supervising Art Director - Dafydd Shurmer Production Buyer - Julian Luxton Set Decorator - Adrian Anscombe Props Buyer - May Johnson Concept Artist - Chris Lees Graphic Artist - Matthew Clark Standby Props - Liam Collins Standby Carpenter - Paul Jones Standby Art Director - Julia Challis Props Storeman - Jamie Southcott Props Driver - Gareth Fox Props Makers - Alan Hardy, Jamie Thomas Construction Manager - Terry Horle Construction Chargehand - Dean Tucker Practical Electrician - Christian Davies Scenic Artist - Clive Clarke Costume department Costume Supervisor - Simon Marks Assistant Costume Designer - Georgie Sayer Costume Assistants - Andie Mear, Ian Fowler, Jenny Tindle	Make-up and prosthetics Make-up Supervisor - Sara Angharad Make-up Artists - Megan Bowes, James Spinks Movement Stunt Co-ordinators - Crispin Layfield, Dani Biernat Casting Casting Associate - Alice Purser General post-production staff Post-production Supervisor - Samantha Price Post-production Co-ordinator - Hannah Jones Assistant Editors - Becky Trotman, Robbie Gibbon On-line Editor - Mark Hardyman Special and visual effects VFX Editor - Dan Rawlings Colourist - Gareth Spensley Sound Dubbing Mixer - Mark Ferda Dialogue Editor - Darran Clement Foley Editor - Jamie Talbutt

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

• The Fleet Estate Centre is visited.
• The block of flats that Etoine lives in is called Meelfe House.

The Doctor

• The Doctor claims to Osgood that his real first name is "Basil".
• The Doctor jokes that as he is over 2000 years old, he is old enough to be a Messiah.
• The Doctor escapes the plane in a parachute with a Union Jack on it. Similarly, James Bond used a parachute with a Union Jack on it to sky-dive in the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me".
• The Doctor once created an invisible watch, which had the terrible design flaw of being invisible.
• The Doctor keeps a browser history in his sonic sunglasses, and advises Osgood not to look at it.
• Osgood says that if she was evil, she could kill the Doctor twelve times if necessary, referring to his regeneration cycle.

Clara

• Clara has enough authority within UNIT that she can access the Black Archive without question.
• The newspaper in Clara's dream that she checks to ensure she's dreaming reads gibberish, indicating to her it holds no significance.

Story notes

to be added

Ratings

• BBC One Overnight: 4.13 million
• BBC America Overnight: to be added

Filming location

to be added

Production errors

• When the Doctor, Clara, and Osgood arrive at the TARDIS, the Doctor is a few feet away from it. In the next shot, he is standing right next to it.
• As the Doctor enters the TARDIS, Bonnie is standing to Osgood's left. However, in the next shot, Bonnie and Osgood have switched places.

Continuity

• The painting of the First Doctor in the Unit Safe House opens to reveal a safe. (TV: The Zygon Invasion)
• In her dream, Clara hears Bonnie's last words for the Doctor before firing the missile launcher, as well as the missile being fired (TV: The Zygon Invasion)
• A government worker is sweeping some electrical wire-human-leftovers. Some leftovers are also seen in the Fleet Estate Centre. (TV: The Zygon Invasion)
• Kate Stewart explains that she survived her encounter with a Zygon by firing "five rounds rapid," a phrase often used by her father. (TV: The Dæmons et.al.)
• The Doctor uses his iPhone again. (TV: The Zygon Invasion)
• Boat One is blown up again. (TV: Death in Heaven)
• The Doctor says he used the plane to "ponce about". (TV: The Zygon Invasion)
• The Doctor uses his psychic paper. (TV: The End of the World et.al.)
• The Doctor nicknames himself "John Disco" and "Doctor Disco". (TV: The Zygon Invasion)
• The naval surgeon who invented the anti-Zygon gas Z-67 is named Sullivan. (TV: Terror of the Zygons, The Zygon Invasion) The Doctor calls him as an imbecile, just as his fourth incarnation once did. (TV: Revenge of the Cybermen)
• Osgood's glasses are broken. (TV: Death in Heaven)
• The Doctor's sonic sunglasses are used. (TV: The Magician's Apprentice et.al.)
• The Black Archive is revisited and the memory-eraser is reactivated. (TV: The Day of the Doctor)
• The battle helmet of a Mire can be seen in the Black Archive. (TV: The Girl Who Died)
• The Doctor recalls the intense pain of his experiences in the Last Great Time War. Furthermore, the Osgood Boxes are directly based off the Moment to reflect the way his wartime self struggled not to use its destructive potential. (TV: The Day of the Doctor)
• Bonnie, having taken the form of Osgood, wears a facsimile of the Seventh Doctor's costume, with a duffel coat. (TV: The Curse of Fenric)
• Clara performs a "dream check" to gauge the state of her reality when she wakes up. (TV: Last Christmas)
• The Doctor claims that one of the buttons in the blue Osgood Box would cancel the Zygons' ability to change form, making them human forever. An actual Zygon ability to take a permanent human form was revealed in AUDIO: The Zygon Who Fell to Earth.

Home video releases

DVD releases

to be added

Blu-ray releases

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External links

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