Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/Empress of Mars

You are exploring the Discontinuity Index, a place where any details or rumours about unreleased stories are forbidden.
Please discuss only those whole stories which have already been released, and obey our spoiler policy.

This page is for discussing the ways in which Empress of Mars doesn't fit well with other DWU narratives. You can also talk about the plot holes that render its own, internal narrative confusing.

Remember, this is a forum, so civil discussion is encouraged. However, please do not sign your posts. Also, keep all posts about the same continuity error under the same bullet point. You can add a new point by typing:

* This is point one.
::This is a counter-argument to point one.
:::This is a counter-argument to the counter-argument above
* This is point two.
::Explanation of point two.
::Further discussion and query of point two.

... and so on. 

• We never do find out exactly why the Doctor, Bill and Nardole are at NASA in the first place. It is not because of the message being found (which would make the rest of the episode a flashback) as it's clearly indicated they went to Mars to investigate its origin.

It's not exactly a plot hole for the story, they likely were just wandering round as the Doctor always does when he's off on adventures.

I think it's that the Doctor has already had the adventure, and has gone forward in time to mischeviously see what humanity makes of what he's done.

• Why does the TARDIS just abandon the Doctor and Bill on Mars? It's not like there's an outward force controlling it like the Silence once did or that it shifted into another dimension like in the Pirate episode.

Hostile Action Displacement System, perhaps?

And since the TARDIS isn't on Mars for most of the episode, how can they understand the Empress and her Ice Warriors? The soldiers have probably taught 'Friday' English, I suppose.

• How were they able to move all those rocks, at the end? (Hope this doesn't get deleted!)
  • I guess the super-strong Ice Warriors were able to move them.
• Where did the fuel for the fires in the tunnels come from?