Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/The Ice Warriors

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

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• The TARDIS lands on its side in episode 1, but it's the correct way up in episode 6.

The HADS probably kicked in when the sonic cannon hit. Note it is in a new position.

Jamie or Victoria may have unknowingly stumbled upon the mechanism used in Time-Flight and by extension another mechanism which stands the exterior of the TARDIS straight up as well.

What is even more perplexing is the The Doctor and his companions didn't think to set the TARDIS standing upright so it would be easier to enter later. ... Or hang on a minute - maybe we just weren't shown that bit?

• When they leave the TARDIS, they push the doors out the way - usually people are seen to pull the doors to exit the TARDIS.

They probably swing both ways, especially considering its appearance is based on something barely big enough for one person, therefore doors that swing outward would make more sense anyway.

• Just how do they get to the doors anyway? The console is seen in other stories to move with the exterior, so they'd have to jump quite far. Even if they used the mechanism in TV: Time-Flight, they'd still be gripping onto the ceiling or the wall.

They have clearly clambered up somehow - as they have difficulty getting out.

• Plants use up carbon dioxide, so no plants would actually mean more carbon dioxide, not less.

• How do the Ice Warriors survive the freezing ice?

They're not called ICE Warriors for nothing. Many complex organism are capable of surviving being frozen, such as fish and some scorpions. It is by no means hard to conceive of a sentient race of creatures who have evolved (or been engineered) with the capacity to do likewise.

• If the warriors have been in the ice since the first Ice Age, then why weren't they frozen out at the end of that?

Many glacial remnants remain from the last ice age. They could have been trapped in some of the ice that didn't melt at one of the poles, which only began shifting toward the British Isles at the start of the new ice age.

• How does Varga know where the warriors are when he goes to free them from the ice?

Each member of the crew are issued with a locator device and homing beacon to aid rescue and recovery from hostile environments and in situations just like these.

• There was no way the Doctor could know the Ice Warrior had been in the ice since "prehistoric times," once he had been removed, since he didn't know where he had been found.

It's possible that Penley told him.

• There seems to be some question over where the Ice Warriors are from, its stated that they have been there since the first Ice Age but later it's said to be the last Ice Age (there have been at least six major Ice Ages as well as several minor ones)

It is clear they are simplifying the "last glacial period" of our current Ice Age. Another could have started by the year 5000 - or their name for the period could have changed since.

• If the Ice Warriors have been there for so long, the nuclear material should have decayed by now.

Their ship could have had the methods to preserve it

• It seems unlikely that a civilisation as scientifically advanced as humanity seems to be in this story would be completely unaware of the environmental consequences of getting rid of all the plants in the world.

They didnt get rid of all the plants, the scientist specifically says that they reduced the number of plants to the "bare minimum." The minimum for what, isn't clear, and perhaps they miscalculated.

• The Doctor in Episode 3 says "I'm only human." Even this far back in the show, we'd already seen him regenerate (or "renew") and we know he's not human.