Theory:Doctor Who television discontinuity and plot holes/Planet of Evil

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 Planet of Evil 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. 

• Tom Baker almost falls over after throwing Sorenson and the container of anti-matter down into the pool.

Even the Doctor can trip.

• In The Three Doctors it was stated that anti-matter and matter couldn't exist without an explosion, so how do they manage to exist together here?

Zeta Minor exists on the dimensional boundary between both universes. It is possible that this region of space acts as a kind of buffer between them, making it possible for them to co-exist. That is why the danger increases the further the Morestran ship gets from the planet.

It could also be the act of the anti-matter creatures/intelligence, who have some power to prevent a reaction whilst it is contained to their area of influence.

• How is the ship able to take off the second time and not the first when there is anti-matter on board on both occasions?

There was less aboard the second time.

• How is the man turned into an anti-matter monster, and why didn't it happen to the Doctor when he looked at the crystals?

Sorenson's conversion is due to his long-term exposure to the crystals and to the planet.

• When expelling the anti-matter that the Doctor had, the door on the outside of the ship opens after they eject it - when expelling the Doctor the door on the ship opens before they attempt to eject him.

They can open the door at will, before or after.

• In episode two, Salamar twice mentions that seven men have died. However, there were five men dead at the beginning of the serial. Braun and Baldwin died during episode one, and their bodies were soon discovered. Then O'Hara died at the beginning of episode two. That makes eight deaths.

Salamar was either misinformed or miscounted.

• The ship can't leave, because antimatter is on board. In Episode 4, the Doctor says "there are two antimatter sources left on the ship I have one (the container) and Sorenson is the other." The Doctor then manages to get the container and Sorenson in the Tardis and dematerialise. Thus, there is no antimatter left on the ship. Thus the ship should no longer be drawn toward the planet, yet it is.

The creature is intentionally stopping it going, to make sure the Doctor keeps up his end of the bargain (clearly stopping the Tardis, is beyond even its power). Hence why its immediately released after the doctor returns the Anti-matter.

The creature also has no reason to stop the TARDIS, since the Doctor is clearly using it to return the anti-matter to the planet. Had the Doctor tried to break his word and use the TARDIS as a means of escape without returning the anti-matter, we could have seen some kind of interference.