Attempting to fulfil an old promise to his friend Ambassador Tuvald, the Doctor attempts to deliver an important relic to Tuvald’s daughter Cheni, but finds himself caught up in a terrifying revolution as a long-thought-dead Prince Kylo seeks his revenge.
This is the second part of the Drashani trilogy, that began with “The Burning Prince” and concludes with “The Shadow Heart”.
Tropes:
- Achievements in Ignorance: Kylo apparently saved himself from the fall by instinctively using his telekinesis to slow his descent until he landed.
- Body Horror: The Igris aren’t just a genetically altered race of primitive animals, but the twisted bodies of convicted criminals.
- Facial Horror: Kylo’s face has become so twisted that Cheni starts screaming the moment she takes his mask off.
- I Am Spartacus: Cheni's immediate associates declare themselves the leaders of their group to try and protect her.
- I Hate Past Me: Kylo dismisses his past self as a foolish young man.
- Never My Fault: Prince Kylo blames the Doctor for his current assault on the galaxy, when the only thing the Doctor did was save Kylo’s life before they learned that Aliona was a complete psychopath.
- Roaring Rampage of Revenge: Kylo has spent the last few years on a rampage across the galaxy to get revenge for what happened to him.
- Rock Beats Laser: Primitive weapons prove effective against the Wrath in close quarters, even if long-range combat is still a danger.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Cheni comes to take part in a treaty signing rather than remain on the homeworld.
- Spotting the Thread: The Doctor realises that Tenebris is Prince Kylo because his right hand reacts just a fraction slower than his left, leading to the Doctor realising that the right hand is artificial.
- That Man Is Dead: Tenebris rejects being referred to as Kylo, dismissing his past self as foolish.
- Written by the Winners: The tale of Kylo and Aliona’s deaths is known as ‘the Succession of Blood’ and it is publicly believed that the two were genuinely in love and died in a tragic accident.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Cheni initially seems to believe that she’s basically in a fairy-tale where her love will save the wounded prince, but Prince Kylo is too twisted and insane to accept anything less than the success of his own plan.
