The Doctor’s latest effort to take Ian and Barbara home via the repaired Fast Return Switch takes them back to Skaro, some decades after their last visit. While they initially enjoy seeing how the Thals have progressed since the Daleks were defeated, the TARDIS crew soon discover a dark secret…
Tropes:
- Admiring the Abomination: A relatively minor example; Jyden has an unhealthy fascination with the Daleks, but he is clearly terrified when he meets one directly.
- The Bus Came Back: The TARDIS returns to Skaro.
- Call a Rabbit a "Smeerp": Skaronium and Dalekanium are names for the same metal.
- Dressing as the Enemy: Jyden initially appears hiding in a Dalek casing as a joke, and later he and Ian use the same trick to get close to other Daleks and catch them off-guard.
- Good Cannot Comprehend Evil: Tryana was a Thal pacifist who underestimated the evil of the Daleks.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: The Daleks are eventually defeated by the technology they themselves have developed.
- Long Game: The Daleks have spent two years manipulating Tryana to help them acquire the power they need to destroy the Thals.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Tryana is horrified to learn how the Daleks have been manipulating her.
- Orcus on His Throne: The Dalek Supreme has remained in a tank beneath the city to make its plans for the last few decades, only being transferred into a Black Dalek casing in preparation for the Dalek assault on the Thal city.
- Out-of-Character Alert: The idea of peaceful Daleks naturally raises the Doctor’s suspicions, even if this is only his second encounter with them.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: The High Leader shows full courtesy to the Doctor and his companions, and notes that he enjoys his friendly debates with Tryana about whether they should return to pacifism or maintain a defensive stance.
- Schizo Tech: The Doctor and Ian note that the Thals have an odd mixture of technology, such as advanced towers to clear the radiation from the air but reliant on cattle-drawn coaches to travel around outside of their cities.
- Sequel Episode: A direct sequel to “The Daleks”, as it’s set on Skaro and features descendants of the TARDIS crew’s Thal allies.
- Ship Tease: Susan and Jyden form a bond.
- The Slow Path: It has been several decades since the TARDIS was last on Skaro.
- Sole Survivor: The Dalek Supreme survived the destruction of the other Daleks as it was in a secret underground chamber with its own power source.
- Spotting the Thread: When investigating an underground tunnel dug by the Daleks, Ian spots tracks that lead to a fake wall, revealing that the Daleks have been lying to Tryana.
