Dowcra Base, a planet under attack by the Sontarans, though attack is putting it mildly. The Third Elite Sontaran Assassination Squad is after the leaders of the base, but for what purpose?
The Doctor and Leela are forced by the Time-Lords to visit the planet, and find out what the Sontarans are really after... Strang, the greatest Sontaran ever cloned.
Tropes:
- Action Girl: Leela, per usual, but Reaver is a gun-toting variety.
- Awesome by Analysis: Strang is able to take down 12 elite Sontaran assassins by calculating the ricochets of his weapon, and firing indirectly into all of their probic vents.
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: Strang has had his regiment executed. Even though Sontarans don't fear death at all, being stripped of their armour, being forced to kneel and executed with a shot to the back of the head has no honour.
- Cold Open: The story starts out with Sontarans attacking Dowcra base.
- Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon: Strang threatens the Doctor with pulling out his skull.
- The Dog Bites Back: Rosato shoots Strang repeatedly, as he's choking the life out of the Doctor and Leela.
- Evil Gloating: Strang indulges in some, despite disputing the Doctor's claims he is.
- For Science!: Rosato, who developed the wormhole system.
- Giant Mook: Strang is 7 foot tall, which makes him stand out compared to the average Pint-Sized Powerhouse of his species.
- Honor Before Reason: Leela saves Vilhol because he was unarmed and unarmoured opposed to his enemies.
- My God, What Have I Done?: The Doctor has this by proxy, feeling responsible for Leela's actions.
- Neck Lift: Strang performs one on the Doctor after...
- No-Sell: The Doctor lands a direct hit on Strang's probic vent. Which doesn't hurt him at all.
- One-Man Army: Strang.
- Only in It for the Money: Reaver and her mercenaries. As the Doctor puts it, the only thing he hates more than a thug is a thug in it for the money.
- Our Wormholes Are Different: Dowcra Base is a nexus for wormhole activity which, through a device, allows anybody to appear anywhere in the universe, without needing a receiver on the other end.
- The Professor: Rosato.
- Red Baron: Though not a nice one, Vilhol is always referred to as "The coward" by Strang and his allies.
- Redemption Equals Death / Heroic Sacrifice: Rosato tackles Strang into a portal at the end, before Leela blows it up under his orders.
- Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: The Tril gets shot in cold blood by Reaver for being a traitor.
- Scarily Competent Tracker: Leela can hear people running before the Doctor can.
- Stuff Blowing Up: What saves the day.
- Super-Soldier: Strang is an entire clone batch condensed into one Sontaran.
- Take a Third Option: The Doctor wants to save the (yet) uncloned Strang batch, by rerouting them into a regular Sontaran batch. Leela chooses her own third option and blows everything up.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Rosato shoots Vilhol, and despite Vilhol's death having ramifications, the Doctor pleads with Rosato to not shoot Leela because she's human.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Strang to Reaver.
