Doctor Who – The Pyramid at the End of the World

By: Sharon Kurack

Here we are, kids, just about halfway through Season 10 of Doctor Who. Our last episode left us on a bit of a cliffhanger with Twelve (Peter Capaldi) being not only blind, but also aware of the fact that some alien shadow monks have been “TSA-ing” the Earth since the dawn of time in the hopes to conquer it. With the Doctor, there’s always hope and as he concocts a plan. He tells Bill (Pearl Mackie) to ask out her lady friend Penny (Ronke Adekoluejo). So, we begin Episode Seven with our cheeky companion out on said date, spilling the beans about her “alien tutor.” (Jeez…a little discretion, Bill?) They seem to hit it off, regardless, and Penny seems to go along with Bill’s “alien” story. When they end up back at Bill’s flat, both women start to discuss another date possibility when the Secretary General of the UN (Togo Igawa) appears in Bill’s kitchen. Talk about date blocking, again. (Maybe it’s just not meant to be, Bill.) The Secretary General identifies Bill and asks for the President. After a line about being orange, Bill finds out they’re looking for the Doctor, who is the President of the Earth in times of crisis. Why do they need him? What other crisis could there be? It turns out that a pyramid has appeared in Turmezistan overnight, which gives much cause for concern all around.

Here also begins what would seem like an average story of two scientists, Douglas (Tony Gardner) and Erica (Rachel Denning), in a chemical lab that parallels our main mystery of the new pyramid. We focus in on these scientists on their way to work, watching the smallest of events unfold, wondering the significance. (We all know, my reader-companions, there absolutely is significance here.) Just as we’re about to ask “what the eyebrows,” the focus shifts back to Air Force One “picking up” the TARDIS, and essentially, the Doctor as well. While the Secretary General briefs Twelve on the pyramid situation, we’re shown once more the two scientists that are now at work at Argofuel Research laboratory as though it were a normal day. Both seem to be having a “case of the Mondays” (even if we’re unsure of the current day), which leaves you wondering if someone is going to make an error to cause a catastrophe. Our suspicions are then confirmed as we can see the shadow monks watching both Erica and Douglas through the lab’s cameras.

Are these monks and the appearance of the pyramid connected? Absolutely! In perhaps the first intergalactic pyramid scheme, we find that the pyramid is a spaceship that belongs to our shadow monk friends and that its location is also one of strategy; it is located at the intersection of the three most powerful armies on Earth — the U.S., China and Russia giving the message of “Bring it.” Not one to ever back down from a challenge (especially when the Earth is involved), the Doctor pays the pyramid a visit. However, as he is still blind, Nardole (Matt Lucas) guides him over a communicator, but is definitely not as stealthy in hiding that something is wrong with the Doctor. Twelve approaches the door and one of the monks emerges to “greet” him. The brief conversation not only proves their intention to conquer the Earth, but also that they will do so specifically when asked (“invited”). At the same time, the clocks on everyone’s phone turns to the time of 11:57PM, which is the “Doomsday Clock.” It becomes clear to the Doctor that the monks are banking on a disaster to cause the earth leaders to ask for their help and, as a result, domination. Thinking it involves the three major superpowers, the Doctor quickly takes the TARDIS and gathers the three army leaders. While he does this, we’re pulled to check on our scientists, hard at work, with plants and some kind of bacteria being used on them. Nothing to worry about, right? There’s World War III to prevent.

The three army leaders of China, the U.S. and Russia are brought to talk strategy against these monks and tensions are high. However, they do put aside differences and agree to attack the pyramid in order to demonstrate their strength to the shadow monks, as well as their ability to stand united against a common enemy. This, unfortunately, does not seem promising as the “Doomsday Clock” advances to 11:58PM. While the attack is being organized and executed, Bill confronts Twelve about something Nardole said he needed to tell her. Just as the Doctor is about to come clean, the pyramid emits a tractor beam, which first hijacks a plane set to bomb it and then hijacks a Russian submarine also set to bomb it. The crew are all safe, but this demonstration shows how much stronger the monks are. (Wouldn’t you be after essentially cheating with a simulation device?)

With no other option, the Doctor and company go into the pyramid to “talk” to the shadow monks. Claiming that the chain of events to end all life is already in motion, one of the monks leads the group to a room where more of the corpse-like figures are gathered, controlling the simulation machine introduced in the previous episode. In this machine, which looks almost like the “threads of fate,” the monks can detect and prevent a major catastrophe if desired. The catch is that these beings must be asked to save the Earth, with the cost of that request being the last free action of humans. To hit the point home, one of the monks invites the group to see the events of a year from now, which reveals a dead planet Earth. In order to prevent this, those in power must consent to the dominion of the shadow monks. As the “Doomsday Clock” turns to 11:59PM, the monk explains that they must be wanted and loved in order to rule, not feared, because fear is temporary and love is slavery. (A bit cynical, but all that the mummified monks want is love.) Seeing no choice, the Secretary General is the first to give consent. However, the consent must be given out of love and NOTHING else, otherwise the monks will take the life of the one in power. Needless to say, the Secretary General dies. Twelve refuses the monks outright, but without their help, is the Earth doomed? What is the chain of events triggering the “Doomsday Clock?”

Remember the “beautiful day in the neighborhood”-like parallel with our scientists Douglas and Erica? Those events are more important than originally presented. Douglas is quite hungover (that feeling when you’re reminded you are NOT in your 20’s any longer), so much so that he makes what could be considered the fatal error when programming the chemicals in the lab. Neither of the scientists realizes this at first and they check on the plants in the other part of the lab. Our friend Douglas removes his helmet just as the plants start dying (mistake two). As they attempt to follow protocol (but not really) to find out what happened with the chemicals, Douglas takes a soil sample and follows Erica. However, he doesn’t close the air lock door. (I’ll take “what not to do in a lab with bacteria for 2000,” Alex.)

As the army leaders agree not to fight each other, thus giving peace a chance, we find out that preventing World War III does absolutely nothing to the “Doomsday Clock.” So what will end the world? The Doctor concludes our pyramid was a clear distraction and realizes that something else NOT obvious is. While he finds the answer, our scientists seal off the lab as the bacteria have become too strong, killing all life (including Douglas). The bacteria cannot be allowed into the atmosphere. However, the ventilation system is automated, which means Erica cannot stop the bacteria from being released into the air.

Now the question is on the table again: Should they consent? Because finding the lab seems impossible, the other leaders all want to consent, despite not knowing to what they are agreeing. Bill (trying to be level-headed) wants to see both sides, but decides that she wouldn’t take the deal if she had the choice. (Except, there is no choice in this instance.) While the leaders head out toward the pyramid, Twelve decides to (tries to) come clean about his blindness. However, as he is about to say it, he realizes that he can “blind” the monks to find the lab by having Nardole hack into all the cameras of specific labs to turn them off. What this will do is cause the monks to turn the cameras back on the lab with all the action, identifying it for our Time Lord. Twelve sends Bill after the leaders while he and Nardole get in the TARDIS and travel to the lab. Because the lab is technically toxic, the Doctor sends Nardole back inside the TARDIS while he tries to contain the bacteria. Unfortunately, as we’ve learned, the air pump cannot be turned off and will send the bacteria out into the atmosphere. The only choice is to sterilize the bacteria by blowing up the lab. (Kill it with fire.)

While Twelve is making the bomb to blow up the lab, the three leaders go to the pyramid to get in on the scheme (a/k/a consent). Unfortunately, the monks rule the leaders’ consent as an act of strategy and, therefore, kill all three leaving Bill to make the choice. She’s the most important as she represents the Doctor, whom she calls. The surviving scientist, Erica, remains on the other side of locked door while Twelve rigs the bomb. This causes the “Doomsday Clock” to move backwards and gives hope to Bill to not make the choice. However, the door to freedom and safety is locked because of the emergency protocol and must be manually unlocked via combination. Easy, right? If you can SEE the numbers, it is, but the Doctor is still BLIND. First, he tries to sonic the lock, which surprisingly, doesn’t work. Then, he calls to Nardole, who has passed out in the TARDIS from exposure to the bacteria. How can he unlock the door without sight? The explosives are close to detonation and will kill all the bacteria….and the Doctor if he cannot get out.

It is here that he finally admits to Bill that he is blind. Without a thought, Bill returns to the monks. To her, the Earth needs the Doctor and because of this, she will not let him die. What will her consenting allow the monks to do to her? Regardless of consequence, she gives her consent to the monks to restore Twelve’s sight, which they consider an act of love, and accept. With sight restored, the Doctor quickly inputs the combination and goes through the door just in time as the lab is blown, thus saving life on Earth.