Big Finish Doctor Who/Recap/048 Davros

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Davros. The Sixth Doctor. No Daleks. Two men enter, one man leaves.

The premise is simple - after being found drifting in the cold of space by Arnold Baynes and his wife Lorraine, head of TAI Industries, Davros is revived and...hired to work as the new head of their R&D Division. The Doctor, having been summoned by an old colleague, is displeased with this arrangement, and, after abruptly introducing himself, hires himself out to Mr Baynes, so he can be present when Davros inevitably flips.

Despite his protests, the Doctor knows it's not a matter of if, it's just a matter of when.

A two parter, and part of the Big Finish "Villian's Trilogy", leading up to Zagreus. It features no appearances of the Daleks, instead focusing on the man himself and his battle of wits against his old foe.

Davros includes examples of:

  • And I Must Scream: Davros' time is stasis.
  • Body Horror: One of the Flashbacks details the moments after Davros having narrowly survived a Thal attack, but suffered horrific injuries because of it, including having most of his flesh cooked off.

Davros: ...what...what is that smell?
Ral: [hesitantly]...it's you, Davros. [[[Beat]], then Davros lets out a anguished scream of horror]

Davros: Goodbye, Doctor. I shall... miss you. [snickers] but then... a nuclear bomb [chuckles] -- that couldn't possibly miss! {{[[[Evil Laugh]] full-tilt psychotic cackling}}] NOT AT THAT RANGE! AAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHHH!!!

  • Dull Surprise: Arnold Baynes.
  • Flash Back: A few, dotted around the story, show Davros back on Skaro, both prior and the days immedietly after his crippling injury.
  • Hypocritical Humour: After painstakingly sneaking his way into TAI's hangar-bay, avoiding the guards and reminding his compainions repeatedly to be absolutely quiet, the Doctor's reaction upon spotting Baynes and his men wheeling out the body of his old foe?

Doctor: DAVROS?! [dashes out from cover] OI! YOU THERE! YOU! THERE!

Doctor: [ice cold] We're not friends, Davros.

  • Pride: It's pointed out that someone of Davros' genius could easily clone himself a new, undamaged body to transfer his consciousness into, but as that wouldn't be "him" as he perceives it, he stays with his old, damaged near-corpse.
  • There Is No Kill Like Overkill: Davros, having learnt his lesson from previous encounters, tries to kill the Doctor by dropping a nuke on him. Doesn't work, naturally, but gotta give points for effort.
  • Volleying Insults: When forced to work together, the Doctor and Davros simply do not stop sniping at each other (for obvious reasons). It's hilarious.