The Monster of Peladon

073 – The Monster of Peladon
Doctor Who serial
The Ice Warrior leader, Commander Azaxyr, demands the trisilicate the needs.
Cast
Doctor Jon Pertwee (Third Doctor)
Companion Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith)
Others Nina Thomas — Queen Thalira Frank Gatliff — Chancellor Ortron Rex Robinson — Gebek Ralph Watson — Ettis Graeme Eton — Preba Michael Crane — Blor Terry Walsh — Guard Captain Max Faulkner, Roy Evans — Miners Nick Hobbs — Aggedor Donald Gee — Eckersley Stuart Fell — Body of Alpha Centauri Ysanne Churchman — Voice of Alpha Centauri Alan Bennion — Azaxyr Sonny Caldinez — Sskel Gerald Taylor — Vega Nexos
Production
Directed by	Lennie Mayne
Written by	Brian Hayles
Script editor	Terrance Dicks
Produced by	Barry Letts
Executive producer(s)	None
Incidental music composer	Dudley Simpson
Production code	YYY
Series	Season 11
Length	6 episodes, 25 minutes each
Originally broadcast	23 March – 27 April 1974
Chronology
← Preceded by Followed by → Death to the Daleks Planet of the Spiders
List of Doctor Who serials

Doctor Who and the Monster of Peladon

Author	Terrance Dicks
Cover artist	Steve Kyte
Series	Doctor Who book: Target novelisations
Release number	43
Publisher	Target Books
Publication date	4 December 1980
ISBN

The Monster of Peladon is the fourth serial of the 11th season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in six weekly parts from 23 March to 27 April 1974.

On the planet Peladon a power struggle is in place between the trisilicate miners and the ruling class, with miners under the leadership of Gebek and hot-headed Ettis calling for improved conditions. The planet’s ruler Queen Thalira, daughter of the late King Peladon, is sympathetic, but knows her planet is vital to supply the war effort of the Galactic Federation of which it is a member. The Federation is in conflict with the warlike Galaxy Five confederation. The miners become concerned when a vision of Aggedor, the royal beast, starts appearing in the mines and killing miners, including the alien engineer Vega Nexos. Chancellor Ortron tries to convince the Queen this is a sign of displeasure at the alien presence on the planet, but she remains unconvinced.

Another alien presence reaches the Citadel: the TARDIS, bearing the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith. He recalls his visit to Peladon fifty years earlier when the planet joined the Galactic Federation, and is pleased to find a familiar face in Alpha Centauri, the Federation Ambassador. The Queen knows of the Doctor from her father and enlists his support in trying to find the cause of the manifestations of Aggedor. He guesses someone is deliberately trying to interrupt trisilicate production, and they seem to have succeeded when the miners decide to strike. Ettis then leads an attack on the Federation armoury and gets weapons for the striking miners. This looks like damaging trisilicate supplies even further, so Engineer Eckersley, a human in charge of the refinery, coaxes Alpha Centauri to send for Federation troops to help restore order.

Both the miners and the Pel leaders are unhappy with the notion of Federation occupation, especially when the Ice Warrior force displays its ruthlessness in shooting down Pels. The sole concern of the force leader, Commander Azaxyr, is to maintain trisilicate production. There is now a realignment in Pel politics: Ortron and Gebek join forces in seeking to rid the planet of the Martians. Ettis, however, has become crazed and is killed trying to blow up the Citadel. The Ice Warriors now impose martial law on the capital, imprisoning the Queen and her courtiers, and even killing Ortron when he tries to flee.