Classic "Battlefield" Moment

Zeus Plug is a Doctor Who pubzine where in New Zealand, an A3 page folded down to A6 pages, and as such there is only so much room. In the recent #8, I had an article about one of my classic moments in Doctor Who, but this was trimmed. But since this is a) my article, and b) my blog, I can put the full entry here.

BATTLEFIELD

WHAT: Swords clash as two fighters pit against each other, one fighting in the name of honour, the other dedicated to the ways of evil. Ancelyn and Mordred lock swords, but are forced to push each other way, to get room for their next swing.

And then a mysterious figure steps through, looking neither left nor right, not acknowledging the two combatents in any way, and yet moving so perfectly that he enters at precisely the one moment when he can step through, and continues out of the way, just as Ancelyn and Mordred rush in to attack each other again...

WHY: This moment, for me, epitomises the nature of the Seventh Doctor, his dark manipulative side foremost as he is in complete control of the situation. Which, in this story, is quite a feat given that all the events of the story have been put into place by his future self from another dimension (aka Merlin).

But Merlin's plans have fallen over (Morgaine fled to another dimension, Arthur has crumbled into dust, and the side of right isn't exactly well suited to the fight, with only Ancelyn being from that same world), and so the Doctor has to step up and take over.

Which he does. The Doctor has twisted events and people around so much (whilst still allowing for the unknown such as Ace and the Brigadier) that he can enter a fight scene with swords and know exactly what is going on. When he steps through the scene above, he hasn't been waiting just off-screen for a break, he's just going on his way where he wants to go, and the universe is conspiring with him in order to make sure there is nothing in his way.

Ancelyn and Mordred don't notice him because the Doctor is tangential to their personal battle. The Doctor doesn't notice them because he is in charge here, and doesn't need to.

The Seventh Doctor, in perfect form.