"It's this feverish activity to try and stop something that we know is going to happen."
It got a little hectic last night so I decided to hold off on this blog post until today. We still watched the episode on the assigned date, only this post was delayed.
We're back to video with this one.
It turns out that Lamaitre was Stirling (that's the spelling in the end credits, as opposed to my spelling it Sterling in previous posts.)
Stirling is willing to work with the travelers. He's come to Jules' home without guards or any other form of back up as a gesture of good will. While Susan is still a prisoner in the Concergerie he knows that he is safe from the traitors to the Revolution.
Stirling proposes a simple deal; Ian tells Stirling the message that Webster gave him and the travelers try to overhear a meeting between Paul Barras and an unknown man who may very well become the next ruler of France. Stirling would do it himself, but his face is known to Barras. He'd have his own men do it, but then they would know what was transpiring and then the information couldn't be controlled.
Ian remembers Webster muttering something about a meeting between Barras and someone else. The phrase "The Sinking Ship" was used. Jules knows about a tavern some two hours ride from Paris by that name; an out of the way spot that would be perfect for such a meeting.
It's decided that Ian, Barbara and Jules will go to The Sinking Ship and set things up to eavesdrop on Barras.
After some stock footage we find Barbara dressed as a tavern wench serving drinks to smelly men. Ian is in the backroom making a peephole and wearing a hat that, even by 18th century French standards, is ultra jaunty. Jules is in the main room watching.
The previous paragraph sounds like the opening scene of a particularly ambitious porno, but is in fact the result of Ian knocking out the tavern owner, tying him up in the wine cellar and taking over his duties to effect the eavesdropping. It wasn't something that we needed to see (a line of dialog got us up to speed easily.) It's nice to see the series AVOID padding out an episode.
Barras soon arrives and settles into the prepared room. Ian and Barbara put on an act. Hill and Russel don't overplay the fact that Ian and Barbara aren't supposed to be actors, but are able to inject a tweak of stiffness into their performances within a performance. I especially liked Barbara's awkward curtsey to Barras.
The stranger arrives bundled up against the storm and makes for the private room. He's under too many layers for Ian to recognize him. A little later he is seen clearly by the travelers and he is immediately recognized as Napoleon Bonaparte.
Barras offers Napoleon one third rulership of France once Robespierre is routed. Napoleon is reluctant at first, but realizes that this is an opportunity that may not present itself again and agrees. Under the condition that Robespierre is removed from power otherwise he will deny that this meeting ever took place.
Ian and Barbara get this information back to Lamaitre/Stirling. Stirling believes that Robespierre is probably the best man to have guiding France right now. From a contemporary English point of view that is probably correct. A divided France is less capable of giving England any problems.
Ian and Stirling go to try to rescue Robespierre while Barbara and the Doctor go to the prison to try to rescue Susan. Jules will fetch a carriage and meet them some distance from the prison.
Ian and Stirling are too late to do anything about Robespierre's capture. They are in time to witness the off screen shooting of the French tyrant. Not a fatal wound, just shot in the jaw to prevent his speaking. This was broadcast at 5:15 in the afternoon on a Saturday so the blood was kept to a minimum. Robespierre was shown with a handkerchief clutched to the lower half of his face when he was taken from the palace and later when he is brought to the prison.
The Doctor arrives at the prison to find the warden and two goons drinking it up at the news of Robespierre's arrest. The Doctor turns the situation to his advantage by telling them that he was a part of Robespierre's downfall and that Lamaitre was working against the better interests of France. Lamaitre was shot (according to the Doctor) and his accomplices will be rounded up. He then identifies the warden as one of Lamaitre's accomplices and has the two goons seize him. The Doctor offers clemency to the warden, collects the keys and gets Susan out just as the mob is bringing the fallen tyrant to his doom. Robespierre, we are told by the leader of the mob, can't speak. He tried to write something, but none of them can read.
The travelers make it back to the TARDIS without incident.
There is some talk about the inevitability of history. Mostly between the Doctor and Barbara, but it spills out to the whole party. Barbara suggests that even if she wrote down all of the major events of Napoleon's future life and gave them to him it wouldn't have made any difference. Susan chimes in by explaining that the letter would be lost, or he'd forget about it or he'd think you were mad and ignore it. That view of history will evolve with the series.
This is the final episode of the first season. As such there wasn't a cliffhanger instead the conversation between the travelers continues on "superimposed" over a star field.
DOCTOR: Our lives are important, at least to us. But as we see, so we learn.
IAN: And what are we going to see and learn next, Doctor?
DOCTOR: Well, unlike the old adage, my boy, our destiny is in the stars, so let's go and search for it.
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| Napoleon and Paul Barras |
Next up: Planet of the Giants
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