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The Toymaker
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When an alien intelligence invades the TARDIS, rendering The Doctor invisible, his travelling companions, Steven Taylor and Dodo, do not know what to do. But when they leave the TARDIS the travellers find they have arrived in a strange domain - the surreal Celestial Toyroom - presided over by the nefarious Celestial Toymaker who, it is revealed, is an old foe of The Doctor's.
The Celestial Toymaker is an enigmatic, immortal entity of infinite power who has already lived for millions of years. Having been cast out from an alternative universe, he obeys a different set of physical laws. The years of isolation though have driven him mad, and he seeks distraction and so he forces The Doctor and his companions to play a series of games, failure at which will render them his playthings.
With the TARDIS removed, to prevent their escape, The Doctor has to solve the complex Trilogic game in a battle of wits against the Celestial Toymaker. While Steven Taylor and Dodo are faced with defeating a succession of apparently child-like but potentially lethal animated toys in contests such as 'blind man's buff', musical chairs and 'hunt the key'. If any of them fail, they will be destined to remain in the Toyroom forever, transformed into dolls under The Celestial Toymaker's control.
| The Trilogic Game |
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At one point The Doctor tries to communicate with his friends but is soon rendered invisible to prevent him from offering any advice or support to his companions. So as to up the stakes The Celestial Toymaker warns The Doctor that both parties must finish their tasks at the same time to win the game.
Together Steven and Dodo are forced to face different challenges. The first of which is a rather dangerous game of Blind Man's Buff with what appears to be two clowns, Joey and Clara, who seem to be cheating. The next challenge has Steven and Dodo interacting with living playing cards, the King and Queen of Hearts, along with a Knave and a Joker. Steven deduces from a rhyme that six of the seven chairs, that are in the room, are deadly to sit on.
| Steven Faces the Clowns |
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The next hurdle for Steven and Dodo is to outwit the comical Sgt. Rugg and Mrs. Wiggs, in a game of hunt the thimble – or rather the key to the exit door – beyond which the TARDIS is presumed to be. But when they finally succeed the Police Box turns out to be a fake.
With The Doctor making good progress with the Trilogic Game, the Celestial Toymaker chooses Cyril the schoolboy to take on his companions in the final challenge. Dodo and Steven now find themselves in a vast game of hopscotch against the schoolboy, who delights in tricks and traps to prevent them from winning. The TARDIS is the alluring prize at the end of the game.
However, despite being tricked on a number of occasions, by the schoolboy, it is Cyril who literally falls foul of his own traps when he slips on a square he has booby-trapped and is electrocuted on the electrified spaces beyond the proper squares. Dodo and Steven thus are able at last to reach the TARDIS.
| The King and Queen of Hearts |
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In the Celestial Toymaker’s study at the same time, The Doctor is at the final stage of the Trilogic Game. Holding the final piece he has been returned to visibility and is reunited with his companions.
With Steven and Dodo safely in the TARDIS, the Celestial Toymaker challenges The Doctor to complete the TrilogicGame. However, The Doctor realises that when he makes the final move and the game is won, the Celestial Toymaker’s domain will disappear – along with everyone and everything in it – including himself, his companions and even the TARDIS.
The Doctor finally overcomes the Celestial Toymaker by imitating his voice in order to complete the Trilogic game from within the TARDIS, which he then dematerialises as the Celestial Toymaker’s world is destroyed.
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