Mask of mandrake

During the TARDIS tour, the Doctor and Sarah find the second control room. But suddenly they are drawn into a whirlwind of energy in a temporary stream, the Mandrake Spiral. The TARDIS lands inside, and while the Doctor and Sarah look around, a fragment of Spiral energy flies inside. Travelers, not noticing this, depart.

XV century, San Martino, Italy. The Duke of San Martino, the brother of Count Federico, dies in the company of his son Giuliano and his companion Marco. In fact, the duke was poisoned by the count and the court astrologer Hieronymus working for him, who predicted his death. The astrologer says that his strength is growing, but the count requires the prediction of the death of Giuliano, so that he takes care of the future.

The TARDIS lands in the suburbs of San Martino, the Doctor and Sarah leave, and a fragment of energy flies unnoticed. Sarah is abducted by people in robes and is going to sacrifice to the Roman god Demnos, and the Count is arrested by Doctors. The doctor’s attempts to convince the count fail, he is accused of espionage and taken to execution, but he escapes to the catacombs under the city, finds Sarah on the altar and before the man in the mask and purple robe drops the knife, carries it away, and a fragment flies into the cave energy. The fragment turns into a pillar of red light and promises a man in a robe tremendous powers so that he can control the earth. The pillar of light disappears, and under the mask is Jeronimus.

The doctors and Sarah are caught by the guards and brought to Giuliano, where they see the body of the guard killed by Spiral. Giuliano recounts that if Federico reigns over San Martino, all knowledge and teachings will be lost. In the meantime, the count finds out that Giuliano invited several noble gentlemen to San Martino, and demands that Hieronymus compose a horoscope and poison him until the next evening.

The Doctor and Giuliano go to the catacombs, and the Doctor goes down, but he is attacked by the Spiral. Captain Rossini informs Federico of this, and the Count sends his guards to kill his nephew. Sarah, meanwhile, runs into the catacombs, but she is caught by the cult of Bretren. Coming out of the catacombs, the Doctor helps the already wounded Giuliano repel the attack. Bretren drives the remaining soldiers away, and the Doctor and Giuliano go into the catacombs.

Hieronymus hypnotizes Sarah and gives her a poisoned needle to kill the Doctor. He warns Federico about the danger to his life, but he orders Rossini to expel the astrologer from the city. The doctor and Giuliano soon find Sarah and encounter Hieronymus. During a conversation with him, Sarah tries to kill the Doctor, but he takes her out of the trance, and the astrologer escapes, and the guard catches the whole trinity.

In prison, Federico accuses the captives of worshiping Demnos, but suddenly the cultists, fueled by the energy of the spiral, attack the city. Leaving the others hostage, the Doctor and Federico enter the temple, where Federico accuses Jerome of betrayal. But under the golden mask there is only pulsating energy, and the graph from electric shock turns to dust. The guards immediately die, but the Doctor, having joined the cult, finds out that the cult is attacking during the lunar eclipse, and returns to the castle. Freed Giuliano, remaining the sole heir, orders to imprison Rossini in shackles and begins to strengthen the fortress.

Soon, cultists penetrate the castle and begin to disperse the masquerade. The doctor, with the help of a bib and a coil of wire, decides to absorb the energy of the spiral. He wraps a wire around the altar and imitates the voice of Jeromeusus. Energy disappears with the cult.

The doctor and Sarah say goodbye to Giuliano, but it turns out that at the end of the twentieth century, humanity will still clash with Mandragora.

• In this series, the TARDIS interior was changed again, and a second control room appeared, which was used until the end of the season. The font of the captions has also changed.
• When asked by Sarah why she can understand Old Italian, the Doctor replies that this is “a gift from the lords of the times”. In the series “ End of the World (Doctor Who), ” Rosa Tyler asks the Ninth the same question, and he says that her perception of languages ​​is a function of the TARDIS telepathic field. In the Christmas Invasion series, the Doctor appears to be “part of the scheme,” and while he is in a post-regenerative coma, the field is not functioning.
• Filming of Renaissance Italy took place in the Welsh tourist village of Portmerion .