The Abominable Snowmen
Previous: The Tomb of the Cybermen
The Abominable Snowmen
And after horror and lots of man-screaming, we return to the TARDIS with our heroes fresh from the Tomb 'o Cybermans.
Also Two sounds really REALLY excited to be here. (just as I'm realizing that the setting reminds me how behind I am on my Buddhism reading)
"Well, em...whatever it is, it's nice to see it again." Oh Doctor, you big magpie you... #butseriouslywhatisthatthing #itlooksnicethough
JAMIE HAS DISCOVERED BAGPIPES. JAMIE HAS DISCOVERED BAGPIPES. JAMIE HAS DISCOVERED BAGPIPES. JAMIE HAS DISCOVERED BAGPIPES.
"Hey, I could fix those easily!"
"Yes, I was afraid of that."
Ah yes, Two's epic fur coat. And according to Victoria, he looks "beautiful" in it. #patricktroughtonwasaveryprettygirl
"Oh, don't ask me. When you've been with the Doctor as long as I have, you begin t' realize you don't know WHAT he's talking about."
The big hairy beastie is the Doctor. The big hairy beastie is the Doctor.
Once again reminded how epic Pat's teeth are.
Two's being strangely secretive and scatterbrained. He really does seem to know something right off the bat that we don't about this place.
YETI FEET. YETI FEET. YETI FEET.
"Come on, it's a marvelous view!" Actually, it looks a lot like the quarry from last time, except colder.
Even with his jailbait socks all the way up (don't ask, not my idea), Jamie is still cold. #downsidesofkilts
Also, aww, he's such a good big-brother figure to Victoria.
"Wait while I get that sword."
("They disappear into the TARDIS where Jamie equips himself with winter coat and weapon.")
BEAR COUNTRY.
And of COURSE they just happen to land near a murder site and get blamed for it.
Interesting how Jamie's and Victoria's attitudes towards chasing the "beastie" flip completely when they see the cave might be manmade.
Awww, cling.
"If you need me, just yell your head off."
"Don't worry, I will!"
Yikes. Travers is one paranoid chap, isn't he.
Just a guess, but what's the betting that the dude with the facial hair is really a bad guy? #beardofevil
YETIIIIIIIIIIII!!!
Now all I have to do is make it through the rest of this serial without saying "balls are touching"......dammit.
"Och, don't worry about that. It's quite dead." OR IS IT? #DUNDUNDUUUUN
Good tactic: try talking to the one person in the monastery who seems like a "reasonable chap" even though you've just met him.
So it sounds like the Doctor's been here before and...stole something important from them?
Although considering how frantically he was looking for it earlier, I'm assuming he took it by mistake or something.
I THINK THIS MIGHT BE THE MOST ADORABLE CHASE SCENE EVER.
Abbot, what is even on your head.
Oh. Hello, Mysterious Unseen Voice.
Sad-Two does not approve of bondage.
So I wonder if the Mysterious Unseen Voice here is the Great Intelligence that I hear about every once in a while with this story.
Oh Jamie, making up for lost cling time, are we? Also, why is everyone screaming about the Yeti when we haven't see any in this scene yet?
Ah yes, and there's Two's well-I-did-tell-you-so face.
Also, the Mysterious Unseen Voice has suddenly turned evil-sounding. Gee, I wonder what that could possibly imply.
TRIO OF YETI!!! (in case you haven't noticed yet, I REALLY like the Yeti)
"If they do, do you think you could capture one? I would like to examine one!"
"Examine it? Aye we'll wrap it up for ye!"
"Thank you Jamie!"
Aaaaand why exactly was Two so afraid of Jamie "having an idea?"
OH GOD YOU CAN HEAR THE THUMPING OF THE MONKS HITTING THE YETI OH GOD NO D': #ireallyreallywanttohugayeti
There were literally tears in my eyes for a few seconds just now.
Retreating Yeti, and when did Jamie get a wristwatch.
Well that explains why the Yeti stopped: it lost its sphere. But now the sphere is moving o_o
And they're calling to each other...how are they even movin...oh wait, I can actually see little wheels on them.
Wait...HOW exactly do you reason that mechanical Yeti automatically mean that there are real Yeti up there? They could all be mechanical.
Ah yes, the routine asking the guards where you put your balls. #reallystupidjokes
This is the second Second Doctor story I've seen that has someone in it called "the master" who isn't really the Master.
So this whole thing is being operated by a Yeti chessboard? Well okay then.
BALL-RETRIEVAL.
Oh hey look, the monks have a segment of the Key to Time.
Okay. I think I've officially lost track of who's under trance when to do what and who isn't. #stupidmindcontrol
Thankfully, suspicious Victoria is suspicious.
Um, yeah, somehow I don't think an incense burner is going to stop a Yeti. Unless it likes pretty smells.
Or you could just show it to the door, that works too.
"Have you thought up some clever plan, Doctor?"
"Yes, Jamie, I believe I have."
"What are you going to do?"
"Bung a rock at it."
Emasculate the robot Yeti #bytakingawayitsballs #ohgodhannahshutupthatjokeisdead
"It's sending out a signal! Just as we wanted." Two's creeperface. Not exactly as we wanted.
"It disappeared 300 years ago."
"Oh, stolen?"
"No, it was given to a stranger for...safe keeping during a time of trouble."
And now we know.
Although we still don't know exactly what the trouble was...
NOW the monks are finally getting suspicious of their leader.
Oh wow. Two told Jamie "no heroics" and Jamie actually listened to him. Impressive show of willpower there.
Oh WOW. Victoria just FAKED A POISONING to trick her friend and escape a cell. I must admit, that's s a new one.
(okay, so technically it's a ploy I've seen before, but not like that)
So I know that Victoria was trying to escape, but I'm not that clear on what she hopes to accomplish by this point, other than finding Two.
Oh. OH. THAT'S WHAT THE GUY LOOKS LIKE. Not gonna lie: CREEPY.
("The veils around the ancient Tibetan have lifted.") ...but how are we so sure he's Tibetan? He seems pretty alien to me.
Unless, of course, he's being controlled by a higher alien power or something like that.
Oh fun, more companion hypnosis.
So I just remembered that the "pyramid" that Travers keeps talking about could be mistaken for the pyramid of Yeti spheres in the cave.
Geez, EVERYBODY'S mind's getting scrambled in this story.
Yeti SMASH.
WOAH. Monk crushed by a toppling Buddha statue. Not something I was expecting to see today.
It's all fun and games until the big cuddly monsters KILL A GUY WITH A RELIGIOUS ICON.
Yup, the Tibetan guy does appear to be speaking to some Higher Alien Power.
"I have chosen to speak to you myself through the lips of this maiden." ...I'm actually kinda glad this part is missing because CREEPY.
To clarify: Victoria. Speaking in a man-voice.
Oh. Well at least he's courteous enough to prove Team Two's innocence in these shenanigans.
"THERE you are, I've been worried sick! Where've you been?" Jamie McCrimmon: Scottish piper, human clingwrap, mother hen.
Well, at least the monks know that Victoria's in a trance.
Okay, maybe NOW we'll get an explanation for what the Doctor's history with this place is.
"Good to look upon your face again..." So I'm assuming this means he's met Two before, but when?
Considering Jamie's presence, the only logical timeslot would be immediately between Power of the Daleks and The Highlanders.
And there's Pat's Kindly Old Uncle voice. Love that voice, and he does it so damn WELL. Not sure any other Doctor could quite pull that off.
Well, it looks like the old man's finally been released to the peace of death after 300 years.
OH WAIT. NO HE HASN'T. AND HE MIGHT BE EVIL-ER NOW.
Interesting contrast of priorities: Jamie's immediate concern is Victoria while Two is focusing on the greater scheme at hand.
Holy crap. You know what this kinda reminds me of? The Fires of Pompeii. Think about it...
Ten was worried about not breaking the timeline, but Donna wanted to save just one family. Doctor: Big picture. Companion: Little picture.
Actually, I'll bet if I thought about this long enough, I'd see that pattern with most Doctor-companion relationships.
Ah, sure enough, Jamie talks Two into taking care of Victoria first.
"Sleep...sleep...sleep...oh not you, Jamie."
"Hey WHAT? O_O"
AHAHAHA oh Jamie I love you. #hisFACE
"Hey, I never knew you could do that sort of thing!" Jamie, Patrick Troughton is basically his own hypnotic device. He's just that awesome.
REVELATIONS. SOME PANICKING. ALL IN TIME FOR A CLIFFHANGER.
Incandescent masses pouring from the mouths of caves usually aren't a good sign.
Huh. I guess the mustachioed guy I pegged as a villain earlier really isn't such a bad guy after all.
And now it looks like he's going to die.
Yup, he's dead. Poor guy. And now Two has to contend with Disembodied Evil Laughter.
The problem with escaping from evil: you have to locate it first.
Is it just me, or is Victoria getting sidelined quite a bit in this story?
Another one of those times where I to wonder if hypnosis is just a general Doctor-power. Actually, it might be a general Time Lord-power.
Time for another game of Yeti Chess!
On party goes smashing, another gets to pray. Guess which ones Victoria and Jamie are put in.
"Who are you?"
"You know well, it is I: the Master."
Except it really isn't, although he'd probably call himself the Great Intelligence too.
Two DEFIES your attempts to prove your God Mode!
Ack. No, seriously, what is your face.
This shall not be settled with swords or guns or even wits, but with CREEPER FACES.
Kind of a shame they had to set up that whole scene only to have it used once and just for the sake of being destroyed.
Oh. Turns out that prayer thing from earlier might help Victoria help to save the day.
"JAAAAMIIIIIE! YEEEETI COMIIIING!" ...why exactly did you need to be pulling your face for that?
(when I say pulling his face, I don't mean the regular kind of pulling a face, I mean PULLING his FACE.)
And it all boiled down to Jamie breaking balls. #ineverlearnwhenajokeisdead
Oh wait. Never mind. There's still craziness going around here.
That's more than just a s'plosion. That's a volcanic eruption. Or in this case, an intellectual eruption.
And so they say goodbye to the monastery and depart for adventures through time and space once more.
"A Yeti! A REAL Yeti! At last!" Aww, and it even makes frightened growling sounds!
"Just lookit my knees, they're bright blue!" Well Jamie, maybe you should roll your socks up a little higher. #tumblrinjoke
Also, it doesn't sound like your next adventure is going to land you anyplace warmer.
Next: The Ice Warriors