Dalek Disintegrator Gun

Lore & Background

It is not a standard-issue Dalek weapon but rather part of the equipment left behind or brought forward by time travelers from a war-ravaged future where Earth is enslaved. The rebels, originating from an alternate timeline, use this technology in their mission to kill Sir Reginald Styles before he can trigger the explosion that leads to World War III and the Dalek invasion. The Doctor deduces that the rebels' presence and their use of such weaponry actually create a time paradox; their attack is what causes the very event they seek to prevent.

In Their Own Story

The narrative tension escalates when the Third Doctor and Jo spend the night monitoring Auderly House after discovering the crude time machine. Suddenly, three rebel fighters emerge from the time vortex: Anat, Boaz, and Shura. They are armed with futuristic weaponry, including the ultrasonic disintegrator gun, intent on assassinating Styles. The conflict shifts between the 20th and 22nd Centuries as the Daleks detect the homing device within the rebels' machine. In the climax of this temporal battle, the rebel Shura detonates a dalekanium bomb, destroying Auderly House along with the invading Dalek forces. This act corrects the timeline, ensuring Styles survives to lead a successful peace conference, thereby erasing the future where the ultrasonic gun was used against him.

Reader's Guide

The ultrasonic disintegrator gun functions as a plot catalyst rather than a recurring combat tool for the Doctor's allies. It is introduced alongside a crude time machine in Sir Reginald Styles' study after an initial, mysterious attack by a soldier wielding a similar futuristic pistol vanishes into thin air. The weapon's existence confirms the visitors are from a future where human technology has advanced significantly under Dalek oppression. Its presence triggers the central paradox: the rebels believe killing Styles with this gun will save humanity, but the Doctor realizes their attempt is the cause of the explosion that starts the war. To resolve the crisis, UNIT troops are ordered to evacuate the conference and lure the Daleks into Auderly House, where Shura ultimately uses a dalekanium bomb rather than the gun to destroy the invaders.

Did You Know?

• The serial was originally titled 'The Ghost Hunters' and intended to feature Ogrons instead of Daleks.
• Only three Dalek props were available for filming, with one painted gold, forcing the use of editing tricks to create the illusion of a larger army.
• Jon Pertwee famously stated he 'never liked the Daleks' but conceded their return was worth it for the publicity boost.
• The final battle scene on the 2011 DVD release was revamped with CGI and new footage because viewers found the original three-Dalek attack too obvious.
• Director Paul Bernard refused to film a planned time-loop ending where the Doctor sees his past self, insisting 'Once it's over, it's over'.

Narrative Context and Plot

In this serial, a British diplomat named Sir Reginald Styles prepares for a critical peace conference intended to prevent World War III. During his time at Auderly House, he is threatened by an armed soldier holding a futuristic pistol before the attacker vanishes into thin air. The Third Doctor and UNIT investigate this mystery, eventually uncovering a crude time machine alongside an ultrasonic disintegrator gun within the study. Three rebel fighters from the twenty-second century arrive through the vortex to assassinate Styles, believing their action will stop a future Dalek invasion. However, the Doctor realizes the assassination attempt itself triggers the explosion that leads to the war. The conflict escalates when a homing device alerts the Daleks, shifting battles between centuries. Ultimately, Shura destroys Auderly House with a dalekanium bomb, eliminating the invaders and securing the timeline where Styles succeeds at the conference.

Production History and Constraints

Production history reveals significant changes before filming began. Working titles included The Ghost Hunters and Years of Doom, with an original script focusing on Ogrons rather than Daleks. A planned serial called The Daleks in London was dropped due to lack of viewer hooks and similarity to previous stories. Writer Louis Marks modified his work to include the monsters instead. Location scouting initially proposed Osterley Park, but this became Auderly House for the show and Austerly House in books. Technical limitations forced the team to use only three Dalek props during filming, with one painted gold. To create the illusion of a larger force, film editing techniques were employed. Viewers found the final battle obvious due to the limited number of casings visible on screen. Later releases utilized CGI and new footage to enhance the scene and suggest more attackers were present during the siege at Auderly House.

Cast Perspectives and Directorial Choices

Jon Pertwee expressed personal reservations about the monsters, noting he never liked them and found their design limiting compared to other villains. He believed actors playing Ogrons could express more emotion since their mouths were visible. Despite this, he acknowledged the publicity generated by Barry Letts regarding the Daleks return was valuable enough to endure. Pertwee also advocated for including trikes in the story, leading to dangerous stunt sequences he insisted on performing himself. Terry Nation received an on-screen credit as the originator of the creatures across all episodes. Director Paul Bernard made a specific choice not to film a planned scene where the Doctor and Jo encounter their past selves again. He felt the narrative should conclude definitively once finished, though script editor Terrance Dicks later included this time loop moment in his novelisation version of the story.

Broadcast Details and Locations

This serial served as the first installment of the ninth season, airing weekly from January 1 to 22, 1972. It marked the return of the Daleks for the Third Doctor since The Evil of the Daleks in 1967. Filming locations included Dropmore House for the peace conference scenes and Brentford Towers to represent the Controller's futuristic base. Cast trivia notes that Scott Fredericks later appeared as Max Stael, while Jimmy Winston had previously played keyboards for Small Faces. Unusual editing choices were made during broadcast; episodes two and three began by replaying the cliffhanger music from the preceding episode. The story was eventually edited and condensed for certain broadcasts. This production remains notable for featuring the TARDIS console outside of its usual interior setting, similar to earlier serials like Inferno.