Chronoclasm

"You're going to destroy the world just for some knowledge?"

Writer: Andy Lane

Format: Audio

Released: June 2011 

Printed in: Jago & Litefoot 3.04

Featuring: Jago, Litefoot, Leela

Synopsis 

When Litefoot's home is invaded by giant metal spheres, it seems that the end of the world is nigh. The enemy has revealed itself, the end game is afoot – can two Henry Gordon Jagos save the day?

Verdict

Chronoclasm was a very strong episode to conclude what has been a terrific third series for Jago and Litefoot! I thought the follow on from the cliffhanger at the end of the last episode was rather nonexistent which was a surprise, but I did like how we started pre-titles with intruders in Litefoot’s house and having infernal occurrences inside his own home really didn’t sit well with him. His summons of Jago and Leela was very fun and the idea of a metal sphere artefact literally dropping into his house was quite something! Leela explaining that it seemed to come from where there was no time had me thinking it was a void ship at first, but alas that wasn’t the case. Payne having pulled Nikola Tesla from his own time was not something I anticipated but he did so simply to amuse himself with his own potential! That established him well as a villain. Tesla being engrossed by the curiosity and expansion of his knowledge was brilliant too. Payne’s tech would not be running on alternating current though. Quick deeming Litefoot’s home unstable structurally because of the sphere was hilarious and they had to pack up their bags and lodge at the Red Tavern, something Ellie wasn’t entirely thrilled with! She’s had a rather quiet series which is to be expected after her recent ordeals. Leela and Jago teaming up to track where Payne might be was terrific and I loved the moment they caught sight of a fighter plane being evacuated. Jago’s reaction to seeing the flying machine was marvellous. Litefoot deducing that finding the address of the big electrical order would lead them to Payne was good and I loved how the villain learned of them flowing and the hill analogy from the Time Eaters. They were brilliantly named! The humour and fun that came from multiple versions of Jago being present was a joy and I liked that Quick found the address of the electrical order as being next door to the New Regency. Tesla warning Litefoot of the time bombs was nice and I thought the concept behind them was excellent. Moving centuries at a time for damage was certainly deadly! Payne’s warning that interference in his plan might actually be worse than non-interference was really well played, but he soon lost his confidence in finding out that the spheres were out for him. The Time Eaters were present and he owed them a debt. The story about his wife and how they were scientists two millennia into the future was fantastic and just interesting as she was caught by the gravity spike when orbiting black star event horizon. They were studying and trying to make contact with the species there, but she was frozen in time forever at the point of collapse and the energy required to get her out was phenomenal. It explained all of Payne’s tampering with time and his efforts to harvest time energy were admirable, but Litefoot put it best in saying that he needed to accept that his wife was lost. Finding out that saving Skipton in the opening episode of the series was just a small scale rehearsal was really good and brought things full circle. He’d promised the Time Eaters half of the power if he was successful and with them literally feeding on time gradients, hence their name, the threat of them eating away at time if they got the power was very real and Payne couldn’t allow that. I thought it was really clever for Litefoot to instruct the portals to have the Time Eaters sent to the Blitz which seemed to clear everything up. Leela’s work was done, but her time ring was blocked not allowing her to get back to Gallifrey! It seems she will be sticking around for the fourth series which is lovely, but Jago and Litefoot are already missing and have been summoned! The cliffhanger finish of the Sixth Doctor arriving and claiming to be Claudius Dark was very much not expected, but I’m very excited to hear where things go from here! Overall, a great conclusion. 

Rating: 8/10