Quantum of Axos

"We don't force our gifts on anyone."

Writer: Roy Gill

Format: Audio

Released: September 2022

Series: Tenth Doctor Classic Companions 1.03

Featuring: Tenth Doctor, Ace, K9

Synopsis

Ace investigates a new tech company which seems too good to be true and meets the Doctor and K9 as Axos escapes its trap.

Verdict

Quantum of Axos was a brilliant conclusion to the Tenth Doctor Classic Companions boxset! This has been a thoroughly enjoyable collection of stories with the modern era Doctor meeting a wonderful trio of companions from the Classic era. We've had a really nice variety with Leela, Nyssa and now Ace, and I really do hope this is not the last. I thought the start of this story was slightly underwhelming given the excitement and action of the cliffhanger to The Stuntman, but we soon shifted into gear with a gorgeous acknowledgement of Shada and the Doctor and K9 enjoying some punting at Cambridge. That was a fun image and the simplicity of K9 asking for assistance to get back onto land was delightful. Of course, the title of the episode gives away the big return and I like that in a boxset paying homage to Classic companions, we get a Classic monster for the finale. Axos works really well and having the Time War as an explanation for them partially breaking out of the time loop is terrific. They were brought into the modern world here though with an app that took a photograph and could show you as older or younger. On then face of it, it seemed relatively simple but when Ace was used for it she was stunned by the accuracy of her attire when younger. They'd nailed her bomber jacket down to the two Blue Peter badges! No internet or quantum algorithm could have calculated that! The use of quantum science was fascinating in the story and whilst I won't pretend to have any remote understanding of it and the use of refrigeration as part of it, I liked how it was clear this was incredibly advanced technology. The meeting between the Tenth Doctor and Ace was a really fun moment and the description given to him about the woman that had another robotic dog was amusing as all signs pointed towards Sarah Jane. That of course was done marvellously in School Reunion but I appreciated the little note here. The fact that Ace had been given a K9 by the Doctor was a little odd and it later turning out to be the gift from Axos was a tremendous surprise. I enjoyed that plot device a lot. The use of A Charitable Earth and Ace at this later stage in her life was excellent and I really enjoyed the references to At Childhood's End with Ace mentioning meeting another incarnation of the Doctor, on that occasion the Thirteenth, and her charity and its efforts. Aurora offering to help those that ACE aided was a good way to try and lure Ace in, but the attempt to get the Doctor away from Earth was almost laughable. It was nice to have the image of Ace as the 1980s contemporary companion alongside the Tenth Doctor, but the realism of her not caring about Earth and telling the Doctor to leave it to Axos was weak. I still enjoyed the audacity of that attempt and the Doctor was having none of it. The Ace he knew was not cruel. Ace not knowing anything of the Time War was fascinating as she's playing a big part of where I'm at with the Time War saga of the Gallifrey spinoff. The Doctor trying to avoid revealing that Gallifrey was gone to her was done well though. I enjoyed the conclusion and having Axos basically feed back in on itself was simple and effective. The processing power they were using with over two million users of their app was really well done, but they wouldn't be escaping on this occasion. The Doctor giving Ace her very own true version of K9 was a lovely touch at the end and the potential of a future boxset there would definitely interest me! Overall, a fantastic adventure and a wonderful series. 

Rating: 9/10