Victory of the Doctor

"I always find a way to beat you."

Writer: Alfie Shaw

Format: Audio

Released: February 2024

Series: Eleventh Doctor Chronicles 6.04

Featuring: Eleventh Doctor, Valarie 

Synopsis 

He told them to run. They should have listened.

Verdict

Victory of the Doctor was a superb end to the sixth series of the Eleventh Doctor Chronicles bearing the same umbrella title. I'm not entirely sure how much of a victory it actually was for the Doctor, but I did enjoy the play on words with this being the New Dalek Paradigm and their first episode being Victory of the Daleks. It was clever stuff and this was a pretty fitting end for these large and colourful Daleks. They oozed power but there was also dissension in the ranks with the different roles meaning some very different thoughts on what was right for the Dalek race. The Supreme was understandably less than pleased with the idea of them not being pure or superior, and I liked how the Doctor was taunting the Daleks on some of their hierarchy. Who elected the Dalek Prime Minister? What exactly was a Parliament of Daleks? I mean they were certainly valid questions and I do enjoy when he pokes fun at his greatest enemies. I think it's really nice that we get to hear the relationship of Valarie and Roanna reach something of a wedding, although being ordained by a Dalek was eery stuff! The pair were a little confused but the Doctor was working on sending the Daleks to hell, starting with this singular one. Of course, it wasn't feasible for them to work on each Dalek separately but it was a good start. I liked the continuity from the past few series in having the Surge play a role and by some time, with Roanna really embracing her position as a temporary mutant when exterminated that can destroy Daleks. It wouldn't work on the entire race, but it was a good start. I also liked how important the Darinthium blight (sp.?) was to fully defeating the Daleks and it was a glorious moment to have the Doctor gloating to his companions. He couldn't tell them his plan but when Valarie realised he'd had a very good one all along it really felt like the upper hand wasn't with the Daleks for the first time. The apparent plan of distraction and keeping the Daleks busy didn't seem wholly feasible, but it was fun to think that a large bunch of Raston Warrior Robots had wiped out all of the Special Weapons Daleks. That would be some battle! The Doctor's encounter with the Dalek Eternal was bordering on the lines of torture which was extraordinary and almost reminiscent of Heaven Sent in how each time he paid a visit to it that the length of eternity's passing had increased. From hundreds to thousands to eventually billions of years. And all it was doing was fighting. The anger of the Supreme in the episode was good to hear although one small issue I had was that the stakes didn't quite feel as high as previous stories in the series. I really do think that The Last Stand of Miss Valarie Lockwood was a fitting finale to a number of loose strands in the series, and now this was just finishing the Daleks off. They were trapped in the pocket universe after all and hearing their smugness at thinking they were the last remaining species excluding a rather important system was good. They were Daleks supreme, they'd even wiped out the Sontarans, but then the Doctor had defeated them whilst they thought they were conquering the universe once and for all. The Doctor having doubts was slightly concerning and seemed to eliminate any finality to his victory as just one Dalek may have survived in this universe and that's all it would take, but it did leave things open for further Dalek encounters which we would of course see. The goodbye to Valarie was a really strong and emotional one and it's nice that this version of the companion gets her happy ending. Her travels with the Doctor were over, but it was a fitting end for him to be her best name. Roanna taking the Lockwood name was a really nice touch and after going through a whole lot during her time in the TARDIS, it's lovely that Valarie's story ends on a high note. Overall, an excellent episode to conclude a sublime series! 

Rating: 9/10