“The Story & The Engine”
In this episode: Fifteenth Doctor (3), Belinda (2), Twelfth Doctor (1), Tenth Doctor (1), Thirteenth Doctor (1), Ninth Doctor (1), Second Doctor (1), Fifth Doctor (1)
(10 May 2025)
I am an evolved life-form. And, uh... my body changes a lot. It's the first time I've had this black body. In some parts of the Earth, I'm now treated differently. But here, in Africa, in that barbershop, I'm accepted. I'm able to forget. Boy, we... we laugh. We tell stories. They...
Treat you like one of their own? You say you're not human, but that's the most human thing ever, Doctor. Go on, then. Take as long as you need.
I grew up with Anansi, terrified someone would win me in a bet. I'd heard about you, travelling through time -- I had faith you would help! Instead, you left me. I'm here because of you. You humiliated me, Doctor!
You look so different now. I am sorry. But I couldn't take you with me.
[The camera pans behind Abena and the Fifteenth Doctor changes to the Fugitive incarnation.]
I was a fugitive back then. Anansi was wrong to offer that bet! And frankly, darling, I was busy in a different story that might be finished one day...
You wanna hear a story?
Don't give him more power.
Really short, really short. You know Hemingway. I saw some of his books back there. I met him. I wanted to see how good he was, so I challenged him. "Hemy, baby, write me the shortest story you can". He wrote it in six words. Short as hell! Do you wanna hear mine? I'm born. I die. I'm born.
[The Barber's haircut machine overloads.]
You are giving me power. But how? I am not connected to you!
No, the engine is connected to me. My stories, my voice. Look. On!
[The screens turn on and play parts from the Doctor's past.]
...in the universe can do what we're doing.
[Cut to a quick flash of the Third Doctor.]
Just this once...
I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord.
When you fire that first shot, no matter how right you feel, you have no idea who's going to die!
When people need help, I never refuse.
I am definitely not the man I was.
[Cut to a short glimpse of the Eleventh Doctor.]
My body is like a barbershop. All of them inside, telling their stories, bickering! I... will not... fail them!
[In the barbershop they are treated to colour versions of the Fourth, Eighth and First Doctors. The spider starts moving again, faster and faster. The little screen shows the Fifth Doctor with Tegan Jovanka and Vislor Turlough, then the Sixth Doctor.]
[laughs] You told a never-ending story, and gave me never-ending power!
He's taken out a third of the engine. You can't process that power. Your engine could overload and explode! We'll all be sucked into space!
You will not do that. You will not! No. No! Would you? The stories say you protect life.
That is what I am doing.
These quotes come from Wikiquote's Doctor Who pages and are available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.
