"The Dorcons" is the twenty-fourth episode of the second season of ''
Space: 1999'' (and the forty-eighth and final overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by
Johnny Byrne; the director was
Tom Clegg. Original titles were "Last of the Psychons" and "Return of the Dorcons". The final shooting script is dated 17 November 1976. Live-action filming took place Tuesday 7 December 1976 through Thursday 23 December 1976.
[''Destination: Moonbase Alpha'', Telos Publications, 2010]
Story
It is 2,409 days after leaving Earth orbit, and
Moonbase Alpha is tracking an unidentified powered object following the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...
. Sensors detect no life forms and the craft is emitting an energy field highly sensitive to matter. The Alphans conclude the object to be a robot survey device. The object continues to close, the energy field making contact with the Moon surface. The instruments suddenly register a tremendous energy surge. As
John Koenig orders defensive measures, the object projects a ray at Alpha that not only penetrates the defence screens but underground into
Command Centre
A command center (often called a war room) is any place that is used to provide centralized command for some purpose.
While frequently considered to be a military facility, these can be used in many other cases by governments or businesses. ...
.
As the light-beam appears in the room, all personnel are immobilised, with the exception of
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...
. The ray's first action is to short-out the Main Computer input terminal. It then roams the room, briefly pausing on each person's face. When it encounters Maya, it focuses on her and the Psychon woman experiences horrible pain. With an agonised shriek, she collapses. Its goal achieved, the light disappears and the others are released from their paralysis.
As attempts to contact the inert survey device fail, technicians examining Computer discover damage to its data-bank.
Helena Russell tends to the unconscious Maya; her preliminary diagnosis is
shock
Shock may refer to:
Common uses Collective noun
*Shock, a historic commercial term for a group of 60, see English numerals#Special names
* Stook, or shock of grain, stacked sheaves
Healthcare
* Shock (circulatory), circulatory medical emerge ...
due to neurological trauma. To everyone's relief, Maya soon comes to. She tells them the ray was a mind-probe; after singling her out, it intensified and almost tore her mind apart. Concerned, Koenig questions the doctor about the possibility of brain damage.
Sensors detect activity from the alien object—it is losing molecular cohesion, transforming into a gaseous mass of raw matter. As they watch, the mass expands and solidifies, becoming an impressive spacecraft. Maya is terrified at the sight of it, sobbing that the light was a Dorcon probe and that the ship is after ''her''. She explains the Dorcons are the most powerful race in this galaxy and her people's most feared enemy. A scan of the vessel reveals a
meson
In particle physics, a meson ( or ) is a type of hadronic subatomic particle composed of an equal number of quarks and antiquarks, usually one of each, bound together by the strong interaction. Because mesons are composed of quark subparticles ...
converter, a power system that can convert matter to energy, restructure it into any form and shift it through space instantaneously.
Maya is right, aboard the Dorcon capital ship, a heated discussion over the best means to catch the Psychon is under way. In the presence of the Imperial Archon, supreme ruler of the Federated Worlds of Dorcon, His Excellency Malic—the Archon's unstable nephew and
heir apparent
An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...
—proposes an armed invasion of the alien base to capture her. The Archon's chief advisor, Consul Varda, disagrees, arguing the Psychon might be killed in such a campaign. Knowing Maya's death would suit his ambitious nephew's desire to ascend to the throne, the Archon supports Varda's recommendation to employ diplomatic methods.
Maya relates that, with their technology, the Dorcons can control of all the forces of nature except death. They have hunted her people for centuries as, through Psychons, they can achieve immortality. Her tale is interrupted by a signal from the Dorcon ship. It is Varda, presenting her credentials; Koenig is angered by the attack on Maya and the Dorcon woman offers a gracious apology. Varda officially requests, in the name of the Imperial Archon, that Maya be delivered into her custody. Koenig declines but a hysterical Maya warns him "Resistance is futile". Varda's final words are to heed the Psychon—Koenig may be willing to die for his principles but is everyone on Alpha equally inclined?
Alpha is at red alert; combat
Eagles
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
rise on the launch pads, laser batteries are deployed, non-combatants move to underground shelters and security forces guard the airlock stations. As they wait, Koenig asks Maya to explain how her people provide Dorcons with immortality. She informs him Dorcons do not die in the manner of most humanoid races: their
brain-stems cease to function at an advanced age. They discovered Psychons possess brain-stems with regenerative properties that can last forever. ''If a Psychon brain-stem is
surgically grafted to a Dorcon brain, the result is virtual immortality''.
On the Dorcon ship, Malic and Varda bicker over her failure. Outraged, the Archon silences them, then orders Varda to obtain the Psychon at any cost. The Dorcon crew selects targets for the assault and with reluctance, Varda gives the order to fire. A fusillade of energy bolts lay waste to perimeter buildings of the Alpha installation. Alpha's main batteries return fire but the laser beams bounce off the Dorcon ship's hull. The next Dorcon volley destroys the gun emplacements.
Alan Carter's combat Eagle group lifts-off and converges on the alien battleship. Their weapons are also ineffective and they withdraw, though not before Eagle Four is picked off by Dorcon fire.
As the bombardment continues, two hysterical operatives demand Koenig turn over Maya, one threatening him with a
stun-gun. The man is disarmed but a desperate Maya pleads with Helena to use the weapon to kill her—if taken, the surgery will leave her nothing more than a living husk. The doctor briefly considers
euthanising Maya but is unable to fire and passes the gun to Koenig. Pressing it to Maya's temple, he contacts Varda. Unless the attack is cancelled immediately, he will kill the last of the Psychons. Varda cannot risk calling his bluff and ceases fire.
Moving fast, the Dorcons activate the meson converter. Varda and her personal guard transport into Command Centre. When the Dorcon stormtroopers effortlessly subdue all resistance, Koenig is forced to surrender. Maya is nowhere in sight (having disguised herself in the form of a co-worker) and Varda resorts to using the mind-probe ray to flush her out. They take the
metamorph
In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...
into custody and depart. Koenig leaps into the active transporter beam, arrives on the ship and is stunned on sight. The Archon is on hand to congratulate Varda on the success of her mission. He orders Maya taken to the medical unit, where she is placed under a paralysing beam while the Imperial surgeon prepares for the brain-stem transfer.
The Archon orders Koenig killed but a guilty Varda persuades the ruler to spare his life. As the Archon withdraws, the Commander is secured in a force-field until the meson converter's
antimatter
In modern physics, antimatter is defined as matter composed of the antiparticles (or "partners") of the corresponding particles in "ordinary" matter. Antimatter occurs in natural processes like cosmic ray collisions and some types of radioac ...
coils recharge; the attack has temporarily drained its power. Malic approaches Varda with a sly proposal: allow his uncle to die and when he is named Archon, she may have anything she desires. The Consul's reply is blunt. The Archon fosters peace and stability, while Malic's ambitions will plunge the empire into war and misery. Now that Malic has shown his treasonous intent, she bars him from the Archon's presence.
Returning to the operations area, she finds Koenig conscious and hostile. Varda reasons the security of thousands of worlds outweighs the life of one Psychon. He asks if this justification is for his benefit—or her own? The medical officer interrupts, stating she is ready for surgery. Varda leaves, ordering Koenig be transported when the converter is recharged. He resists and makes a break for the door—to be stopped by an armed Malic. Koenig is amazed when the Dorcon aristocrat shoots his own men, more so when he allows the Commander to go free. Once Koenig is out of sight, the scheming youth raises the alarm.
Unaware of this intrigue, Varda escorts the Archon to the surgical transfer unit. Looking down at Maya, he reflects on who is the greater victim: she, destined to living death or he to eternal life. Unfamiliar with the layout of the vast Dorcon ship, Koenig has difficulty evading the stormtroopers. When the Commander is cornered, Malic again appears to shoot his own soldier. Koenig is suspicious but Malic taunts him with Maya's impending fate and directs him to the surgical area. Malic contacts Varda, telling her the escaped alien commander has gone berserk, killing soldiers in his search for her. Varda leaves the Archon unattended to lead the hunt for Koenig as Malic planned.
Koenig's trail is soon picked up by Varda and her troops. When trapped in a blind alley with pursuers just around the corner, he pulls open a grille and hides in a ventilation duct. He realises the ducts will make travelling easier and he crawls off in search of Maya. Malic enters the surgical unit and shoots the medical officer. After waking his uncle to gloat on the end of his reign, he activates a surgical instrument that projects an intense energy beam on the Archon's forehead. The
sociopathic
Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. Different conceptions of psychopathy have been u ...
youth enjoys watching his uncle beg for mercy as the beam slowly fries his brain.
After the Archon expires, Malic releases Maya from her paralysis (intending to hide her until he can make use of her himself). Just then, Koenig jumps out of the air vent; in a scuffle, Maya
transforms
Transform may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Transform (scratch), a type of scratch used by turntablists
* ''Transform'' (Alva Noto album), 2001
* ''Transform'' (Howard Jones album) or the title song, 2019
* ''Transform'' (Powerman 5000 album) ...
into a lizard beast to subdue Malic. After they leave in search of the transporter, the Dorcon heir recovers and announces the death of the Archon. As the new Archon, he orders the human murderer to be killed on sight—but his Psychon accomplice must be captured alive. He removes the badge of office from his uncle and places the medallion around his own neck, mocking the corpse with a sarcastic salute.
Arriving at the operations room, the Alphans are confronted by a vengeful Varda. She pledges to kill them and everyone on Alpha for their heinous crime. Malic enters to observe the execution. Koenig identifies the real murderer—the new Archon, who decoyed Varda away so he could assassinate their leader. As the truth dawns on Varda, Malic orders the Consul placed under arrest. An enraged Varda attacks the youth, who shoots her. Her dying move is to fire her own weapon at the meson converter, intentionally damaging the
magnetic shield to expose the antimatter coils.
With the ship disintegrating around them, the Alphans jump into the transporter beam and return home. The insane Malic hysterically shouts for the converter to obey its Archon as the ship blows apart with a blast that seems to set space itself ablaze. On Alpha, repairs are well in hand and all casualties off the critical list. Resting after their ordeal, Koenig reflects that, all things considered, Consul Varda was quite a woman. Helena suggests taking care of Koenig's bandaged hands, and he asks if they should do that in his quarters or hers. She seductively says "medical center" and the two share a gentle laugh.
Tony Verdeschi jokingly asks Maya if there is anything else in her Psychon past they should know about. With an air of mock pretension, she replies that is a highly improper question to ask any lady.
Cast
Starring
*
Martin Landau
Martin James Landau (; June 20, 1928 – July 15, 2017) was an American actor, acting coach, producer, and editorial cartoonist. His career began in the 1950s, with early film appearances including a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's ''North ...
— Commander
John Koenig
*
Barbara Bain
Barbara Bain (born Mildred Fogel; September 13, 1931) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cinnamon Carter on the action television series '' Mission: Impossible'' (1966–1969), which earned her three Primetime Emmy Awar ...
— Doctor
Helena Russell
Also Starring
*
Catherine Schell
Catherine Schell (born Katherina ''Freiin'' Schell von Bauschlott, 17 July 1944) is a Hungarian-born actress who came to prominence in British film and television productions from the 1960s. Her notable roles include the Bond girl Nancy in '' ...
—
Maya
Maya may refer to:
Civilizations
* Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America
** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples
** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples
* Maya (Ethiopia), a populat ...
Featuring
*
Tony Anholt
Anthony Anholt (19 January 1941 – 26 July 2002) was a British television actor, known for his role as Charles Frere in the BBC drama series ''Howards' Way'' (1985–90). In 1974 he was cast as Mark Colebrook, a crooked architect in ''Contact B ...
—
Tony Verdeschi
*
Nick Tate
Nicholas John Tate (born 18 June 1942) is an Australian actor popularly known for his roles as pilot Alan Carter in the 1970s science fiction television series '' Space: 1999'', and James Hamilton in the 1980s Australian soap opera '' Sons an ...
— Captain
Alan Carter
Guest Stars
*
Patrick Troughton
Patrick George Troughton (; 25 March 1920 – 28 March 1987) was an English actor who was classically trained for the stage but became known for his roles in television and film. His work included appearances in several fantasy, science fiction ...
— The Archon
*
Ann Firbank
Ann Firbank (born 9 January 1933) is an actress of film, television, and stage whose career extends from 1956. One of Firbank's more notable roles is her 1971 portrayal of Anne Elliot in the serial ''Persuasion'', an adaptation of Jane Austen's ...
— Consul Varda
*
Gerry Sundquist
Gerald Christopher Sundquist (6 October 1955 – 1 August 1993) was an English actor.
Early life
Sundquist was born in Chorlton and grew up there with his older brother and younger sister. He developed an interest in acting at primary schoo ...
— Malic
Also Featuring
*
Alibe Parsons
Alibe Parsons (born 21 December 1945) is an actress who has worked in both film and television.
On television, she is best known for her regular role in the 1970s BBC drama ''Gangsters'' as Sarah Gant. She also had a recurring role in the sc ...
— Alibe
*
Laurence Harrington
Laurence Harrington (born 30 September 1938) is a British actor who has played DS Probert in ''Z-Cars'', Lunar Guard in ''Doctor Who'', George Latimer in '' Softly, Softly'', the Lawyer in ''The Sweeney'', Jackson in '' Space: 1999'', Gary in '' ...
— Stewart
*
Kevin Sheehan
Kevin Vincent Sheehan OAM (born 1 August 1953) is a former Australian rules footballer for Geelong and the current Australian Football League (AFL) National Talent and International Manager, a member of the AFL football operations sub-commit ...
— Dorcon Operative
* Michael Halsey — First Dorcon Soldier
*
Hamish Patrick — Command Centre Operative
*
Hazel McBride
Hazel McBride (born 24 March 1949) is a British actress known for her role as Madeleine Duclos in the BBC television drama series '' Secret Army''.
McBride became involved in amateur dramatics while reading history at Bristol University and h ...
— Dorcon Medical Officer
Uncredited Artists
* Maxwell Craig — Airlock Security Guard
* Peter Brayham — Corridor Security Guard
* Jenny Cresswell — Maya/Woman Operative
*
Roy Scammell
Royston Edwin Scammell (28 July 1932 – 15 May 2021) was a British stuntman and actor.
Life and career
Scammell was born in July 1932 in Hendon, Middlesex, England. He died at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital in Luton, Bedfordshire
B ...
— Maya/Creature
Music
The score was re-edited from previous ''Space: 1999'' incidental music tracks composed for the second season by
Derek Wadsworth
Derek Wadsworth (5 February 1939 – 3 December 2008) was an English jazz musician, composer and arranger.
Early life
Wadsworth was born in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire on 5 February 1939. His first instrument was the cornet and he started playing the ...
and draws primarily from the scores of "
The Metamorph
"The Metamorph" is the first episode of the second series of '' Space: 1999'' (and the twenty-fifth overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Charles Crichton. Previous titles were "The Bio ...
" and "
Space Warp".
Production Notes
* The episode carried the working title "Return of the Dorcons" on a shooting script dated 19 October 1976. With much of the same scene structure and dialogue, several differences exist: (1) The script notes the title 'Archon' should be pronounced the same as 'march on' to avoid confusion with the episode title "
The Mark of Archanon"; (2) Helena is relegated to the underground shelters with her patients before the attack and is not seen until the epilogue; (3) Maya transforms into a potted plant to hide from Varda and threatens to shoot herself with Verdeschi's gun when outed. Koenig talks her out of committing suicide; (4) A different epilogue was scripted where the six regular characters relax in Koenig's quarters. The question of her Psychon past caused Maya to recollect an encounter with a handsome Psychon boy during a holiday to her planet's Southern Flora Region. Jealous, Verdeschi sweeps her off her feet and out of the room. When left alone, Koenig and Helena reflect that 'What's in the past has gone...fate has played us some strange hands but we've won through in the end. As for the future...that starts right here and now,' and would close the scene with a kiss.
["Return of the Dorcons" shooting script dated 19 October 1976] (This seems to acknowledge the staff's awareness this would be the programme's final installment.)
* Many of the changes from the above version of the script would be motivated by the budgetary restrictions of this being the series' last episode. Scenes set in Medical Centre and Koenig's quarters would take place in Command Centre in the re-write. The scene showing Helena in an underground shelter was cut. Carter would have been shown coordinating Bill Fraser and the Eagle attack force on the Dorcon ship from Command; in the final draft, Fraser went unmentioned, and Carter himself was seen via TV monitor in the pilot's seat, leading the strike.
The Dorcon vessel's sets were constructed out of pre-existing flats and set-dressings from previous episodes. Attentive viewers would recognise actor
Laurence Harrington
Laurence Harrington (born 30 September 1938) is a British actor who has played DS Probert in ''Z-Cars'', Lunar Guard in ''Doctor Who'', George Latimer in '' Softly, Softly'', the Lawyer in ''The Sweeney'', Jackson in '' Space: 1999'', Gary in '' ...
(playing Stewart) from his previous role as Tom Jackson in "
Journey to Where
"Journey to Where" is the third episode of the second series of '' Space: 1999'' (and the 27th overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Donald James; the director was Tom Clegg. The final shooting script is dated 18 Febr ...
".
* This installment would fulfill first-season script editor
Johnny Byrne's three-script commitment to producer
Fred Freiberger
Fred Freiberger (February 19, 1915March 2, 2003) was an American film and television writer and television producer, whose career spanned four decades and work on such films as ''The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms'' (1953) and TV series including ''Ben ...
. After seeing his scripts "The Biological Soul" and "The Face of Eden" (later "
The Metamorph
"The Metamorph" is the first episode of the second series of '' Space: 1999'' (and the twenty-fifth overall episode of the programme). The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Charles Crichton. Previous titles were "The Bio ...
" and "
The Immunity Syndrome") extensively re-worked (for the worse by his reckoning) for new series format, he gave the man a 'Freddie Freiberger/Johnny Byrne' action adventure story which would revolve around Maya, but done in such a way she would be rendered helpless. Tired of Maya being used to get out of every perilous situation, he created a race that hunted Psychons—as they would be able to control them.
* Byrne would have preferred Freiberger to use his script "Children of the Gods" as the series finale. In it, the Alphans are terrorised by a pair of sociopathic children with formidable mental powers. The children are revealed to be their distant descendants, brought back in time by an alien race. The aliens have caused these children to be raised alone, without any human contact, to prove that Mankind is inherently amoral. They intend to destroy Alpha in the present to prevent the birth of these future Alphans. Koenig then must prove Mankind's worthiness to survive.
Novelisation
The episode was adapted in the sixth Year Two ''Space: 1999'' novel ''The Edge of the Infinite'' by
Michael Butterworth published in 1977. This novel was not released in the United Kingdom and only as a limited edition in the United States and Germany. The adaptation was based on the earlier version "Return of the Dorcons".
[''Space: 1999 - The Edge of the Infinite'', Warner Books, 1977]
References
External links
''Space: 1999'' - "The Dorcons" - The Catacombs episode guide
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dorcons, The
1977 British television episodes
Space: 1999 episodes
British television series finales