Phantom Part 2

PREVIOUSLY: The Doctor and his companion discover the urban legend of the Phantom of the Opera in 1896 and decide to investigate. Upon investigation, they meet Gaston Leroux (who would write the novel based on the legend) and Christine Nilsson, a soprano believed to have been abducted by the Phantom. When they finally reach the Phantom's lair, the Doctor discovers a future version of the TARDIS and realizes that he must become the Phantom to keep the time loop flowing or else a paradox is created. He travels back three years in his version of the TARDIS and abandons Christine, Gaston, and his companion in 1896. Gaston and the Companion are left not knowing Christine's claims are true and that the Doctor went back to bring everything full circle. All they know is that he's disappeared. masquerade ball dresses

EPISODE

It has been six months since the Chandelier has fallen and the Doctor went missing. Since then, Gaston has had the gratitude of offering the Doctor's companion a place to stay after the Doctor abandoned them. Without the Doctor, the mystery of the Phantom is soon forgotten. The Opera House is holding a masquerade ball to celebrate six months without the Phantom, but their celebration is brought to a halt when the Doctor, still portraying as the Phantom, delivers a warning.

(Remember our Doctor from the last episode went back 3 years and has been at the Opera House ever since, so this episode is three years later for the Doctor and six months later for everyone else.)

This is the first time we, and all characters aside from Christine, see the Phantom. The Phantom reveals that he's written an opera for the house to perform, and leaves instructions while making a threat that there are worse things than a shattered chandelier. He then vanishes.

Gaston and the companion go to visit Christine, who is in her dressing room. They warn that the Phantom has returned. The Companion expresses optimistic concerns that the Doctor could still be alive, but trapped. They try to go down to the Phantom's lair, but it's closed off.

It is at that point when Gaston has to convince the house managers to produce the Opera the Phantom wrote, as it would be the only way to lure him back up. The opera must star Christine, as instructed by the Phantom.

Gaston plans on killing the Phantom while the Companion argues, expressing concern that the Phantom could help us find the Doctor while also stating that killing is not the solution.

It is the night of the premier of the new Opera, and the trap is set. Christine expresses concerns and fears before performing, while the Companion promises if this works, they could find the Doctor. Gaston also promises that she'll protect Christine. Eventually, she pulls it together and goes onstage.

Mid-performance, the Phantom shows up, switching out with another performer, but not killing them. This is the Companion's first clue that the Phantom is the Doctor. The Phantom is supposed to be murderous, but never killed anyone directly. He also spared the life of another person.

Christine takes off the Phantom's mask and reveals his disfigured face. He takes Christine down to his Lair, with Gaston and the Companion following after. The stage manager calls the police to gather a search party.

Christine and the Phantom arrive at the lair, followed by Gaston who tries to fight the Phantom to rescue Christine. The fight goes to the Phantom and he ties up Gaston, leaving Christine with a choice to stay with the Phantom or let Gaston die.

The Companion enters the lair and demands the Phantom to tell her where the Doctor went. Stalling the Phantom, she gets closer and closer to him, trying to allow Christine and Gaston to escape.

The companion soon realizes that time as the Phantom has lost the Doctor his mind, and she must bring him back to his senses. Doing so, we get a retelling of every past adventure this Companion has had with the Doctor, including a few flashbacks.

The Doctor grabs his sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and begins to return to a bit of a sense of sanity. He releases Gaston and tells him to get out and take the boat. They were never there, but the Phantom must live on. The companion tells Gaston before leaving to pursue writing and leaves with the Doctor in the TARDIS.

Christine and Gaston leave the lair as the search party enters. When they unveil the curtain where the TARDIS was hiding, they find nothing left but a white mask.

The Doctor sits in the TARDIS, traumatized. The Companion tells the Doctor to take it slow for a while. The adventures in the TARDIS continue. The Doctor is still disfigured and will stay that way until the next regeneration.

THE END