Charge

More deleted scenes, now from part three of The Curse of Davros. We are now into serious spoiler territory, so be warned, and do not allow your pupils to descend a millimetre lower if you have not already heard the story, available for purchase here.

First of all, material cut/trimmed from the first draft. This part of scene 46 was cut/tightened to half its length:

WELLINGTON:

We know they are the Emperor’s new allies. We know that two days ago the Emperor was in poor health, distracted, looking old beyond his years, but that ever since these ‘Daleks’ came on the scene, he has been a changed man.

JARED:

Well, I don’t know that much. I know they’re aliens...

WELLINGTON:

Aliens? You mean Spanish mercenaries?

JARED:

No, a bit more alien than that.

WELLINGTON:

Their origins are not important. What are their numbers? Where are they deployed? How are they armed?

JARED:

I don’t know how many of them are. They’re disguised, it’s like they’re invisible. As far as their weapons go, they’ve got laser guns.

This section was heavily cut down:

SCENE 49. ENGLISH CAMP. DAY.

(ENGLISH ARTILLERY FIRING IN B/G)

MERCER:

(BREATHLESS) I’m sorry, your grace.

WELLINGTON:

What is it? Report, Captain Mercer, Report.

MERCER:

Our artillery, sir. I ordered them to fire on the French infantry in Hougemont wood, but when French began to return fire on our positions, they disobeyed their orders, and began to fire on the French artillery.

WELLINGTON:

The idiots. That will simply draw more fire. And the range of the French artillery is greater than ours; they are trying to make us waste our ammunition, while they pick off our batteries, one by one. And meanwhile their infantry continue to advance towards us through the wood.

MERCER:

I shall order the men to resume their bombardment of Hougemont, your grace...

JARED:

Woah. This is just like playing Command and Conquer.

WELLINGTON:

Why is this French spy still here?

DICKSON:

I’m sorry, sir, in the confusion –

The cut beginning of scene 53 (spoilers ahoy!)

SCENE 53. INT. DAVROS CHAMBER. DAY.

FLIP:

So you exchanged bodies with this Davros guy?

DAVROS:

Yes. And given the choice, it’s not hard to understand why he’d prefer to remain in my body.

FLIP:

What do you mean?

DAVROS:

“Try walking in another man’s shoes.” I know now what it feels like to be Davros. To be unable to taste, to smell, only able to see through an artificial eye. To be devoid of all physical contact, strapped into a machine, a machine wired directly into my nervous system. I am in constant pain. Every movement is an effort. I have the mind of a genius, trapped inside a breathing corpse.

Pretty much all of the following was cut, as it was bit ‘look at me, I’ve done my research!’

SCENE 59. EXT. BATTLEFIELD. DAY.

(THE BARRAGE HAS ENDED. HORSES SNORT)

BONAPARTE:

The ground has dried, our army is in position, our cavalry is mounted, and our cannons have weakened the enemy’s resolve. The time has come for us to attack.

(GENERALS CHEER)

BONAPARTE:

We shall begin with an infantry strike at the centre of the British line, at the farmhouse at La Haye Saint. We will divide the allied army along the road to Waterloo. Marshal Ney, the defences at La Haye Saint?

NEY:

Our scouts estimate over four thousand men, your grace, maybe more.

BONAPARTE:

Against D’Erlon’s first corps. Order him to send in two brigades on the stroke of one o’clock. Let the skirmishers engage the enemy while the infantry surrounds the farmhouse to cut off any line of retreat or reinforcement. Then, when we have captured it, we shall use it as though to drive a wedge in the British defences; and let the rest of the first corps advance through La Saint and onto the ridge.

NEY:

I shall pass on your instructions at once.

Another scene where I cut the first few lines and came in later:

SCENE 60. INT. DUNGEONS. DAY.

(DOOR SLAMS)

FLIP:

So that’s it? We’re stuck here.

DAVROS:

It appears so. I’m sorry, my dear.

FLIP:

Hey, don’t apologise, you weren’t the one who got my flat blown up. And I met Napoleon earlier.

Going into the second draft, more material was cut, again, showing off research for its own sake:

SCENE 46. INT. ENGLISH CAMP. DAY.

(DISTANT SOUNDS OF GUNFIRE, CANNON)

MERCER:

Napoleon’s army are still gathering at La Belle Alliance, your grace.

WELLINGTON:

He is clearly waiting until his force is at its greatest before mounting an attack.

This rather good speech from scene 53 was revised extensively:

DAVROS:

This is not the same thing. This is not life. This body has no capacity for empathy, for joy, for hope. It is a vessel of bitterness and decay, of loneliness and dread. Let me tell you, if there was a switch on this chair, a switch that would turn off the life-support, that would bring an end to the agony, I would press that switch in an instant. Even if it meant the death of those I cared for, even if it meant the end of everything I held dear, I would not have the strength to resist it. Such is the torture of living in this twisted frame. I crave death.

And this entire scene, the original cliffhanger to episode three, was entirely cut save for the first line, which was moved to episode four:

SCENE 61. EXT. BATTLEFIELD . DAY.

(BATTLE RAGES IN THE B/G, CANNONS, EXPLOSIONS, SHOUTS)

BONAPARTE:

The first corp has captured La Haye Sainte and is advancing towards the ridge. The British defence is crumbling and this time the Prussians will not be coming to their rescue!

DOCTOR:
You have done well, my friend. A flawless strategy. To victory!

(GLASSES CLINKED)

BONAPARTE:

To victory! Because I promise you this; by the end of the day, there will not be a single Englishman left alive.

DOCTOR:

Excellent. There is something so gratifying about watching the death throes of one’s enemies.

NEY:

Emperor! Your majesty, the British line -

BONAPARTE:
My telescope, man, hand me my telescope! (BEAT, AMUSED) Oh my. The heavy cavalry. The British are going to attempt to charge us.

DOCTOR:

You know what to do, Emperor Bonaparte?

BONAPARTE:

Of course. If the Duke of Wellington desires a battle, then a battle he shall have. Let him face the might of the entire French cavalry. Marshal Ney, give the order to charge!

NEY:

As your majesty commands. (BEAT, SHOUTS) Ready men! On my signal! One. Two. Charge!

(WITH A DRUMROLL, TRUMPETS PLAYING THE MARSEILLES, SHOUTS OF ‘VIVE L’EMPEREUR’, AND HORSES SNORTING, WE HEAR THE FRENCH CAVALRY LAUNCHING ITSELF DOWN THE HILL!)

END OF EPISODE THREE