"But you can't rewrite history. Not one line."
Essentially
The TARDIS lands inside an Aztec tomb. Barbara is mistaken as the reincarnation of a god. Ian joins the Aztec army. Susan joins a seminary. The Doctor spends time in a garden for old people.
Thoughts and Reactions
Thankfully, we're straight into the action. While we have a (model) longshot of the TARDIS dematerialise from Marinus, we don't see the arrival or the exterior of the Aztec temple or city. Barbara and Susan leave the TARDIS alone - presumably because Barbara is so excited about being in an era she has knowledge and interest about - and they find themselves inside an Aztec tomb. Barbara gives a brief account of Aztec history and helps herself to a bracelet. Susan goes back and Barbara is captured. The priest who finds her, Autloc, notices that Barbara wears the bracelet and decides she's the reincarnation of their god, Yetaxa.
The Doctor comes out angrily insisting he told them not to go off on their own. Ian and the Doctor view the Aztec city which we vaguely see in the distance (unlike on Skaro we don't get a model shot) and find them locked out of the tomb and separated from the TARDIS. I'm beginning to suspect that returning to the TARDIS is going to be a recurring plot point in the show.
Autloc, high priest, arrives again - ths time much friendlier, welcoming the Doctor, Ian and Susan. At the same time we meet the "butcher" priest, Tlotoxl, who does his best Olivier playing Richard III: "He demands blood. And he shall have it."
The Doctor seems to have a grim enjoyment about what's happening, almost delighting in pointing out to Ian macabre aspects of the Aztec culture. Is it me, or is the Doctor far more energised than he's been so far. He stands proudly without any sense of the feeble old man we've seen so far.
When they meet Barbara again she is the reincarnation of Yetaxa and behaves regally, clearly enjoying her role as a goddess. The Doctor advises that they all play along with the Aztecs in order to find a way of gaining entry to the tomb and the TARDIS.
Tlotoxl takes Ian off to make him some sort of warrior. There's a hilariously awful fight scene which ends with the violent warror, Ixta, telling Ian he will slay him. Ian seems paralysed with culture shock.
The Doctor spends time in the Garden of Peace and meets Cameca, an older Aztec woman who offers to introduce the Doctor to the son of the builder of the temple. He seems quite taken with the woman. Chesterton, in full warrior outfit arrives and tells the Doctor that he has to participate in human sacrifice.
At this point the Doctor insists on non-interference in the Aztec culture (" If human sacrifice is essential here and it's their tradition, then let them get on with it. But for our sakes, don't interfere."). Ian appears to comply - maybe he learned his lessons during their escapades in Marco Polo.
Barbara is not so willing. She tells him: "It's no good, Doctor, my mind's made up. This is the beginning of the end of the Sun God... Don't you see? If I could start the destruction of everything that's evil here, then everything that is good would survive when Cortes lands.") Barbara seems to think that she can mitigate the impact of Spanish colonialism (there's obvious some pro-colonialism going on here - as if the impact of the Spanish on the Aztecs would have been reduced simply by stopping human sacrifice!).
It's actually Susan who calls for the sacrifice to stop and encourages Barbara prevents the sacrifice at the last possible moment. There's a bit of a Monty Python moment when the Aztec to be sacrificed complains about not being killed and then leaps off the temple to his death. Cue awful film footage of clouds and lightning. It rains.
The end of the episode is great: Tlotoxl looks straight at the camera and tells us that Barbara is a false god and he will destroy her.
After All Is Said and Done
This is more like it! After the protracted weirdness of the Planet
Marinus we're back to a historical adventure on Earth. It's an
enjoyable, compelling episode enhanced by great sets and costumes. (The
actors playing Aztecs seem to be performing their best RSC roles, though
- but it does add some stage drama to what we see.) It's hard to avoid the pro-colonialism extolled by Barbara and the Doctor's macabre focus on the unpleasant aspects of the Aztec culture though.
Next episode: The Warriors of Death
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