Snakedance ( TV story ) Snakedance was the second story of the twentieth season of " Doctor Who " . A sequel to " Kinda " , it featured the return of the Mara and Nyssa ' s first direct contact with the Mara . Three decades later , a sequel to this story — though not the one Christopher Bailey had attempted — was created for audio in the form of Big Finish ' s " The Cradle of the Snake " . The show had a noteworthy cast . It was one of Martin Clunes ' earliest television roles , though not his debut . His outrageous costumes and youthful appearance make it a story often sampled whenever the multi - award - winning actor appears on television chat programmes . ( DOC : " Snake Charmer " ) " Snakedance " also featured Brian Miller — husband of Sarah Jane Smith ' s actor , Elisabeth Sladen — in a significant role . Writers involved in the production of the BBC Wales version of " Doctor Who " have expressed affection for this serial . In 1995 , Steven Moffat was a participant in a wide - ranging , public discussion about " Doctor Who " with Andy Lane , David Bishop and Paul Cornell . He ranted about the " crap " nature of the majority of the 1963 version of the show , but called " Snakedance " " one I couldn ' t really fault " . He would build upon this opinion in a 1996 essay , in which he called " Snakedance " and " Kinda " " the two best " Who " stories ever " . Likewise , Robert Shearman has called " Snakedance " " my favourite " " Doctor Who " story . He is heavily featured on the DVD release , explaining why . Synopsis . Tegan falls once more under the influence of the Mara and directs the TARDIS to the planet Manussa . There , the Federator ' s son Lon and his mother Tanha are preparing for a ceremony to celebrate the banishment of the Mara five hundred years earlier . The Mara takes control of Lon and uses him and Tegan to obtain from Ambril , the Director of Historical Research , the ' Great Crystal ' - the large blue stone that originally brought it into being by focusing energy from the minds of the planet ' s one - time inhabitants . The Mara now plans to use the crystal during the ceremony to bring about its return to corporeal existence . The Doctor and Nyssa , aided by Ambril ' s assistant Chela , locate Ambril ' s aged predecessor , Dojjen , who predicted the Mara ' s rebirth before wandering off into the wilderness . The Doctor allows himself to be bitten by a snake to enter a state of mental commune with Dojjen , who tells him that fear is the only true venom and that to defeat the Mara he must find the still point within himself . The Doctor and his friends return to the caves where the ceremony is being held . The Doctor , by concentrating his thoughts with the aid of a small replica of the great crystal , finds the still point and repels the Mara . Plot . Part 1 . A man is sitting in the middle of sand . He is wearing a precious - looking necklace . Tegan has decided to return to the TARDIS . But she is having strange dreams , just like she did back on Deva Loka . She tells the Doctor and Nyssa about it . The Doctor worries that the Mara could still be alive , not as a physical form , but in the mind . On the planet Manussa , Tanha wants Lon to be prepared for the ceremony to celebrate the end of the Mara . He isn ' t really bothered , but is interested in a jewel kept between the teeth of a model snake . It is Ambril ' s - an artefact kept for many years , as a symbol of the Mara . They decide to set off to the cave , where Ambril will explain the ceremony ' s proceedings . Under the influence of the Mara , Tegan has set the TARDIS controls to Manussa , a planet known well to the Doctor . She also talks of a dream she ' s been having , of a cave , shaped in the jaws of a snake . The Doctor creates a hypnosis machine that inhibits the brainwaves associated with dreaming to protect Tegan . Upon their arrival on the planet , they decide to investigate . On a local street , a man is shouting to the crowds about a hall of mirrors . Lon finds it hilarious and is pulled along by his mother , so that they can reach the cave . There , Ambril explains the legend of the snake and how they will add to the ceremony using the stories . They enter the cave and travel far through the tunnels inside . The Doctor is searching for the cave , which Tegan had a vision of in her dreams . They finally find it and the Doctor enters , telling Nyssa to look after Tegan outside . As a consequence of her dreams , Tegan is frightened when a merchant approaches selling wriggling toy snakes , bought by children on Manussa . She runs away and Nyssa tries to follow her , but loses her in the crowds . Tegan enters a fortune teller ' s tent and , because she removes the hypnosis machine , she is eventually controlled by the Mara . The fortune teller explains that her stories aren ' t real , but then becomes aware of a snake ' s skull appearing in her crystal ball . It explodes violently and the fortune teller screams . Part 2 . Tegan ( the Mara ) escapes from the tent . The fortune teller is helped out of the tent by locals , completely overwhelmed by the situation . The Doctor has appeared in the cave where Lon is having a lesson on the Mara legend . Ambril is surprised by the Time Lord ' s appearance . The Doctor is keen to note that the legend is very real . Lon finds this curious . Ambril believes that the Doctor is crazy . Nyssa finally finds Tegan , who is laughing about the fortune teller . Nyssa soon realises that she is under the influence of the Mara again , her emotions different to what Tegan would express . Tegan then runs again and this time Nyssa loses her for real . Tegan has secretly entered the hall of mirrors . Nyssa arrives just outside the cave where Lon , Tanha and Ambril have just emerged to return to the palace . The Doctor is behind them . Nyssa explains about Tegan ' s disappearance . The Doctor looks worried . He wants to return to the TARDIS though to monitor the wavelengths of an interesting blue jewel he has obtained . The Mara in Tegan is interested in the mirror s , remembering that she was trapped by a circle of mirrors before on the Kinda world . Dugdale finds her talking to herself in the mirror , and is also influenced by the Mara when he looks into the mirror . Tegan orders him to bring Lon . The Doctor and Nyssa are now inside the TARDIS where the Doctor is creating a circle where he can project thoughts into the jewel . When he tries along with Nyssa , the jewel lights up , but only when they concentrate . Lon arrives at the hall of mirrors and is quickly taken by the Mara . They then proceed to the cave and behind the symbolic wall where they use Dugdale as a servant . Part 3 . The Doctor returns to the palace to try to persuade Ambril to believe him . Ambril is unimpressed and orders the Doctor to be jailed . Nyssa overhears everything and tries to work by herself . Lon arrives in Ambril ' s office to gather the jewel , which opens the symbolic wall and will eventually bring back the Mara . Ambril doesn ' t know that Lon is under an influence . The Doctor tries to persuade Chela to get him out , but with no luck . Lon lures Ambril to the cave with the promise of discovering priceless historical artefacts . Once inside , Ambril is cornered by the possessed Lon , Dugdale and Tegan , who pressure him to return the Great Crystal during the ceremony . After Ambril agrees and Lon leads him away , the mark of the serpent on Tegan ' s arm manifests as a live snake . Chela brings the Doctor a diary written by Dojjen , Ambril ' s predecessor as Director of Historical Research . Dojjen believed that the Mara had not been destroyed and would someday return . He eventually left his post to study the forbidden teachings of the Snake Dancers . Nyssa searches Ambril ' s office for the key to the jail cell , but Tanha catches her in the act and has her locked up alongside the Doctor . The Doctor and Nyssa read through Dojjen ' s diary and realise that the ancient Manussans manufactured crystals that could conduct mental energy . The unanticipated result was that the crystals absorbed and reflected the Manussans ' own negative thoughts and emotions , creating the Mara . As centuries passed , the Manussans forgot that they themselves had brought the Mara into being . The Doctor deduce s that Dojjen learned this truth from the Snake Dancers , the only people who kept the knowledge alive . Lon and Ambril return to the palace , where a dazed Ambril informs Tanha and Chela that at the impending ceremony , the Great Crystal will be restored to its original place . Alarmed , Chela frees the Doctor and Nyssa in hopes that they can intervene . They attempt to flee the palace , but are surrounded by guards . Lon claims that the three are plotting his death , and orders the guards to kill them . Part 4 . Tanha overrides Lon ' s order and allows the Doctor a chance to speak . The Doctor realises that Lon has fallen under control of the Mara . Ambril offers to reveal the Great Crystal , and as he , Tanha and Lon are distracted , the Doctor seizes the opportunity to escape with Nyssa and Chela . Determined to destroy the Mara completely , the Doctor uses his crystal to summon Dojjen . Dojjen and the Doctor enact the Snake Dance ritual , in which live snakes bite their wrists , allowing them to communicate telepathically . Guilt - ridden over what has befallen Tegan , the Doctor asks how he can save her and defeat the Mara once and for all . Dojjen urges him to find the " still point " within himself . Tanha questions Lon ' s strange behaviour , but he brushes aside her suspicions . In the cave , the ceremony proceeds according to custom until Lon stuns the audience by announcing that the Mara has returned . The Doctor , Nyssa and Chela burst onto the scene , but are too late to stop Lon from placing the Great Crystal in the mouth of the snake on the cave wall . Tegan appears holding the Mara in the form of a snake wrapped around her arm . The Mara feeds on the crowd ' s fear and panic , growing larger and stronger . The Doctor alone is unaffected . He focuses mental energy into his crystal in a battle of wills against the Mara . Although his resolve is tested when the Mara speaks to him with Tegan ' s voice , he refuses to submit . Dojjen adds his own mental energy to the effort , helping to subdue the Mara long enough for the Doctor to pull the Great Crystal from the wall . The Mara ' s influence is broken , and the snake falls to the ground , dead . Restored to herself , Tegan weeps with horror at having felt the rage and hatred of the Mara inside of her . The Doctor comforts her , assuring her that the Mara has been destroyed . Story notes . " to be added " Home video and audio releases . DVD releases . This story was released on DVD in a box set called " Mara Tales " with " Kinda " on 7th March 2011 in Region 2 . The two episodes have been updated , with CGI Mara instead of the original puppets . Contents : It was released as issue 103 of " Doctor Who DVD Files " . Video releases . This story was released on VHS in December 1994 in the UK markets , February 1994 in Australia n markets and September 1995 in US markets . Digital releases . The story is available for streaming in the US through Hulu Plus or Amazon Instant Video in the UK . It is also available to download through iTunes .