Doctor Who and the Iron Legion ( comic story ) published in the magazine , but also for having the first appearance of the village of Stockbridge , a recurring location within the strip . However , the name " Stockbridge " is never used in this story and would not appear until the village ' s third appearance in " Stars Fell on Stockbridge " . It would not be explicitly confirmed that the unnamed village in this story was Stockbridge until 2008 ' s " The Stockbridge Child " , which payed tribute to " Doctor Who and the Iron Legion " by having the Tenth Doctor land his TARDIS in the exact same place the Fourth Doctor parked his . Summary . A robot legionnaire attacks a small English town of the 1970s . Tracing them to their origin , the Fourth Doctor arrives on another Earth in which the Roman Empire conquered the galaxy with their Iron Legion of robots commanded by General Ironicus , a servant of what he calls the god s . Escaping from the general and from the Ectoslime in the arena where the boy emperor , Adolphus Caesar , and his mother Juno watch , the Doctor is enslaved onboard a ship travelling home . Joining forces with escapee Morris and Vesuvius ( one of the oldest robots left ) , the Doctor discovers the Gods of Rome are the evil Malevilus , five winged demonic creatures who feed off death . The Doctor awakens the Bestiarus , unsuccessful genetically engineered soldiers kept in storage to create maximum disruption in the city . Magog , Adolphus ' s " mother " , is unhappy to see the Doctor . She ultimately kills the general . As Magog changes shape to kill the Doctor , the whole of Rome watches on vidscreens and they revolt . Returning the Doctor to the TARDIS , Magog is tricked into being expelled from the craft into an empty dimension . She vows to return . The other Malevilus are attacked by the Bestiarus in their temple , a spaceship which explodes and kills them all . The citizens make Vesuvius the new emperor and the Doctor suggests a boarding school for Adolphus . Plot . Part 1 . The Fourth Doctor lands in Stockbridge . He enters a shop where a scared old man , the shopkeeper , is despairing . He says that something ' s coming . A robotic Roman enters the shop and kills the old man . Turning to the Doctor , the robot malfunctions due to an impossible calculation of two hearts that the Doctor possesses . It automatically turns off and the Doctor examines its head . He claims that it is fascinating . Inside a ballista , General Ironicus is in commune with the gods . The Gods find his actions evil . A guard enters and claims that one of the legionnaires has had a brain seizure . The Doctor now leaves the shop , slightly confused . Outside , Romans open fire as he races towards the TARDIS . He is engulfed in an enormous explosion . Part 2 . The Doctor is able to escape , but falls into the dimension duct . At the Hyp - Arena , Maximus Bilious is commentating on the Roman sports channel . He explains that they are waiting for the emperor ' s decision to begin the games . He interviews Barbarius , keeper of the monsters . The monsters are evidently ready for a fight , especially the Ectoslime . General Ironicus arrives , but his arrival is interrupted when the TARDIS appears in the middle of the procession . He is apprehended as he exits his ship . The young emperor arrives and declares the games to begin . The Doctor soon realises that this is an alternative Earth where the Roman Empire never fell . He watches from his position at the carnage of the fighting below . General Ironicus is keen to use the Doctor ' s ship , but he refuses and so the Time Lord is thrown to the Ectoslime . Part 3 . After being thrown into the arena , with the Ectoslime , the Doctor attempts to think his way out of his predicament . General Ironicus orders him to be killed . However , the Doctor suddenly has an idea and speaks a foreign language to the creature . Now harmless , the Doctor explains that the creatures have quite a good sense of humour and he had just told a joke . General Ironicus is displeased with the Doctor ' s mocking attitude and forces him to work on the Air Galley carrying the Royal Family , including Adolphus Caesar . There , the Doctor meets Morris . When Caesar and his mother passes , the Doctor notices something sinister about her and informs Morris . He claims to have discovered the secret of the Galactic Roman Empire . Part 4 . As the air galley arrives at the Temple of the Gods , the Doctor plans to escape with Morris . They flee from guards attempting to protect the temple . As they attempt to infiltrate the temple , the Doctor spots a strange robot , talking rapidly , walk by . He helps the robot release his pressure , and the robot thanks him , introducing himself as Vesuvius , the oldest robot in Rome . Vesuvius shows the Doctor and Morris the way into the temple , where they discover General Ironicus praying to statues of his Gods . The Doctor realises too late that his suspicions are true . The Malevilus statues come to life , revealing themselves as the gods of the Galactic Roman Empire . Part 5 . With the Doctor , Morris and Vesuvius ' arrival , General Ironicus offers them up as tributes to the Gods . Morris attempts to defend his friends . Ironicus holds up a bacta - gun , which will rust Vesuvius if they do not cooperate . He is overpowered , however , by Morris and the Doctor now threatens the General with the weapon . They flee the temple and out to find a vehicle that will take them away from danger . The Gods follow in pursuit as they believe Ironicus to be useful to their plans . While escaping in the craft , the Doctor questions Vesuvius about his knowledge of the Roman Empire and what plans the Gods may have in the near future . The robot is unable to answer though as he ' s too distracted by the attack . They break free of the city , only to be surrounded by a patrol of ships outside .