The Dominators ( TV story ) The Dominators was the first story in season six of " Doctor Who " . Although the Dominator s were the titular villains , it was the Quark s who later made appearances in " Doctor Who " in " TV Comic " . Synopsis . When two belligerent Dominator s and their robotic servant Quark s land on the peaceful planet Dulkis planning to drop a radioactive seed into the planet ' s core to refuel their spaceship , the Second Doctor , Jamie and Zoe must attempt to inspire the pacifist Dulcian s to resist . Plot . Episode 1 . A Dominator spacecraft lands on an island on the planet Dulkis , having just separated from its fleet on their way to Epsilon 4 . It absorbs the radiation of the island into its power reserves . The two Dominators , Navigator Rago and Probationer Toba , step out of the craft . Rago is intent on establishing an energy source by drilling through the planetary crust , which is at its thinnest in this part of the planet . Toba is more concerned about the possible aggression of the natives , appearing willing to eliminate them should they resist . Rago wants to use the natives for slave labour instead . Rago calls some Quark s off to survey the land . Meanwhile , a Dulcian seacraft arrives at the island for an unauthorised trip . It is piloted by Cully , the son of Director Senex , a high - ranking member of the Dulcian council . The passengers include three Dulcians who think Cully has conned them when they find out there is no radiation on the island , which they call the Island of Death since it has been uninhabited for 172 years . As the crew squabble , Cully takes his eyes off the controls and they crash . They are stuck on the island . The three Dulcians want to go out and explore ; Cully tries to stop them , still worried about radiation . They disembark and soon see Toba , Rago , and " some new type of robots " . They set off for help . Toba is ordering the Quarks and sees the three Dulcians approach . He commands the Quarks to kill them . Rago hears this and admonishes Toba . The TARDIS crew land and the Doctor assumes they ' re in for a nice holiday , having visited " peaceful " Dulkis before . While the Doctor relaxes in a deckchair , Jamie blows up a beach ball given to him by the Doctor . Cully , the only surviving member of the party , returns to his craft . As he approaches , Toba orders the Quarks to destroy it . The Doctor , Jamie , and Zoe follow the sound and find a burnt - out shell ; however , it has been this way for many years . The Doctor doesn ' t understand . They begin to explore and discover it is a war museum with old laser guns . As they continue to explore , Zoe finds some bodies ; however , on closer inspection , the " bodies " are just dummies . Zoe asks the Doctor if he checked the radiation levels before they left the TARDIS as the place reminds her of atomic blast sites from Earth . Jamie is unnerved by this and says they should return to the TARDIS . They turn to be met by three suited figures . In a large building , Educator Balan and his two students , Kando and Teel , try to decontaminate the Doctor , Jamie , and Zoe . To their surprise , they find the radiation is already at zero . The Doctor and his colleagues are allowed out of the decontamination chamber . Balan explains that he is from the university and that Kando and Teel are his students . When the Doctor expresses his confusion at the state of Dulkis , Balan seems surprised . The Doctor candidly explains that they are travellers through space , which Balan accepts . Kando tells them that the only nuclear blast on the island was an experiment conducted 172 years ago , after which all weapons were banned on Dulkis and the island was kept as an observation area for researchers and students as well as a warning for future generations of the danger of atomic energy . However , why there is no radiation is a mystery to them all . Toba and Rago argue about Toba ' s bloodthirsty ways . Toba informs Rago that the Quarks have marked out their site for the drilling . They go to examine it . Cully has found the TARDIS , which happens to be right next to the area the Quarks have set out for the drilling . As Toba and Rago approach , Cully hides behind the TARDIS . He overhears that Rago wants to destroy the TARDIS before he slips away . Rago tells Toba to stop being so eager to destroy . Teel is out examining the museum when he encounters Cully , whom he knows from the mainland . Cully demands to be taken to the survey team . As Teel and Cully leave , Rago and Toba examine the museum . Rago sees the weapons and assumes that the Dulcians must have much more sophisticated weapons now . He is eager to go on a war footing . Balan suspects that the TARDIS might have absorbed the radiation , something the Doctor pooh poohs . Teel returns with Cully . Cully explains what ' s going on outside with Rago , Toba , and the robots . Balan starts to think that Cully is playing a joke and that the Doctor and his colleagues are in on it , too . It is revealed that Cully is the son of the Director , Senex , and is also a bit of a hell - raiser . Balan refuses to believe Cully . The Doctor enquires about the people ' s ship . He says he ' s seen a round one and a square one ( the TARDIS ) that the men were examining and going to destroy . The Doctor and Jamie rush out . Rago and Toba are ready to begin the drilling process . Balan refuses to believe Cully and wants to report to Senex before he does anything ; however , the robots outside are blocking communications . Cully speaks to Zoe . He is infuriated by the slow - witted attitude of the Dulcian people , including his father . The Doctor and Jamie have made it to the TARDIS and are relieved to see that it is fine . The Doctor finds the marks on the ground that signal the site is to be used for drilling . He sees tracks in the dust , which he and Jamie follow . They discover the ship and set out exploring it . Jamie soon shouts for the Doctor ' s attention . Up on top of a peak stand two robots with rectangular bodies and circular heads — the Quarks . As Rago joins the Quarks , they ask him , " Shall we destroy ? " Episode 2 . The Quarks manhandle the Doctor and Jamie into their ship . Jamie tries to stand up for himself , but both he and the Doctor are magnetised to a wall using molecular force binding . The Dominators tell them that they intend to probe their physiological makeup . The wall to which Jamie is attached becomes a table , and he is examined . He is judged to have a brittle skeletal structure , reasonable flexibility , and a certain amount of muscle force . The Dominators say that he is vulnerable as he has only one heart and that he has a simple brain , albeit one that shows signs of recent rapid learning . They decide not to examine the Doctor as he will be the same as Jamie . Rago wants to destroy them , but Toba wants to keep them for slave labour , allowing the Quarks to recharge . They squabble about this . Toba orders a test of their reactions , starting with the Doctor . Balan tries to contact Senex , but the line is still bad . Senex says he will examine the strangers in the capital . Kando reassures Zoe that everything will be alright ; Zoe and Cully set off for the capital in a travel capsule . The Doctor overhears Rago and Toba talking about an intelligence test and isn ' t sure whether the desired result is intelligence or stupidity . Eight minutes after they set off , Zoe and Cully arrive at the capital . They interrupt the meeting of the Dulcian counsel being chaired by Bovem . Cully wants to share his news from the island and introduces Zoe as someone from another planet . He is met with scorn by the counsellors . Bovan insults Cully and is overheard by Senex as he enters the room . Senex clears the room to talk to Cully and Zoe privately . Senex assumes that Zoe must have been part of one of Cully ' s illegal tours . Cully expresses surprise that Senex was aware of the tours . Senex states it would have been embarrassing for himself if he were to have ordered his own son ' s arrest . Zoe sticks up for Cully and tells Senex about the TARDIS . Senex still thinks it all to be a joke . Cully tells Senex about all the things he ' s seen on the island , including the Dominators and the Quarks . Senex asks Zoe if she too has seen these things . Zoe confesses she hasn ' t . Toba sets up a very simple puzzle - solving task for the Doctor . The Doctor ' s hands are placed in a box which gives him an electric shock every ten seconds until he solves the puzzle . The Doctor plays dumb despite the pain . When he is released , the Doctor advises Jamie that they should play dumb in order to appear non - threatening to the Dominators . Jamie and the Doctor are both subjected to a second test where they are asked to sit in a seat whilst the immediate flooring around them is electrified . They , again , take the pain to come off as stupid . Toba assumes that all Dulcians must be this slow - witted . Rago enters and says he will take over the testing as he believes that people like this couldn ' t have built the weaponry they saw in the museum . He also sends a message out that the " material is readily accessible " . Kando wonders where the Doctor and Jamie are , whilst Teel shows Balan that the radiation has dropped to zero . Balan assumes that this means that radiation is only present in the atmosphere for 172 years after exposure . Rago has taken the Doctor and Jamie to the old museum and shows them the gun . He asks the Doctor to identify and fire it . He plays dumb . Jamie does the same . Rago fires the gun inches from the Doctor ' s head and orders him to tell them how these weapons came about . The Doctor states that the " Clever Ones " invented the guns . He adds that they don ' t like the Clever Ones as they boss them about . This explanation satisfies the Dominators . Toba wants to destroy them , but Rago sets them free on the proviso they keep out of the way . Left on their own , the Doctor and Jamie wonder what the Dominators could be and slip back to the research centre . Cully and Zoe decide they should go back to the island to gather more evidence . Cully is worried about Zoe ' s clothes being too conspicuous , so they go to the clothing dispenser unit in his father ' s quarters in order to get her some Dulcian clothing . The Doctor and Jamie , having returned to the research centre , are bundled into a pod and are off to the capital . They have told the team about the Dominators and the Quarks , though . Balan does not believe them , but Kando and Teel are unsure . They share their doubts with Balan . He takes them out to look , certain that nothing is there . Zoe , now in Dulcian garb , heads off to the capsule with Cully . The Quarks see Balan , Kando , and Teel approaching . They warn the Dominators . Toba wants to destroy the Dulcians but Rago decides they should investigate . Outside , the research team marvel at the craft . Balan still doubts Cully ' s version of events . Kando wants to investigate , and Balan agrees . As they explore the ship , the Quarks round on them . Balan is paralysed with a blast from the Quarks ' guns . They use their molecular force binder to examine Teel in the same way as they did Jamie earlier . They discover a greater brain power than that of Jamie and two hearts . The Dominators still don ' t see the Dulcians as a threat , but the variances bear up with the Doctor ' s statement that there are two different species on the planet . The Dominators head out to search for more Dulcians , hoping to build a slave labour force . Cully and Zoe begin the descent to the island . The Quarks have infiltrated the research centre and are recording their data . Cully and Zoe alight from the capsule to find the research centre abandoned . Outside , Toba and his Quarks discover the research centre . Toba orders its destruction . As the bombardment begins to destroy the building , Cully and Zoe try to escape , but they are trapped . Zoe screams as the building starts to come down around her ears . Episode 3 . Rago orders Toba to stop the destruction . Cully suspects that the destruction has been brought about by the robots . Rago orders that what is left of the research centre be searched and that any survivors be brought to him . Cully and Zoe cannot open the door ; it is stuck . Zoe suggests that they use the capsule , but Cully says the robots will easily pick them off in flight . The door opens and a Quark enters . At the capital , Bovem shows Jamie and the Doctor in . They are told that Zoe is no longer there and that Senex will explain further . Toba has brought Cully and Zoe for examination . Rago has found intelligence in his examination of Teel and now wants to test their physical capabilities . Rago orders that the Quarks go to the research centre to keep an eye on any new arrivals . Senex tells Jamie and the Doctor that Zoe has returned to the island . Jamie wants to go back with weapons , only to be told that the Dulcians have none as they are pacifist . Jamie is shocked and dismayed . Senex observes that Jamie ' s lack of understanding of Dulcian ways backs up Cully ' s story of them being from another planet . The Doctor confirms all that Cully has said . Jamie is restless and wants to return . Cully and Zoe are being held captive by a circle of Quarks surrounding them . Zoe has a plan to escape . Rago sends Balan , Kando , and Teel to be with Zoe and Cully to begin their testing . Toba wants permission to destroy any escapees . Rago denies this . Toba leads his captives away . Back in the capital , the Doctor has recounted his whole story to Senex and the council . The Doctor implores Senex to send someone to verify this story . Senex is very passive . He refuses to see the Dominators as any threat , citing the fact that they let the Doctor and Jamie go peacefully as a reason to remain unconcerned . The Doctor suggests that Senex contact Balan to obtain more news . When he does , they see the destruction of the research centre with a Quark standing in the rubble . The Doctor and Jamie rush off . It is not until they are in the capsule heading to the island that Jamie reminds the Doctor that they are heading precisely to the building where the Quark awaits them . Meanwhile on the island , Toba explains the task he expects his captives to complete . They are to clear the drilling site of any rocks or debris . If they refuse , they will be destroyed . Zoe and Cully plan their escape ; Balan and Kando are reluctant whilst Teel is unsure . The Doctor starts to deconstruct the capsule . He is forced to go right into the nose of the machine . A Quark reports back to Rago saying that all of the work party are fine apart from one female . Rago orders the Quark to keep on working them until they are all exhausted . Zoe explains that they are right by the museum in which there is a laser gun . If they were to get that gun , they could destroy the Quarks and escape . As they talk , Balan collapses . The Quarks order the others to continue working whilst Zoe takes Balan off to sit by the side . She tries to sneak into the museum but sees a Quark in the building and slips away . In the capsule , the Doctor thinks he has done it . He tries to direct the capsule and it wildly lurches to one side . Senex and his council have sent for Tensa , the Chairman of the Emergency Committee . He has decided that if the Dominators are aggressive , the Dulcians have three options : fight , submit , or flee . All three of these prove unacceptable to the council , so they pick a fourth option : wait . The Doctor and Jamie have landed undetected . They go off in search of Zoe . Cully and Zoe conspire . Teel tells them that there is a bomb shelter nearby where they can hide if they escape . High above the pit , the Doctor and Jamie overlook the proceedings . They decide to split up and go around to the back . Zoe and Cully decide to put their plan into action . Cully fakes an injury . The Quarks send him to where the other exhausted captives have gone . He sneaks away into the museum and gets the gun . On cue , Zoe pretends to faint . The Quarks gather around her . Cully lines up the shot . However , before he can fire , Jamie comes up behind him and stops him , not understanding what is going on . By the time Cully lines up the shot again , it is too late . With all the captives exhausted , the Quarks lead them back to the Dominator ship . They realise that Cully is missing . The Doctor is discovered by Toba . As they talk , Toba sees the returning Quarks are missing a captive . He puts the Doctor in amongst the prisoners and goes to seek Cully out . Cully and Jamie are waiting in the museum for the Doctor . Toba turns up . Jamie grabs the gun . Toba orders the Quarks to destroy the museum . Jamie shoots a Quark as the building falls down around him . A beam falls on Cully . Jamie grabs him and escapes out of the museum . As the building is completely destroyed , Toba grins . . . Episode 4 . The Quarks report the destruction of the museum to Rago , who loses his temper . Rago orders that the prisoners are to be sent to clear the site for the mining , with the exception of the " inferior " Doctor and Zoe . Once the prisoners have gone , Rago questions Toba ' s service . Toba sticks up for himself , but Rago says he plans to report him to the fleet commander . Toba retorts he will do the same . Rago threatens Toba with execution , calling a Quark over . Rago gives Toba two choices : molecular destruction or submission . Toba backs down . When alone with the Doctor and Zoe , Rago says that they are to be questioned about Dulkis . When Toba arrives at the drilling site , he orders Kando and Teel to continue clearing the area and leaves with Balan . Left alone , Kando and Teel wonder about the fate of Jamie and Cully . Jamie and Cully have found their way into an underground bunker . Cully wants to wait for Balan . Jamie tries the hatch , but it is blocked with debris . They realise that it is getting stuffy in the bunker ; the ventilation shafts must be blocked , too . They will soon run out of oxygen . Zoe is threatened by Rago as he demands answers from the Doctor . He wants to know about Senex and where he is based . He plans to take his own ship to go and see Senex , but the Doctor tells him about the modified capsule . Rago goes to discuss this with the fleet commander . The Doctor explains to Zoe that if Rago takes the capsule , it will allow them to investigate the ship and find Jamie . Rago returns and orders the Doctor to take him to the capsule . Balan has been taken to help two Quarks with the drilling . They report that Toba has been ordered to seek Rago . Rago finds the capsule primitive but suitable . Toba arrives , and Rago explains the plan to him . Toba is in charge whilst Rago is gone ; Toba is not to kill anyone in Rago ' s absence . Whilst the Dominators are distracted , Zoe informs the Doctor of the underground shelter . Toba interrupts and leads them away . Jamie and Cully are desperately forcing the hatch with a ladder . They eventually break through and climb up . They duck out of sight of the two Quarks that are guarding Teel and Kando . Jamie plans an attack on the Quarks . The two of them split up . There are nine Quarks altogether : five at the main site and four more at the drilling sites . Jamie has formed a plan . A Quark reports to Toba that drilling is almost at completion . The Doctor needs to know for what they are drilling and yearns for a diversion to allow the Quark that is guarding them to leave . Jamie , standing on a cliff top , chucks rocks at the Quark that is supervising Balan . The Quark tries to shoot Jamie but misses . Jamie runs and is pursued by the Quark . When Jamie gets into a ravine , Cully pushes a massive boulder down the steep drop and destroys the Quark . The destruction of the Quark registers at the main ship . Toba runs off to investigate , accompanied by the Quark that was guarding the Doctor and Zoe . The Doctor suggests that the destruction was caused by Jamie . The Doctor begins to investigate the ship , looking for its power source . He soon discovers it runs on radioactive material , which explains the disappearance of the radioactivity in the atmosphere . The discovery does , however , raise the question as to what the Dominators are drilling for . Toba questions Balan as to who destroyed the Quark . He claims to have no knowledge of the matter . Toba orders the Quarks to destroy any unknown being they come across . The Dulcian council are still discussing what to do when Rago enters . Rago starts to demand answers from Senex . Tensa stands up for Senex . Rago warns him to be silent , but Tensa continues to challenge him . When Tensa doesn ' t back down , Rago orders his destruction . The Quark kills Tensa . Rago orders that all Dulcains are to be rounded up and enslaved ; those that survive will return to the Dominators ' planet . He points to Tensa ' s death as a warning against any further outcries . Back on the island , Toba questions Teel and Kando . Toba grabs Kando and starts to hurt her . Teel attacks him . Toba gets a Quark to torture Teel as he asks about who has been attacking them . He only stops when Kando says that she suspects the destruction was caused by Cully . Toba thinks Cully is dead but realises that there is another on the island : the " stupid one " , Jamie . In the ship , the Doctor questions Balan as to where they got their radioactive materials when they built the bomb . Balan says it was the other side of the planet . This answers no questions for the Doctor . Why are the Dominators drilling here ? And why are they drilling in this pattern of four in a square with one in the middle ? Toba enters with the rest of the prisoners . He demands to know where Jamie is and states he will kill each of them , one by one , until they tell him . He kills Balan to prove his point . Next up is the Doctor . Episode 5 . Rago stops Toba just as he threatens the Doctor . Rago is furious that the drilling has stopped . He orders that the rockets need to be in place and commands the placement of the " seed device " . Rago recalls the Quarks from searching for Jamie in order to continue drilling . Jamie and Cully are being chased by Quarks across the Dulcian plains . The Quarks are closing in , but suddenly they withdraw . Surprised but relieved , Jamie and Cully decide to go back to the shelter . Once there , Jamie and Cully unblock the ventilation shaft and the periscope , then enter . Using the periscope , they see the Doctor and his colleagues being led away by the Quarks whilst another group of Quarks are being ordered by Toba to continue the drilling . Jamie wants to rescue his friends . When Cully asks how he plans to do so , Jamie mysteriously picks up a sheet from the nearby bunk . Toba begins the drilling . While being held captive with his friends , the Doctor sees Jamie approaching , brandishing a twisted - up sheet . Jamie approaches a Quark from behind and ties its feet together . The Doctor calls the Quark over and it topples over . Jamie sits on the Quark whilst Cully covers it with a sheet . Their friends run off into the shelter . The Quark ' s distress call alerts Toba , who stops the drilling and goes to investigate . He is enraged when he finds everyone gone . Yet again he orders the Quarks to search and destroy , but Rago immediately countermands this order and commands the Quarks to continue drilling . Rago pacifies Toba by saying that the Dulcians won ' t escape for long as they will soon die with their planet . Under the ground , the Doctor and Jamie have overheard this worrying conversation between the Dominators . They relay this information to the rest . The Doctor has finally figured out what the Dominators are planning . Using the four outer drilling sites , they intend on firing four rockets into the centre of the planet and its molten core , thus creating a volcano . The middle bore hole is for the seed device which will explode in the centre of the volcano , destroying the planet and producing enough atomic energy for the Dominator ship to be fully powered . The only way to stop this is to defuse the seed device , but there is no way of reaching it . Jamie comes up with a plan whereby they dig a hole from the shelter to the central bore hole and intercept the seed device when the Dominators drop it down . Worried about time , the Doctor starts construction on the hole right away . He uses his sonic screwdriver to blast through the wall of the shelter in order to get them started . Jamie and Cully offer to buy them time by going out and destroying some more Quarks . The Doctor tells them to wait as he wants to see if he can create a weapon for them . Rago announces that the rockets are in place . Toba states that drilling will be finished on schedule . Using a medical kit he has found in the shelter , the Doctor has constructed a homemade grenade that Jamie and Cully can use against the Quarks . Once outside , Jamie and Cully make a bee line for the drilling site . En route , they use the grenades to destroy three Quarks , doing a great deal of damage . The destruction of the Quarks registers in the Dominator ship , and Rago goes to investigate . Toba overhears the distress call of the Quarks but decides to follow orders and continue drilling . Using the periscope , Zoe sees that Toba hasn ' t stopped drilling . The diggers redouble their efforts . Toba berates Rago for not letting him destroy the prisoners when they had the chance . He informs Rago that the Quarks are running out of power but have enough to finish the drilling . Jamie and Cully approach the main drilling point . They see that they need to stop the drilling . Down in the shelter , the diggers are getting ever closer to the drill shaft . They are shaken by a huge explosion . The drill has been knocked out of its hole , and a Quark has been destroyed . Rago takes another Quark with him in search of the vandals . Toba continues the drilling . As they run off , Jamie and Cully find themselves surrounded . They scarper up a hill , hoping that the Quarks cannot follow . Rago orders their destruction . The Quarks warn their power is too low for accuracy , then fire . Cully is hit , but he is paralysed rather than killed due to the weak strength of the Quarks ' lasers . The Quarks draw in . The diggers can hear the drill in the tunnel . They stop digging temporarily when Jamie returns with Cully . The Doctor says that Cully ' s paralysis will only be temporary . The drilling from above stops . They rush to complete the tunnel . Toba tells Rago that the drilling is complete before going to fetch the seed device . Jamie breaks through into the shaft just in time . Zoe watches Rago drop the device into the shaft ; the Doctor is able to catch it . His joy is short - lived when he finds the device sealed . He needs to get it off the planet . He sends Jamie and Zoe to the TARDIS and tells Kando and Teel to go to the capsule . They need to fly to the capital and inform their people that there will be minor volcanic disruption on the island . He then rushes off . The Dominators begin their take - off procedure . The Doctor sprints across the Dulcian terrain . He enters the ship alongside the last Quark and places the device in the ship . He nearly gets caught in the doors as he exits but squeezes through . Minutes later , the ship takes off . Jamie and Zoe wait anxiously for the Doctor outside the TARDIS . He startles them by approaching from behind . The rockets explode and the ground begins to shake . In the ship , Rago sees the device . He orders Toba to stop the countdown . Toba begins to argue . . . and the ship explodes . The Doctor is very pleased with himself ; he reassures a still - agitated Jamie that the planet is safe since the formation of the volcano will now only affect the island . However , he abruptly realises he needs to get moving when Jamie reminds him that they aren ' t safe yet since they are still on the island . The Doctor is horrified when he sees that volcanic lava is flowing towards them . " The Dominators " was released on DVD in the United States in January 2011 , along with the Tom Baker serial " Meglos " . Home video and audio releases . BritBox streaming availability . This story is available for streaming through BritBox ( US ) as part of Season 6 of " Classic Doctor Who " . VHS releases . " The Dominators " was issued to VHS in 1990 in episodic format , with episodes four and five in the incomplete form in which they existed at the time ( see DVD releases above ) . Audio releases . " more information to be added "