The Claws of Axos ( TV story ) The Claws of Axos was the third story of season 8 of " Doctor Who " . It was the first story written by Bob Baker and Dave Martin , who would write for the series until the end of the 1970s and created K9 . " The Claws of Axos " was the third story in the season long " Master arc " and saw the introduction of Axos . Despite its popularity , Axos did not again appear in the " Doctor Who " universe until the " Doctor Who Magazine " comic story " The Golden Ones " in 2010 . Thus far it has not appeared in any other television stories , although it was mentioned on screen occasionally . This story ' s events led the Doctor to strike a deal with the Master , who was unusually placed in a position of distress . With his help , the Doctor was able to restore his TARDIS back to working order , only to discover the High Council of Time Lord s had programmed it to always return to Earth no matter how many times he could attempt to leave . He also revealed that the Time Lords had blocked his knowledge of dematerialisation theory . Synopsis . A group of gold - skinned aliens land on Earth and offer wondrous technology in exchange for fuel . The Doctor , however , isn ' t fooled , uncovering the Axons ' true nature and once again facing his arch enemy , the Master . . . Plot . Episode one . UNIT ' s radar control pick up what they think is a comet however it alters course and is on a collision with Earth . A large breathing aquatic looking creature approaches Earth . Mr Chinn - the head of a committee inquiry into UNIT - is demanding to see papers in relation to the Doctor . The Brigadier insists that he is personally responsible for the Doctor . Chinn loses his temper and the Doctor walks in . Jo is talking to an American man who has been sent to UNIT to track down and deal with the Master . The Doctor and Chinn argue with regards to his identification . Jo walks in and introduces Bill Filer and his reason for being there . The Doctor insists that there is no point in discussing the Master . Chinn wants to know who the Master is but Filer says it is classified , much to the annoyance of Chinn . An alarm goes off and Yates informs the Brigadier of the UFO . It is now 500 miles away . The Brigadier , accompanied by Chinn , rush to the radar rooms . Chinn rushes off to ring the Ministry - much to the relief of the Brigadier . The Doctor has no idea what it is but notes that it has variable mass and appears to be heading for the South East coast . A tramp picks through rubbish on the seashore . Chinn tells the Brigadier that the Ministry wants UNIT to be linked up with the missile strike force . The Brigadier complies . Chinn says that they will destroy the UFO as soon as he gives the word . The Doctor questions the Brigadier about this policy . Corporal Bell informs the Brigadier of freak weather conditions such as snow and dense fog on the South East coast . The tramp wades through rubbish in a snowy terrain UNIT have scattered all aircraft to avoid the UFO . Chinn orders the missile strike . Yates reports they have lost contact with the UFO . The Doctor points out that the warheads need to be destroyed . Panicked , Chinn aborts the missiles and destroys them in midair . The tramp cycles across the snowy landscape . UNIT still have no trace of the UFO . The Doctor points out that it has probably landed . The tramp is disoriented by a bright light and cycles into a river . When he comes out he notices he is by the Nucton Power Complex . Chinn is worried that this hostile force is threatening the power supply . The Brigadier sends all UNIT forces to the scene . Chinn places himself in charge . Filer asks where he should go . Chinn says that if he doesn ' t leave he will have him arrested . The Brigadier sticks up for him but Chinn leaves . The tramp finds the UFO and explores it . A hatch opens . A tendril comes out and pulls him in . Filer is in his car listening to the radio to find out where the UFO landed . Inside the UFO , the tramp is being analysed . They register his locomotor facility as normal , his sensory receptors as acute but his intelligence as atypical . Filer finds the tramp ' s bike and follows it to the UFO . The tramp is valueless and the disembodied voice says he is to be absorbed , processed and ejected . Filer examines the UFO . He sees the UNIT forces approaching . The tendril grabs him and pulls him in . UNIT sets up camp around the UFO . Filer is analysed inside the UFO . The Brigadier is introduced to Sir George Hardiman , who runs the Nucton Power Complex , and Winser , his head of research . Winser dissuades the Brigadier from attacking so close to the complex . Sir George agrees . Chinn says he has called for the artillery . The Doctor mocks his hardheaded viewpoint . The Doctor thinks a majority of the UFO is buried underground . The UNIT scientists pick up something that sounds like a heartbeat . Filer is classified as intelligent , aggressive and possibly dangerous . He is to be held for further investigation . The craft beams a message to the UNIT ship saying that they are from Axos and that their fuel systems have been exhausted . They request immediate assistance . The Doctor tells Chinn that this does not sound like his hostile force . Chinn still wants to attack . The Doctor says they should go and explore . Winser agrees . Jo is to stay behind with Yates as the rest of them explore the craft . As the men approach the craft the hatch opens . They all go in and the hatch closes behind them . Benton reports to Yates that he has found a body . They rush off to investigate . They find the body of the tramp . It glows ; pure white and iridescent . Whilst the soldiers are distracted , Jo sneaks out . The Doctor and his party explore the craft . Unbeknownst to them they are being watched . A high pitched trilling noise begins . Jo approaches the craft . The hatch opens . The Doctor is analysed . He is classified as non - typical and extraterrestrial and is to be investigated . The Doctor , crippled by the examination , calls for help . Jo enters the craft . The Doctor is released from the analysis . They continue to investigate . Filer awakens . He is trapped under the weight of tendrils . He calls for help . He looks up to see that the Master is trapped alongside him . Jo hears the shouts of Filer . The party comes across some golden figures who approach them calmly . They say they are from the outer rim of the galaxy . Their planet , Axos , was crippled by a solar flare . They explain that science on Axos has taken an organic path and that the craft they stand in was grown from a single cell - however their nutrient is exhausted . They wish to stay until their nutrition and energy cycle is fully replenished . In return they will give the people of Earth Axonite . Jo looks for Filer . The figures explain that Axonite is the source of their growth technology and has the ability to absorb , convert , transmit and programme all energy . The Doctor says if this is the case how come the radiation from the solar flares effected them . He is told it was too late . The figures go on to say that Axonite is the chameleon of elements and can copy and recreate substances . The Doctor asks if this is the case how they ran out of fuel . He gets no answer . The Master introduces himself to Filer . As a demonstration , the figures inject Axonite into a frog . It expands . They explain how it would alleviate food shortages . They reverse the frog back to normal size . Winser is blown away . Chinn says that mankind must have it . As Jo continues to look for Filer a creature appears . She screams . Episode two . The Doctor hears Jo scream and they all run off to see if she ' s ok except for Chinn who is more worried about the Axonite . Jo has fainted . The Brigadier berates her for following them into the craft . She says she heard Filer and saw a creature . The Axonits say that she is close to the organic power cells and she must be hallucinating . Jo is convinced that is not the case . Filer tries to use his gun to break out . The Master points out a ganglion on the wall that is the nerve centre . If it is hit it will disorientate that section of the ship for a while . Filer hits it and they are freed . Chinn orders everyone out of UNIT ' s mobile HQ and contacts the Ministry . The Minister clearly dislikes Chinn . Sir George and the Doctor discuss Axonite . The Doctor says he wants to experiment on it in their labs . Chinn is told to sort the issue or get the sack . The Master is recaptured . He argues that he has upheld his end of the bargain . Filer is lead away to the Replication Sector . Chinn agrees with the aliens that the Axonite is to be controlled by Britain . They agree as long as it has worldwide distribution . They hand over a sample , as the Axon Woman reverts to her true form under the Eye of Axos ' orders . When Chinn presents the Axonite to the Brigadier he demands that he hand it over . Chinn refuses until the Brigadier pulls his gun on him . The Brigadier leads them all out of the craft into the mobile HQ . They are faced with the army . Chinn explains that the army has taken over and that all of UNIT are under arrest . Chinn gets the Axonite back and the Brigadier is out under twenty four hour armed guard . Filer is going through some sort of process in the craft . The Doctor is wondering what is going on . He tries to think about what the link is between the creature and Filer in the craft . The process continues . Jo explains to the Doctor about the tramp and the fact that his body has now disintegrate . The Doctor speculates about Filer . Jo refuses to consider that he might be dead . She says they should search the craft . Chinn , who has been eavesdropping on this , blocks it . Filer is duplicated . Jo argues with Chinn but he still blocks it . Jo is arrested and the Doctor is confined to the lab under the protection of Winser . The Axonites are in cahoots with the Master . He led them to Earth in return for the destruction of the Doctor and all life on Earth . An Axonite says that in order to get maximum nutrient value from the Earth , Axonite must circle the world in seventy two hours . The Master says he can help with this . The Axonites have lost trust in the Master as he did not tell them that the Doctor was also a Time Lord . Filer is thrown into the room and collapses . Winser is showing the Doctor around his lab . He shows him a Light Accelerator that he thinks might be the first step towards time travel . The Doctor says he has already cracked this . The Axonite controller tells the replicated Filer to find the Doctor and bring him to the craft . Winser is in disbelief . The Doctor offers to show him his TARDIS . He believes the Axonite might fix his ship . Filer awakens . He is trapped but manages to free himself . Winser is horrified that the Doctor thinks they should use the expensive Light Accelerator to analyse the Axonite . Winser intends to do it the old fashioned way . Filer escapes from where he is being held . The Master pleads his case for being allowed to help the Axonite cause . They analyse him as having the ability but are concerned about his motivation . They decide that he can help but they will retain his TARDIS . Filer overhears all this . As the Master is freed , an alarm goes off alerting the Axonites to the escape of Filer . The Master sneaks out of the craft . A UNIT soldier sees him and the Master kills him . Filer sneaks out of the craft unseen . Winser is unable to analyse the Axonite . The Doctor says it is revisiting analysis and that particle acceleration is the only answer . He offers his TARDIS for this process . The Master jumps atop a UNIT lorry and hypnotises the driver . The replicated Filer enters the lab and grabs the Doctor . He is resistant to Venusian Karate . He knocks the Doctor out . The real Filer enters and tries to shoot his doppelgänger but he is resistant . The two fight . Eventually the replicated Filer is forced into the Light Accelerator and disintegrates . The Master orders the driver to load the Doctor ' s TARDIS into the lorry . The Doctor tells the Brigadier about the replicated Filer . Filer tells off the fact that the Master is involved and that he has said that the Axonite are scavengers and that there is no Axos . The army burst in and say that they have been bugging their conversation . The Doctor is now to be confined to the lab . The Master sneaks in to the radio room and tells a soldier to send a message to the UN . Confined to the lab , the Doctor decides to use the Light Accelerator . He records the process . As he begins the Axonite starts to smoke . Inside the craft the creatures are effected . The Nutrition Cycle has begun prematurely . Filer knocks out the guards that are keeping watch if them and frees himself , the Brigadier and Jo . Jo and Filer go to look for the Doctor . They find the Doctor in distress . The Axonite is absorbing the reactor to fuel it ' s growth . Winser bursts in , furious for the Doctor using his equipment . He tries to open the Light Accelerator and is electrocuted . His body immediately disintegrates . The Doctor realises that everything is made of the same element ; the creatures , the craft and the Axonite . He also realises that he has activated it . They are soon surrounded by membranous creatures formed by the Axonite who start to pursue him . Episode three . Filer is shot by a tendril from one of the Axonites . They reenergise and re - personalise into the golden figures . They hypnotise the Doctor and Jo and take them back to the craft . The Brigadier is trying to get a message to the UN but is confused when he is told a similar message has already been sent out . The army guard enters and tells him to hang up the phone but the Brigadier says he should check his orders . Sir George and Chinn run into the lab . An Axonite tells them that Winser was killed by radiation and that it came to help but it was too late . It says that if anymore unsanctioned experiments take place they will withdraw their offer . Jo and the Doctor are held by the tendrils in the ship . The army captain tries to tell Chinn something but he won ' t listen . The Axonite says they don ' t know where the Doctor and Jo are . They find Filer in a coma and take him to the medical wing . The Axons explain that the Axonite was a bait for human greed . Their plan was for it to spread across the planet and then they can begin their nutrition cycle ; consuming every particle of Earth ' s energy and sucking the planet dry . The Ministry have put the Brigadier back in charge . He sends out UNIT forces to find the Doctor and Jo . The creatures tell the Doctor they have 72 hours to reenergise . The Doctor thanks Chinn for trying to keep in Britain . The Ministry contacts Chinn and says that the UN know of the Axonite and want it deployed around the world . Chinn is order to do this immediately or be sacked . He organises the air transport . Filer is in hospital muttering about Axonite , danger and distribution . The TARDIS arrives at the Nutton Power Complex alongside a figure from the army who tells Yates he is here for a surprise inspection . When left alone , it is revealed to be the Master in disguise . He heads straight for the lab and enters the TARDIS . Filer mutters about help and finding the Master . The Master looks at the butchered TARDIS console . The Doctor is tortured . The Axonites want the secret of time travel to expand their field range . He insists he is not a Time Lord . The Master thinks he might get the TARDIS working again . The Doctor refuses to help . He is tortured again . The Axonites age Jo in front of his eyes . He begs them to stop . He says that he cannot defy the laws of time but he will show them . They reverse the ageing process . The Brigadier wants distribution to stop until they find the Doctor . The Axonites refuse and order to see the state of the distribution . The Doctor telepathically passes on the equation for time travel and the power requirements . They confirm the data and the Doctor tells them they won ' t have enough power to facilitate it . The Axonites tell him to add in the power from Nutton Power Complex . He realises that will be enough but says they can ' t just walk in . They disagree . Chinn tells the Axonite that Axonite is on its way to every major capital city and scientific institution in the world . The Axonite receives orders to depersonalise , locate and enter the main reactor and establish a link to transmit power . It walk out on a confused Chinn . Filer tells the Brigadier what actually happened . The Brigadier goes to tell Chinn . He is followed by Filer . The Brigadier sees the Axonite mid - transformation and pursues it . He sees the Axonite attack and kill three UNIT soldiers on its way reactor . It enters the main furnace . The Brigadier returns and tells Sir George to check the main reactor . The readings are up . The Master is thwarted in his attempts to get the TARDIS working . There is no power and no stabiliser . He manages to get the scanner working , which gives him an idea . Sir George says that if the Axonite walked into the reactor it must be dead . They see the Master in the lab . He enters the Light Accelerator . The Brigadier sends for more men and they sneak up on him until he is surrounded . He tries to run but there is nowhere to go . He is disarmed and handcuffed . He says he wanted to steal the TARDIS to escape . Sir George says that the reactor is about to go critical . The Master explains what is happening and offers his services in exchange for freedom . The Brigadier refuses but Sir George stresses how dangerous an explosion it would be . The Brigadier complies . The Master ' s plan is to stack up power from the Light Accelerator into the TARDIS , channel it back into the Accelerator and boost the power that the Axonites are expecting back at them in one huge surge . Filer enters and pulls a gun on the Master . The Brigadier calls him off . The Doctor watches as the power builds up and the Axonites prepare to enter the time field . Suddenly the power supply starts to drop . As the Axonites become disoriented the Doctor sneaks out . He is briefly caught by the tendrils but breaks free . Sir George is having second thoughts about the Master ' s plan . The Master tells him he has to take the risk . The Doctor frees Jo . The Master is ready to pull the switch that will start the surge . Filer asks about the Doctor and Jo . The Master says that they will die . The Brigadier stops him . The Master says that either they destroy the Axonites or the Axonites destroy the world . The Brigadier walks away . The Master pulls the switch . The craft rocks and shakes as the Doctor and Jo fall to the ground . Episode four . Sir George reports that the Light Accelerator is registering well over maximum . The Master boosts the surge through the TARDIS . The Doctor and Jo are chased by Axonites . As they run the floor starts to disintegrate . The Doctor says that they are suffering from electro - convulsions as their is an electrical storm in the ship ' s brain . Jo starts to freak out but the Doctor focuses her brain using maths . They manage to escape . The Master thinks he has solved everything and goes to leave in the TARDIS . The Brigadier stops him . The Axonites have reversed the power flow and are feeding it all back into the Light Accelerator . The Axonites are trying to set about destroying the Light Accelerator . Sir George evacuates the Accelerator sector and tells the Brigadier that he intends on disconnecting the cables alone . The rest watch in as he attempts to do it . He removes the wires but in the last minute is thrown across the room due to a huge power surge . In the confusion , the Master tries to escape but is stopped by the Doctor . The Doctor tells them that the Nutrition Cycle is still ready to begin . Once it has started Axos will grow until everything is consumed . The Doctor wants to use the lab ' s computers for some calculations . The Brigadier is going to keep a watch on the craft . The Doctor wants the Master ' s help and says he will use his weapon on him if needs be . The Brigadier sets up a perimeter around the craft . Yates places a camera for the Brigadier to observe . Chinn enters and wants to get in touch with the Ministry . The Brigadier blocks him and tells him that Sir George is dead . Filer is concerned that the Master and the Doctor are plotting . He is suspicious as to why they have insisted that they work alone . Inside the TARDIS , the Doctor confides in the Master that there is no plan . He says that the Master should mend the TARDIS and that they should both escape and leave earth to Axos . The Doctor says that if he doesn ' t help he will hand him over to UNIT and they will all die together . The Master asks why the Doctor cannot escape himself and the Doctor admits that the Time Lords have put a block on his knowledge of dematerialisation theory . The Master agrees . He says he can use the trigger from the Light Accelerator to compensate for the deficiencies in the Doctor ' s dematerialisation circuit . The Doctor leaves the Master to fix the TARDIS while he goes to calculate a course . He takes a part of the circuit to act as insurance . The Axonites activate their Nutrition Cycles . The ship rises up out of the Earth . Yates is withdrawn . The Axonites try and stop his withdrawal . He drives through some of them and then is forced off the road . Finally he is blocked by a felled tree . The Axonites ambush the lorry . The UNIT forces manage to knock one of them off but then use a grenade to destroy the vehicle with the Axonites clinging on to it . The Doctor says he has finished his course calculations . Filer asks where he is going . The Doctor confirms he is abandoning them . Filer pulls out a gun but the Doctor disarms him with the Master ' s gun . Everyone else enters and the Doctor bids them farewell and enters the TARDIS . Jo begs for the Doctor to come out as it begins to dematerialise . UNIT Forces enter and take refuge from the Axonite onslaught . The Doctor starts the rematerilisation process before the TARDIS has been entered space time . He orders the Master outside . They are back in the Axonite ship . The Doctor offers the Axonites an alliance . They will join forces against the Time Lord High Council for the gift of time travel . The Doctor says he will fuse the TARDIS ' s drive circuits with the drive circuits of Axos and therefore fuse the two ships together . The Master wants to leave but there is a forcefield around his TARDIS . The Axonites are gaining entrance to the lab . The UNIT soldiers are preparing their weapons . All of a sudden they stop . A bolt of electricity comes through the door which reenergises the Light Accelerator . It sets about overloading . As the Doctor is fusing the TARDIS to Axos , the Master realises that he has put the TARDIS into a time loop . At the same time all of the systems between Earth and Axos are disconnected and the Nutrition Cycle is incomplete . The Master rushes out and says that the Doctor is committing suicide and taking them all with him as once they enter the time loop they will never get out . The Axonites enter the lab and set about destroying the UNIT soldiers . All looks lost . Outside the Axonite ship disappears . Inside the lab , one by one , the Axonites disappear . The Doctor is joined by the Axonites in the time loop . He tries to break through and Free himself . The Light Accelerator is still building . The Brigadier orders evacuation . The TARDIS rematerialises into an empty lab . The Doctor emerges and as soon as he does the lab starts to fall apart . He re enters his TARDIS . The Brigadier , Jo and UNIT watch from a distance . The TARDIS dematerialises . The Power Complex explodes . The Brigadier , Jo and UNIT return to the wreckage . As they explore the TARDIS rematerialises . The Doctor explains what he did to save the world . He struggles to explain the concept of a time loop to the Brigadier . Filer asks after the Master . The Doctor hopes he is trapped in the time loop too but cannot be certain . The Brigadier asks if he meant to return to Earth . He initially says he did but when pressed he says that the Time Lords have rigged his TARDIS so that he will always return to Earth - like a galactic yo - yo . Home video and audio releases . DVD releases . This story was released as " Doctor Who : The Claws of Axos " . Released : Contents : Notes : DVD special edition . As with numerous serials released on DVD prior to 2007 , " The Claws of Axos " was ultimately chosen for a special edition . This DVD was released on 22 October 2012 . Doctor Who DVD Files . It was released as issue 97 of " Doctor Who DVD Files " . Digital releases . This story is available :