The Macra Terror ( TV story ) The Macra Terror was the seventh story in season 4 of " Doctor Who " . With this serial , the opening sequence used since the first episode was updated , now including a photo still of Patrick Troughton ' s head appearing and disappearing in the titles . It was the first story to feature the lead actor ' s face in the opening title sequence , a tradition that carried on to the final episode of the classic series and return with " The Snowmen " in the revived format . Currently , all four episodes are missing from the BBC Archives . Synopsis . When the Second Doctor , Polly , Ben and Jamie visit a human colony that appears to be one big holiday camp , they think they have come across a truly happy place . Yet a shadowy presence soon makes them realise that the surface contentment is carefully controlled . The colony ' s inhabitants have been brainwashed by giant , crab - like creatures — the Macra . Insidious propaganda , broadcast by the Controller , forces the humans to mine a gas that is essential for the Macra to survive , but fatal to them . The colony must be saved — but how ? The Doctor and his team are up against it , particularly when Ben falls under the influence of the Macra . Can he be rescued from their evil clutches ? Can the gas pumping equipment be destroyed , getting rid of the Macra for good ? Plot . Episode 1 . A drum majorette and a futuristic band rehearse for a festival performance . The Pilot of the colony compliments Barney , the band ' s leader , but their idyllic conversation is disrupted when Medok , another colony member , bursts through half - crazed and escapes outside . Ola , the Chief of Police , and several guards pursue him . Ola explains that Medok has " refused treatment " . The Pilot is suddenly deadly serious ; Medok must not get away . In the wilderness outside the colony , Medok takes cover in rocks to hide from the oncoming guards . As they pass him , the TARDIS materialises , and the Doctor , Ben , Polly and Jamie tentatively step out , wary of the huge claw they saw on the time scanner . Medok attacks , but Ben and Jamie subdue him as Ola and guards arrive . They tie up Medok . Ola thanks them for apprehending their convict and welcomes the strangers , inviting them to meet their Pilot , who will want to thank them for their help . As the music chimes , signalling a work - shift change , the Pilot offers his gratitude to the strangers . He sends them to the Refreshing Department . Jamie hangs back , suspicious , but follows with Polly . As they arrive , a picture of a man appears on a large screen and a friendly , commanding voice welcomes them . The Pilot explains this is the colony ' s Controller , then takes his leave as Barney offers the four travellers the hospitality of the Department : shampoos , clothes cleaning , beauty treatments etc . As Ola roughly accompanies Medok back into the colony , Medok ' s old friend Questa sees him . Questa has heard he ' s been seeing things . Medok corrects him : there " are " things , horrible creatures coming out at night . The Controller announces a reception to welcome the strangers . Questa asks Medok to join in like he used to . As Medok spews more dangerous talk , Ola drags him away . At the prison , the Doctor manages to break into Medok ' s cell and talk to him . He ' s curious about what Medok has seen , but Medok is suspicious of this stranger . He mentions creatures he has seen at night that crawl over the ground . Medok takes his chance , pushes the Doctor and escapes . An alarm bell sounds and the Doctor explains his actions to the Pilot and Ola . Ola wants to send the Doctor to " work in the pits " , but the Doctor is saved by his ignorance of colony laws and the fact that he caught Medok in the first place . He casually mentions people crawling over the colony to Ola , who warns him his talk might end him up in the hospital " for correction " . The Pilot is eager for the strangers to learn more about the colony . He tells Ola to bring them to the Labour Centre . En route , they pass though a construction area where new homes are being built . The Doctor spots Medok hiding in the site , but says nothing . At the Labour Centre , the Controller informs the work force of the escaped prisoner . The travellers ask about the work being done , but the answers are vague : they tap and refine gas , but can ' t describe what they use the gas for . Suddenly two workers stagger in with " gas sickness " . Ola and Questa brush it off , saying the work must be done . Polly is surprised and doubtful , then notices the Doctor is gone . The Doctor has slipped away to find Medok back at the construction site and questions him more about the creatures he ' s seen — giant insects with huge claws . Others have seen them too , but they get locked up in the hospital . Another alarm sounds , and Medok sends the Doctor back . The others are relieved to find the Doctor , as curfew is announced . Barney shows the travellers to their sleeping cubicles in the Refreshing Department but , as soon as it is quiet , the Doctor slips out to find Medok again . As he does , the Controller informs the colony that all people seen out of their sleeping compartments risk their lives . As Ola and the guards patrol , the Doctor evades them and finds Medok . They hole themselves up in a half - completed house . They seem surrounded , but the Doctor finds an escape hatch . While he helps Medok escape , Medok spots one of the crab - like creatures below them . Episode 2 . Medok is excited to have seen the creature with the Doctor , thinking he can prove he wasn ' t " seeing things " . His shouts bring Ola and the guards to them , and Ola completely dismisses their claims . He brings the Doctor before the Pilot . The Pilot sees the Doctor individually . While the Doctor is impressed with the colony ' s technology , especially a piece of equipment that allows him to see the whole of the colony , the Pilot questions him about his " crime " . The Doctor starts to explain why he believes Medok , but Ola interrupts to report that Medok swears the Doctor was trying to make him give himself up . The Doctor is released back to the Refreshing Department , and Medok returns to the hospital for another round of treatment . The Controller commands that the strangers be given " the advantage of high - powered adaption " within their " deep sleep " to prevent any further criticism from them , making them more like other obedient colony members . The Pilot sets about this process . Jamie , Ben and Polly are already being brainwashed in their sleep . Jamie sleeps fitfully , and the thinking patterns do not take hold . He awakes and tries to alert Ben to voices he thinks he hears , but Ben argues him down , quoting passages from the brainwashing and saying that they will need to work in the morning . The Doctor arrives at Polly ' s cubicle and overhears her brainwashing . He shorts the circuits controlling this , which wakes Polly up . He makes her promise to disregard anything she may have dreamt about and ensure she always makes decisions carefully . The Doctor rushes off to Ben and Jamie ' s room and disconnects the machinery , but Ben is angered , saying it is an insult to the colony . He gets into a scuffle with Jamie but eventually leaves and reports the Doctor ' s crimes to Ola . The Doctor and Jamie are taken away . At the hospital , the Pilot is lamenting that Medok ' s treatment is failing and he ' ll probably have to be sent to the pits for life . Meanwhile , Polly angrily leaves the cubicles after arguing with Ben and runs to the construction site to avoid him . Ben follows and captures her , violently dragging her back towards the cubicles . Polly spots something in the distance and screams . She describes it as a creature like a large crab with huge claws . Ben sees nothing and is dubious until he spots something himself . A huge claw grabs Polly , and Ben fights it off . After a while , the creature retreats . After the release of Polly , they soon find themselves surrounded by Macra , but their nimble legs let them escape back to the colony . The Pilot confronts the Doctor about his actions , but the Doctor is proud of them . Seeing the Pilot also has a nerve circuit attached to his rest cubicle , the Doctor fuses that , too . Ben and Polly are also brought before the Pilot . Polly tells their harrowing tale , asking Ben for confirmation . Ben denies seeing any creatures , much to the consternation of Polly . The Doctor is convinced Ben has been brought under the evil influences at the heart of the colony . He and Jamie ask pointed questions regarding the Controller which start to get even the Pilot thinking about the true motives of his leader . This eventually forces the " Controller " to appear in person . An old , dishevelled man is put on the screen . He can barely speak and does not have the voice of the Controller ; however , he is clearly a much older version of the man portrayed as the Controller on screen . He is suddenly grabbed by a claw . He yells at the creature to get back and he ' ll obey , but to no advantage , and is dragged away . Polly then screams that the Macra are in control . Episode 3 . The Doctor , Jamie and Polly are condemned to pit labour in the " danger gang " . The Controller orders the Pilot to forget what he saw on the screen . The Pilot orders Ben to keep an eye on his friends . The three prisoners are brought to the pithead , where Officia is in charge . He recalls their shift leader , who turns out to be Medok . Medok demands they have a supervisor , and the Doctor and Polly squabble over who should go . Jamie casually suggests that the Doctor may be more " useful " up top . Jamie and Polly are given masks and sent down . While the Doctor studies the controls , he spots Ben and talks with him . Ben is completely under control , and the Doctor comments that this is very unlike him and that he should keep out of Jamie ' s way as he will be less forgiving There is soon a gas strike and the workers connect a large cable to stop a leak which causes one of their team to collapse . Medok tells Polly and Jamie that the gas is lethal and no - one knows what it ' s used for . Meanwhile , the Doctor is working out some calculations on the wall and is very pleased with his work . The Pilot finds him and accuses him of stealing a secret formula , but the Doctor insists he has worked it out on his own . The Pilot orders that he erase his work so that no one sees it . The workers probe for more gas . Jamie finds a door , and Polly comments that it ' s very new and strong . Officia meddles in some of Medok ' s work , and gas erupts in his face . Jamie uses the opportunity to steal Officia ' s keys . Ben sees this and helps Officia out of the shaft . Jamie and Polly worry that Ben saw the theft . Jamie uses the keys to enter the strong door , but Polly is called back by Medok to work . An alarm sounds and , when Polly tells Medok that Jamie has escaped , he follows him , leaving Polly . Up top , Officia realises his keys are gone , and Ben suggests he must have dropped them . When Officia leaves , Ben confesses to the Doctor that he knows Jamie took the keys but doesn ' t know why he didn ' t tell Officia . The Doctor says this is because he is recovering , but Ben leaves to tell the Pilot . While Medok searches for Jamie , he is attacked by a Macra . The Controller forbids the guards to be allowed into the old shaft ( where Jamie and Medok have gone ) . Jamie discovers Medok dead , then finds a very still Macra in front of him . He throws a piece of rock at the inert creature . It opens its eyes briefly but remains chiefly inactive . The Doctor , now joined by Polly , is trying to analyse the gas and is not having success . Ben cannot find the Pilot , but when the Pilot is not in his office , his conditioning continues to break down , especially when another worker mentions the word " friends " . The Controller orders gas diverted into the old shaft , intriguing the Doctor . The Doctor suggests that maybe the gas isn ' t to kill . He theorises it is to keep something else alive . The Doctor tries desperately to figure out how to help Jamie . As Jamie coughs and splutters , the Macra comes to life and moves towards him . He flees but is soon met by a second terrifying creature . Episode 4 . The Doctor tries to work out how to reverse the gas flow but fails to understand the equipment . The Doctor then enters the pit head and fiddles with some equipment , which tricks Officia into revealing which controls to manipulate . The Doctor sets his plan into action by causing oxygen to flow into the shaft . Officia tries to get help , but the Doctor has the keys now and locks the entrance to the pithead from the outside . Down in the shaft , Jamie slides into a rock crevice , but it won ' t protect him long . The Macra manage to grab Jamie and extract him from the crevice , which causes a mini - landslide . As they are about to grab him , the oxygen inflow causes the Macra to slump , allowing Jamie to escape . Control immediately sends Ola and his guards to the locked door to return the gas to the shaft . The Doctor and Polly hurriedly escape into the mine , locking the heavy door behind them before the guards can follow . They find a pipe room and follow the shaft deeper , despite Polly ' s reluctance . Ola manages to open the door to the pit head and return the gas to flow into the shaft . Luckily Jamie has escaped the shaft by prying open a grate and wriggling into a cupboard back in the colony . Outside , some sort of cheerleading practice is taking place . Despite his best efforts , Jamie is seen by the leader and mistaken for an auditioning dancer . Jamie shows them the Highland Fling and flings himself out the door — right into the arms of Ola and the guards . Ben , still struggling , identifies him , and Jamie is arrested . As he is led away , Ben is clearly regretful . The Doctor and Polly hear the voice of the Controller and make their way towards the chamber and see that , indeed , the Macra are in charge . They inhale the gas and issue commands . They require the gas to survive and are entirely dependent on it , using the humans to mine it for them . The Doctor and Polly decide to take the risk of telling the Pilot and bringing him to see the truth . In the Pilot ' s office , Ola and the Pilot argue . Ola criticises the pit operations , allowing the strangers to escape and endanger the colony . The Doctor and Polly come right in , of their own free will . The Doctor greets everyone and tries to reconcile the two men . Jamie is horrified they ' ve walked into a trap . The Doctor persuades the Pilot to go with him , despite the Controller ' s wild and panicked attempts to intervene . The colonists are meanwhile frightened by the Pilot ' s disobedience . The Pilot tells Ola to mind his own business and accompanies the Doctor . Polly and Jamie prepare for the worst . Ben ' s conditioning seems to be wearing off , but they realise Ben is absent . The Doctor takes the Pilot into forbidden territory through the pithead . Officia tries to stop them , to no avail . The Controller gives Ola full leadership of the colony and sends all the guards after the Pilot . By this time the Doctor and the Pilot have got to the chamber , allowing the Pilot to see the truth . The Pilot vows to kill the Macra , whilst the Controller screams that the Doctor and the Pilot must be destroyed . The humans double back to inform the colony . When they return to the pithead , the Doctor and the Pilot are arrested and , with Polly and Jamie , returned to the pipe room under orders of Control . Under orders from the Controller , the building is to be cleared for four minutes . Hearing this very specific time , Polly and her friends wonder what is going to happen to them until they realise gas is being vented into the pipe room . The Doctor and his friends begin to slowly succumb to the poison . Outside they hear a knock and realise it must be Ben . He has been hiding in the pit head , seeing that something like this may happen . The Doctor rapidly explains to Ben how to switch on inflow and outflow together and throw a lever . The Controller threatens Ben , explaining that that it will destroy all lives — even human lives . Ben hesitates for a second but then pulls the lever , triggering an explosion . Later the colony celebrates its freedom from the Macra . The Pilot publicly thanks the strangers and decrees a dance festival be held every year , with the winners receiving a prize which will be known as " the Strangers ' Trophy " . Ben discreetly tells his friends he has heard that it is the colony ' s intention to make the Doctor the next Pilot , so they join in the celebrations and dance their way out of the colony and back to the TARDIS .