Doctor Who: Empire's End - 2022

 

‘Doctor Who: Empire’s End’ would’ve been the first special of 2022, it would’ve aired as a 60-minute episode on January 1st and the special starred Sacha Dhawan as the 15th Doctor and Emma Campbell-Jones as Gwen Finch. The special was written by Chris Chibnall and would see the return of the Daleks, the special was directed by Lee Haven Jones. 

Empire’s End

By Chris Chibnall

As the story begins, the tension mounts with the Space Security Agent sprinting down the corridor, desperately glancing over his shoulder as he hears the metallic grinding of Daleks approaching. He turns to face them as he reaches a dead end, his scream echoing through the spaceship, and then — darkness. We cut to a sleek, sprawling futuristic cityscape with skyscrapers twisting toward the heavens, and a caption reads, Central City, 4025.

Inside the Space Security Service headquarters, Agent Gwen Finch strides into the briefing room, flanked by her teammates Scott Davies and Morris Jenson. Their superior, Director Zedrick, appears on a holo-screen, his face grim as he outlines their mission: recent signals suggest activity from Daleks on a desolate, uninhabited planet called Taurus Major. The agents are tasked with investigating, and he warns them that their objective — a weapon codenamed "Pandora’s Box" — cannot fall into enemy hands. Zedrick’s voice drops. “Pandora’s Box,” he explains, “could annihilate entire star systems if reprogrammed. The Daleks will stop at nothing to seize it.”

With that, Gwen, Scott, and Morris board their ship and blast off into the darkness of space. As they soar through the stars, each agent contemplates the weight of their mission, knowing that failure could spell disaster for the entire galaxy. The ship lands on the bleak, grey terrain of Taurus Major under the dim light of a distant sun. Stepping out, they’re met with an eerie silence that amplifies the desolation of the rocky landscape. Gwen spots a structure on the horizon, towering against the starry sky. Signaling to her teammates, she leads the way toward the mysterious building.

Unbeknownst to them, the TARDIS materializes nearby, and the Doctor steps out, cloaked in quiet melancholy. Still grieving the loss of Jean, he moves with a heavy heart and a resolve to keep himself focused. As he surveys the landscape, his attention snaps to the same structure and the familiar hum of Dalek technology emanating from it. Realizing he might not be alone, the Doctor quickens his pace toward the building.

Inside, the Doctor navigates the shadowed corridors, his steps muffled by the dust that carpets the floor. He rounds a corner and stumbles into Gwen, Scott, and Morris. Instantly alert, the agents demand his identity. The Doctor introduces himself, realizing that they, too, are here to stop the Daleks. Reluctantly, Gwen agrees to let him join their mission.

Meanwhile, high above Taurus Major, a massive Dalek ship hovers as the Supreme Dalek observes the surface below. The Daleks have pinpointed Pandora’s Box and are ready to descend. "The weapon must be secured," the Supreme Dalek announces. "It is the key to universal domination!" The command goes out, and swarms of Daleks begin to disembark, their ominous shapes cutting through the thin planetary atmosphere as they glide toward the surface.

Back in the structure, Gwen reveals that their mission is to find and neutralize Pandora's Box, a device rumored to emit a destructive wave that, if reprogrammed, could destroy entire solar systems. The Doctor’s expression darkens. He knows how ruthless the Daleks can be and how catastrophic this weapon would be in their hands. "Then we need to get to it before they do," he insists.

As they press deeper into the building, Morris and Scott spot Daleks entering the facility. Realizing they're outnumbered, they decide to create a makeshift barricade, buying the Doctor and Gwen some time to reach the weapon. The battle is fierce; Dalek fire rips through the barricades, and the two agents retaliate with every weapon at their disposal. Morris is struck and falls, shouting a final warning to Scott to keep fighting.

In the heart of the structure, Gwen and the Doctor reach a grand, ancient chamber, where a monolithic, metallic box sits atop a stone pedestal — Pandora’s Box. They cautiously approach, examining its intricate control panel. The Doctor quickly sets to work, attempting to decipher its mechanisms to disable it or, if necessary, rewire it to eliminate the Dalek fleet. But his concentration is shattered when they hear the mechanical voice of the Supreme Dalek announcing, "Halt! Surrender the weapon!"

Scott, having barely escaped, rushes into the chamber, shouting a warning before he, too, is hit by Dalek fire. The Doctor and Gwen realize they’re out of time. The Doctor scoops up Pandora’s Box, motioning for Gwen to follow as they dash back through the labyrinth of hallways. Bursting out into the open air, they find themselves face-to-face with a platoon of Daleks, led by the Supreme Dalek itself.

"Doctor," it sneers, "you are defeated! The Dalek Empire will prevail, and you shall perish!"

Gwen raises her weapon and, with quick precision, blinds one of the Daleks by shooting its eyestalk. In the chaos, she and the Doctor slip away, retreating to the TARDIS. Once inside, the Doctor hastily explains his plan: he’ll teleport onto the Dalek mothership and reprogram Pandora’s Box to emit a localized wave, taking out every Dalek ship in range. “It’s risky,” he says, glancing at Gwen, “but it’s our best shot.”

Arriving on the Dalek mothership, the Doctor and Gwen sneak through the corridors until they reach the command center, where the Supreme Dalek awaits. With grim determination, the Doctor activates Pandora’s Box, triggering a thirty-second countdown. But just as they prepare to escape, Gwen stops him. "Doctor," she says, eyes fierce, "someone needs to stay behind to make sure this works. Go. I’ll handle the rest."

He tries to protest, but she gives him a firm nod. With a pained look, the Doctor squeezes her hand in silent thanks and races back to the TARDIS, glancing back one last time as Gwen faces the Supreme Dalek, weapon at the ready.

As the countdown reaches zero, Pandora’s Box releases an immense power wave, engulfing the Dalek mothership and radiating outward, vaporizing every Dalek ship in orbit. Below, Taurus Major is consumed in the explosion, its rocky landscape obliterated in a silent, blinding flash of light.

Later, the Doctor lands back on the remnants of the building, now reduced to rubble scattered across the smoldering terrain. He stands amidst the ruins, silently mourning Gwen’s sacrifice, her bravery etched into his memory. With a heavy heart, he returns to the TARDIS, stepping inside, and moments later, it dematerializes, leaving behind only the faint echo of his sorrow in the still, desolate air. 

And that concludes Doctor Who: Empire’s End, while it was good many felt a lot more could’ve been done with the story but it was mostly good and after the special a short teaser trailer would’ve played for the next special, Doctor Who: Cobra.