Episode 4 of Doctor Who kicks off with an utterly bizarre dialogue, arguably the most eccentric in the entire series. Doc and Ruby arrive in Wales, and as he steps out, he playfully labels the country as "spectacular." But let's be honest, Wales is truly breathtaking. However, as they advance, the Doctor narrowly avoids stepping on an enigmatic circle etched on the ground. Childlike scribbles adorn it, carrying messages like "I miss you" and "Rest in Peace, Mad Jack." Clearly, it's a memorial... but something's amiss.
Suddenly, the Doctor vanishes, leaving Ruby stranded. The Tardis is securely locked, and she spots a peculiar old lady gesturing to her from afar. Silent and distant, she shadows Ruby as she wanders through the desolate landscape, steering clear of the Tardis. With the onset of snow, Ruby encounters a hiker who informs her that the nearby town is Glyngatwg. The hiker is familiar, resembling Susan Twist, who seems to be making a recurring appearance in these episodes, but she scurries away. Following Ruby's instructions, she approaches the old lady and presumably inquiries about the Doctor. But things go haywire, and the hiker screams, fleeing in terror.
Ruby reaches the town and heads straight to the nearest pub, intending to wait out the commotion. The patrons inside chastise her for not wearing a coat in such weather. Ignoring their grumbles, Ruby pays for a room, much to the barmaid's annoyance. A palpable sense of uneasiness and hostility hangs heavy in the air.
Upon learning that the old lady is trailing Ruby, the barmaid wonders why she hasn't inquired about the woman's intentions. Ruby dispatches one of the men, Josh, to confront the old lady on his way home. She wants him to inquire about the Doctor, but as soon as he does, Josh screams and bolts.
It transpires that the clifftops are a threshold between land and sea, a liminal space where the rules are suspended. Ruby's inadvertent step into that circle seems to have triggered an unknown force. Wales, with its tumultuous history with the English, is a land steeped in blood. Even more ominous, Ruby's reading of the notes about Mad Jack might have broken an ancient spell, unleashing chaos upon this serene town.
Evidently dubbed "he who traverses the unseen voids" and often referred to as "The Malevolent One," Ruby staunchly defends that the Doctor is incapable of disrespecting anyone—save perhaps those who scorn faith, of course. Whatever transpired, she insists, was unintentional. Echoing the eerie ambiance and paranoia of Midnight and Turn Left, each knock at the door ignites a sense of agitation and dread, fueling rumors of Mad Jack's presence. However, upon Ruby's opening of the door, it's revealed to be merely the delivery man, prompting a round of mockery from the onlookers, accusing Ruby of racial bias and her tendency to blame everything on witches and curses.
Ruby spends the night adopting a routine of sitting by the Tardis during the day and frequenting the pub in the evenings, until she's politely asked to leave for disturbing the peace. She decides to return home, but on the train journey, she encounters the same mysterious woman repeatedly along the route. Tragically, her mother engages in conversation with the stranger, causing her to flee in a taxi. Ruby's attempts to contact her mother are futile, and she realizes the door to her apartment is locked. Eventually, Ruby's mother answers and instructs her to stop calling, revealing that even her own mother has turned her away.
Some time later, Kate Lethbridge-Stewart arrives to offer assistance. Ruby explains that this ordeal has persisted for an entire year, and Kate offers a glimpse into UNIT's operations, hinting at their involvement in investigating the supernatural—presumably referring to Ruby's situation. Ruby reveals that the elderly woman remains a constant 73 yards away, as if shrouded in a perception filter that renders her both noticeable and yet easily overlooked.
As the conversation turns to religion, Kate mentions that UNIT's attempts to photograph the old woman result in blurry images. She authorizes Ruby to bring her in, but as guards swarm the scene, the crowd flees, and Kate appears to be under some mysterious influence, issuing the command to "disengage." In a fit of frustration, Ruby shatters a glass, and we're transported through a montage of time. Decades pass, and Ruby cycles through numerous relationships, each man disillusioned by her lack of attention and cold demeanor.
Finally, the elections approach, and Ruby finds herself as a coat-holder for Mad Jack—Roger Ap Williams, to be precise—as he takes the stage. On a TV broadcast, he declares his intention to spend $65 billion on nuclear weapons, aspiring to establish the UK as the world's foremost nation. His erratic demeanor and veiled threats of launching a nuclear warhead only strengthen Ruby's resolve to dedicate herself to this cause.
Roger's triumphant ascension to the role of Prime Minister was followed by a global broadcast. Scheduled for Saturday, he intended to declare the UK's withdrawal from NATO and reveal plans to purchase nuclear weapons from Pakistan. Alarmingly, he also seemed poised to launch these weapons from the Cardiff stadium, amidst a crowd of 40,000 bewildered spectators. Oddly, I pondered why he chose Cardiff instead of more prestigious venues like Wembley or The O2.
Amidst this tumult, Ruby reached her breaking point. She strode across the pitch, a distance of 73 yards separating her from the Prime Minister. She positioned herself precisely, causing the mysterious old lady to materialize beside the startled Prime Minister. After a brief exchange, Roger abruptly resigned and fled the scene.
Four decades later, Ruby returned to the Tardis as an elderly woman. The old lady, still present in the distance, watched her intently. As Ruby's life drew to a close, she found herself on her deathbed. The old lady crept closer, her silhouette looming between the flickering lights, until she turned, revealing a shocking truth — she was Ruby herself. She gazed wistfully at her youthful counterpart exiting the Tardis with the Doctor, whispering, "don't step." As she vanished, the young Ruby reappeared.
Ruby broke the curse, preventing the Doctor from stepping on the enchanted fairy circle. The Doctor explained the mystery of charms, spells, hopes, and dreams that surrounded them. He stopped Ruby from answering the letters inscribed on the ground, and together they ventured into the town. Ruby noted that this was her third visit to Wales, and with that, the episode drew to a close.
But many questions remained unanswered. What became of those who fled? What of Ruby's mother? Did all this unfold in an alternate timeline? Or was it a strange, closed loop of time? What would happen if another stepped on the fairy circle? Who had set it up? And why were there letters addressed to Mad Jack, who perished in 2040, years after our current timeline? How did he die? And why was there a shrine dedicated to him outside the Tardis? These mysteries, perhaps, will forever remain unsolved.
