At the conclusion of this week's thrilling adventure, one of the gentlemen, who had been ensnared within the confines of the barbershop, turns his gaze from the Doctor to express heartfelt gratitude towards Abby. With a respectful bow, he declares, "He saved us, but you... you nurtured our very existence." This sentiment echoes the words of a patient who acknowledged Belinda's relentless efforts, spending countless overnight hours to address overlooked warning signs that others in the hospital had ignored. In narratives of triumph, who emerges as the protagonist, and whose pivotal roles are consigned to obscurity? This episode underscores the importance of acknowledging contributions where they are due—not only as a matter of justice but also because those who feel neglected or wronged may transform into antagonists. (Or, as Belinda succinctly yet poignantly puts it, "Those who are hurt, hurt others.")
The TARDIS has landed in Lagos, Nigeria, a city renowned for its robust communications technology market, which promises to aid the vindicator in returning Belinda home. Additionally, this serendipitous location allows the Doctor to revisit Omo's Palace, helmed by Omo, whom he befriended during their childhood days of battling a forest fire. The establishment has granted the Doctor a sense of acceptance and community, a solace amidst the racism he endures as a person of color. Belinda, understanding this sentiment, encourages him to enjoy himself.
The warm, vibrant imagery of bustling streets, where the Doctor is greeted with familial affection, swiftly transitions to a desolate alley adorned with missing persons posters and cautionary warnings. A mysterious figure known as the Barber has usurped Omo's Palace, and we soon discover his nefarious plot: a time-space compressor embedded within the doorway. Consequently, Omo's Palace exists simultaneously in Lagos and atop a colossal spider-like structure, propelled by a narrative-powered engine towards the realm of the gods. The narrative veers into the surreal this week!
Abby, a woman whose visage is familiar to the Doctor, stands as the sole individual, besides the Barber, capable of exiting the shop. The Barber and Abby have imprisoned Omo and several patrons, compelling them to recount stories while undergoing haircuts. These tales are beautifully depicted in real-time upon a nearby window. The men's hair regrows instantaneously, and Abby provides sustenance, yet their reservoir of stories dwindles, setting the stage for the Doctor's arrival.
Though the Doctor initially steps forward willingly to speak, his resolve wavers as the Barber's cloak descends upon him, accompanied by a seemingly agonizing spark. Trapped in the chair, he recounts a thematically poignant tale of Belinda's experience at the hospital, which manifests not as drawings but as live camera footage in the window. Omo, who had presciently deemed the Doctor's narratives more potent, harbored the hope that his appearance would persuade the Barber to release the others. This revelation strikes the Doctor as a profound breach of trust. While he has a history of freely risking his life for strangers in similar predicaments, it stings all the more when such a decision is made on his behalf by someone he deeply trusts. Moreover, when was the last time he possessed a true home to call his own?
Belinda, who has endured numerous blaring alarms within the TARDIS, now finds herself in the barbershop as well. The Barber trims her hair and boasts of his many divine identities: Anansi, Saga, Bastet, Dionysus, Loki... His monologue mirrors the drama of other gods who have unveiled themselves on the show. Yet, the Doctor and Belinda burst into laughter, for the Doctor has encountered "all those Story Lords" and knows the Barber is fabricating.
With Abby's reassuring hand resting on his shoulder, the Barber clarifies that he is the human who spun the myths and legends that fortified the gods' bond with humanity. "They persist solely due to me," he asserts, explaining how he employed a strand of "gods' blood and essence" to craft the Nexus, a web-like construct upon which the spider crawls. He engineered the Nexus to function autonomously yet received no recognition for his endeavors. Instead, the gods exiled him, leaving him yearning solely for vengeance (and the engine that powers the aforementioned spider).
The Doctor finally recognizes Abby as Abena, the daughter of the god Anansi, who deliberately lost a wager to force the Doctor into marriage with her. Abby reveals she had hoped the Doctor would aid her but instead felt "humiliated." The camera shifts to reveal that during this time, the Doctor was Jo Martin's Fugitive Doctor, who once served a clandestine Gallifreyan organization known as the Division. Intriguingly, she notes that she was "occupied in a separate tale that might one day conclude." Abandoned, Abby has stayed with the Barber, believing he intends to vanquish the gods and ascend as a trustworthy, meticulous "storyteller supreme."
But when the Barber confesses his deceit to Abby, revealing his true intention to erase the gods from memory—an act that would inexorably lead to the annihilation of both deities and mankind—she resolutely decides to lend a helping hand. With a wink directed at the Doctor, Abby intricately braids his hair while recounting a tale of how, in times past, individuals escaped the bonds of slavery, by relying on the ingenuity of women who wove escape routes into hairstyles. Remarkably Oblivious, the Barber fails to grasp Abby's subterfuge until Belinda and the Doctor dash off, following the map embedded in his tresses. Realizing his oversight, the Barber promptly revokes Abby's access to the shop and makes his way to the engine room.
Invoking the urban legend inspired by Ernest Hemingway's six-word story, the Doctor reveals his own life narrative in a poignant and concise manner: "I'm born. I die. I'm reborn." This summation, fueled by his regenerative abilities, carries a profound impact, rendering a haircut unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. Meanwhile, the engine—a pulsating heart encased within a cerebral structure—begins to overload, threatening imminent explosion. Confronted with this dire situation, the Barber opens the shop door, ushering everyone back to Nigeria. At the eleventh hour, the Doctor persuades the Barber to flee as well, urging him to live long enough to pen a new conclusion to his life's story.
The resolution unfolds in a whirlwind of events. The Barber, leaving no room for ambiguity, baldly admits that his entire venture stemmed from a desire for recognition. In response, the Doctor suggests he continue his storytelling legacy by establishing a barbershop. A spirit of forgiveness permeates the air. his father's name. Abby vows to harbor no malice towards the Barber, her heart free from hate. Appropriately, this episode, woven around the tapestry of stories, concludes in a manner befitting a fairy tale. In the closing scene, the Doctor initiates a tale about Omo, beginning with the timeless phrase, "Once upon a time..."
