Story 18: "Galaxy 4" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Chumbley

Resembling a stack of bells, the chumblies are squat, round robots with layered segments capable of separating slightly to allow for antennae, appendages and probes to be extended. Vicki dubs this trundling robot a 'Chumbley', and they wait for it to depart before deciding to exit the TARDIS.

William Hartnell, of course, played the Doctor in this serial, while his two companions were portrayed by Maureen O'Brien (Vicki) and Peter Purves (Steven Taylor).

Answer: Maaga

Before they can get too far from the TARDIS, the Doctor, Vicki and Steven are accosted by a Chumbley, who (by threat of a laser) wants them to follow it. The three travelers are subsequently rescued by three Drahvins, who throw a metal mesh over the Chumbley and incapacitate it. The women explain that they are from the planet Drahvia in Galaxy 4, and that the Chumblies belong to a hideous, violent race called the Rills.

When three more Chumblies arrive, the Drahvins quickly bring the Doctor and his companions to their crashed ship to meet their leader, Maaga. It soon becomes evident that the warrior women are simplistic 'drones' in comparison to their controlling leader.

Stephanie Bidmead portrayed Maaga, while the three Drahvin drones were played by Marina Martin, Susanna Carroll, and Lyn Ashley.

Answer: Two days

Touting himself as a scientist, the Doctor convinces Maaga that he can determine the truth of what the (supposedly untrustworthy) Rills originally told the Drahvins. Maaga agrees to the plan, but keeps Vicki behind as a hostage to Steven and the Doctor's promise to return.

While at the TARDIS, another Chumbley arrives and tries to break into their ship, but to no avail. Once the Chumbley leaves, the Doctor uses his astral map to determine that the planet only has two days until it explodes!

Answer: True

The Chumbley actually makes two attempts to blast his way into the TARDIS, but to no avail. Apart from being tossed about a bit, no harm comes to Steven or the Doctor.

When the two men are able to return to the Drahvin ship, they discover that the metal from which the ship is made would not stand up to the Rill bomb that had just been used on the TARDIS, and they wonder why the Rills have not already obliterated their enemies.

Answer: Steven

Maaga likes the idea of the Doctor going as their emissary, but alters the plan to be an attempt to capture the Rill ship under the guise of a peace offering.

At first, Maaga wants to keep Vicki behind again, but Steven offers himself, instead. While Vicki and the Doctor carry out their mission, Steven attempts to sow dissension between Magda and her followers. Before he can get too far, Maaga intervenes, and Steven is ordered to sit quietly. Soon enough, he apparently falls asleep, and while he is 'asleep', Maaga discusses when they should kill him.

Answer: Ammonia

Vicki is the first one to note the smell of ammonia, and it becomes noticeably stronger as they get closer to the compound. The Doctor surmises that the Rills must need the ammonia to be able to breath on the planet, which is why they use the Chumblies to do mostly everything outside of their ship.

Just as the episode ends, Vicki sees a horrid, lizard-like creature looking at them from a window in the Rill spaceship.

Answer: False

Vicki is taken by a Chumbley to speak with one of the Rills, while the Doctor attempts to sabotage the ammonia converter. Once Vicki learns the truth of the relationship between the Drahvins and the Rills (unprovoked aggression by the Drahvins), Vicki hurries back to the Doctor to prevent him from damaging the device.

Further discussion reveals that the Rill ship is fully repaired, but is unable to take off, due to a lack of fuel power. The Doctor states that he will be able to help boost what they have with a connection to the TARDIS.

Answer: Steven

Left guarded by only one Drahvin drone, Steven is able to overpower her and take her weapon. Before he can escape the ship, Maaga and another drone stop him, but he is still able to get into an air lock. But, when he opens the outer door, he finds himself facing a Chumbley. Not realizing that the Chumblies are no longer a threat, Steven retreats into the air lock.

With Steven trapped, Maaga forces him to choose his fate by slowly draining the air from the air lock...

Answer: One of the robots

As it becomes apparent that Maaga is going to kill Steven, who is trapped in the air lock, the Chumbley launches an ammonia bomb into the Drahvin ship and forces the women to exit the ship, freeing Steven at the same time.

With this further evidence of ruthlessness exhibited by Maaga and her drones, the Rills finally make an ultimatum to the Drahvins, saying that they will return any further aggression, rather than maintain their prior pacifism.

With Steven rescued, he, Vicki and the Doctor all return to the Rill ship to complete the power transfer from the TARDIS.

Answer: The are left behind and perish with the planet.

Unrelenting in their aggression, the Drahvins make one final attempt to attack the Rill vessel, but the Chumbleys fend them off. After watching the Rill ship take off, the Drahvins follow the Doctor and his companions and also attempt to attack the TARDIS, only to see it dematerialize in front of them.

Consigned to a fate of their own making, Maaga and her followers are left behind to die with the destruction of the planet.