The Hand of Fear

"Eldrad must live!"

Eldrad was once hailed as the saviour of the world of Kastria.  He erected force barriers around the planet, preventing its imminent destruction.  However, when the Kastrians refused to submit to his dictatorship, he removed his force-fields, condemning an entire civilization to a slow and agonizing death.  For this, the mightiest of crimes, the people of Kastria sentenced Eldrad to obliteration.   Millions of years later, the Doctor’s TARDIS materializes in an English quarry.  A freak accident traps the Doctor’s young friend, Sarah Jane Smith, under tons of rock.  When she is rescued, she is frantically clinging to a large stone hand.  Taken to a local hospital, it soon becomes clear that Sarah has been possessed.  After she goes missing-still clutching the hand-the Doctor follows a trail of death and destruction to a nearby atomic power station.  What strange power does the hand have over Sarah?  Why has she fought her way to the very core of the nuclear reactor?  How can she possibly survive that normally lethal radiation?   To answer these questions, the Doctor must travel across the galaxy to a long-dead world-after which, life will never be quite the same again…

• This story saw the departure of one of Doctor Who's most popular (and longest running) companions Sarah Jane Smith (played by Elisabeth Sladen).

• This story leads directly into the Tom Baker classic "The Deadly Assassin."

• Rex Robinson, who played the geologist Dr. Carter, has made several appearances in Doctor Who prior to this story.  During the 10th season opener, he played another scientist, Dr. Tyler, in "The Three Doctors."  A year later he would return, this time as the rebel miner Gebek in "The Monster of Peladon."

• Elisabeth Sladen's involvement in Doctor Who didn't end with this story.  She would return for the 20th anniversary story "The Five Doctors."  She also had starred in the one and (thank God) only spin-off series for Doctor Who called K-9 and Co.  She was even approached when Tom Baker (Doctor #4) was about to leave the series and was asked to return for a short 3 to 4 story run to help bridge the gap between the 4th Doctor (Tom Baker) and the 5th Doctor (Peter Davison).  Sadly, she declined the role.