Lair of the Mara

Lair of the Mara is the ninth episode of the first season of the BloodLoomis Productions Lego Doctor Who Series which was first uploaded on 20th March 2016. It was written and directed by Cameron Hughes. It is the second in a two-part story, which began with 'The Fanged Worshippers'.

In the episode, the Doctor must combine forces with Burrell whilst everyone else in the asylum is possessed by the Mara. The Doctor builds a machine that allows him to enter the Dark Places of the Inside, where he confronts the Mara at the source.

The episode received a generally positive response, with the use of the Mara as the villain particularly noted.

Plot
The Doctor questions Jess, possessed by the Mara, who reveals that he seeks to control enough minds to enable him to break free of his prison in the Dark Places of the Inside. Burrell enters from behind and attacks Jess/Mara with a broom, allowing him and the Doctor to escape.

The Doctor persuades Burrell to help him, and after being pursued by Matthews/Mara, they hide in the TARDIS. The Doctor theorises that he could build a machine that would allow him to enter the Dark Places of the Inside and defeat the Mara, but it would need one of the possessed to do it. Burrell is sent out, bringing back Wilson/Mara. The Doctor connects his and Wilson/Mara's minds, and enters the Dark Places of the Inside.

The Mara taunts the Doctor upon his arrival, but the Doctor is determined to find a way to defeat his opponent. He is met with a maze, an armed soldier and finally an evil version of himself, but he defeats them all. The Mara laughs as he reveals that as the Doctor has been in his world, he has built up enough power to fully manifest. Burrell is contacted by the Doctor, and frees him. The two run to find a way of stopping the Mara. Meanwhile, the possessed gather in the basement.

The Doctor and Burrell fetch some mirrors from the TARDIS and arrive in the basement to see the Mara fully manifest in its true form. Using the mirrors, the Doctor and Burrell drive the Mara back, setting the possessed free. However, the Doctor believes the Mara has not truly died, as it lives on in the minds of everyone.

Continuity
The Mara was defeated by a circle of mirrors in Kinda. The Mara reveals major events in Jess' life to the Doctor. The TARDIS store room is seen for the first time.

Writing
The idea of the Doctor fighting an evil version of himself had been planned since the planning stage of the season. The scenes in the Dark Places of the Inside have been cited by the creator as being some of his favourite scenes he's written.

Filming
The Mara, in the tradition of the TV Series, is realised through a very unconvincing effect. The snake walls in the maze were from a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets set.

Trivia

 * The scene with the snake Mara was one of the most difficult to film.
 * This story features the least amount of dialogue from Jess.