The TARDIS materializes in the Norwegian Fjords in the present day, and the Doctor confirms that it's 2018. and Ryan spots a cottage nearby. The chimney has no smoke, and the Doctor suggests that they check it out. As they walk over, Graham tells Ryan that he and Grace used to talk about moving to Norway but never did.
As the group approaches the cottage, they see boards nailed over the window and the Doctor figures that they're barricades. Ryan spots someone inside and they go up to the door. No one responds to the Doctor's knock, and she sonics the door open so they can go inside. There are shoes indicating that a child lives there, and the Doctor has Graham and Ryan check the upstairs. They spot sweets wrappers on the floor, and something moves in the wardrobe. Ryan opens it and yells. The Doctor and Yasmin run up, and Ryan tries to reassure the girl, Hanne, inside that they mean her no harm.
The group goes downstairs so Hanne can eat, and she asks who they are. The Doctor does the introductions, and asks Hanne what has her scared. She says that there's a "thing" that her father Erik was defending the house from, and it took him away. Hanne feels her way to the sink to put her plate in, and they realize that she's blind. She asks them to help her find Erik.
Outside, Hanne tells the others that she went to sleep and in the morning, Erik was gone. Ryan wonders if Erik just left, and Hanne insists that he would never leave her. She confirms that Erik has been gone for four days. Yasmin comments on Hanne's shirt, and Hanne says that it belonged to her mother Trine. The Doctor asks where Trine is, and Hanne tells her that she died. Yasmin suggests that Erik went out to work on something, and Hanne explains that he quit work when they left Oslo and the boat is still there. Her watch alarm goes off and Hanne says that the creature comes the same time every day. as she goes inside, something watches from the wood. Ryan figures that Hanne is making the whole story up, but the others don't believe it and the Doctor has Ryan and Yasmin look in the shed.
The Doctor and Graham go into the house with Hanne. She explains that Erik wanted to come there to forget Trine, and he's the one who put the barricades up.
Ryan and Yasmin check the shed and he admits that he's rubbish with kids. They find a table covered with animal traps, and hear something roaring in the woods. They run back to Graham and the Doctor and tell them what they've found, and the Doctor orders them all inside. They secure the house, while Hanne hides under the table and mutters that "It takes you away". The Doctor assures her that they'll keep her safe.
Graham stands watch upstairs and hears a noise from a mirror on the wall. Ryan comes in and finds Graham examining the mirror, and points out that they're not in the reflection. When Graham touches the glass, it ripples and light and sound pours through. The Doctor arrives and sonics the mirror, and their reflections appear. As Graham explains what happened, there's a flash and their reflections disappear. The Doctor uses her sonic to lock in whatever's happening, then sticks her head through the glass. She manages to pull her head out, and as Yasmin and Hanne arrive the Doctor says that the mirror is a portal. The Doctor wants to take a look and the others wants to come with her. She tells Hanne that she wants her to stay there and watch the house, and has Ryan stay with the girl. The Doctor writes out instructions on the wall telling Ryan that Erik is probably dead, and says that it's a map for Hanne's benefit. She then grabs Graham's and Yasmin's hands and leads them through the mirror.
In the fist-milled void beyond the mirror, the Doctor explains that it's like the portal has been pulled in hall. they look around carefully, and Graham sees some lights around a rock. The Doctor uses a piece of string to find their way back, and they come to an alien figure pounding on some rocks. The alien, Ribbons, turns to them and the Doctor asks if he's seen Eric. Ribbons says that the tragedy makes him hungry and hasn't seen the humans, and draws a knife on Graham when he approaches Ribbons' lantern. The Doctor draws her sonic and tells Ribbons to release Graham. The alien bows and says that he wants her "tubular", and says that he saw Erik and trade is now possible. ribbons confirms that Erik was alive, and says that she'll find out more when he takes her. The Doctor offers payment on delivery and tells Ribbons to leave the knife, and he sets it down. Graham and Yasmin warn that they can't trust Ribbons, but the Doctor says that they outnumber Ribbons. Ribbons leads them to Erik.
In the house, Hanne explains that she can see light if it's close, and says that she doesn't like him because he thought Erik had left her. She asks about the "map", and soon realizes that it's not a map. When Hanne tries to go through the mirror, Ryan ushers her out and locks the door. There's a roar outside and Ryan says that they should stop arguing and see to the defenses.
Ribbons leads the trio through the tunnels, but refuses to see where they are because the information is expensive. The Doctor asks about the portal since Ribbons lives near it. a Flesh Moth flies up to one of the lanterns, and Ribbons tells them to keep still and lures it away with the body of a rat he carries. The moth flies down to eat it, and Ribbons leads the group onward.
Ryan peers out the barricade and discovers that the roaring is coming from a loudspeaker. He unplugs it and wonders why Hanne lured him out. He runs back into the house, calling that she doesn't need to be scared, and she slams the door in his face, knocking him out. She then searches his jacket and finds the key.
Ribbons continues leading them through the tunnels and points out that they have no umbilical. The string is broken, and Ribbons grabs Graham and holds his spare knife to his throat. He offers to show them home but it will cost more. A Flesh Moth flies up to a nearby lantern and ribbons says that they must get rid of it or more will come. It doesn't respond to the bate, and Ribbons says that they're in an Antizone. The Doctor explains that the universe generates Antizones where the fabric of space-time is threatened. Ribbons says that he's always been there. There's a high-pitched ringing noise and the lamps go out, and Ribbons says that the Flesh Moth is summoning its swarm and the signal puts out its lanterns. When Ribbons tries to run, Graham tackle him.
The Flesh Mothers arrive and the Doctor tells her companions to stand still. Ribbons tries to run and the Flesh Moths swarm him, stripping him to the bone. The Doctor tells the others to run and they spot the portal. They go through just in time, but realize that they're of the other side of the mirror.
Hanne enters the portal and walks through the tunnels.
Ryan wakes up and calls to Hanne.
Hanne feels her way down the tunnel and finds a string to follow.
The trio go to the kitchen and find Erik there. He demands to know why they're there, and the Doctor explains that Hanne sent them through an Antizone to find her. Erik says that Hanne is fine without her, and explains that the roaring is a recording to keep Hanne in the house. He admits that he created traps to stop the occasional monsters. The Doctor points out that Erik was making two plates, and his wife Trine comes in and introduces herself. Trine says that she's dead in their world but not hers. She remembers dying but she's there. Erik says that they've tried and Trine can't go through the mirror, and can't lose Trine again. Graham tells him that Hanne needs him, and Trine says that Erik's friend got there when they did.
The group goes outside and they see a woman standing among the sheets, humming. Graham recognizes the voice and approaches the woman: Grace. She asks him what's going on, and Graham tells her not to do it to him.
Ryan goes into the mirror after Hanne and tells her to stand still just before she steps into Ribbons' remains. He finds a lantern and leads Hanne off, and describes what he's seeing. Hanne figure that he's lying to her and wants to find her father, and Ryan tells her that the monsters were recordings that Erik used to keep her in the house. A Flesh Moth lands on a nearby lantern.
Grace tells Graham that she's real even though she tied, and wonders why Graham is being so off with her. He insists that it isn't possible, and Graham asks her about the frog necklace that he wears. Grace says that he gave it to her two Christmases ago, and that he's wearing it as a way to keep her close. Graham insists that it has to be a trick, and Grace says that she feels like her.
The others watch and the Doctor says that it can't be Grace and Trine can't be Trine. Trine agrees but says that she is who she is. They go back inside and the Doctor tries to work out how the Antizone split the portal in two. Antizones only exist when the universe is under catastrophic threat, so the Antizone exists to keep the two worlds from ever touching. The Doctor wonders why the mirror-world is so dangerous, and then tells Yasmin about the Solitract. The Solitract is a Gallifreyan bedtime story about how everything in the universe couldn't fit together because there was a consciousness--the Solitract--was there. Their universe cannot work with the Solitract present, so their universe exiled the Solitract to a separate unreachable existence: the Solitract plane. The Doctor figures that they're on the Solitract plane, which is also a consciousness. She wonders why the Solitract copied their world and built a doorway to their universe, and Yasmin points out that it sounds like a trap.
Graham tells Grace that she'd love the TARDIS, and says that he's been to an alien planet and met Rosa Parks. Grace says that he's doing fine without him, and Graham says that he's lost. He spent his entire life looking for her and he was happy, but then he lost her. Graham hugs Grace and says that he misses her. The Doctor runs over and says that it's not Grace and she can't come with them. She says that the whole world is a trap and so is Grace even if she doesn't know it, and tells Graham to choose between Grace and reality.
Back at the mirror, the Doctor isn't able to open the mirror. Yasmin suggests that she reverse the polarity, and the Doctor agrees.
Ryan and Hanne run, and the Flesh Moths fly past them.
The Doctor reverses the polarity, holds the portal opens, and tells everyone to go through. Graham stares at Grace and hesitates.
Ryan and Hanne reach the portal and Ryan sends Hanne through while he distracts the Moths. The Solitract adapts and the Doctor can't reopen it. Trine steps forward to hug Hanne, and Hanne backs away and says that Trine isn't her mother. Hanne says that Ryan is in the Antizone, and the world starts shaking. The Doctor warns that the Solitract needs to let them go because it can't handle them all. Grace and Trine agree that the Doctor is mad, and Graham agrees. When Grace takes Graham's hand, the Doctor realizes that the Solitract wants to be with them and took forms that they wouldn't reject.
Grace tells Graham not to go, and Yasmin says that the real Grace was brave and would tell Graham to charge through the mirror. "Trine" blasts Yasmin into the mirror, and Trine stares at her hands and wonders how she did it. Trine tells Erik to tell Hanne to stay, and Erik say that it's close to home. Hanne tells him that he hasn't been well since trine died, and Trine isn't her mother. Trine blasts her into the Antizone, and the Doctor tells Grace that they have to reject their loved ones to get them to send them back. Graham tells her that he can't do it, but the Doctor tells him that "Grace" is furniture with a pulse. She knows that he can't let Grace go but he has to if they want to live.
"Grace" asks Graham not to leave her again. Graham points out that Ryan is in trouble, and Grace says that he'll do fine. As the world collapses, Graham says that the real Grace would never let Ryan say in danger. Grace disappears and the Doctor tells Erik that it's time for him to move on. Erik says that he can't move on, and the Doctor congratulates Trine and turns to go. She asks Trine if Erik is her best option, and she wants someone who has seen the entire universe and can share it all with the Solitract. If the Solitract lets Erik go then the Doctor will give her everything. Trine considers the offer, and Erik realizes that it's not Trine. The Solitract rejects him through the portal into the Antizone.
The Solitract universe stabilizes and becomes a white void. A frog sits on a white chair, and the Doctor approaches it. The frog speaks in Grace's voice, saying that its own form is endless but the frog's form delights it as it once delighted Grace. It asks about the Doctor's universe, and the Doctor says that it's big and beautiful. She tells the Solitract that she will miss her friends, and the Solitract says that it will be her friend. The Doctor's hands shake and the Doctor says that her presence is destabilizing the Solitract universe. The Solitract doesn't believe her, and the Doctor says that she wishes she could stay but if the both want to survive, the Solitract will have to release her. The frog says that she misses it so much, and the Doctor promises that if it does it then they will be friends forever. The Solitract agrees and the Doctor walks away.
The Doctor appears in the Antizone and crawls to the other portal.
The others head there and Ryan helps Graham up as the place disintegrates around them. As they get to the portal, the Doctor arrives and they go through together. The Doctor closes the portal behind her and says that she doesn't know if the Solitract survived but it won't be coming there. Erik hugs Hanne, and Graham sits alone.
Later, Erik tells the others that it's time for him and Hanne to go home to Oslo. She thanks the group for their help, and she and Ryan hug. Graham is standing alone looking at the fjord, and after a moment goes with them. Back at the TARDIS, Graham hangs behind and Ryan notices. He comes over and Graham says that it wasn't really Grace. Ryan figure that it's hurt and Graham agrees, and Ryan calls Graham "Granddad" for the first time. Graham chuckles and then goes into the TARDIS with the others.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 3, 2018