Tuesday 6 November 2018

G is for... Garm


The Garm was a huge canine biped, which was immune to radiation. It was employed by the company who ran Terminus to take people suffering from Lazar's Disease into the radiation-soaked forbidden zone where they might be cured. The Vanir who operated the spacecraft had a control unit which the Garm was compelled to obey. The zone was the product of the vessel's damaged engines. A previous explosion had been responsible for the Big Bang, after it fell back through time, and another explosion was imminent. This would result in the destruction of the universe. The Doctor needed the Garm's strength to operate the ship's controls and avert the disaster, but it was being impeded by the Vanir control unit. The Doctor smashed it and freed the creature. Once the engines had been stabilised, the Doctor's companion Nyssa decided to stay on at Terminus to help the Vanir cure more Lazars. The Garm would assist, but willingly from now on.

Played by: R J Bell. Appearances: Terminus (1983).
  • Writer Steve Gallagher looked to Norse mythology for inspiration for this story. Garm was a dog which guarded the entrance to the Land of the Dead. 
  • He only intended it to be seen as a dark shape lurking in the shadows, with glowing red eyes, and was not best pleased with its realisation on screen.

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