First of all, I very obviously really enjoyed this. It portrays, quite terrifyingly, the lengths that somebody would go in order to protect those that they love, especially with how Braxiatel was still fearing over another attack on his loved ones by the likes of the Fifth Axis. I think this serves as a very interesting conclusion to Braxiatel’s time on the Collection too, as well as several of the threads laid out in the previous six seasons of the early Benny stuff. Very solid stuff from Joseph Lidster, which is hardly unexpected, and one where the extremely dark ending actually feels justified, rather than slightly cheap shock value. It genuinely shows how terrifying and manipulative Braxiatel is, and how it then causes his self-imposed departure from his Collection.

I mean, I don’t actually care for Jason very much, I think he’s portrayed as very irresponsible and just a relatively unlikable character, but I couldn’t help but feel bad for him. Being manipulated into using a Gallifreyan artefact that would allow him to control an army of Cybermen in order to protect the Collection is just insane, especially with the way Braxiatel was just going to leave him down in that control room abandoned and rotting.

I do hope that Braxiatel is able to return to audio one day, but god damn his early Big Finish stuff truly does make him out to be one depraved and horrible man.

Bernice Summerfield

#6.05. The Crystal of Cantus ~ 10/10

◆ An Introduction

Irving Braxiatel has been a constant presence since the second series of this range. Introduced to us as the enigmatic founder of the Braxiatel Collection, he has always been this charming business man that will look out for himself before his friends. You could even call him the G-Man of the Whoniverse.

We heard in ‘The Mirror Effect’ just how far he would go to get what he wants, to keep his own investments sound. But all his schemes and lies are about to be exposed to the air, and it will change this entire series forever…

◆ Publisher’s Summary

Fabled crystals from long-dead civilisations. Jason Kane blundering into situations out of his control. Entombed Cybermen waking from a century-long sleep. It's all in a day's work for Professor Bernice Summerfield.

Armed with her endless supply of witty quips and penchant for lost causes, she'll find the Crystal, rescue Jason, destroy the Cybermen and be home in time for supper.

Except, this time, it's different. This time, as the saying goes, it's personal.

And, after this adventure, things will never be the same again.

◆ Prof. Bernice Summerfield

‘The Crystal of Cantus’ is a real return to form for Lisa Bowerman, who delivers a top tier performance.

Benny simply cannot believe that her ex-husband wants to go and see the Galyari put on a performance of Macbeth. You’d be surprised how many people want her dead. She was naïve once; seeing the universe as just one big adventure… but then you see things that make you realise just how dark it all is. After witnessing how the Cybermats are created, Benny is utterly horrified – letting out a blood-curdling shriek that will stay with me for days.

◆ Jason Kane

I’d forgotten how utterly charming Stephen Fewell could be, and his performance in ‘The Crystal of Cantus’ is easily one of his best.

Jason, according to his ex-wife, is worse than a teenage girl when it comes to gossip. He’d rather eat his own arm off than go to the theatre. Once more proving himself to be an utterly hopeless step-father, he manages to make Peter cry by beating him at a game of football (well done, Kane, you utter moron). By very nearly being cyber-converted, Jason’s mind was cleared… and all the memories that Braxiatel suppressed have come flooding back. The conclusion of this story has him confront the enigmatic creep and basically attempt to strangle him! Jason tells him to leave himself and Benny alone… and threatens that he’ll pay if he EVER goes near Peter.

◆ Irving Braxiatel (Brax of Dellah)

‘The Crystal of Cantus’ features the last performance from Miles Richardson for a while, but he really is firing on all cylinders here.

Brax claims he can get the Cybermen whatever they want, whether it be money or people… he also offers to get them gold (which is like offering to buy a human being cyanide)! He states that none of us are getting any younger, though he is practically immortal, which is why he’s working out to a slightly cringe-worthy 1980s work-out tape!

◆ Story Recap

The human colony world of Cantus was invaded by the Cybermen. Staying true to form, they converted the entire planet’s population; creating tombs beneath the surface of the planet and going into hibernation soon after.

The planet quickly slipped into legend thanks to its fabled crystal… so when Jason gets a tip-off that Cantus has been rediscovered and the crystal is up for grabs, he decides to go in search of it with Brax (with Benny soon catching wind of said plan, and stowing herself away aboard their ship). But Irving is extremely familiar with this world, and the current Cyber-controller.

A trap has been set… and Jason Kane is crucial to its success!

◆ Conversion

Featuring some of the darkest and most disturbing writing this range has ever seen, it shouldn’t surprise you that Joseph Lidster’s name is attached to ‘The Crystal of Cantus’. He already has two amazing Cybermen stories under his belt, but given the chance to play with a range that can go much more adult, thematically, he really pushed the limits!

Cybermen have a simple modus operandi, that being to convert the cosmos so that we will all be like them. But some people simply aren’t fit to be converted, something we got a brief glimpse of during ‘The Next Doctor’: the Cybershades were of course made from the brains of cats and dogs…

Well this episode decides to explain how Cybermats are made… and I’m not gonna spoil it for you. You will be utterly repulsed and horrified at the revelation, and Benny’s blood-curdling screams will ensure you have sleepless nights for a week. People will sit there and tell you that ‘Spare Parts’ is the most frightening Cybermen audio outing, but those people have clearly never heard this horror show!

◆ Looking out for Number One

‘The Crystal of Cantus’ serves as the conclusion to a story arc that has been running since the end of the fourth series. Braxiatel has been shown, on several occasions, to have a ruthless side that he attempts to keep hidden – hence why he hypnotised Jason to forget his suspicions about him knowing far more than he was actually letting on, during ‘The Mirror Effect’.

He has always looked out for his own investments, always been far more than who people believe him to be – hence my G-Man comparison during the introduction to this review – but we finally get an insight into his motivations.

Brax was informed of a great danger that threatened the Collection, so contacted his past self on Gallifrey in order to secure a special crystal. He also lured a man from the past, one Ronan McGinley, into having one last summer of freedom on his precious Collection… before having him converted into the Cyber-controller on Cantus (sometime before the Fifth Axis occupation).

McGinley was the human component needed to control the Cybermen, and the crystal was needed to grant him absolute control of them… but it was Braxiatel who had absolute control over McGinley. The crystal unfortunately causes human beings to rapidly deteriorate and die, even those who have underwent cyber-conversion. This is where the trap came into effect; Brax was the one who ensured the message about the fabled Crystal of Cantus was sent to Bernice, knowing full well that it would be Jason who found it. This would lead to Jason and Brax heading to Cantus… only for the latter to double-cross the former, and have Jason replace McGinley as the new Cyber-controller!

This really was a brilliant plan, and it honestly shows what a scheming little mastermind Irving Braxiatel really is.

◆ Sound Design

Cantus was once a world very much like our own, bustling with people and life. Then the Cybermen invaded… leaving it a barren and lifeless rock, where the tin-pot terrors wait patiently in the shadows. Simon Robinson has excelled himself with this soundscape!

A grating chorus of tin-pot tyrants (‘Tomb of the Cybermen’ era) chanting their famed catchphrases; “we will survive, you will be like us”. Birds tweet around Benny in the gardens of the Collection, as she enjoys a picnic with her son. Bleeping instruments aboard Braxiatel’s personal spaceship, as it begins the long trip to Cantus. A Cyberman bursts through a metal wall, firing sonic weaponry at Benny and Jason. Classical music plays inside of Braxiatel’s office. The bouncy music of a retro work-out tape. A flashback sequence takes us back to a party on the Collection, where Ronan McGinley gets to know the locals. Bleeping ECG monitors inside the abandoned hospital on Cantus, where Benny and Jason discover the horrifying truth about the Cybermats. Every Cyberman on Cantus is ripped to shreds by Benny… and by the fabled crystal.

◆ Music

Simon Robinson is also handling the score for this episode, giving it this gorgeous lo-fi feeling. It’s atmospheric electronica, reminding me of the of the best tracks Mendelson and Klepacki composed for Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun…

Anyone whinging about me making a C&C reference, tough luck! It’s a series I have been playing for 80% of my lifetime and have bundles of nostalgia for.

◆ Conclusion

“This is about survival!”

Given that the previous adventure caused me to take an eight month break from this range, I’m sure you can guess how happy I was that the season finale was written by one of my absolute favourite writers.

In typical Joe Lidster fashion, ‘The Crystal of Cantus’ is a script that really pushes the boundaries of how dark you can be with this franchise (you’ll understand exactly what I mean if you’ve heard his explanation for how Cybermats are made). More than that though, this is the story that sees all the lies and scheming catch up with Irving Braxiatel. He tries to use Jason for his own devices… it backfires on him, big style!

‘The Crystal of Cantus’ is a brilliant conclusion to what has been a pretty mixed bag of a season. And don’t worry readers, I wont make you all wait over half a year for the next Benny review this time.