The Osterhagen Key is a mysterious device that first appeared in the Doctor Who episode ‘The Stolen Earth‘.
In this post I review the facts, review group speculation on the nature of the Osterhagen Key, define the function of the Osterhagen Key and explain how it was almost used in the Doctor Who episode ‘Journey’s End‘.
- The Osterhagen Key is a small, flat, square object.
- The Osterhagen Key was given to Dr Martha Jones by UNIT.
- Former Prime Minister Harriet Jones ordered Martha not to use the Osterhagen Key.
- Osterhagen is a town in Germany near Nurembourg.
- Osterhagen is an anagram of ‘earths gone‘.
Osterhagen Key - Our Speculation:
Contributors to this blog during the week commencing 29 June 2008 suggested 6 main possible meanings to the Osterhagen Key.
- Osterhagen Key could be a component in a time-weapon, similar the Demat Gun in the classic series episode ‘The Invasion of Time‘.
- Osterhagen Key could be a planetary self-destruct mechanism to be used against an unstoppable enemy.
- Osterhagen Key could be a digital storage device used in conjuction with Project Indigo to ‘save‘ the whole of humanity on disk.
- Osterhagen Key could be time-travel/manipulation device.
- Osterhagen Key could unlock the time-locked First Great Time War.
- Osterhagen Key could be related to the Master’s signet-ring.
Those who guessed correctly (or in the right ball-park) were myself, Kelly Hamilton, Berard and Extraho. So many of you had great ideas that were very imaginative, thanks to everyone who entertained me for a full week while we waited for ‘Journey’s End‘.
The Osterhagen Key is the arming device for a UNIT created planetary self-destruct mechanism known as the Osterhagen Defense.
When Osterhagen Station 1 (in Osterhagen, Germany) together with any two other Osterhagen stations are armed using Osterhagen Keys, UNIT personnel at Osterhagen Station 1 may detonate a network of 25 nuclear weapons buried deep below the Earth’s crust.
This will result in the destruction of the Earth itself.
The Osterhagen Defense is designed to provide a quick and mercilful death to the global population should the Earth be invaded by a malevolent foe and is without hope of liberation.
The Osterhagen Defense is a tool to prevent humanity’s suffering.
In Doctor Who The Stolen Earth‘, the Earth was invaded by the New Dalek Empire; a foe whose superior technology and large numbers meant that humanity’s resistance was futile. In the face of this systematic extermination by the Daleks, UNIT chose to activate the Osterhagen Defense and the Key for Osterhagen Station 1 was given to Dr. Martha Jones.
In the concluding episode ‘Journey’s End‘, Martha JOnes manned Osterhagen Station 1 and was later joined by UNIT Personnel in Osterhagen Stations in China (Osterhagen 5) and Liberia. Martha Jones delayed the detonation of the Osterhagen Defense to give the New Dalek Empire an ultimatum; leave the Earth and it’s people alone or she would destroy the planet.
The Earth had become a crucial part of a planetary alignment matrix that the Dalek’s planned to use to transmit a z-neutrino wave across the Universe, destroying all matter at the sub-atomic level. Had the Earth been destroyed the transmission of the z-neutrinos would’ve been less intense, more unbalanced and generaly much less effective.
Martha Jones was transmatted aboard the Dalek command ship, The Crucible, inorder to prevent her using the Osterhagen Key.
Tags: doctor who, doctor who series 4, osterhagen key, the stolen earth