- The TARDIS takes its new passengers back to the dawn of history. There, the Doctor and his party are captured by a tribe who are trying to rediscover the secret of fire.
- The shadowy figure approaching the TARDIS is Kal, a caveman. He stares at the machine in wonder.
In a cave not too far from the TARDIS, a tribe of cave-people sit around watching anxiously as their leader, Za, tries to make fire by rubbing a bone over a pile of cold ashes. Za is the son of the old tribe leader, who knew how to make fire but died before passing the secret on to Za. Za is frantic, because the rest of the tribe complain how he sits there all day not succeeding while Kal -- who came from another tribe which perished in the cold -- goes out hunting and bringing back meat and furs. There are some who think Kal should be made leader, but Za reminds them that only one who makes fire can be leader. Old Mother -- an aged woman -- laughs and tells the tribe that fire is evil. Za continues in his efforts.
Aboard the TARDIS, Ian and Barbara awaken from unconsciousness to find The Doctor and Susan checking the controls and looking at a monitor showing the bleak landscape outside. Ian still refuses to believe that they have traveled anywhere, so The Doctor opens the doors to prove that they have indeed gone back in time. He grabs several scientific instruments and heads out to try to determine their exact Time-Space coordinates. Once outside, he seems perturbed that the TARDIS still looks like a police call-box. Susan explains to Barbara and Ian that the ship is supposed to change its outward appearance to blend in with the surroundings, but it hasn't happened this time.
A short distance away, The Doctor is gathering rock samples and examining the area, unaware that he is being watched by Kal. When The Doctor uses a match to light his pipe, the caveman springs on him. Back at the ship, the others hear The Doctor cry out and rush to his aid. They find his instruments broken and his notebook but no sign of him. Susan insists he would never go anywhere without his notebook as it contains priceless notes about the running of the ship. They notice a path through a nearby jungle and take off after him.
Back at the cave, Kal arrives carrying the unconscious Doctor. He says the old man in strange furs is from Orb and can make fire come from his fingers and smoke from his mouth. Za challenges him, but Kal says he will only let the old man make fire for him so he can be leader. The tribe starts to side with Kal. The Doctor awakens and -- grasping the situation quickly -- promises to make fire. He then realizes his matches have fallen out of his pocket. He tells them he cannot make fire, and Za turns the tribe against Kal for lying. The others arrive and try to rescue The Doctor, but are overpowered. Old Mother demands that they be killed, and Za decides he will sacrifice them to Orb in exchange for fire. The four companions are tied up and dragged off. Hur, Za's woman, reminds him that he must make fire and become leader, as she is promised to the tribe leader and fears that Kal may still turn the tribe against him.
The four time-travelers are left tied up in a cave full of skulls -- all of which bear the mark of having been killed by a stone axe.
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