In Doctor Who series 5, which episode reveals the Pandorica’s purpose?

In Doctor Who series 5, “The Pandorica Opens” reveals the Pandorica’s purpose. Written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Toby Haynes, it is the first part of the fifth series finale and leads directly into “The Big Bang.”

The Pandorica is presented as a legendary prison containing the universe’s most dangerous being. When it opens, the Doctor discovers that it contains him—or, more precisely, that the trap has been constructed around his expected arrival. The episode’s cliff-hanger places Amy Pond in danger and brings together enemies from the Doctor’s past.

The episode’s title deliberately echoes Pandora’s box, but the fictional Pandorica is not a direct retelling of the Greek myth. Its central idea reverses the usual pattern: instead of a container releasing troubles, it is designed to imprison a threat. The story continues immediately in the following episode.