When Ross Bonham displays worryingly violent tendencies, he risks expulsion and sets Theo up against Professor Maltravers. Meanwhile, Angus and Raj get involved in Dorian's prank on the college statue.

At Trinity's rowing lake the whole college is assembled as a single student, Ross, attempts to beat the entire rowing crew in a race. From the bank he is cheered on by his boyfriend Jonty, one of the leading members of the Dandelion club. Maltravers and his obsequious stooge Cooper are discussing Ross' performance in the race. It appears that Ross is the mysterious 'Galahad' who is the subject of their experiments. As Ross wins the race Cooper raises concerns about Ross' psychological well being; he is performing excellently physically, but they must get a new 'hour-glass' and quickly. Maltravers is confident that the hourglass will be with them soon; he is having it smuggled to the college hidden in a statue which is being returned following refurbishment.

At the meeting of the College Council the Warden is informed that the refurbishment of the statue which is being returned will cost £60,000, and the damage was initially caused by a Dandelion Club tradition. Despite her attempts to force the club to pay for the damage she is outvoted by Maltravers and the other dons. However, as he leaves the meeting, Maltravers himself warns Dorian that the club is not to mess with the statue under any circumstances. It is clear that Dorian has plans to uphold the tradition.

In the student common room Theo and another student, David, are challenged to a high-stakes game of pool by Jonty and Ross. With £500 riding on the result the pressure is on for them but, despite taunting from Jonty, Theo sinks the black and wins the game. David taunts the losers mildly leading to Ross utterly losing his composure; he picks up David and throws him with almost superhuman strength across the room.

Meanwhile Dorian is busy using his unsuspecting Fools, Raj and Angus, to carry out his plans for the statue. Without their knowledge he drugs them, enabling him to paint them gold and put them in place of the real statue. Conscious, but unable to move, Raj and Angus are less than happy about being positioned as gay lovers entwined.

As other members of the Dandelion club move the genuine statue to a hidden location they mistakenly barge into Maddy's room. As they leave the room they don't notice a small hour-glass shaped pendant fall to the floor.

In light of Ross' assault on David, the Warden convenes a tribunal with the aim of expelling Ross from Trinity. Theo offers to testify that he was a witness to the unprovoked assault.

At the tribunal it appears that everything is going to plan; Dr Lloyd and the Warden vote for Ross' expulsion; only Maltravers supports the Dandelion. However, just as the Warden is announcing the decision, David stands up and changes his story, he now claims that he provoked Ross but the Warden made him lie because she hates the Dandelion club.

In light of David's outburst Maltravers fines Theo for lying to the tribunal; coincidentally the fine is equal to the amount of the original bet he won, £500. Both Theo and the Warden are incensed by the apparent power of the Dandelion club.

Maltravers and Cooper approach the statue to search for the hourglass and discover Raj and Angus, who have now recovered sufficiently to flee. A furious Maltravers threatens Dorian to reveal the location of the genuine statue but is left frustrated when he finds the hourglass missing from its hiding place. When they inform the mysterious American voice of the hourglass' loss and ask for time to find it they are informed that 'termination' is the recommended course, which shocks both Cooper and Maltravers deeply.

The following day tragedy strikes the quads of Trinity when the body of Ross is discovered. It appears he has thrown himself from the clocktower.