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{{You may|Master! (audio anthology)|n1=the audio anthology, Master!|Master! (audio series)|n2=its audio series}}
{{Infobox CD
{{Infobox Story SMW
|image = [[File:Master_cover.jpg|250px]] Cover Art - [[Clayton Hickman]]
|image             = Master cover.jpg
|cd name = Master
|range            = Main Range
|series = [[Big Finish Doctor Who audio stories|Big Finish ''Doctor Who'' audio stories]]
|number in range  = 49
|number = 49
|series           = ''[[Main Range]]''
|doctor = [[Seventh Doctor]]
|number           = 49
|enemy = [[The Master (Dust Breeding)|The Master]] <br /> [[Death]]
|script            = The Audio Scripts: Volume Four
|writer = [[Joseph Lidster]]
|doctor           = Seventh Doctor
|director = [[Gary Russell]]
|featuring        = [[First Doctor]]
|publisher = [[Big Finish Productions]]
|enemy             = [[The Master#Tremas Lost|The Master]], [[Death (mythology)|Death]]
|release date = [[October]] [[2003]]
|setting          = [[Perfugium]], the [[far future]]
|format = 4 Episodes on 2 CDs
|writer            = Joseph Lidster
|production code = [[List of production codes|7Y]]
|director         = [[Gary Russell]]
|isbn = ISBN 1-84435-031-2
|producer          = Gary Russell, [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
|previous story = [[Davros (audio story)|Davros]]
|sound            = [[David Darlington]]
|next story = [[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]
|music            = [[David Darlington]]
|year = [[Perfugium]]}}{{audio stub}}
|cover            = [[Clayton Hickman]]
|publisher        = Big Finish Productions
|release date      = 31 October 2003
|format           = 2 CDs<br/>Download
|production code   = [[List of production codes|7Y]]
|isbn             = ISBN 978-1-84435-031-5 (physical); ISBN 978-1-84435-770-3 (digital)
|prev              = Davros (audio story)
|next              = Zagreus (audio story)
|made prev        = Scherzo (audio story)
|made next         = Zagreus (audio story)
|soundcloudtrailer = https://soundcloud.com/big-finish/doctor-who-master-trailer
|epcount = 4
}}{{spotify|album=6iGC5B3KBmHczslwimWsOD|height=350}}
'''''Master''''' was the forty-ninth story in [[Big Finish Productions|Big Finish]]'s [[Main Range|monthly range]]. It was written by [[Joseph Lidster]] and featured the [[Seventh Doctor]] and [[Geoffrey Beevers]] as [[the Master]].


== Publisher's summary ==
== Publisher's summary ==
Many years ago, on a dark and stormy night, the disfigured and enigmatic Doctor John Smith invited his closest friends, Inspector Victor Schaeffer and his wife, to a dinner to celebrate his birthday. A mere few hours later all the occupants in that house had been changed -- some were dead, others mentally scarred forever by the events of that night.
Many years ago, on a dark and stormy night, the disfigured and enigmatic Doctor John Smith invited his closest friends, Inspector [[Victor Schaeffer]] and his [[Jacqueline Schaeffer|wife]], to a dinner to celebrate his birthday. A mere few hours later all the occupants in that house had been changed — some were dead, others mentally scarred forever by the events of that night.


So, what happened to the distinguished dinner guests on that evening? Perhaps we'll never know. But two clues have led to much speculation -- found outside the study window, a charred umbrella with a curved red handle and found inside the house, a blood-stained copy of Stevenson's ''The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde''.
So, what happened to the distinguished dinner guests on that evening? Perhaps we'll never know. But two clues have led to much speculation — found outside the study window, a charred umbrella with a curved red handle and found inside the house, a blood-stained copy of Stevenson's ''[[The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde]]''.


For one person, this night represented an ending: an ending to one thousand years of darkness and an ending to ten years of light.
For one person, this night represented an ending: an ending to one thousand years of darkness and an ending to ten years of light.


But for everyone else, is there no ending of this one night of Hell?
But for everyone else, is there no ending of this one night of Hell?
== Plot ==
=== Part one ===
Up in a tower, a man is about to kill someone during a parade. He is interrupted by the [[Seventh Doctor]], who starts telling him a story about good and evil, with an old friend of his as protagonist.
Planets away, on [[Perfugium]], on a stormy night, the local surgeon, [[The Master|Dr John Smith]], receives the visit of his two dearest friend, [[Victor Schaeffer|Victor]] and [[Jacqueline Schaeffer]], at his house, for his [[birthday]]. He lives in an old house once belonging to Jacqueline's family, together with his servant, [[Death (mythology)|Jade]], a young girl. The house is said to be cursed by the ghost of one of Jacqueline's ancestors, who died a violent death, but so far the doctor didn't suffer any damage. He has prepared a feast for his two friends.
Before supper, Jacqueline takes aside Jade and subtly threatens her about what she thinks she may plotting. She reveals to her that Smith arrived at Perfugium ten years ago, has no memory of his past (his birthday is actually the tenth anniversary of his arrival), and may well be the survivor of a terrible accident, given his scarred appearance. At the same time, Smith obtains from Victor news about the latest victim of a series of killings going on in the area: a young girl who, opposite to the previous eleven victims, was not a [[prostitute]]. This particularly strikes Victor, who is the local [[Guild of Adjudicators|Adjudicator]].
At dinner, the three friends talk about good and evil. Jacqueline, who runs a hospice, substains environment and circumstances cause the descent of some men into evil; Victor instead insists that it is only a question of will and choice. Smith mantains equidistance between the two, but he is clearly troubled by the subject. When later Victor makes a toast to him, he suddenly attacks him about his mysterious past, apparently out of nowhere; Smith however dismisses the accident as the result of Victor drinking too much.
Jacqueline shows Smith the present she got him for his birthday: a crystal ball, inhabited from a spirit, which they could contact to ask him about Smith's past. The doctor accepts, and to the surprise of the three men the ball does begin to shake and spell a name: D-O-C-T ...
The spelling is interrupted by a man appearing at the window: the Seventh Doctor.
=== Part two ===
Ignoring Jacqueline's warnings about the new arrival being dangerous, Smith and Victor take the Doctor inside the house to assist him. The Doctor, other than being seriously wounded, is also delirious. and keeps screaming about "death". Smith is surprised: he seems to recognise the man from somewhere.
Some time later, the Doctor wakes up to see himself in Smith's care. He too appears to recognise him, he even asks him whether they know each other (to which Smith answers negatively). To Smith's inquiries, the Doctor tells him he has come to look for a friend of his, an old friend; in return, Smith tells him about the murders, and how they trouble the atmosphere of Perfugium - a human colony built as a recreation of [[Edwardian era|Edwardian England]]. The two men seem indeed to share a particular affinity.
They feel so close Smith even starts telling the Doctor (who introduced himself as [[Vaughan Sutton]]) about his suspicions about his own past. He tells him how, during a deliverance, he was briefly tempted to kill the newborn baby by smashing him to the ground; he confides to the Doctor his reflections about the nature of evil, how it may be possible for someone to be considered evil only because his view of the world is just different from anybody else. The Doctor agrees, and even suggests they may have been friends in another life.
Smith ends up telling the Doctor he sometimes hears voices in this house, voices threatening to kill someone or something, and confesses he invited Victor and Jacqueline to see if they hear them too. He has just said that, when he is suddently and violently possessed by an entity, reminding the Doctor of his obligation to kill someone (which the Doctor desperately says he won't). Back to his senses, Smith exits the room to reach the guests for his birthday party, leaving the Doctor alone - to hear the voice again.
=== Part three ===
While the Doctor and Smith talk, Victor and Jacqueline wait for them in a nearby room, where the latter one at one point insults and hits Jade, calling her a "servant". Just as Victor before, she doesn't know what happened to her, or why did she talk and act that way. Smith reaches them, and briefly informs them that the stranger has recovered; he also adds he seems to know something about him. They come back to the study where Smith left him, to find it all messed up and disorganised. As they start tiding things up, they hear a scream: gone to investigate, the Doctor, Victor and Smith discovered someone killed Jade's cat, in the same way the girls were killed, sliced open in the middle.
Back in the study, the four of them try to unravel the mystery. Smith confesses Victor and Jacqueline the real reason for their invitation, which makes Victor angry, while Jacqueline stands up for Smith to her husband's annoyance. They all agree that someone is indeed inside the house, playing a game with them. As the Doctor takes Victor outside, Smith confides Jacqueline he feels the Doctor knows more than he is letting on, so they plan a little trick. Smith pretends to be the murderer and to take Jacqueline as a hostage; the Doctor thinks he has turned back into his real self, [[the Master]], and tries to calm him down, thus conferming he indeed does know more. Smith releases Jacqueline, while the Doctor tells them what truly is happening.
He starts by telling about him and the Master, of when they were children and one of them killed a bully, [[Torvic]], who persecuted them both. The guilt and anger for the murder led him to madness, and transformed him into a dangerous, pyschopatic criminal, the Master. Ten years ago, the Doctor made a deal with someone to give the Master ten years of peaceful life, all he never had (acceptance, friends, love); in return, though, the Doctor would have to kill him when those ten years had passed. The Doctor failed in keeping his side of the bargain, and now his opponent is taking revenge on him and the Master. Smith is horrified at the discovery, but Jacqueline still defends him.
Suddenly, the house goes quiet as the storm increases. Jade comes into the room, revealing herself as [[Death (mythology)|Death]].
=== Part four ===
Death reveals she is the one the Doctor made the deal with, as well as that Victor is the murderer, and that Jacqueline and Smith are in love. Victor first tries denying the accusations, but then confirms them, blaming Jacqueline for acting so superior to him and never supporting him. Smith and Jacqueline also acknowledges their feelings for each other, but Death still demands someone dies on her account, and urges Victor or Smith to kill Jacqueline. Victor, driven mad, runs out of the room, while the other three stay as the room goes dark.
Jacqueline finds Smith and once again displays her love for him, but Smith, wanting to save her life, rejects her. The Doctor understands why Smith has done this and admits he did all this because he wanted his old friend back, although he never expected the Master to really fall in love with someone. This, however, may give him a chance of redemption: if he is capable of loving Jacqueline, this may fix his identity as Smith, stopping the Master from ever coming back. Smith and the Doctor reach Victor, who is talking with Jacqueline, and try persuading him to let her live her own life, free, if he really loves her, but Victor, unable to overcome his own sense of possession, kills her, thus satisfying Death's condition and allowing the Master to return to life.
The Doctor manages to persuade Death to make another deal, and the entity turns back time, to immediately after Jacqueline's death, in order to talk to Smith. She tells him it now will be his choice: he can either kill Victor, thus saving Jacqueline's life (but this will bring back the Master), or alternatively, choose to do nothing and let her die to keep being John Smith. It also reveals what really happened with Torvic: it was the Doctor, not the Master, to kill him. She then appeared to him in a [[nightmare]] and offered the young Doctor to take away the blame by shifting the memory of the two, so that they would think the Master killed Torvic. Distraught with grief and guilt, the Doctor is consoled and forgiven by Smith, before being taken away by Death to his own punishment.
Back in time, Smith receives Victor and Jacqueline with a knife, preparing to kill Victor, but as the man hasn't been revealed as a murderer yet, Jacqueline doesn't understand why Smith is doing this. He's left unsure what he should do. Death mocks Smith that she wins whatever he does. (It is left ambiguous what choice Smith made)
On the tower, the Doctor has finished his story, and the young man understands: Death challenged the Doctor to kill an innocent, in his place. The Doctor takes up the rifle, but once again is unable to take a life. The Man then reveals himself to be Death, once again testing the Doctor: she mocks his resolution and then goes away. Distraught, the Doctor vows he will save his old friend, the Master.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
* [[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Sylvester McCoy]]
* [[Seventh Doctor|The Doctor]] - [[Sylvester McCoy]]
* [[The Master (Dust Breeding)|The Master]] - [[Geoffrey Beevers]]
* [[The Master#Tremas Lost|The Master]] - [[Geoffrey Beevers]]
* [[Victor Schaeffer]] - [[Philip Madoc]]
* [[Victor Schaeffer]] - [[Philip Madoc]]
* [[Jacqueline Schaffer]] - [[Anne Ridler]]
* [[Jacqueline Schaeffer]] - [[Anne Ridler]]
* [[Death|Jade]] - [[Charlie Hayes]]
* [[Death (mythology)|Jade]] - [[Charlie Hayes]]
* The Man - [[Daniel Barzotti]]
* [[Death (mythology)|The Man]] - [[Daniel Barzotti]]
* Child - [[Joe Bassett]]
* [[First Doctor|Child]] - [[Joe Bassett]]
* (Whispering Voices) - [[Gary Russell]]
* Whispering Voices - [[Gary Russell]]
 
== Crew ==
* Cover Art - [[Clayton Hickman]]
* Director - [[Gary Russell]]
* Executive Producer - [[Jacqueline Rayner]]
* Music and Sound Designer - [[David Darlington]]
* Producers - Gary Russell and [[Jason Haigh-Ellery]]
* Writer - [[Joseph Lidster]]
 
== Worldbuilding ==
=== Books ===
* John Smith owns books by Dr [[Julia Steer]] (''[[The Divided Self]]''), Professor [[Bernice Summerfield|Summerfield]] (''[[Man, Two Hearts in One Mind]]''), Dostoevsky, Stevenson, Welsh.
 
=== Personifications of concepts ===
* [[Death (mythology)|Death]] makes an appearance.
* When asked by the Doctor why she's arranging murders, Death says it's "what I do". He later questions if she has to enjoy her work.
* Every time Death speaks as herself rather than as Jade, her voice is distorted by an echoing other voice.
* The Master thinks the personifications of concepts are ridiculous.
* Death claims "by rights" the Doctor should have become the Master but "others" had plans for him, so she offered him a deal.
 
=== Planets ===
* [[Perfugium]] is a [[human]] colony.
 
=== Individuals ===
* An Empress is mentioned.
* [[Victor Schaeffer]] is an [[Adjudicator]].


== References ==
=== Time Lords ===
* [[Death]] makes an appearance.
* The Doctor and the Master were bullied as children by [[Torvic]].
* The Doctor and the Master were bullied as children by [[Torvic]].
* John Smith owns books by Dr Julia Steer (''The Divided Self''), Professor Summer (''Man, Two Hearts in One Mind''), Dostoevsky, Stevenson, Welsh.
* The Master himself disputes the idea that he has been influenced by Death, or that she's responsible for him re-emerging, and is dismissive of the entity.
* The planet that Perfugum on is a Human colony, and an Empress is mentioned. As well as knowledge that a Professor Summerfield has written at least one book in this era, it can be assumed that it was either Bernice Summerfield, or a relative, who lived in the era of the Earth Empire. So, it is likely that this story occurs at some point during the Earth Empire's reign.  
* 'John Smith' believes nobody is truly good or evil in life; the Master doesn't consider himself evil, though the Doctor answers that the Master has only evil left in him.
* The Doctor tells Death he won't give into darkness and will keep trying to save the Master.


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
* This story marks the first appearance of [[Death]] in an audio play.
* Joseph Lidster's original treatment for the script bore the title 'The Master'.
* This is the first Big Finish audio drama since [[BFA]]: ''[[The Sirens of Time]]'' to feature the Seventh Doctor travelling alone.
* This would be the final audio drama to feature the Master until ''[[Trail of the White Worm]]'' in [[May (production)|May]] [[2012 (production)|2012]] and his final appearance in the main range until ''[[And You Will Obey Me (audio story)|And You Will Obey Me]]'' in [[April (production)|April]] [[2016 (production)|2016]].
* This audio drama was recorded on [[30 July (production)|30]] and [[31 July (production)|31 July]] [[2003 (production)|2003]] at [[the Moat Studios]].
* An illustrated preview by [[Martin Geraghty]] appeared in [[DWM 336]].
* This is the first story in any medium to feature the Master where his name is part of the title.
* This is the third part in a loose tetralogy of "villain"-focused stories to celebrate ''Doctor Who''{{'}}s 40th anniversary, beginning with ''[[Omega (audio story)|Omega]]'' and ending with ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]''.
* The trailer to the story is unusual; rather than using clips from the story, Geoffrey Beevers recites an original monologue for it.
* In [[January (releases)|January]] [[2020 (releases)|2020]], ''Master'' was provided as a free gift to purchasers of [[DWM 547]], along with ''[[Omega (audio story)|Omega]]'' and ''[[Davros (audio story)|Davros]]'', as part of the so called ''[[Classic Villains Trilogy]]'' with a brand new cover.
* This was the first Big Finish release to feature the [[First Doctor]] and an [[Eternal]].
* This story is set between ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]'' and [[Doctor Who (TV story)|the 1996 TV Movie]].


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
* This incarnation of the Master first appeared in [[BFA]]: ''[[Dust Breeding]]''.
* While the audio makes Smith's choice ambigious, the existence of chronologically later Master stories like [[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who: The Movie]]'' make it implicit he killed Victor.
* The Doctor uses the name "[[Grayvorn|Vaughn Sutton]]" as a pseudonym. ([[BFA]]: ''[[Excelis Decays]]'')
* The Master mockingly asks if he's supposed to be Death's champion, similar to how the Doctor was [[Time (mythology)|Time's]] champion (which the Master doesn't believe). ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Love and War (novel)|Love and War]]'')
* When the Doctor talks about the Master's history, he refers to events on [[Traken]] ([[TV]]: ''[[The Keeper of Traken (TV story)|The Keeper of Traken]]'') and [[Duchamp 331]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]]'')
* The Doctor first encountered this incarnation of the Master on [[Duchamp 331]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Dust Breeding (audio story)|Dust Breeding]]'')
* The Doctor uses the name "[[Grayvorn|Vaughan Sutton]]" as a pseudonym. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Excelis Decays (audio story)|Excelis Decays]]'')
* The Doctor says he's known "[[Chris Cwej|one]] or [[Roz Forrester|two]]" Adjudicators. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Original Sin (novel)|Original Sin]]'')
* The Doctor mentions how he was disowned by his family. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Lungbarrow (novel)|Lungbarrow]]'')
* The Doctor recalls [[Nyssa|someone]] telling him "exposure to evil, even the smallest amount, can corrode the soul". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Primeval (audio story)|Primeval]]'')
* Death refers to how the Doctor used to play with his [[spoon]]s and mix his metaphors, ([[TV]]: ''[[Time and the Rani (TV story)|Time and the Rani]]'') but how he is now too busy destroying [[Skaro|planets]] and wiping out old foes. ([[TV]]: ''[[Remembrance of the Daleks (TV story)|Remembrance of the Daleks]]'', ''[[Silver Nemesis (TV story)|Silver Nemesis]]'', [[PROSE]]: ''[[The Pit (novel)|The Pit]]'', ''[[Blood Heat (novel)|Blood Heat]]'')
* Death sings a version of the [[Zagreus]] poem, then wonders what put that into her head. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Zagreus (audio story)|Zagreus]]'')
* The Master would later once again lose his memories of being a Time Lord and live the life of an [[Professor Yana|ordinary human]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Utopia (TV story)|Utopia]]'')
* The Doctor tells the Master that he wants his old friend back. A [[Missy|later incarnation]] of the Master would soon express a similar sentiment to the [[Twelfth Doctor]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Death in Heaven (TV story)|Death in Heaven]]'')
* The Doctor vows to save the Master; a sentiment which would pass on to his [[Tenth Doctor|tenth]] incarnation. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Sound of Drums (TV story)|The Sound of Drums]]''/''[[Last of the Time Lords (TV story)|Last of the Time Lords]]'', ''[[The End of Time (TV story)|The End of Time]]'') and also by his twelfth. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Lie of the Land (TV story)|The Lie of the Land]]'', ''[[The Eaters of Light (TV story)|The Eaters of Light]]'', ''[[World Enough and Time (TV story)|World Enough and Time]]''/''[[The Doctor Falls (TV story)|The Doctor Falls]]'')


== [[Seventh Doctor - Timeline|Timeline]] ==
== Cover gallery ==
* ''Master'' occurs after [[BFA]]: ''[[A Death in the Family]]''
<gallery position="center" captionalign="center" hideaddbutton="true">
* ''Master'' occurs before [[BFA]]: ''[[Return of the Daleks (audio story)|Return of the Daleks]]''
Master cover.jpg|Original CD cover
* Death refers to how the Doctor used to play with his spoons and mix up his metaphors ([[DW]]: ''[[Time and the Rani]]''), but how he is now too busy destroying planets, and wiping out old foes ([[DW]]: ''[[Remebrance of the Daleks]]'', [[Silver Nemesis]]'').
Classic Villains Trilogy.jpg|''[[Classic Villains Trilogy]]'' 2020 cover ([[DWM 547]] digital promo)
Classic Villains Trilogy 2023.jpg|''Classic Villains Trilogy'' 2023 cover
Master_Comic_Preview.jpg|Illustrated preview from [[DWM 336]] by [[Martin Geraghty]]
</gallery>


== External links ==
== External links ==
* {{bigfinish|49-Doctor-Who-Master|Master}}
{{bigfinish|releases/v/master-215|Master}}; note that it is out of print and is available as download only.
* {{dwrefguide|who_bf49.htm|Master}}
{{dwrefguide|who_bf49.htm|Master}}
* {{tetrap|7/master.html|Master}}
* {{tetrap|7/master.html|Master}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{BFA monthly}}
{{Master stories}}
{{Decayed Master stories}}
 
{{TitleSort}}
[[fr:Master (Big Finish)]]
[[fr:Master (Big Finish)]]
{{TitleSort}}
[[ru:Мастер (аудио история)]]
[[Category:Seventh Doctor audio stories]]
 
[[Category:The Master audio stories]]
[[Category:Decayed Master audio stories]]
[[Category:Doctor Who monthly audio stories]]
[[Category:Eternal audio stories]]
[[Category:2003 audio stories]]
[[Category:Eternal stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in the far future]]
[[Category:Stories set in the far future]]
[[Category:First Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Multi-Doctor audio stories]]
[[Category:Audio stories that use the Keff McCulloch theme]]
[[Category:Seventh Doctor Main Range audio stories]]
[[Category:2003 Main Range audio stories]]

Latest revision as of 20:39, 3 November 2024

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Master was the forty-ninth story in Big Finish's monthly range. It was written by Joseph Lidster and featured the Seventh Doctor and Geoffrey Beevers as the Master.

Publisher's summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

Many years ago, on a dark and stormy night, the disfigured and enigmatic Doctor John Smith invited his closest friends, Inspector Victor Schaeffer and his wife, to a dinner to celebrate his birthday. A mere few hours later all the occupants in that house had been changed — some were dead, others mentally scarred forever by the events of that night.

So, what happened to the distinguished dinner guests on that evening? Perhaps we'll never know. But two clues have led to much speculation — found outside the study window, a charred umbrella with a curved red handle and found inside the house, a blood-stained copy of Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

For one person, this night represented an ending: an ending to one thousand years of darkness and an ending to ten years of light.

But for everyone else, is there no ending of this one night of Hell?

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part one[[edit] | [edit source]]

Up in a tower, a man is about to kill someone during a parade. He is interrupted by the Seventh Doctor, who starts telling him a story about good and evil, with an old friend of his as protagonist.

Planets away, on Perfugium, on a stormy night, the local surgeon, Dr John Smith, receives the visit of his two dearest friend, Victor and Jacqueline Schaeffer, at his house, for his birthday. He lives in an old house once belonging to Jacqueline's family, together with his servant, Jade, a young girl. The house is said to be cursed by the ghost of one of Jacqueline's ancestors, who died a violent death, but so far the doctor didn't suffer any damage. He has prepared a feast for his two friends.

Before supper, Jacqueline takes aside Jade and subtly threatens her about what she thinks she may plotting. She reveals to her that Smith arrived at Perfugium ten years ago, has no memory of his past (his birthday is actually the tenth anniversary of his arrival), and may well be the survivor of a terrible accident, given his scarred appearance. At the same time, Smith obtains from Victor news about the latest victim of a series of killings going on in the area: a young girl who, opposite to the previous eleven victims, was not a prostitute. This particularly strikes Victor, who is the local Adjudicator.

At dinner, the three friends talk about good and evil. Jacqueline, who runs a hospice, substains environment and circumstances cause the descent of some men into evil; Victor instead insists that it is only a question of will and choice. Smith mantains equidistance between the two, but he is clearly troubled by the subject. When later Victor makes a toast to him, he suddenly attacks him about his mysterious past, apparently out of nowhere; Smith however dismisses the accident as the result of Victor drinking too much.

Jacqueline shows Smith the present she got him for his birthday: a crystal ball, inhabited from a spirit, which they could contact to ask him about Smith's past. The doctor accepts, and to the surprise of the three men the ball does begin to shake and spell a name: D-O-C-T ...

The spelling is interrupted by a man appearing at the window: the Seventh Doctor.

Part two[[edit] | [edit source]]

Ignoring Jacqueline's warnings about the new arrival being dangerous, Smith and Victor take the Doctor inside the house to assist him. The Doctor, other than being seriously wounded, is also delirious. and keeps screaming about "death". Smith is surprised: he seems to recognise the man from somewhere.

Some time later, the Doctor wakes up to see himself in Smith's care. He too appears to recognise him, he even asks him whether they know each other (to which Smith answers negatively). To Smith's inquiries, the Doctor tells him he has come to look for a friend of his, an old friend; in return, Smith tells him about the murders, and how they trouble the atmosphere of Perfugium - a human colony built as a recreation of Edwardian England. The two men seem indeed to share a particular affinity.

They feel so close Smith even starts telling the Doctor (who introduced himself as Vaughan Sutton) about his suspicions about his own past. He tells him how, during a deliverance, he was briefly tempted to kill the newborn baby by smashing him to the ground; he confides to the Doctor his reflections about the nature of evil, how it may be possible for someone to be considered evil only because his view of the world is just different from anybody else. The Doctor agrees, and even suggests they may have been friends in another life.

Smith ends up telling the Doctor he sometimes hears voices in this house, voices threatening to kill someone or something, and confesses he invited Victor and Jacqueline to see if they hear them too. He has just said that, when he is suddently and violently possessed by an entity, reminding the Doctor of his obligation to kill someone (which the Doctor desperately says he won't). Back to his senses, Smith exits the room to reach the guests for his birthday party, leaving the Doctor alone - to hear the voice again.

Part three[[edit] | [edit source]]

While the Doctor and Smith talk, Victor and Jacqueline wait for them in a nearby room, where the latter one at one point insults and hits Jade, calling her a "servant". Just as Victor before, she doesn't know what happened to her, or why did she talk and act that way. Smith reaches them, and briefly informs them that the stranger has recovered; he also adds he seems to know something about him. They come back to the study where Smith left him, to find it all messed up and disorganised. As they start tiding things up, they hear a scream: gone to investigate, the Doctor, Victor and Smith discovered someone killed Jade's cat, in the same way the girls were killed, sliced open in the middle.

Back in the study, the four of them try to unravel the mystery. Smith confesses Victor and Jacqueline the real reason for their invitation, which makes Victor angry, while Jacqueline stands up for Smith to her husband's annoyance. They all agree that someone is indeed inside the house, playing a game with them. As the Doctor takes Victor outside, Smith confides Jacqueline he feels the Doctor knows more than he is letting on, so they plan a little trick. Smith pretends to be the murderer and to take Jacqueline as a hostage; the Doctor thinks he has turned back into his real self, the Master, and tries to calm him down, thus conferming he indeed does know more. Smith releases Jacqueline, while the Doctor tells them what truly is happening.

He starts by telling about him and the Master, of when they were children and one of them killed a bully, Torvic, who persecuted them both. The guilt and anger for the murder led him to madness, and transformed him into a dangerous, pyschopatic criminal, the Master. Ten years ago, the Doctor made a deal with someone to give the Master ten years of peaceful life, all he never had (acceptance, friends, love); in return, though, the Doctor would have to kill him when those ten years had passed. The Doctor failed in keeping his side of the bargain, and now his opponent is taking revenge on him and the Master. Smith is horrified at the discovery, but Jacqueline still defends him.

Suddenly, the house goes quiet as the storm increases. Jade comes into the room, revealing herself as Death.

Part four[[edit] | [edit source]]

Death reveals she is the one the Doctor made the deal with, as well as that Victor is the murderer, and that Jacqueline and Smith are in love. Victor first tries denying the accusations, but then confirms them, blaming Jacqueline for acting so superior to him and never supporting him. Smith and Jacqueline also acknowledges their feelings for each other, but Death still demands someone dies on her account, and urges Victor or Smith to kill Jacqueline. Victor, driven mad, runs out of the room, while the other three stay as the room goes dark.

Jacqueline finds Smith and once again displays her love for him, but Smith, wanting to save her life, rejects her. The Doctor understands why Smith has done this and admits he did all this because he wanted his old friend back, although he never expected the Master to really fall in love with someone. This, however, may give him a chance of redemption: if he is capable of loving Jacqueline, this may fix his identity as Smith, stopping the Master from ever coming back. Smith and the Doctor reach Victor, who is talking with Jacqueline, and try persuading him to let her live her own life, free, if he really loves her, but Victor, unable to overcome his own sense of possession, kills her, thus satisfying Death's condition and allowing the Master to return to life.

The Doctor manages to persuade Death to make another deal, and the entity turns back time, to immediately after Jacqueline's death, in order to talk to Smith. She tells him it now will be his choice: he can either kill Victor, thus saving Jacqueline's life (but this will bring back the Master), or alternatively, choose to do nothing and let her die to keep being John Smith. It also reveals what really happened with Torvic: it was the Doctor, not the Master, to kill him. She then appeared to him in a nightmare and offered the young Doctor to take away the blame by shifting the memory of the two, so that they would think the Master killed Torvic. Distraught with grief and guilt, the Doctor is consoled and forgiven by Smith, before being taken away by Death to his own punishment.

Back in time, Smith receives Victor and Jacqueline with a knife, preparing to kill Victor, but as the man hasn't been revealed as a murderer yet, Jacqueline doesn't understand why Smith is doing this. He's left unsure what he should do. Death mocks Smith that she wins whatever he does. (It is left ambiguous what choice Smith made)

On the tower, the Doctor has finished his story, and the young man understands: Death challenged the Doctor to kill an innocent, in his place. The Doctor takes up the rifle, but once again is unable to take a life. The Man then reveals himself to be Death, once again testing the Doctor: she mocks his resolution and then goes away. Distraught, the Doctor vows he will save his old friend, the Master.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Books[[edit] | [edit source]]

Personifications of concepts[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Death makes an appearance.
  • When asked by the Doctor why she's arranging murders, Death says it's "what I do". He later questions if she has to enjoy her work.
  • Every time Death speaks as herself rather than as Jade, her voice is distorted by an echoing other voice.
  • The Master thinks the personifications of concepts are ridiculous.
  • Death claims "by rights" the Doctor should have become the Master but "others" had plans for him, so she offered him a deal.

Planets[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Time Lords[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The Doctor and the Master were bullied as children by Torvic.
  • The Master himself disputes the idea that he has been influenced by Death, or that she's responsible for him re-emerging, and is dismissive of the entity.
  • 'John Smith' believes nobody is truly good or evil in life; the Master doesn't consider himself evil, though the Doctor answers that the Master has only evil left in him.
  • The Doctor tells Death he won't give into darkness and will keep trying to save the Master.

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Joseph Lidster's original treatment for the script bore the title 'The Master'.
  • This would be the final audio drama to feature the Master until Trail of the White Worm in May 2012 and his final appearance in the main range until And You Will Obey Me in April 2016.
  • This audio drama was recorded on 30 and 31 July 2003 at the Moat Studios.
  • An illustrated preview by Martin Geraghty appeared in DWM 336.
  • This is the first story in any medium to feature the Master where his name is part of the title.
  • This is the third part in a loose tetralogy of "villain"-focused stories to celebrate Doctor Who's 40th anniversary, beginning with Omega and ending with Zagreus.
  • The trailer to the story is unusual; rather than using clips from the story, Geoffrey Beevers recites an original monologue for it.
  • In January 2020, Master was provided as a free gift to purchasers of DWM 547, along with Omega and Davros, as part of the so called Classic Villains Trilogy with a brand new cover.
  • This was the first Big Finish release to feature the First Doctor and an Eternal.
  • This story is set between Survival and the 1996 TV Movie.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

Cover gallery[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

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