Coup against Rassilon
The Coup against Rassilon was a coup led by the Twelfth Doctor against the Lord President Rassilon.
History
Background
Following the end of the Last Great Time War, the Time Lords eventually unfroze Gallifrey and moved it from the pocket universe it was located in to "the end of the universe, give or take a star system or two." As Lord President, Rassilon worried about the Hybrid that was prophesized to conquer Gallifrey and stand in its ruins. Believing the Doctor knew who the Hybrid was, Rassilon set up a deal with Ashildr to capture the Doctor and trap him in his confession dial. This led to the death of the Doctor's companion Clara Oswald. (TV: Face the Raven) The Doctor spent four and a half billion years trapped in the confession dial, eventually escaping and arriving on Gallifrey. Enraged by Clara's death and determined to save her, the Doctor had a young boy inform "someone in charge" that the Doctor had arrived and knew what they did (TV: Heaven Sent) before making his way to the barn he slept in often in his youth. (TV: Hell Bent)
Standoff
After learning of the Doctor's arrival, Rassilon sent a gunship to arrest the Doctor, but the Doctor ignored the soldier's commands to surrender, drew a line in the sand between them and returned to his soup. Rassilon then sent a squad of soldiers led by the General and the High Council to speak with the Doctor, but he just went back into the barn without a word each time.
After Ohilia informs Rassilon that the Doctor doesn't blame Gallifrey for the horrors of the Time War, but rather Rassilon himself, Rassilon traveled to the barn where the Doctor finally came out to greet him. When Rassilon tried to shake his hand, the Doctor dropped his confession dial at his feet and ordered him to "get off my planet" despite Rassilon insisting that his actions were necessary due to the threat of the Hybrid. When the Doctor refused to relent, Rassilon ordered his firing squad to kill him despite the General's protests as many of the soldiers had served with the Doctor in the Time War and respected him greatly. Rassilon still ordered the Doctor's execution, but while the squad fired, they purposefully missed.
Confronted by Rassilon over their failure to kill an unarmed man, one of the soldiers told him a saying regarding the "Doctor of War" during the Time War, that he is always seen first as unarmed but it is often the last thing that the person sees. The soldier then drops his weapon and stands with the Doctor, having fought at his side before. One by one, the firing squad drop their weapons and join the Doctor while Rassilon berates them and the General watches. Finally, Rassilon decides to use his gauntlet against the Doctor, but stops when four gunships arrive. Rassilon is pleased, believing the General called for backup, but the Doctor reveals that he used his sonic sunglasses to call the ships who also stand with the Doctor.
Rassilon is unable to believe that everyone is turning against him due to his high position in Time Lord society. Rassilon tries once more to kill the Doctor himself, but the General finally sides with the Doctor himself, telling Rassilon "Lord President, with respect, get off his planet." The General then drops his own gun and stands beside the Doctor along with all of the other military present. Rassilon, now with no allies, surrenders and is exiled from Gallifrey by the Doctor, now Lord President himself. (TV: Hell Bent)
Aftermath
With Rassilon banished, the Doctor became the Lord President of Gallifrey. While initially planning to banish the High Council as well for their role in his imprisonment, the Doctor relents and allows them to stay and to help them find the Hybrid. However, this is a trick so the Doctor can save Clara Oswald. (TV: Hell Bent)
