The Ultimate Foe (TV story)

Synopsis

The final episode in the season-long 'Trial of a Time Lord' saga, a surprise appearance of the Master reveals the treachery of the High Council of Time Lords, and that the Valeyard is not what he appears to be.

Plot

With the evidence complete, the Doctor learns that the Master has gained access to his TARDIS. The Doctor proves his inocence, when he does a final battle with the Valleyard (Michael Jayston.) The Doctor is informed that all charges against him have been dismissed. The Doctor has saved everybody. He and Mel depart in the Doctor's TARDIS, and at the end, the Keep of the Matrix turns to us, and he revealed as the Valleyard.

Cast

Crew

References

to be added

Story Notes

Mel leaves with the Doctor at the end of this story, despite being from the Doctor's future.

This was Colin Baker's last appearance as The Doctor, (though he didn't know it at the time of filming.) Baker was fired by the BBC. He was invited to come back to do a regeneration scene in another 4-Part story, but he declined the invitation.

Ratings

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Myths

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Location Filming

to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

What the Master said about the Valeyard giving him the remainder of his regenerations to him contradicts the Master's explanation of his regeneration in The Sound of Drums and mostly The Five Doctors.

Continuity

to be added

DVD and Video Releases

Video Releases

Released as Doctor Who: The Ultimate Foe

Released:

UK October 1993 (Released with the other Trial of the Timelord stories in a Tardis-shaped tin with a random picture of one of the (then) seven Doctors on the base)
US October 1993 (Same as the UK release except packed in a cardboard box in honor of Doctor Who's 30th anniversary)
Australia October 1993

DVD release