The Year That Never Was was a year which, due to the destruction of the Paradox Machine, never occurred for a majority of the population of Earth but was remembered by a few people on the The Valiant. During this time, from approximately Spring 2008 through 2009 and did last exactly a year, the Master, with the assistance of the Toclafane, ruled over Earth.
Overview
Background
The Master won the election and became Prime Minister of Great Britain following the downfall of Harriet Jones. He had by this time converted the TARDIS into a Paradox Machine in order to alter and pervert history. (DW: The Sound of Drums)
- For more information on this see Harold Saxon.
During the Year
Almost immediatly after the decimation of the human race, the Master ordered "the great celebrity purge" which included the deaths of Bill Gates and Des O'Connor. Many countries and cities were destroyed as well, such as Japan and New York.
Occupation of Earth
From his mobile base, the Valiant, the Master launched the Toclafane invasion.
- For more information on this see separate article.
The Master had enslaved the Human race with the intention of using them to build weapons in preparation for war against the rest of the universe. The Master wished to turn Earth into New Gallifrey and create a new empire stretching across the universe, lasting "one hundred trillion years". (DW: The Sound of Drums/ Last of the Time Lords))
The Master imposed a dictatorial and despotic regime apon the Earth with himself at the head of it. It was evident that human population recovered over the following year: the humans vastly outnumber the Toclafane, despite their numbers being roughly equal at the time of the Master's take-over. The people suffered severe over-population, often with many families crammed into a single house, and economic and technologial regress occured massively in the neglected urban centres; one citizen claimed that London was "full of wild dogs" by night. A huge amount of human lives were lost over the course of the year, with Tom Milligan commenting that when Martha Jones visited Japan, every single Japanese citizen died and only Martha escaped.
Television and any notable tehnology was shut down, and entirely replaced with the Archangel Network. It is implied by Professor Docherty that at some point a military response to the invasion was attempted, but the Toclafane descended. It is very likely that Leo Jones was killed by the Master, but his fate was never revealed. The Master also carved his face into Mount Rushmore, and ordered statues of himself to be built across the world to enforce his regime. The effects on Earth were so great that the planet was closed to the wider universe, and the planet was designated to be unsafe to approach.
Resistance
Head of the resistance was Martha Jones who became renowned among the human race for travelling across the world and evading capture from the Master. One of the more notable escapes was the flight from Japan. She had escaped the Valiant using the vortex manipulator given to her by Jack Harkness and witnessed the slaughter of one tenth of the population of Earth. Many legends developed around Martha Jones and the purpose for her travelling the world. The most common belief held by people was that she travelled across the world in search of a weapon. Another belief held by the people was that Martha Jones was the only one who could kill the Master.
Members of the resistance include Tom Milligan, Leo Jones (Martha's brother) and Professor Alison Docherty, who betrayed Martha to the Master in return for information about her son. A small resistance also existed on the Master's headquarters, the Valiant, headed by the Doctor. Members of this resistance included Francine Jones, Clive Jones, Tish Jones and Jack Harkness. (DW: Last of the Time Lords)
Eve of War
The Eve of War was the day before the Master planned to go to war against the rest of the universe. He chose this day to transmit a warning to Martha. He used his laser screwdriver to age the Doctor to his actual age of 900 years. (DW: Last of the Time Lords)
End of the year
A revolt on the Valiant and the destruction of the Paradox Machine by Jack Harkness reversed time to just before the Toclafane's decimation of the Human population (though not before their arrival on Earth). Everyone on the Valiant retained their memory of the year. (DW: Last of the Time Lords)