Last of the Time Lords (TV story)
Last of the Time Lords is the 13th episode of Series 3 of Doctor Who. It was broadcast on 30th June, 2007.
Synopsis
It has been one year since Martha was on board the Valiant, one year and the Earth is enslaved by the Master. Martha has travelled and seen, she has spoken and she has searched, was it for a weapon to end the tyranny of the Master? Now the Master is ready to begin his new Time Lord Empire, with the Doctor aged beyond the point of return, Jack locked away below the Valiant's decks, only Martha can stop the Master.
Plot
One year after the Master's takeover and decimation of Planet Earth, the Earth (Sol 3) is announced to be closed from space traffic as it is entering extinction. On a beach on the coast of England, a man named Tom Milligan directs Martha's boat in using a lamp. She arrives back in the UK for the first time since the Toclafane invasion, having travelled the world. She tells Tom she has to talk to a woman called Professor Docherty, and asks him why he is allowed to travel. He says it is because he is a doctor, and Martha is happy torealise she is travelling with a Doctor. Tom tells Martha that she has become something of a legend around the world as the one person who can kill the Master, and asks her if this is true. She does not answer him.
The Master enters the deck of the Valiant, singing and dncing happily. He rings a bell to summon the Doctor out of his tent on the floor, commenting that there is one day until launch. The Doctor is still unnaturally aged and is now refusing to speak. He only responds when the Master mentions that Martha has apparently returned to England. He tells the Master to leave her alone. The Master tries to force him to talk more, but realises that the "Toclafane" broke the Doctor's hearts when he realised what they are. The Doctor says he has just one thing to say, and the Master knows what it is, but the Master walks away. Francine is forced to be a waitress for the Master. Lucy looks beaten and seems to be much more miserable than she was before. Clive and Tish are also working on the Valiant. Tish's job is to feed Jack, who is chained to the engines. Tish gives Jack a hand signal to explain her plan, and Jack winks in acknowledgement.
Martha nd Tom walk up a hill and see an enormous statue of the Master at the top of it. Looking out at the miles of countryside in front of them, they see thousands of spaceships being built. Martha explains that the Master is preparing for war with the rest of the universe. Suddenly, two Toclafane arrive and demand an explantion for tom's travelling. He presents identification that he is allowed to travel and the Toclafane taunt him and move on. Tom asks Martha how the spheres didn't notice her, and she reveals that she is still wearing her TARDIS key perception filter. and that is how she has managed to travel the world.
Tish continues to spread her hand signal of three fingers, indicating that they will rebel at 3:00pm. As the Master picks a girl to give him a massage and insults Lucy, Jack manages to break free of his chains, Clive pours water over all the technology and equipment, and Francine throws the Master's laser screwdriver to the Doctor. He points it at the Master and says once more that he only has one thing to say and the Master knows what it is, who simply laughs at the Doctor. Jack is shot dead (again) by the Master's guards. The Master explains that the screwdriver has isomorphic controls and it only works for the Master. He demonstrates by torturing Francine and forcing her to apologise. She does so and the Master warns everyone that siding with the Doctor is not recommended. The Master continues to insult the Doctor and decides to take his revenge.
Martha and Tom arrive at Professor Docherty's workplace. She is trying to fix a television so the can watch a transmission from the Master. They are successful, and the Master speaks to the world. He asks them how much hope does the Doctor have, and on camera, ages the Doctor a further 900 years. On the televison, the Doctor apears to be dead, and the transmission ends with a word of warning to Martha to surrender. On the Vaiant, a tiny, disfigured creature emerges from the Doctor's clothes - a 1000 year aged Doctor. Martha is undisturbed, saying she knows the Doctor is still alive.
Martha tells Professor Docherty that she came to see her so that they can cath themselves a sphere. They know that a lightning strike can strike down a sphere, and Professor Docherty manages to produce enough electricity to simulate one. Tom attracts attention by shooting into the air, and draws the Toclafane into the lightning. The sphere is struck down, and Professor Docherty prepares to find out what is inside.
'more to be added'
Cast
- The Doctor - David Tennant
- Martha Jones - Freema Agyeman
- Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
- The Master - John Simm
- Lucy Saxon - Alexandra Moen
- Francine Jones - Adjoa Andoh
- Clive Jones - Trevor Laird
- Tish Jones - Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Thomas Milligan - Tom Ellis
- Prof Docherty - Ellie Haddington
- Lad - Tom Golding
- Woman - Natasha Alexander
Crew
to be added
References
- The Master mentions the Doctor's battles with the Sea Devils and the Axons and how he closed the Medusa Cascade.
- Jack as he leaves Martha and the Doctor says he was called in his youth the Face of Boe.
- The Master and Lucy travelled to Utopia.
- The Master's laser screwdriver has isomorphic controls.
- The Master chose to die rather than regenerate.
Story Notes
- "Toclafane" roughly translates into "Fool The Fan" in French.
- The Master seems to be a Scissor Sisters fan. He's singing along to I Can't Decide from their Ta-Dah album on the flight deck of the Valiant.
Ratings
- 8.61 million - Final Ratings
- 0.86 million - BBC Three Sunday repeat
Myths
to be added
Location Filming
to be added
Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors
- When the Doctor reversed time back to just before the President was killed, there should have been Three Toclafane, but they seemed to have disappeared as well.
Continuity
- The 'Toclafane' are the last humans seen in Utopia.
- The Third Doctor fought the Sea Devils in The Sea Devils and the Axons in The Claws of Axos.
- Earth was first referred to as Sol 3 in The Deadly Assassin.
- The central London UNIT base was first appeared in Terror of the Autons.
- The idea of a devastated London over run by rabid dogs was first shown in Blood Heat.
- Jack returns to Cardiff for season two of Torchwood.
- The TARDIS has held back a paradox before in The Shadows of Avalon to The Ancestor Cell.
DVD and Other Releases
to be added
See Also
to be added
