So I actually had the idea for this essay quite a while back. It was going to center more around the Monk - as I thought he was the most likely candidate to fit the bill. But there has been a recent development that has created quite a bit of debate among fans who are well-versed in Classic Who. So, once more, I'm skirting around the REVIEW OVERVIEW I'm meant to be finishing (I may never get it done!) in order tackle this issue while it's still somewhat relevant.
FIRST THINGS FIRST:
Okay, let's get this out of the way: a bit of background music being used in the re-imagining of an old 60s story does not confirm an age-old fan theory regarding the true identity of the the War Chief from The War Games. Just because we hear the same soundtrack for the John Simm Master playing during scenes involving the War Chief does not prove that this character is an earlier incarnation of the Master. The people that made this new version of the story are just having a bit of fun with fan speculation. That's it. The War Chief being the Master still remains unproven.
"All right then, Rob." those-of-you-who-want-this-to-be-true might be saying, "What would you constitute as being valid proof that the War Chief is the Master?"
"Something actually happening within the context of the proper show that clearly claims that the War Chief is the Master." I reply with simple precision.
Not sure what I mean? Here's an example:
Let's say we get a new story next season called Spyrise. It's a two-parter. At the end of Part One, the Doctor sneaks onto a boat and discovers that someone he thought was a friend is actually the latest incarnation of the Master. During Part Two, the Doctor and the Master meet on the Leaning Tower of Pisa during the Vietnam War. They're reminiscing about old times. The Master says something to the nature of: "I'm still mad at you for ruining my plans to conquer the Galaxy with the War Lords. You could have, at least, leant me your TARDIS when my SIDRATS were starting to run down! Is it just me, by the way, or does the Security Chief remind you a bit of the Keeper of the Matrix?! God, I hated that guy! I was soooo glad when I shot him..."
Dialogue like that is definitely making a direct reference to The War Games and is obviously identifying the Master as being the War Chief. If we get something of this nature then I will admit that the fan theory has been validly confirmed. But the Master could even be a bit less specific and it will make things grey. If he just said: "I'm still mad at you for ruining my plans to conquer the Galaxy with the War Lords." then I would say the theory has not yet been proven. Quite simply, the Master could have had a plan of his own with the War Lords that happened prior to the events of War Games. That experience may have even made the War Lords more open to the idea of working with the War Chief when he does come along at a later time.
Which means, of course, that the "evidence" we're getting in the re-edit of The War Games is subjective, at best. Especially since many fans consider only the original ten-part version of the story to be true canon. And the narrative of that ten episode epic does nothing to truly indicate that the Master was once the War Chief.
FUN WITH SPECULATION
Having said all that, this doesn't mean we can't play about with some theories. Even before the recent re-imagining of War Games, there are aspects of the story that hinted towards the idea that the War Chief and the Master are one and the same. Quite naturally, it's never directly stated that we're seeing an earlier version of the Master in this adventure. But certain elements of the plot could be construed as implications.
Making these sort of leaps, of course, is what a good POINT OF DEBATE essay is all about. But if we're going to do that with the War Chief, then we should also acknowledge a few other characters that emerged during 60s Who that could also, potentially, be an earlier incarnation of the Master. There are, at least, two other individuals during this period that are suitable candidates.
Which means that, back in the 60s, we could have seen as many as three different incarnations that existed prior to the Roger Delgado Master. On the other end of the spectrum, we could claim that none of these "potential previous Masters" are actually the notorious Renegade Time Lord. Between these two polarizations, of course, lies the concept that one or two of these characters from this period could be him.
In the end, it all depends on what you want to believe. All three of these people have traits that can support the various fan theories.
THAT ALL-IMPORTANT SCENE IN TERROR OF THE AUTONS
Before we take too big of a dive into the subject matter, there is something that occurs in 70s Who that needs to be brought into the argument.
During the first few minutes of Terror of the Autons, the Doctor receives a visit from a Time Lord to warn him that the Master is on Earth so he needs to be careful. The Doctor gives a rather derisive snort as he receives the information. It's a fun little scene. But it also establishes two important things regarding his relationship with his rival:
1) The Doctor and the Master have met before
We might be encountering the Master for the first time in this story but the two Time Lords seem to be well-known to each other. And we're not talking about how they both studied at the Academy together. By the way the Doctor speaks of his foe, he appears to have clashed with him since leaving Gallifrey. .
This, of course, lends massive credence to the idea that we have seen the Master during 60s Who. It's firmly established in this scene that these two Renegades battled each other in the past. So we can reasonably assume that we may have actually witnessed that fight in a previous televised adventure.
2) The Master wasn't as competent as he is now.
Admittedly, this can be a subjective concept. The Doctor hates the Master. He's going to talk some crap about him to this Time Lord that's come to warn him. So he claims that this enemy is no one special and that he can run rings around him. It's the sort of thing the Doctor might do when discussing a foe. Even if they are actually a legitimate threat.
The visiting Time Lord, however, does affirm the Doctor's critique of his rival. But then he adds: "The Master has gotten better at doing evil stuff since the last time you met him." (or words to that effect). Which means that the Doctor wasn't, necessarily, exaggerating when he calls his enemy a "jackanapes" and an "unimaginative plodder".
Like the first point, alluding to the idea that the Master was much more inept at one time helps to re-enforce the concept that he may have been a character we first saw when Doctor Who was still in black-and-white. All three potential previous incarnations do seem considerably less competent than the Roger Delgado version.
SPECIAL NOTE:
My memory appears to have cheated me regarding this scene. I was convinced that, during his stream of insults, the Doctor had referred to the Master as some sort of "bumbler" (more than likely, a ham-fisted one). During a recent re-watch, I realized the term was never used.
THE MOST OBVIOUS ELIMINATION
One of our three candidates will be fairly easy to disqualify. In fact, he's barely worth mentioning. Nonetheless, he's the only one of the trio that was actually referred to as "The Master" during a story from 60s Who. So we should, at least, give him some attention.
Fandom, in all its wisdom, chose to re-christen him: "The Master of the Land of Fiction" just to clarify things a bit during discussions regarding The Mind Robber. But none of the actual dialogue in the story gives him that title. He really is just called "The Master".
The nature of his identity does get expanded upon when the Doctor and his companions actually meet him. We discover that he is merely a human from 1926. That he was writing a popular adventure story for Ensign Magazine when he was abducted by the Master Brain and forced to be in charge of the Land of Fiction.
While he never actually gives his real name, he also doesn't claim to be a Renegade Time Lord who, like the Doctor, has chosen to leave Gallifrey and explore Time and Space. So we have to assume he is who he says he is: A simple human from Earth who writes fiction.
If we really wanted to stretch credulity, we could claim the Master was employing some sort of elaborate disguise during the adventure. Which is why he's claiming to be a British author rather than a Renegade Time Lord. He might have even been using a Chameleon Arch to transform into this individual from early Twentieth Century Earth.
It would be silly, however, to go to such lengths but still call himself "the Master"! Why pretend to be someone else but still use your real name (or, more appropriately, title)? But then, the Master did also once pose as Kalid in Time Flight during scenes when there was no real need for him to conceal his true identity. So we can't totally rule out such irrational behavior!
Still, if we're being frank, it's highly unlikely that this is an earlier version of the Master.
A MORE LIKELY CANDIDATE
Up until I realized my memory had cheated me, I felt the Monk (aka the Meddling Monk) has the strongest chance of being a previous incarnation of the Master. This was because I was sure that the Doctor had referred to the Master as being a "bumbler" during the scene he has with the other Time Lord during Terror of the Autons.
There is, perhaps, no one in the entire Doctor Who Universe that bumbles more than the Monk. In both stories that he's featured in, he bumbles up a storm. He bumbles to the left. He bumbles to the right. He bumbles all the day and he bumbles all the night.
But then, I did a re-watch of that crucial scene and discovered the term was never actually used to describe him. Which creates a massive shift in my perception. I mean, yeah, "jackanapes" and "unimaginative plodder" could still be used when discussing him. But they're terms that are fairly applicable to other Potential Past Incarnations. Whereas, if the Doctor had actually referred to him as a "bumbler", then the Monk fits the description waaaayyyyy better than anyone else.
I do still think the Monk is probably a bit more of an unimaginative plodder than the other candidates. Particularly during The Time Meddler. His plans for altering history are so massively over-contrived that they move at a snail's pace. Which, pretty much, exemplifies 'plodderishness" at its best. So that does give the Monk just a little bit of an edge in this competition.
He also exhibits quite a bit of behavior that could be described as the sort of thing a "jackanapes" might do. While I was pretty sure I knew what the term meant, I still bothered to look it up. Its main definition is: "someone impertinent". Trying to change human history while playing a bunch of pranks in the process definitely fits that description.
POSSIBLE MONK DETRACTORS
There is some nice evidence that supports the idea that the Monk is the Master. But there are also some factors that work against him.
While it's not explicitly stated, the whole discussion between the Doctor and the visiting Time Lord does seem to ever-so-slightly imply that he's only ever had one fight with the Master prior to Terror of Autons. It is feasible, though, to read into that dialogue differently and say that it could just as easily hint at multiple encounters. Or one could even claim that the whole history between the two rivals is fairly nebulous. It might be only one prior meeting between the two of them. Or it could be several. There's no way to be truly sure of it.
But it is still possible to infer from the conversation between the two Time Lords that the foes have only clashed once before Terror. Which means that, if this is the case, the Monk would be completely disqualified. We have seen him fight the Doctor twice during 60s Who.
Some might also argue that there is just too great of a personality difference between the Monk and the Master. But the second point I make about the meeting between the Doctor and the Time Lord is the declaration that the Master was a lot more incompetent in his earlier days. This description certainly suits the Monk!
We should also bring up the fact that it is possible to see drastic differences in personality after a Time Lord regenerates. Compare the Second Doctor to the Third. Or Five to Six. It's almost difficult to believe that they are meant to be the same character.
The Master could have gone through a similar process. Essentially, a lot can change when regeneration occurs. So it is more-than-feasible that the Monk and the Master are one and the same. The variance in their demeanor holds no real validity in an argument against this notion.
In the end, we definitely can't rule out the Monk as being an earlier version of the Master. There is a substantial amount of evidence that supports the idea. And the things that negate the concept are not particularly substantial. But I will admit: Because I remembered that scene in Terror of the Autons incorrectly, my argument for him is substantially weaker than I'd originally believed it to be.
"BUT LISTEN TO THE MUSIC, ROB!"
And then, finally, we get to the one everyone's talking about. That guy with the background music. Apparently, his soundtrack convinces a ton of people that he will someday transform into Roger Delgado.
Okay, so even if we considered this new version of The War Games "legitimate canon", a bit of incidental music still can't really be construed as absolute proof that the War Chief is the Doctor.
"But it's the Master's Theme Song!" the Believers point out, "Why would they use it if they weren't trying to say that the War Chief is the Master?!"
If we really want to follow that sort of logic to its ultimate conclusion, then we can still dismiss this "crucial evidence" with relative ease. They use the Master's theme because he's an evil Renegade Time Lord. And so is the War Chief. So the theme suits him.
"But it's still the Master's Theme, Rob!" the Believers persist.
To which I respond: "Sometimes, just sometimes, the show has been known to use a specific musical theme for one thing and then designate it to something else. It's not unheard of."
"Prove it to us, Rob!"
"Sure." I reply:
One of the few things that irritates me about Web of Fear (aside from that jerk that worked at the TV station where it was found stealing Part Three) is the way they used the theme music that had been reserved for the Cybermen during a battle between UNIT and the Yeti. I had loved the way that music played as we would watch the Cybermen come lumbering along on the surface of the Moon or in the Tombs of Telos. And now, suddenly, that same tune was ringing out as the Yeti stomped through the streets of London and ruthlessly killed UNIT soldiers.
Does this mean that the Yeti were actually fur-covered Cybermen trying to conceal their identity? Of course not! Both the Yeti and the Cybermen are tall, deadly giants that have no reservations about causing harm to unfortunate humans. So the the theme music works for both of them. I'm still ever-so-slightly bothered that the Yeti stole the Cybermen's music. But it does suit the scene.
Which means, of course, that if the Master's Theme Song is playing while we see the War Chief - that doesn't mean they're the same individual. Just as the Yeti can steal the Cybermen's music but still be the Yeti. It's a simple case of using a soundtrack for two things that are vaguely similar to each other.
OTHER THINGS THAT NEGATE THE WAR CHIEF THEORY
Point #1
Some fans will speak of a second sound cue in The War Games - Remixed that they feel proves the War Chief is the Master. But, once again, the evidence is far from being strong enough.
In the original ten-part epic, the War Chief is executed and his corpse is hauled off by extras. To all intents and purposes, this looks like one of those occasions where a Time Lord's body was too badly damaged and he wasn't able to regenerate. But, in this new version, we hear a regeneration sound effect as the guards drag his body away.
"He's turning into Roger Delgado!" the Believers proclaim.
And I suppose he could be. But he could, just as easily, be turning into anyone. It's entirely possible that we're watching a Time Lord who isn't the Master regenerating.
I will also re-emphasize: I don't count this re-imagining of War Games as being any kind of real continuity. But, even if it was, I'd need more than a regeneration sound effect to convince me the War Chief was the Master. I'd need to see a proper visual effect of the War Chief turning into Roger Delgado. Otherwise, this is could just be any old Time Lord regenerating.
So there is nothing in this scene that genuinely proves this character is the Master.
Point #2:
The conversation on the radio telescope between Doctor Three and the Time Lord works just a little bit against the War Chief. I wouldn't really consider the War Chief to be much of a jackanapes. At least, he doesn't really behave that way in front of the Doctor. He's a bit impertinent when dealing with the Security Chief, but the Doctor doesn't really see much of their interaction.
Nor would I call him an unimaginative plodder. His plans for conquering the Galaxy seem to be moving at a fairly brisk pace. His sense of strategy actually shows a pretty good breadth of vision, too. "Unimaginative" is hardly an adjective that I think applies to him.
Still, this is just the Doctor talkin' crap. He wanted to make some disparaging remarks. They didn't need to be entirely accurate. They just needed to be insulting.
POINTS THAT SUPPORT THE WAR CHIEF THEORY
Okay, I've taken a lot of time and effort to point out ideas that work against the War Chief being the Master. I did this, of course, because there's a pretty strong opinion running through Fandom, at the moment, that believes the opposite. I felt I needed to fight that idea a bit harder than normal in order to truly get my points across.
But now I'll be a little nicer. There are a few things that do support the idea that the War Chief could be the Master.
Point #1:
The War Chief is using an "M.O." that we've frequently seen the Master employ.
During The War Games, the War Chief allies himself with someone in order to exploit their resources. At the first available opportunity, he will betray those allies and try to wipe them out.
We've seen the Master do this any number of times, too. Like the War Chief, these alliances are frequently made with an entire race rather than just an individual. He's done this sort of thing with Sea Devils, Daleks, Kasaavins and so on. He's even formed an alliance with all of humanity. He concealed their identity for a bit by referring to them as:"Toclofane".
Since both of these characters are using similar tactics, it's entirely possible that this is the same Time Lord in different incarnations. Mind you, it's not like there aren't other baddies in the Whoniverse that work to that pattern too. The Sontarans, for instance, quite ruthlessly exploited the Vardans in an attempt to invade Gallifrey. Should we start assuming that, because Sontarans employ a similar strategy, they are the result of some weird cloning experiment that the Master performed on himself? Or should we just accept that forming alliances that will, eventually, lead to betrayal is just an effective way for a villain to get what they want? Which means, of course, that a lot of them will do it. Even ones that aren't the Master.
Point #2:
It's almost irrelevant, but it is still quite hard to refute.
Basically, the War Chief looks a lot like the Master.
Choosing a similar aesthetic throughout multiple incarnations is not an uncommon thing for the Master to do. Just about any incarnation capable of growing facial hair ends up experimenting with it, at least, a little bit. Even the John Simm Master was sporting a goatee for a while.
The War Chief isn't wearing a traditional goatee, of course. But it is "goateeish". He's also swept his hair back and is maintaining a general "classical melodrama villain vibe". This is a look we've seen Roger Delgado, Anthony Ainley and even Gordon Tipple use during their portrayals (it's difficult to see Tipple in the actual story but there's some publicity stills that show him off quite nicely).
Amusingly enough, this is probably the strongest piece of evidence that supports the concept that the War Chief is the Master. He really does look like he could be an incarnation of the evil Renegade.
Does this mean, for sure, that he's the Master? Of course not! Professor Stahlman from the story Inferno had quite the magnificent goatee going on (the one from our reality, at least). Should we assume he is another version of the Master? Or should we just agree that goatees look really awesome so really cool guys like to wear them?
SPECIAL NOTE: If you're suspecting that I'm giving goatees such high praise because I, occasionally, sculpt my own incredible beard into one - then you've guessed correctly!
FINAL ANALYSIS
Once more, I've done what I always try to do with any POINT OF DEBATE essay. I've examined a "grey area" in the Lore and considered it from every possible angle. I've looked at everything that supports or negates a certain Popular Fan Theory and strived to remain neutral on the matter so that you can form your own opinion.
I will, however, finish this entry off a bit differently from most. If we really look over the evidence, the Monk does seem more likely to be a previous incarnation of the Master than anyone else. Even with the mistake I made regarding how he was described in Terror of the Autons, there are just more things that point to him being an earlier version of the Master than there are for anyone else. It even helps a bit that we do see the Master trying to meddle with history in stories like The King's Demons or Mark of the Rani. It's almost like he enjoys getting up to his old tricks every once in a while.
Since I'm already ending this post in an unusual way, I'll also venture my own opinion on the issue. Even with all the evidence that supports the idea that the Monk is the Master, it is still only circumstantial. There is no positive proof that any of our three candidates from 60s Who were earlier incarnations. I'm a big enough jerk to even claim that if The New War Games had dropped in an effect showing the War Chief turning into Roger Delgado, I just wouldn't consider it canon. Only what we witness in the original version of the story counts.
As far as I'm concerned, we never saw a previous incarnation of the Master during 60s Who. That is my final verdict.
Of course, an observant reader might say something to the nature of: "Okay then, Rob. If you don't think any of these guys were the Master, then how does that scene in Terror of the Autons actually work?! The Doctor had to have met his arch-nemesis sometime before this particular story. When did it occur?! Huh?! When, Rob?! When?!"
The answer is simple: Like most fans, I subscribe to the idea of a Season 6b. Sometime between visiting the Brigadier at the UNIT reunion and bawling out Dastari for his unstable time travel experiments, the Second Doctor had a run-in or two with the Master. I would even hazard a guess that it was the Roger Delgado version since the Third Doctor has no trouble recognizing him. Nor does he make any comments, in general, about him regenerating. Which is something Time Lords often do when they encounter each other and one of them is in a new incarnation.
So, there you have it. In my complex World View, none of the guys that we looked at in this essay were the Master. Instead, he popped up at some point during the many unseen adventures of Season 6b.
All that Point of Debating for nothing! What a fool I am to indulge in such a flight of fancy but then claim that none of it amounts to anything. Just the sort of thing that I would do!
If you'd like me to expand a bit on this whole "meeting the Master during Season 6b" nonsense, I do it here:
https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2016/10/chronologies-and-timelines-master-part-1.html
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