ANALYTICAL: THE TWISTED MOTIVATIONS OF THE MASTER THROUGHOUT NEW WHO - PART TWO: THE DOCTOR'S APPROVAL

My study into the arcs that have been built into the Master's character throughout the New Series continues. As I mentioned in Part One, there are actually quite a few. But only two are really all that noteworthy. 

In the last entry, we examined the first major arc. We looked at the way the Master has developed a strange desire during New Who to try to have a companion. In this essay, of course, we will sort through the second one.    

MASTER ARC #2: THE DOCTOR'S ACCEPTANCE

HINTS IN THE CLASSIC SERIES 

While the Master's desire to take on a companion was a fairly simple arc to highlight and discuss, this second one is considerably more abstract. It definitely seems to exist, but it manifests itself in strange ways throughout the different incarnations that have inhabited the New Series. Most interesting to note, however, is how we can even see slight hints of it in Classic Who. 

As I mentioned in the previous entry, the Master during the Old Series was a much simpler character. In most of his stories, he operated in a very straightforward manner. He was always trying to execute a plan that would give him some kind of power over something. Sometimes, it was just a planet. Other times, the whole Universe. Inevitably, the Doctor got in the way of his schemes succeeding. So the Master would do his best to eliminate him. 

Plots involving the Master did vary a bit in later years. Particularly as Ainley took on the role. We got stories like Planet of Fire or Survival where the Master wasn't devising some mad plan for domination. He was just in a bad spot and trying to get out of it. Or there were even stories like Castrovalva - where the Master was just trying to lure the Doctor into a horrible trap that would, of course, utterly destroy him. 

Castrovalva is a good story for illustrating how the Master interacts with his arch-nemesis during Old Who. For the most part, his desire was to simply crush his opponent. Quite simply, he wanted him dead. Any time the Doctor was in the same room as his enemy, he knew his life was in danger. Within minutes, an attempt would be made to end his existence. The Master might want to gloat over him a bit before trying to kill him - but, inevitably, a horrible fate awaited the Doctor whenever he met the Master. Like the Daleks, the evil renegade had a near-constant desire to exterminate him. 

In New Who, that motivation shifts quite a bit. Yes, there are any number of occasions where the Master still wants to just to take the Doctor out. But there are lots of other times where he seeks something entirely different from his rival. It's almost difficult to describe. But, essentially, he seems to want the Doctor's approval. Or to prove, at least, that the Doctor is no better than him. That they are equals. There have been  numerous opportunities in the Revived Series where the Master had him in the proverbial cross-hairs but did not fire because he needed to feel properly affirmed before doing so. During certain periods, the Doctor wasn't even in danger at all. The Master (or, more specifically, Missy) was seeking genuine reconciliation with him. 

While we see the Master acting this way a whole lot more during New Who, there are traces of it in the Original Series too. Even as far back as the Master's very second story. 

During Mind of Evil, the Keller Machine reveals to us something interesting about the dark Time Lord's psyche. The Doctor appears to him as his greatest fear. But he doesn't offer any kind of legitimate threat. He simply stands over the Master and laughs at him. This, to me, is the first indication of just how much the Doctor's approval means to him. His worst nightmare is not for the Doctor to harm him, but to consider him insignificant. 

We see more evidence of this in the very next story. Triumphantly, the Master finally finds himself in the Control Room of the Doomsday Weapon he has been searching for on Uxarieus. He is sure that he can, now, hold the Universe at ransom and that there is nothing the Doctor can do about it. This should be the moment where he finally kills the Doctor. He's even got a gun in his hand. 

Instead, he offers the Doctor an alliance. He actually wants to rule the Universe in tandem with him. Nothing could reveal the secret respect he has for his enemy more than this scene does. When he's certain he holds all the cards in his hand and will, at last, gain control over all Creation, he wants the Doctor at his side. Rather than crushing him once and for all, he seeks his cooperation. Ultimately, he craves his approval more than anything else. It's an extremely revealing moment. 

We don't see too many more examples of this in Old Who. For the most part, the Master does seem to just want to kill the Doctor at the nearest available opportunity. But the character nuance is there. When it starts becoming a stronger compulsion with Simm, Missy and Dhawan, we're not entirely surprised.. Those traits were on display right in the very first season to feature him. 

NOT SEEING MUCH AT THE BEGINNING

Since I've decided to include Doctor Who - The Movie in Part One of this study, we'll use it as our starting point again. In this particular tale, the Master is very much still in "Classic Who Mode". He is simply out to destroy the Doctor and nothing more. While he is staying true to  himself, he is also in the process of completing one of the few arcs that was built into the character during the Original Series. Since Deadly Assassin, he has to deal with the fact that he has run out of regenerations and must, occasionally, find a way to extend his lifespan. Not for the first time, he is attempting to steal the Doctor's body and inherit his remaining regenerations. 

In this adventure, we really only see bitter rivalry between the two adversaries. This secret desire for the Doctor's approval doesn't seem to be showing itself in the Master at this point. He is his usual ruthless self. Out to get the Doctor and, in so doing, continue to survive. Nothing really new, here. 

We see so little of the Jacobi Master in his true form that there really is no time to give him much examination. Within moments of being released from the Chameleon Arch, he gets shot and must regenerate. Not much room for character analysis in so short of a span. 

But we do get a lot more time with the Simm Master. And he does begin to show a bit of the trait that I'm discussing. Not much. And quite a bit of it is quite subtle. But there are signs. 

One of the first indications is so low-key that I almost feel as though I'm grasping at straws. But I do think it has some degree of merit. For quite some time, the Master's weapon of choice has been his tissue compression eliminator. But, suddenly, he's using a laser screwdriver, instead. The device even looks quite a bit like the Doctor's sonic screwdriver. It seems to me that this is a valid attempt on the Master's behalf to be more like the Doctor. It hints at the idea that he is trying to show that he is, in many ways, no different from his greatest rival. That they are very much the same. Which is part of his quest to get his enemy's approval. 

As we move into Last of the Time Lords, we see another less-subtle example of this trait. But it is still a fairly weak display of it. Which is good. It gives the arc space to grow 

The Master has always enjoyed a good gloat before trying to kill the Doctor. But he takes that desire to its ultimate extreme in this episode. For an entire year, he keeps the Doctor in a weakened state. Forcing his nemesis to watch him as he slowly takes over the Earth. Never has the Master allowed the Doctor to live this long. Normally, he's trying to end him within minutes of being anywhere near him. Such an extended gloat indicates to me that the Master's motives are starting to change. He needs the Doctor to see just how much he's beaten him down. Because the Doctor's respect is starting to mean more to him. 

During both parts of End of Time, the Master, for the most part, is just struggling to survive his botched resurrection. So we don't see to much of his approval issues, here. He does seem extra exuberant when the Doctor telepathically connects with him for a moment and hears the drumbeats, too. Clearly, he is happy to see that this sin't just some weird psychological issue he suffers from. But I think it means even more to him that it's the Doctor who validates that the drums are real. 

At the beginning of The Doctor Falls, both the Master and Missy lay a bit of a beating on the Doctor. They, then, tie him up and make various threats to kill him. But it never actually happens. Throughout the rest of the episode, they're in a sort of uneasy truce. Which seems natural for Missy. Her relationship with her arch-rival is in a very different place than her predecessor's. But it's very odd that the Master isn't making any attempt to harm the Doctor. I get why he restrains himself while they're still on the bottom floor of the Mondasian colony ship. He needs the Doctor to get him out of there. But, in the relative safety of the solar farm, you'd think he'd go back to menacing the Doctor like he had been doing. 

I think the Master is actually already starting to change his attitude towards his foe. He is disgusted with Missy for getting along so well with him. Which is why he, ultimately, tries to kill her. But another part of him is recognizing the direction he's been moving in. He needs the Doctor's approval. He doesn't just want to defeat him anymore. He wants the Doctor to accept him. This is why he doesn't continue trying to hurt him when they're up on the solar farms. While the Master despises the direction he's moving in as he regenerates into Missy, he is still starting to adopt her stance. 

MISSY: THIS IS WHERE WE REALLY SEE THE ARC!  

And so we move on to Series Eight: Where a mysterious woman seems to be following the Doctor along in his timestream and harnessing the souls of people who get diced in the cross-fire of the many dangers he faces. Of course, as we reach the season finale, we find out who she really is. We also discover that she has created a race of near-unbeatable Cybermen. 

Admittedly, as we get to Death in Heaven's conclusion, I don't really see how the Doctor's going to win this one. Missy is the leader of an army that is about to convert the entire population of the Earth to her side. Things don't look good. 

And then, of course, we get the ultimate plot twist: Missy built this entire army for him. She is convinced that, with these Cybermen under his command, the Doctor will start imposing his will upon the Universe. He will prove, once and for all, the he is the same as her/ 

This is totally unlike the character we've known since the early 70s. The Master has always been about mad schemes of domination that will see him at the top of the power structure. He might show mercy to the Doctor and keep him alive so as to watch his climb into tyranny. He might even offer him an alliance as he did in Colony in Space. But never have we seen him create a plan where the spoils of conquest are completely handed over to his greatest foe. 

The character is definitely going through some heavy changes. The Doctor is no longer just an enemy to be beaten. She needs to see more out of the dynamic between them. This is her first major step toward gaining the Doctor's acceptance. Admittedly, it's a weird way to go about it. But then, Missy would hardly be described as someone sane who does things in a practical manner. In her twisted outlook, this makes perfect sense. 

In her next story, we see another first for the character. Missy is actually trying to save the Doctor. This isn't like the rescue attempt he made in The Five Doctors. There's no reward being offered. She's just doing this because she cares about the Doctor. Yes, she still does all kinds of wretched things as she attempts to find him. She clearly shows Clara that she's not become "good". But she is still striving to be a bit better than she usually is. Again, she seems to be craving her rival's approval. What better way to do so than to save him from the clutches of another one of his greatest enemies? 

It's becoming quite obvious that this is going to be a very different incarnation of the evil Time Lord. Not only have we never seen the Mater in female form, but she is doing all kinds of things that we've never seen the character do before. As pointed out, we started seeing just a little bit of this in her predecessor - but now the transformation is really starting to kick in. Missy wants something more out of her adversary. In fact, she almost doesn't seem to care about defeating him, anymore. She genuinely needs him to like her. 

This strange new urge in her becomes even more intense as we get into Series Ten. Missy makes a promise to the Doctor when her back's up against wall. Either she swears that she'll become a better person or she dies. But she is quick to point out in Lie of the Land that, if she really wanted to, she could easily escape the Vault he's trapped her in. She is making a sincere effort to "engage in the process". When the Doctor continues to question her sincerity she even makes a very poignant speech about the nature of morality. That the Doctor is arrogant in his beliefs and that there are different ways to be "good". That, essentially, he's judging her too harshly. 

Throughout the second half of the season, she shows more and more signs of being sincere in her redemption. But probably the most intense moment we see between them before the season finale is when Missy offers the Doctor her hand. She seems almost desperate for him to take it. To show her that he finally trusts her. We can see her disappointment when he doesn't. She knows she is so close to his acceptance but still won't get it. And that crushes her just a little bit. 

While re-uniting with her previous incarnation does seem to mess a bit with her moral compass, she does seem to, ultimately, take the Doctor's side. She literally betrays herself and starts to head back to the farm to help her old enemy. She really does want to be his equal. She'd rather be by his side and face some inescapable peril than let him down when he needs her most. In many ways, the arc is truly complete, here. 

Of course, things don't quite work out  that way. Sickened by what he's become, her predecessor shoots her down. But it's my belief that Missy knew what was coming and was prepared for it. The blast from the laser screwdriver is not fatal. Missy is able to regenerate. But this incarnation "dies" feeling complete in her devotion to the man she tried so long to eliminate. She embraces that inner need to find his approval and lets it fully consume her. 

With her desires fully accomplished, she changes back into her old wretched self. 

THE DHAWAN MASTER: THE ARC DOESN'T TOTALLY DIE

When discussing the first arc in the Master's character, we can see that he has little desire to take on a companion when Sacha Dhawan is in the role. In many ways, this incarnation reverts to a Classic Who Master. Full of mad schemes of universal domination with no real friends that he wishes to share his power with. 

It's very much the same case with this second arc. The Master just wants to take the Doctor down again. When he banishes her to the dimension of the Kassavin, he expected her to die there. Not something we would have seen Missy do back in Series Ten. Back then, she was actually helping the Doctor. But, clearly, those days are gone.

This latest version of the Master might even be revolted by the fact that he "turned" so much in his last incarnation and is pushing extra hard to take things back to the way they were. He almost seems to be trying to forget the friendship that they had been re-building and wants to force their old relationship back into place. Making her kneel before him during Spyfall - Part Two, strongly indicates this. No longer does he seek equality with or affirmation from his old adversary. He is back to just craving superiority over her. 

While discussing the first arc, I do point out that the Master does seem to change a bit during Power of the Doctor. I mention how he is trying to build a "fam" of his own with Daleks and  Cybermen. So, maybe, he is still trying to have companions, after all. I could've also noted, of course, how he wants Yaz to keep travelling with him once he's taken over the Doctor's body - but that doesn't actually seem like him craving a companion so much as it looks like he just wants to torment her. To make her watch as he ruins the reputation of the woman she loves and wreak havoc in her name. 

But, like the Master's desire to have his own Fam, becoming the Doctor in this tale does seem to indicate he is exhibiting some traits of his second arc, too. In some ways, this is the ultimate means of crushing his opponent once and for all. To just kill her and go on with his plots for universal domination no longer seems like enough. He needs to take over her identity and turn her into a villain. Such a feat would be an even greater victory. So this could just be the Master trying to get as big of a win as possible over his rival. 

Or it could be another attempt to justify himself to his rival. What better way to prove she is equal to him than to take over her body and run her life? This could, in fact, be the ultimate attempt to get this strange affirmation that he seeks from the Doctor. 

It's difficult to tell, really. Which is part of the fun of Power of the Doctor. In the case of both arcs, it does look like the Master is exploring them a bit, again. But it is fairly ambiguous. His actions could be interpreted in several different ways. So, the Master still could be unconcerned about having companions or impressing the Doctor. Or he could be indulging in both of these desires again. It's a very interesting shade of grey.

Whichever the case, the progression of both of these arcs has made the character all-the-more enjoyable during New Who. I even like how the arcs meet their peaks at different points in his lives. Wanting a companion seems to cloy at him hardest during his earliest days of the Revived Series. Getting the Doctor's approval is at its climax during Missy. I even love how both of the arcs seem to die out quite a bit during Dhawan and we just get some "Old School Master" for a bit. It's all been done quite magnificently and I can't wait to see what they do next with the character. 

Although, I will say: I hope they don't regenerate Dhawan, yet. I would love to finally see the same Master deal with multiple incarnations of the Doctor, again. It was so great when Ainley did it!   

There we go: A fun little analysis of some stuff I saw going on in the Master as I watched all his New Who stories. Hope you enjoyed the break from Season Reviews. I am, however, already working through Season Fourteen. So we will be resuming the Reviews shortly!   

Here's Part One of the Essay if you haven't read it: 

https://robtymec.blogspot.com/2023/02/analytical-twisted-motivations-of.html