One huge Doctor Who fan theory about the Master has been validated by a recent Doctor Who release. This theory constitutes a bit of a retcon to previous Doctor Who episodes, confirming that a popular fan theory about what was really going on is actually true. This newly proven theory makes the Doctor’s long-standing relationship with the dastardly Master even more impressive. Going into Doctor Who season 15, this will be interesting, as the Master returns in a 2025 audiobook story that will sit nicely alongside the season’s episodes.
The Master has been at loggerheads with the Doctor since he was originally portrayed by Roger Delgado in the 1970s. First appearing in 1971’s “Terror of the Autons,” the Master clashed with Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor, who was in the role between 1970 and 1974. This villain has caused the Doctor the most regenerations out of all the series’ villains, by far. The success of Doctor Who season 14 precipitated the re-release of “The War Games,” a Patrick Troughton story. This revealed that the Master’s regeneration streak is even more impressive than it seems.
The Master Was Previously Involved In Causing Five Of The Doctor’s Regenerations
The Master’s Regeneration Streak Is Unbeaten
The Master’s kill streak in Doctor Who is more impressive than any other villain’s. The Master has killed more versions of the Doctor and caused more regenerations than the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Rani, or any other key recurring evildoer on the show. The Master has been locked in a deadly duel with the Doctor since Jon Pertwee’s time as the lead Time Lord of the famous BBC sci-fi drama, and it didn’t take him long to get a kill in with his nemesis. The Master was already killing his fellow Time Lord by his fourth actor.
The Master killed the Fourth Doctor, who was portrayed by the endlessly popular Tom Baker. Although not an entirely direct kill, it was the Master who moved the telescope that made the Doctor fall to his death. Out of all of Doctor Who’s regenerations, Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteen may have been the one most clearly caused by the Master. However, the Master also caused the regeneration of the Seventh, Tenth, and Twelfth Doctors, at varying levels of directness and aggression. Interestingly, “The War Games” confirms one more Doctor Who regeneration caused by the Master.
Doctor Who Confirming The War Chief As The Master Adds Another Regeneration To The Streak
The War Chief Makes The Master Even More Impressive
“The War Games” re-release subtly confirms that the War Chief was the Master all along, adding one more Doctor Who regeneration to his streak. This old episode of Doctor Who from before the reboot was a classic and was released with some intriguing changes by the BBC, along with a recolor. The fan theory that the Master was the War Chief was based on both of their usual modi operandi being strikingly similar. It appeared certain in every way other than canonical confirmation that the War Chief was the Master, but now it does seem certain.
The War Chief caused the regeneration of the Doctor, and knowing that he is the Master makes the Master that much more lethal and powerful.
In the new “The War Games,” one scene is made to stand out. The War Chief speaks to the Doctor in a scene in which he seems very reminiscent of the Master. Fans always pointed to this part of the episode as a hint of the Master’s presence. The new version of the episode layers the Master’s theme over the top, all but declaring outright that the War Chief is indeed the Master. The War Chief caused the regeneration of the Doctor, and knowing that he is the Master makes the Master that much more lethal and powerful.
Why It Makes Sense That Doctor Who’s War Chief Is The Master
This Doctor Who Fan Theory Always Made Sense
It makes total sense for the War Chief to be the Master, for many reasons. Like the Master, the War Chief was also a renegade Time Lord, so little stretch is needed, biologically, to imagine them as the same person. Both the War Chief and the Master had a mustache, beard and astoundingly similar facial hair arrangements. Doctor Who‘s classic version of the Master even had a similar hairdo to the War Chief. However, Edward Brayshaw’s War Chief and Roger Delgado’s Master shared more than just an appearance in common in Doctor Who.
The Master and Doctor Who studied together at the Time Lord Academy.
Both the War Chief and the Master had a tendency to ally with alien races and launch calculated attempts to dominate, rule, or control parts of the universe. The War Chief, appropriately, allied with the War Lords, while the Master teamed up with the Daleks at one point. The parallel was the boldness of the tactics and the intergalactic attempts at rising to power, with both figures taking few prisoners. Also, defeating Doctor Who remained high on both of their to-do lists, with the Master always trying to keep the Doctor in his orbit due to a strange obsession with him.
The War Chief double-crossed his partners, of course, in true Master style.
Both the Master and the War Chief exhibited arrogant and Machiavellian behavior, proving that they were peas in a pod. The War Chief double-crossed his partners, of course, in true Master style. He was also beaten and shot at the end of “The War Games,” but naturally, this didn’t signify his end. Viewers were left to assume that a regeneration could have occurred. All in all, it always looked obvious that the War Chief was the Master. However, now Doctor Who fans can rest assured in the knowledge, understanding how deadly the Master really is.
