Missy is the Last Incarnation of The Master
| Fan Theory | |
|---|---|
| Fan Theory: | Missy is the Last Incarnation of The Master |
| Synonyms: | Dhawan!Master comes before Missy, Missy is The Master's last regeneration |
| Origin: | |
| Fandom(s): | Doctor Who |
| Dates: | 2020 |
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Missy is the Last Incarnation of The Master is a fan theory in Doctor Who fandom that posits that Missy is The Master's last incarnation and any appearances of The Master after Missy are earlier regenerations from The Master's timeline. This theory came about after the introduction of Dhawan!Master in 2020 during the Thirteenth Doctor's run.
Quora poster Andrew Williams points out:
We don’t know what happened to Simm’s Master - he was shot and began to regenerate, but we didn’t see the outcome. He might have become Missy, or there could be any number of other Masters in the middle.[1]
Many fans were trying to explain inconsistencies between the somewhat reformed Missy and Dhawan!Master who seemed to have returned to being evil. Many fans also felt having The Master return to their evil ways undermined Missy's journey and her poignant death, so this theory allowed Missy to keep her character growth, and allowed for the return of The Master.
Some fan discussion about Dhawan Master coming before Missy in the Master's timeline:
Think about it. Missy's story completes the Master's arc. She has finally decided to do good and stand with the Doctor in his last stand against the Cybermen. The Doctor won and didn't even know. Missy died trying to reach him to do the right thing. It's all deliciously tragic and ironic.Dhawan's Master actually feels like an earlier regeneration who could have come after the Saxon Master. He possesses the same childish glee and malice and emotional wounds that the Saxon Master fostered. He might not even be the first regeneration after the Saxon Master. We don't know how many regenerations the Master had before arriving at Dhewan' Master or Missy. There's nothing to indicate he came after Missy, but his personality traits feel like an earlier version before evolving into Missy's more mercurial whimsy.
There's no ironclad rule that Timelords only encounter each other in linear time.[2]
I’m a firm believer that Dhawan!Master comes before Missy, and that the reason she is so willing to change is because she knows that she is going to break the Doctors heart in her past and his future. This would explain why she was so eager to ‘knock herself out’ and explain that she is actually on the Doctors side.[3]
its still not 100% known whether or not dhawan!master is a regen before or after missy right?? cause personally i cannot see missy in dhawan!master but i can def see dhawan!master in like series 8 missy. "say something nice?" "you win." "i know." i mean come on right?[4]
This theory has been debunked by beta canon material from the Doctor Who Expanded Universe, although many fans disregard this, not considering the expanded universe to be necessarily canon to the main television series.
Further Reading
- Doctor Who: Did Sacha Dhawan's Master Actually Come Before Missy?, Archived version by Andrew Gladman, at CBR.com
- "Doctor Who": So Could Missy Actually Be The Master's Final Regeneration?, Archived version by Adi Tantimedh, at Bleedingcool.com
References
- ^ "Does the Master who first appeared in "Spyfall" come before or after Missy in the Master's personal timeline?". Archived from the original on 2024-08-16.
- ^ ""Doctor Who": So Could Missy Actually Be The Master's Final Regeneration?". Archived from the original on 2024-08-16.
- ^ "Sept 8, 2023 Tumblr post by the-doctor-needs-severe-therapy". Archived from the original on 2024-08-16.
- ^ "April 17, 2022 Tumblr post by earthlightsong". Archived from the original on 2024-08-16.