The internet has been buzzing with speculation as to the identity of Missy, a mysterious new character introduced in the seventh series premiere, "Deep Breath." The usual assumptions to her identity are flying, she's the Rani or Romana in a new form, she's a previous companion (with Amy or River Song being the top choices), she's a future Doctor. But one character keeps popping up with growing frequency and credibility. Before you read on, be warned that the ideas here are laden with spoilers from the current series and the classic show.
Many fans now believe that the name "Missy" is short for Mistress, the female variant of Master. If you're unfamiliar with that character, the Master is both the Doctor's oldest nemesis and his childhood friend. The Third Doctor once referred to him as "my best enemy."
When we last saw the Master he was coming to terms with the horrible revelation of the cause of his descent into madness and confronting the Time Lords on Gallifrey. If the Master is now Missy this implies several story developments.
First, the Master somehow has escaped from Gallifrey, which is currently trapped outside of normal time. Either that or he (she) has the ability to draw people to Gallifrey, as Missy is seen welcoming newly-deceased characters to a supposed afterlife. If the Master/Missy can initiate travel to or from Gallifrey then we may be in line to see it restored to the universe by the end of this series.
Second, that the Master has probably not mended his ways since he had a near-heroic moment during the finale of "The End of Time, Part 2". Missy's overly soothing manner and severe manner of dress paint her as a probable villain. Showrunner Steven Moffatt used Madame Kovarian, the main antagonist of Series 6 in a similar manner.
Finally, if Missy truly is the Master, then the powers behind the show are opening the door for a future incarnation of the Doctor to be played by a woman. Neil Gaiman introduced the idea of a gender-changing Time Lord in "The Doctor's Wife," but the Master/Missy would be our first on-screen view of an established character taking on another gender after regeneration.
Who is Missy, truly? If Steven Moffatt continues the style of previous seasons we'll have to wait until the premier of the finale, Death in Heaven, on November 8. Until then we have eight more episodes worth of clues and teasers to discover and analyze. Happy hunting!
Many fans now believe that the name "Missy" is short for Mistress, the female variant of Master. If you're unfamiliar with that character, the Master is both the Doctor's oldest nemesis and his childhood friend. The Third Doctor once referred to him as "my best enemy."
When we last saw the Master he was coming to terms with the horrible revelation of the cause of his descent into madness and confronting the Time Lords on Gallifrey. If the Master is now Missy this implies several story developments.
First, the Master somehow has escaped from Gallifrey, which is currently trapped outside of normal time. Either that or he (she) has the ability to draw people to Gallifrey, as Missy is seen welcoming newly-deceased characters to a supposed afterlife. If the Master/Missy can initiate travel to or from Gallifrey then we may be in line to see it restored to the universe by the end of this series.
Second, that the Master has probably not mended his ways since he had a near-heroic moment during the finale of "The End of Time, Part 2". Missy's overly soothing manner and severe manner of dress paint her as a probable villain. Showrunner Steven Moffatt used Madame Kovarian, the main antagonist of Series 6 in a similar manner.
Finally, if Missy truly is the Master, then the powers behind the show are opening the door for a future incarnation of the Doctor to be played by a woman. Neil Gaiman introduced the idea of a gender-changing Time Lord in "The Doctor's Wife," but the Master/Missy would be our first on-screen view of an established character taking on another gender after regeneration.
Who is Missy, truly? If Steven Moffatt continues the style of previous seasons we'll have to wait until the premier of the finale, Death in Heaven, on November 8. Until then we have eight more episodes worth of clues and teasers to discover and analyze. Happy hunting!
