#i got almost all of my ten predictions for the timeless children right

[exosentient]

Doctor Who: Speculation for the special / s13 about the Master, the Cyberium, Jack’s return...

The Master’s return:

The Master’s last words “All of you, through here, now!” seem significant, it’s not just him surviving... even though the CyberMasters do seem like a bit of a one ep gimmick to me and could have easily been blown up while the Master escaped (hell, the Master’s survival didn’t even need to be signposted explicitly), they are the Cyber army for the Cyberium, who still resides within the Master.

In Villa the Doctor took control of the Cyberium in a frustratingly brief and anticlimactic scene, given that it was saying interesting things about both the Cyberium’s choices and hitherto unforeseen hubris in Thirteen’s character:

“And it chooses me. Interesting. Time Lord magnetism. Looks like I'm the true Guardian. ...I'd be very careful with those execution threats. I can feel it already, fusing to me. It feels very at home. Recognising great host material. Not to big myself up, but I don't think it'll vacate me without a fight.”

There was some payoff two episodes later in the Master taking control of the Cyberium... but I feel there was potential for more? There was foreshadowing with the Doctor telling the Master: “You’re looking peaky.”  

As I posted here, I think it’s likely that the next time this Doctor and this Master meet, the power roles will be reversed, which after the brutal finality of the events on Gallifrey would be the only way to realistically progress the story of their intense intimate frustratedly angry dynamic. Let the Master be vulnerable, let the Doctor deal with him like that. I think the Master will lose control of the Cyberium; either he starts to burn out from the inside from the insanity, or he actively struggles to get it to do what he wants, or it threatens to leave him - possibly for the Doctor.  

Jack’s return:

Jack has promised to come back when the plot demands, and I think the reunion with the Doctor is bound to go in one of two ways: kissy flirty (which even though Jack had made his intentions clear, I think is REALLY unlikely, given how Thirteen has been written so far), or conflict (that prevents this scenario). If the Master is actively carrying on the Lone Cyberman’s legacy that the alliance Jack was working with tried so hard to send into the far past, Jack is bound to have a continued stake in it and have some strong feelings about the fact that the Doctor failed.

It seems with the Series 12 finale ending with the Judoon turning up and arresting the Doctor after the still unresolved story of their contract with the Time Lords in episode 5, that Chibnall is feeling bullish about carrying continuity forward (as opposed to the handholding of Series 11). So referring to Series 12 events when Jack finally catches up with the Doctor doesn’t seem to be unlikely. (RTD expressed frustration when crafting Series 1 that casual audiences weren’t ready for an arc-heavy series beyond a “Bad Wolf” motif, but now? Now arcs are so common in tv - and genre movies too - and it’s so easy to binge and catch up, I have this idea that audiences actively prefer it on the whole these days.)

I think it’s pretty likely that Jack will show up in the already-filmed holiday special. Partly because it was such a big deal to engineer his secret filming in the first place and apparently he did appear to spend a bit more time doing it than necessary for just episode 5. Partly because his return to see the Doctor has been signposted and expected by audiences. Partly because the holiday specials are generally a bit over the top in tone, like Jack, because they’re meant to be consumed with alcohol and lots of family members. Partly because Chibnall’s promised the special to be fairly fun too. Partly because “When she needs me, I’ll be there” could very well refer to the Judoon prison or trouble with the Daleks. (I hope the UNIT rumour is true!)

The ship Jack stole - any significance or likelihood of finding out more about the battles he was amongst? Anything to do with the Judoon, or with the CyberWars? The ship looked quite a bit like the Gallifreyan warship Starbane from a BBC game, had a TARDIS-y console plus repeated hexagon motifs and shiny brass & golden arrangements. Clearly was from an advanced civilisation if it had nanogenes (the two we’ve seen so far use them have time travel too). 

I somehow doubt that the Master or Ruth!Doctor will be in the special... I feel that’s heavier content saved up for Series 13. Whenever that gets filmed when they feel it’s safe. I guess none of it in South Africa now; with Series 11 and 12 so big on the warm naturalistic aesthetics, the crew will have to rush out to at short notice (probably in the chilly months) to catch all the local sunshine they can in the grand tradition of UK soapie tv crews then slap a bright golden filter over the top. 

#doctor who #speculation #series 13 #holiday special #the master #Dhawan!Master #jack harkness #captain jack #the cyberium #thirteenth doctor #thoschei #i got almost all of my ten predictions for the timeless children right #figured out brendan etc #so maybe i won't be too far off the mark #i wanna see what happens so bad let's skip past covid-19 now #all the humans and none of the virus just time travel forward past 2020