Trial of the Valeyard

"You will create me because you will wish not to become me. That is our tragedy, Doctor."

Writers: Alan Barnes & Mike Maddox
Format: Audio
Released: December 2013
Series: Bonus Release 12

Featuring: Sixth Doctor

Synopsis

There is some evil in all of us - even the Doctor. Transported aboard the Time Lords' orbiting courtroom, the Doctor once again encounters the Valeyard, an amalgamation of the darker sides of his nature. This time, however, the Doctor isn't in the dock. This time, the Valeyard is the defendant, accused of a crime so terrible that the presiding Inquisitor is forbidden to reveal it even to the court, nor even to his counsel for the defence... the Doctor.

If the Valeyard is found guilty, he'll be executed. Execute the Valeyard, and the secret of his origins dies with him. A secret that the Doctor is desperate to know... and which the Time Lords will stop at nothing to protect.

Verdict

Trial of the Valeyard is a wonderful audio story! Absolutely superb. I really loved the role reversal from The Trial of the Time Lord with the added irony. Whereas in the previous trial, the Doctor was being prosecuted by the Valeyard, but now it was the Valeyard himself on trial - with the Doctor as his defence! Upon arrival to the court, the Doctor's reaction was outstanding and so typical of the sixth incarnation which I really loved. The way he tried to convince himself that he wasn't curious was just fantastic. The return of the Inquisitor was welcomed as I really liked her in the TV appearance and then of course the Valeyard arrived. I adored the plot and story and after all the evidence turned out to be a plan of the Valeyard's to kill both the Doctor and the Inquisitor, it was made out to be an evilly excellent plan. But the bugged evidence, although questionable that it may be true, and I like to believe that most of it is, was tremendous! Hearing of the history of regeneration, how Rassilon may have modified the limit on regenerations to prevent crisis. The explanation as to why a Time Lord couldn't go past a thirteenth incarnation was magnificent and made perfect sense. The Valeyard recalling his childhood was very intriguing, describing how he was in Rassilon's Shadow House, home to Time Lord's whose regenerations had gone wrong. The story references of The Invasion of Time and Logopolis were great but the story was all about the Valeyard, triumphantly returning to performed Doctor Who. His devious plan culminating on Eta Rho (Theta Sigma, an old nickname for the Doctor) was tremendous. The brief moments where it seemed the Sixth Doctor met the Thirteenth incarnation of his future self (which would be the Eleventh Doctor) was incredible. Babbling, hoping, holding on to life and trying desperately to continue it. I thought it was incredibly clever and was very plausible to have tied in with The Time of the Doctor. Despite the Master referring to the Valeyard as it, and the Valeyard himself claiming to have identical DNA, I'm still not utterly convinced that the Valeyard is a future incarnation of the Doctor - he may just be using to his advantage to try and wipe out the Doctor, or turn the Doctor evil he believes he's seen what he will become. The climax was very good and has definitely paved the way for a sequel! Too much unfinished business for there not to be!

Rating: 10/10