Day of the Master: Part Two

"Regeneration energy everywhere. Now the Ravenous can feed anywhere they want."

Writer: John Dorney

Format: Audio

Released: October 2019

Series: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Ravenous 4.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Liv, Helen

Synopsis

The Doctor investigates a mystery in the vortex, Liv follows the trail of their enemy, and Helen searches for a god. Everywhere they go there is a Master or Mistress, but is the Doctor's oldest enemy there to hinder them, or to help? With the TARDIS crew scattered and lost, only a miracle can save the universe. And for that to happen someone is going to have to die.

Verdict

Day of the Master concluded in sensational style with this second part of what has turned out to be a rather magnificent finale! This is a fitting way to conclude the Ravenous story arc that has encompassed the last four boxsets of Eighth Doctor Adventures. It really did wrap up everything very nicely with so many moving parts! It was an enthralling hour of audio drama that absolutely flew by. I thought the cliffhanger finish of Liv regenerating was almost immediately played for gags with the War Master shooting her again when she was done, only for her to regenerate once again. Alas, despite her shock she had not changed appearances. Now that would have been something! Missy really came into her own here after a quiet outing in the first part which was just wonderful and hearing her on top form always makes me happy. She's incredible and arguably my favourite incarnation of the Master. I think that's in flux though but she shone here. Having her alongside two other versions of herself in the form of the War Master and The Movie Master was magnificent and she couldn't help but comment on the voices of both. She was almost in love with her past American self and her impression of the accent going all Aussie was sublime. Her calling the War Master posh and claiming he was jealous because of that was hilarious also. I'm not sure she was the incarnation the other two were hoping for when they called for help at the way station, but she was just perfect. I thought the revelation regarding Artron and his wish giving potential was something I didn't see coming but him turning out to be the provider from Fairytale of Salzburg was some fantastic continuity. The reaction of the Doctor when he pieced that together was fantastic. I liked how Helen's wish brought the trio together just in time for Liv before she was sent out of the airlock to die over and over, and it felt like a while since they had all been together! The origin of the Ravenous being confirmed here was brilliant and I love that with things being pre-rassilhon era on Gallifrey, he had distorted the truth to make them the nightmares of the Time Lord race. Artron was actually responsible and the way regeneration energy had been given to all was spectacular. Talk about a feast for the Ravenous! Their arrival from later in the timeline alongside the Eleven was quite the entrance and I loved their potential feast being one of perpetuity. The inner selves of the Eleven being unsure about the prospect of being the only living being other than the Ravenous was completely understandable, but they need not worry. The Doctor working things out and helping Artron in his later form of much older age to realise the truth and grant his own wish was excellent. He reverted the Ravenous back to their true selves as the Kolstani people and they actually forgave their inadvertent creator. His dying after the effort of his own wish was a fitting way for him to bow out, but he was far from the last Time Lord to perish! The Eleven lost everything here and in trying to form an alliance with the three Masters out of desperation, they each shot him to send him off into regeneration. The comment about the Eleven preparing to now see things from the inside was sensational, I also thought the trio coming together and having the ability to grant their former decayed past self a new regenerative cycle was incredible but it showed the desperation of the Time Lords during the Time War to do this. I'm fascinated by the idea of the Decayed Master not now finishing up in The Keeper of Traken, but multiple versions and a set fate for the Master in any form is something good to play with! Overall, a sublime finale that pulled everything together very nicely and was just a satisfying way to conclude the series! I can't wait for the next one already. 

Rating: 10/10