Treason and Plot

"All hail Queen Missy!"

Writer: Gemma Arrowsmith

Format: Audio

Released: July 2020

Series: Missy 2.03

Featuring: Missy

Synopsis

The Gunpowder Plot. It's a favourite of time travellers. If Missy's going to hitch a ride, that's the place to cause trouble. Especially if trouble makes a really big bang.

The only person in her way, trying to keep history on track, is a rookie Time Agent. But Rita Cooper wanted excitement...

Verdict

Treason and Plot was an excellent audio adventure to continue along the second series of Missy in fine order! This was probably my favourite story of the boxset so far and it was really close to full marks as it had so many elements that were right up my alley. I'm a huge fan of historical stories and having Missy interfering in the Gunpowder Plot was a really fun prospect. It was a terrific setting for her to cause mischief and the continuity from Brimstone and Terror with Missy having trouble with the vortex manipulator and her Master TARDIS was very good and then wider continuity that followed at the episode's conclusion was magnificent. I thought the way the audio started was just delightful with Missy being proclaimed as the Queen, although that didn't really end up figuring into the plot but it set the tone for what was a wonderful listen! Missy absolutely revelled in being in the seventeenth century and I actually loved that her interfering in something as historically significant as the Gunpowder Plot had real merit from her personal predicament. Her initial explanation of the events of the Gunpowder Plot before they had even happened was good and the comment that followed with her saying that she was going to kill her listener now. She'd failed to reveal that part which was just delightful! I have to mention as well that the background music throughout, particularly in the first half of the story, was outstanding and really added to the adventure and atmosphere. It was pretty whacky and that's perfect for Missy. The moment she first introduced herself to Guy Fawkes and the other plotters was fantastic and she wasn't respecting any of the laws of time when it came to telling of the future. She quickly manipulated her way into controlling Catesby which provided such a fun dynamic and the sequence where she was putting the plotters through a regime of push ups was terrific. Missy was loving being in control and I thought it was brilliant for us to get a moment where we saw her put someone under hypnotic spell. She was their Mistress and they will obey. I think we can get more of that so I loved hearing it here. I thought the inclusion of Rita as an amateur Time Agent was really well done and she was quite a likeable character. The Gunpowder Plot being an easy task on the Time Agent agenda for newbies was intriguing and the inclusion of Missy to play havoc made for a superb dynamic. Rita's shock at Missy's lack of respect for the timelines and continuing to cause chaos was very good, and I really liked how they both nearly ended up going up with the Gunpowder Plot. History inevitably ended up back on course and Rita soon got promoted to more serious missions, but she failed to disclose that the fake letter informing of the plot was not her doing. That provided us with a fantastic conclusion where Missy was held under the grasp of the returning Monk! I'm a huge fan of him and Missy's relationship and her distain for him being a budget villain was just excellent. Of course, the Monk is out for revenge after Divorce, Beheaded, Regenerated and I love that we have a fantastic finale on our hands! For now though, this was such a fun historical romp and having Missy diddle in the past with a big part of history was delightful. Overall, a great story!

Rating: 9/10