Rule of the Eminence

"All hail the Master!"

Writer: Matt Fitton

Format: Audio

Released: November 2014

Series: Dark Eyes 3.04

Featuring: Eighth Doctor, Molly, Liv

Synopsis

History tells us that humanity will win the war against the Eminence. That Grand Administrator Walter Vincent will welcome home the sons and daughters of fighting and starvation. 

The newscasters of Alliance Update will announce across the Ten Systems that planet Earth is open for business, its air purified and its people victorious. The Eminence will be no more. 

This is all a matter of historical fact. 

But the Doctor and the Master both know, history can be rewritten. 

Every line.

Verdict

Rule of the Eminence was a great story to conclude the third series of Dark Eyes within the ongoing Eighth Doctor Adventures! This really did round things out for the boxset with the Master's aim to use the Eminence to have control over the universe. He of course wouldn't get his wish but he tried his darnedest. I thought it was nice to finally get Molly in a more traditional role for the episode and even though Liv has been more of an ever present and has more history and time with the Doctor, it's our World War One nurse that feels more like a traditional companion. I think they could both work together and I do hope that is the route moving forward, although there is definitely unfinished business regarding her dark eyes. That's an obvious statement given that I know there is a fourth and final boxset under that umbrella title, but I am keen to move forward and reach an emphatic conclusion. I think it's been brilliant to have the Master in full fashion as the villain and his subtle aim to use the Eminence's nature to exert his own control over the population of the universe once they were of one mind was excellent. As I mentioned in previous blog entries for the series, it's an audacious plan that only he could dare attempt! I thought there were definitely some similarities here with The End of Time once a lot of people came under the Master's control. I think it's great for him to have propaganda presented on the news as everyone was told to hail their Master, and for the most part they did! They didn't really have a choice as it was within the atmosphere of the Eminence gas but it was still fascinating to hear them in such conformity. It was reminiscent of the human race becoming the Master race but the scale here was incredible. I liked hearing how everyone finished sentences or acknowledged each other in greeting with haloing the Master. It was honestly reminiscent of depictions we've seen in history of Nazi Germany. I know it's controversial but I think that's the route to go with for this incarnation of the Master. He's maniacal and definitely has that charismatic insanity befitting of a crazed ruler. I'm a big fan. I thought the fact he escaped in a palm tree at the end was lovely and I'm sure he'll be back for more. The moment where it seemed the Doctor was all but dead after the ship self destruct was good and I wasn't massively thrilled with the quick resolution, but it was nice for the Doctor to survive certain death to the Master's shagrin for once. It's so often the other way around! The Doctor being able to convince the Eminence of their inevitable betrayal at the hands of the Master was good and I liked the way the war with humanity was brought to a close. Molly's dream state was dealt with very nicely and I loved how the Doctor used her to try and convince that she needed to kill him to save the universe. And that was something she couldn't possibly do. It was an impossible choice and that's what the Doctor needed. That emotional pull to bring her out of mental captivity. The humour that came from the Grand Administrator not actually being the Master was magnificent as it felt like he ought to be, and I could hardly blame him. I assumed the same knowing the history of the Master! The conclusion with the Eminence still trying to fight the peace and the Master not giving up control was good and sets us up for the next boxset, but for now this was a fine finale! 

Rating: 8/10