Masters of Time: True Nemesis

"You can't run a universe on your own."

Writer: Andrew Smith

Format: Audio

Released: July 2023

Series: UNIT: Nemesis 4.04

Featuring: Kate, Osgood, Harry, Naomi

Synopsis

Under Missy's guiding hand, the Vulpreen are ready to strike out, to establish themselves as the new Masters of Time. 

UNIT's confrontation with Missy in the depths of Portugal's Douro Valley will decide the fate of not just the Earth but the whole Universe.

Verdict

True Nemesis was a very good episode to conclude the Masters of Time fourth series of UNIT: Nemesis! This spinoff range, or at least this section of UNIT as a spinoff range of its own, concluded in strong style with the long awaited and much drawn out return of Missy! It wasn't quite as impactful as I would have hoped given the trouble she caused in Dark Water/Death in Heaven alongside the Cybermen in killing Osgood and terrorising the entire planet, dead and alive. But it was good to acknowledge those events and Missy's reaction to seeing Osgood still alive was delicious. She was quite surprised as she was convinced she had already killed her and yet here she was! Confirmed as human too. That was a really interesting detail because I'm not sure if it is ever revealed which version survived? That feels pretty revolutionary and yet Osgood tried to brush over it. I understand from her point of view why but as a listener my ears perked up immediately! Michelle Gomez is always delightful and hearing her voice in my ears makes me happy. She's a staggeringly good and refreshing incarnation of the Master as Missy and her claim to be trying to save the universe was initially something that sounded like it could be brushed off, but here she was. I always knew that she was going to betray Lord Varliss at some point and he even expected it too because he was also using her, but she was genuinely doing it for the good of the universe. She was almost  doing her Time Lord duty in continuing the work of her race after they had trapped them in the Void dimension. She needed to put them back because their very presence was causing problems with time and reality. They were something that didn't belong and Missy was utilising the arches to actually send them packing. Kate didn't seem too hesitant in making an uneasy partnership with the Time Lady which was terrific and certainly a formidable duo! I thought Missy's interactions with Varliss were just as expected as well as she was almost mocking their supposed partnership. She had given Vulpreen some orders and that certainly didn't go down well. It was a little difficult to take Varliss seriously around Missy because there was only ever going to be one winner! Missy has a sublime quality of somehow not feeling threatening but at the same time being to switch from comedy to ruthless evil in a split second. It was a little bit predictable and scientific mumbo jumbo in the way the Vulpreen were sent packing with Osgood doing some good jiggery pokery and their relationship with time being almost like a sickness. Varliss survived and he accepted defeat by the end and saw that Missy was his true enemy. He garnered respect for Kate and didn't kill her when he could have which was something reciprocated back. That was certainly unexpected but I liked that amongst the two opposing commanders! Missy being within the super arch to see her sent packing seemed pretty final too which was a nice touch, but we know she always survives no matter the incarnation. Overall, a fitting finale for what has been a really consistent series and four boxsets! I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey. A great listen. 

Rating: 8/10