Doctor Who Theory Explains How Season 14's Master Could Be The Most Powerful Time Lord Ever

Summary Doctor Who season 14 may introduce a powerful new version of the Master, potentially played by Jinkx Monsoon as Maestro.

The Master's imprisonment and potential absorption of the Toymaker's power could make them the most threatening adversary yet.

A more powerful Master would add a fresh and dangerous dynamic to the upcoming season of Doctor Who with Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor.

Doctor Who season 14 could see the return of the Master, with the legendary villain boasting powers never seen before from the Doctor's Time Lord adversary. As one of the longest-running Doctor Who characters, the Master has been shown in many forms through the decades. Every actor to play the Master in Doctor Who has brought something fresh to the role, with Sacha Dhawan's version of the character being the most recent to appear on the show. However, one theory suggests Dhawan's take won't be the most up-to-date iteration of the Master for much longer

The Doctor Who season 14 trailer is filled with loaded imagery and compelling footage to get speculation in full flow ahead of the coming episodes. While there are various reasons certain parts of the trailer shouldn't be taken at face value, one train of thought suggests that the Master is featured under a different name and with a new face. Paired with other evidence, it's very possible this potential new version of the Master could be the most threatening yet.

Related 20 Greatest Doctor Who Stories Of All Time, Ranked Doctor Who has been a fixture on TV screens for 60 years, meaning there are plenty of stories to choose from when picking out the Time Lord's best.

Jinkx Monsoon Could Be Playing Doctor Who's New Master (But There's A Catch)

Monsoon is playing a character called Maestro in Doctor Who season 14

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Jinkx Monsoon is making her Doctor Who debut in the coming season as she appears in episode 2, "The Devil's Chord." A Doctor Who press release describes Monsoon's character as the Doctor's most powerful enemy yet. However, what's interesting is the fact that Monsoon's character name is confirmed to be "Maestro," which when translated from Italian means "Master." If this not-so-subtle hint means Monsoon is the latest regeneration of the Master, then her character wouldn't align with the description of being the Doctor's most powerful adversary. The Master is certainly a threat, but the Doctor has faced much worse villains.

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Of course, it's possible that Doctor Who is merely building on the name "Maestro" by taking advantage of the title's musical connotations. Moonson's character in the trailer is shown to have the power to manipulate music to some degree, with Ruby being trapped in sheet music that has somehow leaped from the page. However, the Maestro/Master connection is too much to ignore in a show like Doctor Who, and Monsoon's new version of the Master may very well have gained this ability, which would go some way to describing her character as the Doctor's most powerful enemy.

Theory: The Toymaker's Tooth Has Made The Master More Powerful

The Master's imprisonment could have resulted in some unexpected powers

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The third and final installment of the Doctor Who 60th-anniversary specials, "The Giggle," revealed that Neil Patrick Harris' Toymaker had trapped the Master in his gold tooth. While the Master wasn't freed during the episode, the defeat of the Toymaker led to the tooth in question being flung from the jaw of Harris' character and recovered by an unknown figure. As proven by Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor using the Toymaker's residual power to duplicate his TARDIS, the logic of the Toymaker's abilities isn't straightforward.

Despite being one of the Doctor's most iconic adversaries in the Doctor Who canon, it's been a while since the Master has presented a genuine threat.

If the Master has been released from their unusual imprisonment and was able to somehow absorb even a fraction of the Toymaker's power, then the Doctor's fellow Time Lord could gain abilities far beyond those of the Doctor. This would explain how Maestro is capable of being the Master while also boasting the powers on display in the Doctor Who season 14 trailer, keeping Ruby trapped in a musical prison.

A More Powerful Master Would Be Great For Doctor Who's New Era

The Master needs to be fearsome if they're to return to Doctor Who again

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Despite being one of the Doctor's most iconic adversaries in the Doctor Who canon, it's been a while since the Master has presented a genuine threat. While bringing the Master back once again would be a welcome addition to Doctor Who season 14 and beyond, the character would need an overhaul to be perceived as a truly dangerous individual. If Monsoon's Maestro is indeed the next Master, then the power they wield could cause Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor some very real problems.

Related Doctor Who Season 14 Teases A Dark Solution To Its David Tennant Bi-Generation Problem The new Doctor Who teaser has revealed it may have a way of handling the presence of David Tennant's Fourteenth Doctor, but it may not be good news.

With Russell T Davies coming back to steady the ship, upcoming Doctor Who villains need to hit the mark. While the show will thankfully be bringing in new bad guys, the return of antagonists like the Master is also a key part of what gives Doctor Who its identity. However, if classic characters are brought back in ways that are too similar again and again, the fatigue this causes can lead to a lack of interest going forward. So, a Master with Maestro's immense new power would be a perfect way to strike that balance in Doctor Who season 14.

Doctor Who Season 14 Release Schedule Episode Number Title Written By Release Date (2024) 1 Space Babies Russell T Davies May 11 2 The Devil's Chord Russell T Davies May 11 3 Boom Steven Moffat May 18 4 73 Yards Russell T Davies May 25 5 Dot and Bubble Russell T Davies June 1 6 Rogue Kate Herron & Briony Redman June 8 7 The Legend of Ruby Sunday Russell T Davies June 15 8 Empire of Death Russell T Davies June 22

Doctor Who season 14 begins with a double-episode premiere on May 11, 2024. The episodes will be available to stream on Disney+.