Doctor Who: 10 NuWho Moments That Took Your Breath Away
7. The Master
When it came to returning characters in NuWho, one of the main question that was often asked was when the Master was going to appear. Whilst the Daleks were the Doctors oldest and deadliest enemy, the Master has often been seen more as a rival. At times, their rivalry has gotten out of hand with one or the other administering harm, but - and this has never been shown more than it has during NuWho - the Doctor has rarely considered killing his old friend. So during the episode Utopia, it was a slow burn moment that revealed that friendly, intelligent and likable Professor Yana was, in truth, the Master in a human disguise. The pocket watch, the quick turn into master villain territory and the attack on Chantho were all leading up to the moment that Derek Jacobi uttered four little words that would go down in Doctor Who history. I am the Master. It was a head slapping moment when the pieces fell into place. Y.A.N.A - You Are Not Alone - had been predicted by the Face of Boe and the Professor's pocket watch had been hiding his Time Lord consciousness, much like the Doctors had in Human Nature/The Family of Blood. And then came the regeneration into a new and improved version of the Master who would hide out on 21st century Earth as Prime Minister Harold Saxon. The return of the Master was a familiarity to a show that had developed its own identity. His return was not only exciting but it was a genuine shock as well.
