As we arrive at the finale of Doctor Who‘s new season, we are still no closer to discovering the identity of Missy, the tea-drinking Scary Poppins lady who first put in a surprise appearance at the end of the ‘Deep Breath’.
Aping the casting trick perfected with Clara, Missy (Michelle Gomez) appeared in promotional images for this season’s two-part finale billed as ‘the Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere’, but there was no expectation that we would meet her any earlier.
Like the teasers from previous years, such as Season 5’s crack and Season 7’s ‘Impossible Girl’, Missy has us guessing but has so far provided us little to go on.
CultBox thought it was time to review her appearances so far and make a few more wild stabs in the dark at her agenda and identity…
‘Deep Breath’
Missy’s first outing revealed that she sees the Doctor as her “boyfriend” and accuses him of being mean, questioning whether or not he pushed the Half-Faced Man onto the spike of the tower which houses Big Ben. Regardless, she welcomed the Doctor’s adversary to The Promised Land, Paradise or Heaven; whichever he preferred.
‘Into the Dalek’
Human soldier fighter Gretchen Alison Carlyle sacrificed herself to allow Clara and Journey Blue to reach the Dalek’s memory bank. She was politely welcomed to Heaven with the offer of a cup of tea.
‘Robot of Sherwood’
While not appearing in person, the destination of the 29th Century robots was “The Promised Land” and it appeared to be an orangey planet – although that might have been the engine of the ship. Regardless, this would seem to lend credence to the notion that it is a physical place.
‘The Caretaker’
The murdered Police Community Support Officer, victim of the Skovox Blitzer, found himself talking to Seb (Chris Addison) a receptionist at the Nethersphere. As this went on, Missy appeared in the background looking troubled.
‘Flatline’
Missy appeared at the end of the adventure, watching Clara on a screen and muttering the ominous words: “Clara… my Clara… I have chosen well.”
‘In the Forest of the Night’
Missy popped up again in the episode’s final moments, somewhat surprised at the “planet-sized airbag” – and she loves surprises…
So, what is Missy’s agenda?
With an eclectic line-up comprising a deluded cyborg, a futuristic human soldier and a modern day PCSO, we are still bemused at Missy’s desire to collect those that the Doctor has failed to save.
While Gretchen certainly committed suicide, the fate of the Half Faced Man was left open to question – did he jump or was he pushed by the Doctor?
The PCSO, however, was clearly killed by the Skovox Blitzer, so any notions we had about Missy purely saving those who sacrifice themselves have gone out the window as latest arrival is a man the Time Lord, as far as we are aware, did not even meet!
We suppose, it could be argued that he was responsible though, as the Blitzer had been attracted to Coal Hill due to the levels of Artron energy, and that means The Doctor and/or the TARDIS.
Why these three and not any others though? Surely the victim of the Teller at the Bank of Karabraxos could have been saved if the Doctor had acted and blown their cover? Or how about the first soldier from ‘Into the Dalek’, to whom the Doctor gave false hope before the antibodies attacked?
More theories on Page 2…