Doctor Who: The Power of the Doctor — the Master as Rasputin

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A very interesting photo of Sacha Dhawan portraying Doctor Who arch nemesis the Master is published in Doctor Who Magazine 582 in its preview of the Doctor Who BBC centenary special, The Power of the Doctor.

The photo, taken by unit stills photographer James Pardon, appears to show the Master in the “sinister new guise” of Rasputin — in the exact pose Rasputin himself is pictured in photographs.

With blue contact lenses covering Dhawan’s own captivating dark eyes, it does appear that the Master in The Power of the Doctor is either the historical Rasputin or is impersonating the controversial Russian mystic who was so influential in the court of Tzar Nicholas II.

That’s not all the Master is up to in The Power of the Doctor. He apparently still employs his Tissue Compression Eliminator to chilling effect, miniaturizing his victims to tiny, lifeless figures.

It was previously thought that the effects of the TCE were permanent and fatal but one of the Master’s TCE victims makes a return appearance in the special. The Lone Cyberman Ashad (Patrick O’Kane) is back and “has unfinished business” with his nemesis the Master, according to an interview with O’Kane in Doctor Who Magazine.

When we last saw the Lone Cyberman, he was a lifeless victim of the Master’s TCE, still harbouring the Death particle which triggered the explosion which was intended to destroy all life on the Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey.

The Power of the Doctor is confirmed to air some time in October during the BBC’s week-long celebration of the October 18 centenary of their charter.

BBC America typically runs a Doctor Who marathon leading up to a Doctor Who special and, according to their schedule, there is no such marathon in the week prior to the BBC’s centenary week so BBC One and BBC America will likely transmit the 90-minute spectacular later in the week, likely on October 23 as part of a BBC week-long celebration.

Doctor Who Magazine 582 includes a The Power of the Doctor preview including interviews with Sacha Dhawan, Janet Fielding, Sophie Aldred, Patrick O’Kane and Ray Holman. It is available at newsstands in the UK and by digital issue on Thursday, September 15.