The War Master and the Cybermen to feature in UNIT next year!
By James Aggas
In May 2018, UNIT will once again face the Cybermen. They’ll need help to defeat them. But can they really trust an old enemy as dangerous as the War Master?
Big Finish recently announced details of their sixth series of their audio spin-off UNIT, due May next year. And they’re very exciting details, too. Not only will UNIT: Cyber Reality feature the Cybermen. But Kate Stewart and her friends are to be joined by a Time Lord very familiar to UNIT. But probably not the Time Lord they’re hoping for…
Along with starring in his own series next month, and Gallifrey: Time War in February, Derek Jacobi will once again be playing the War Master in UNIT. It looks like Big Finish are keen to use the character as much as possible.
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It’s understandable. The most disappointing thing about Jacobi’s original performance as the Master was that there was so little of it. After being in disguise for most of the episode as Professor Yana, Jacobi’s Master only found out who he was at the end of Utopia.
As I’m sure you remember, he was only the Master for a matter of minutes before regenerating into John Simm. So it’s great that Big Finish are finally exploring the character, and from many different perspectives.
A deadly alliance?
Not much is currently known about Cyber Reality just yet. There is one key detail that’s interesting, though.
"Kate Stewart will be forced to rely on the assistance of a new scientific advisor, although not one she can trust…"
That little bit of information from the announcement is really exciting. The Master was always a major enemy of UNIT. Not just in the series eight finale Death in Heaven, but throughout the Classic Series, too. Especially in the Third Doctor era. In fact, he was the major antagonist in every single story of season eight!
So the idea of the two actually working together? I’m excited. Obviously, the Master is going to betray UNIT at some point. But it’ll be interesting to hear how they’ll work together in the meantime.
Also, the fact that the Master, the Cybermen and the new version of UNIT are all in the same story does draw parallels with Death in Heaven. I wonder if any deliberate parallels or foreshadowing will be made in the story. Particularly as UNIT is supposed to be set before those events.
Titles for the episodes are:
6.1 Game Theory by Matt Fitton
6.2 Telepresence by Guy Adams
6.3 Code Silver by Guy Adams
6.4 Master of Worlds by Matt Fitton
Next: Composer Murray Gold to leave Doctor Who following Christmas Special
