Doctor Who classic moments: The Master’s first ever appearance (Terror of the Autons)

We look back at a small scene that’s also a major moment in Doctor Who history – the first ever appearance of the Doctor’s archenemy, the Master!

It’s strange to think how long it took for the Master to appear in Doctor Who. Considering that we now think of him/her as the Doctor’s archenemy, it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t until Season Eight that the character was introduced!

Interestingly, even in his first story, Terror of the Autons, it’s established that he and the Doctor went back a long way. At the very least, the Doctor is annoyed when another Time Lord tells him that the Master is on Earth.

It can be risky trying to sell an arch-villain like that to the audience when we’ve never heard of him before. Fortunately, his first story – and indeed, his first scene – establish him as a dangerous force to be reckoned with.

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His first scene

From his very first appearance, Roger Delgado just owns the role. At this point, he almost seems to be a mirror image of Jon Pertwee’s Doctor – someone with a touch of class and sophistication, but someone who’s also very intelligent.

However, he also doesn’t think much of humans. While the Third Doctor didn’t exactly suffer fools gladly, the Master clearly believes himself to be superior to anyone and everyone. (Which is hardly surprising, considering what he calls himself.) So his clear sense of superiority is immediately established.

We’re also given a nice early glimpse of his powerful hypnosis. This would become a key trait of the character, at least in the Classic Series. Certainly, it was used regularly by Delgado’s Master during the Pertwee years.

The Master’s first ever appearance might be a simple scene. But it’s still a fascinating first look at a character that would become as significant to Doctor Who as the Daleks or the Cybermen. Again, considering this was eight years into the show – a length longer than most other series, particularly science-fiction – that’s quite an impressive achievement. But considering how cool and impressive Roger Delgado is in his first scene, it’s not hard to see why. Especially when he says his first line:

"I am usually referred to as the Master."

Are you a fan of Roger Delgado’s Master? Have you watched his first appearance Terror of the Autons? What do you think of his debut story? Let us know in the comments below.