Doctor Who Extremis Missy 2

In addition to getting another mind-blowing episode of ‘Doctor Who’ last Saturday, fans received the answer to one of the most gripping questions of this season so far. Whovians finally learned what (or in this case, who) is in the vault that the Doctor and Nardole are guarding. But if you haven’t caught the episode titled ‘Extremis’ yet, then you might want to turn away right now because there are SPOILERS ahead.

If you’re all caught up on the antics of Team TARDIS though, then allons-y!

As revealed in ‘Extremis’, Peter Capaldi’s Twelfth Doctor was tapped to execute Missy for her many crimes and stand guard over her body for at least a thousand years. However, as he is known to do, the Doctor switches things up so that his fellow Time Lord is still punished without facing her ultimate demise. Rather than death, Michelle Gomez’s mischievous Time Lady is imprisoned in the vault. 

Although, before the Doctor’s intentions were revealed, his longtime frenemy sought to appeal to his emotions by evoking their relationship in what was thought to be her final plea. While viewers may see that as a villain attempting to save her own life, the Scottish actress shared in an interview with io9 that the latest regeneration of the Master was actually being sincere with the Doctor. At least, she was in that particular moment as opposed to later on in the episode when she exploits her “friend” and his inconvenient blindness:

“I think any great manipulator has to believe they’re kosher. I think any great salesman believes what they’re saying, and I think, in the moment, you know, she’s genuine. And I think because, you know, if she’s trying to save her life—or she’s trying to err on another life, she would say and do anything. She has to. And then fuck the consequences of that, later!

I think she uses any opportunity to make a play in her favor, no matter what it is. She is armed with the ability to turn on a sentence in terms of her emotionality. That’s what makes her really dangerous. Because she’s so unpredictable and she commits to her emotions and she’s feeling. That’s what makes her dangerous, because she’s kind of weirdly—for a two-dimensional character—she’s very believable. And persuasive and seductive, in a way. She’s so ruthless, she’ll use anything to her means, really.”

At this point, it’s fairly obvious that Missy will get out of that vault sooner rather than later. After all, we have been teased with the promise of a team-up between Gomez and former Master John Simm later this season. But when that happens, will the Doctor’s emotions be so easily manipulated once again? It seems unlikely that Missy can use the friendship card again, but our hero tends to see the best in people, so you never know. While we anxiously await how this situation plays out, share your thoughts and theories about what could happen in the remaining episode of season ten between the Doctor and Missy in the comments below. 

‘Doctor Who’ starring Peter Capaldi, Pearl Mackie, and Matt Lucas airs on Saturdays at 9:00 pm EST on BBC America.

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