Well, here we are.
Almost at theDoctor Whoseason finale.
And its a big one.
Credit: Simon Ridgway/BBC America
As Mark Gatiss said a few weeks ago, Its the end of an era.
Having wrapped this weeks episode, Id say its a smart decision.
But first, we open with a spot of levity.
Jon Hall/BBC America
(Smart thinking.)
Thanks to our second Doctor, we learn that perhaps the Doctors namehasbeen Who all along.
Its one of Missys attempts to bait Bill and while riffing on the many Doctor.
exchanges weve had over the years.
Then things take a dire turn.
This gets the Doctors attention.
He springs into action trying to convince the man to remain calm.
But with three elevators speedily making their way to this cockpit, that is nowhere near happening.
Cue flashback: Bill isnt onboard with the Doctors decision to test Missy.
He wants them to ride around in the TARDIS scoping out distress calls.
Thats when Bill gets it.
HewantsMissy to be good so that hell have some confirmation that hes good.
She makes him promise her that she wont die (sigh) before agreeing.
Its reminiscent of his whole Am I a good man?
Shell need it, but for now, he repaired her heart.
Its a cruel joke considering the Doctor had commented on humans only having the one.
Thats when she meets Mr. Razor who looks like Igor by way ofThe Hobbit.
Bills chest hurts because shes been away from the hospital, so she and Razor return.
Bill eventually notices that her friends will be boarding a lift and heading downstairs.
Excited, she asks Mr. Razor to lead her to their entrance.
He dons a burglars mask and sneaks her into the Operation Theater.
But it turns out to be a trap.
She is to undergo the full conversion procedurenow.
She argues that everyone whos gotten the procedure is in pain.
It confirms whats been hinted at all along… Bills going to be turned intoone of the Cybermen.
Now, hes the only one left.
So he, Nardole, and Missy board the lift and head downwards.
Once there, Missy is put on computer duty, despite that being Nardys job.
Meanwhile, the Doctor and his remaining companion head off to attempt to find Bill.
Only as we well know, shes become a Cyber-womannow.
And thats not the only revelation coming our way.
While Missy was doing her computer thing, she runs into Mr. Razor, prompting a few big discoveries.
First, the people Bill saw on this ship arent humans.
Theyre from Earths twin planet,Mondas.
This means all the Cybermen weve met thus far areMondasianCybermen.
Secondly, Mr. Razors just a disguise…
Turns out, hes Missys past self: The Master (returning guest star John Simm).
Instead, its a genesis… A genesis ofthe Cybermen.
Cue the sound of (dramatic) drums.
Theres a lot to unpack in this episode, so lets get started.
But its not just that.
In a way, its significant that its Bill.
Its part of what makes Bills fate at the moment sting.
Before the season even started, it was teased that perhaps Billwouldntsurvive to see the end.
Though I will say, I wasnt particularly affected by this particular twist.
Seeing Bill shot was affecting.
Seeing her be turned into a Cyberman… not as much as it should have been.
(Especially after she was carted off to be fixed.)
Another part of this is because weve seen Danny Pink experience something similar back in season 8.
Perhaps he was concerned that Missy reallywaschanging for the better.
Could the people on the colony ship in Smile have been Mondasians?
After all, their planet looked quite similar.
(Probably not though seeing as it was Earth events referred in that big book Bill encountered.)
At least until theChristmas Special.
