Line #172 Recap/DoctorWhoS29E12TheSoundOfDrums


1	[[WMG:[[center:[-''[[Series/DoctorWho Doctor Who]]'' [[Recap/DoctorWho recap index]]\
2	'''Tenth Doctor Era'''\
3	'''Series 3:''' [[Recap/DoctorWho2006CSTheRunawayBride CS]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E1SmithAndJones 1]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E2TheShakespeareCode 2]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E3Gridlock 3]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E4DaleksInManhattan 4]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E5EvolutionOfTheDaleks 5]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E6TheLazarusExperiment 6]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E742 7]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E8HumanNature 8]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E9TheFamilyOfBlood 9]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E10Blink 10]] \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E11Utopia 11]] \| '''12''' \| [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords 13]]\
4	'''[[Recap/DoctorWho2005CSTheChristmasInvasion <<< Series 2]]''' \| '''[[Recap/DoctorWho2007CSVoyageOfTheDamned Series 4 >>>]]''']]-]]]
5	!The Sound of Drums
6	[[quoteright:330:[[InsultBackfire https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/themasterthumbsup_8908.jpg]]]]
7	[[caption-width-right:330: "YoureInsane"]]
8	->Written by Creator/RussellTDavies\
9	Directed by Colin Teague\
10	'''Production code:''' 3.12\
11	'''Air date:''' 23 June 2007\
12	'''Part 2 of 3'''
13
14	->''"That's him. He's Prime Minister. The Master is Prime Minister of Great Britain... the Master... and his ''wife?''"''
15	-->-- '''The Doctor'''
16
17	JustForFun/TheOneWith the ''[[HellIsThatNoise drumming]]'' -- and decimation set to "[[Music/RogueTraders Voodoo Child]]". Also, a rare correct usage of the word "decimation".
18	----
19
20	The Doctor, Martha and Jack return to 21[-[[superscript:st]]-] century Earth, using Jack's (quickly fixed) Vortex manipulator. The Master has been on Earth for 18 months, limited by the Doctor's last-ditch block of the TARDIS controls. As for the reason he'd been living as a human: he was resurrected by the Time Lords to fight in the Time War, saw what was required of him, and ran as fast as he could to the end of the universe.
21
22	It turns out the Master is actually Mr. Harold Saxon, who has been elected Prime Minister, and the first order of business is killing his Cabinet. Using the Archangel phone network, he's not only blocked his own Time Lord energy from alerting the Doctor, but subtly brainwashed most of the population into trusting him and accepting his fabricated life story. The brainwashing signal is encoded into a four-beat rhythm that's been in the back of his head ever since he was a child. (This will be very important in a few series.)
23
24	This incarnation of the Master turns out to be just as manic as Ten, combined with a real love for mocking people, dancing to catchy pop music and snogging his very hot -- and [[EvilCounterpart very loyal]] -- wife, Lucy. The Doctor phones him up, leading to one very ''[[FoeYayShipping special]]'' conversation:
25
26	->'''The Master:''' Doctor?\
27	'''The Doctor:''' Master.\
28	'''The Master:''' ''[sigh]'' I like it when you use my name.\
29	'''The Doctor:''' You chose it. Psychiatrist's field day.\
30	''[about half a minute of exposition later]''\
31	'''The Doctor:''' I've been alone ever since. But not any more. Don't you see? All we've got is each other.\
32	'''The Master:''' ...Are you asking me out on a ''date''?
33
34	Anyway, Saxon labels the three as fugitives and they end up on the run. Also, the TARDIS, which had been restricted by the Doctor to only travel between now and the end of time, has been turned into a Paradox Machine.
35
36	Jack and Martha share a moment when Jack realises Martha's crushing on the Doctor, though he appears to be ObliviousToLove. (Jack's comment implies either he feels the same way or [[CallBack he's remembering Rose]].) The Doctor also talks about an event that Gallifreyan children go through before they can enter the academy: they have to look into the Untempered Schism, which shows all of time. Apparently this [[FreudianExcuse drove the Master mad]].
37
38	Eventually the three sneak on board the ''Valiant'', holding TARDIS keys with perception filters. Here, the Master alleges to be arranging first contact with a race of aliens called the Toclafane. But that's a name from a Gallifreyan fairytale -- whatever these creatures are, they're lying, and the Master is parading it under everyone's noses.
39
40	The perception filters fail to work on the Master, and all three of our heroes are soon caught. The Toclafane assassinate the US President (who, with the help of UNIT, attempted to take command of the situation away from the Master), and the Master reveals he has started using a ''laser'' screwdriver as opposed to a sonic, and sics the weapon on his nemesis. The Doctor is heavily aged by the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E6TheLazarusExperiment Lazarus technology]], using [[Recap/DoctorWho2005CSTheChristmasInvasion the hand from the Sycorax fight]] that Jack used [[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E11Utopia the last episode]]. Badly weakened, he demands to know who the Toclafane really are, but all the Master says is that the truth would break his hearts.
41
42	With the whole world watching, the Master gets to the point: tough luck, PunyEarthlings, it's the end of the world.
43
44	"HERE! COME! THE DRUMS!"
45
46	[[Music/RogueTraders "Here come the drums,]] [[SoundtrackDissonance here come the drums!"]]
47
48	The Paradox Machine kicks into gear and the sky itself seems to tear open, disgorging ''six billion'' Toclafane. At the Master's command, they begin to literally decimate the population. Martha teleports herself to Earth, still holding a perception filter, swearing that she will return.
49
50	For now though, the Earth is '''''screwed''''' as the now-elderly-as-heck Doctor is stuck in his place, and is forced to watch hopelessly as the Master lays waste onto humanity, once and for all.
51
52	[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E13LastOfTheTimeLords To Be Continued...]]
53
54	----
55	!!Tropes:
56
57	* AGodAmI: Invoked by the Master, who asks the Doctor if he felt this way destroying the Time Lords and Daleks.
58	-->'''The Master''': Two almighty civilisations burning...You must have been like God!
59	* AbandonedWarehouse: Team TARDIS hides out in one after they become fugitives.
60	* AirborneAircraftCarrier: The ''Valiant'', a homage to [[Series/CaptainScarletAndTheMysterons Cloudbase]].
61	* AmericansAreCowboys: When Saxon greets President Winters on the ''Valiant,'' he offers him a "tea, or isn't that American enough? I don't know, I could make grits?"
62	* AnonymousRinger: President Winters, who bemusedly offers to accept "mastery" over the aliens "if that is God's will".
63	* ApocalypseHow: At the episode's end, the Master has ''succeeded'' in inflicting a ApocalypseHow/Class1 and conquering Earth (not necessarily in that order) via the Toclafane's AlienInvasion. We see the AfterTheEnd results in the next episode.
64	* ArtisticLicensePolitics: Winters calls himself "President-elect", which is someone who's been elected President but hasn't taken office yet. [[Creator/RussellTDavies Davies]] later admitted that he didn't know what the term actually meant, and assumed it was a longer ceremonial title of the POTUS.[[note]] He probably assumed it's just a way of emphasising that he's democratically elected rather than bureaucratically chosen or having seized power by force, which he would of course want to do when introducing himself to alien visitors.[[/note]]
65	* AssholeVictim: President Winters. He starts by berating Saxon (and the UK) for not following UN protocols for FirstContact, only to have the US seize control over the situation, then hypocritically order his aides to make sure ''his'' presidential seal (and not the UN logo) is being shown during the ceremony. The Master is naturally ''very'' relieved when he finally gets to order the Toclafane to [[PayEvilUntoEvil disintegrate him]]. Although he does get a minor PetTheDog moment by wishing everyone good luck before meeting the Toclafane.
66	* BigBad: The Master.
67	* BigBrotherIsWatching: The Master uses all the tools of the modern security state to his advantage.
68	* BigStupidDoodooHead: The Doctor blows out a security camera the Master is using to watch him.
69	-->'''The Master:''' Ooh, you... public menace! Better start running!
70	* BigWhat: The Doctor, when Saxon announces the FirstContact with the Toclafane. We later find this is because that's the name of a Time Lord boogeyman.
71	* BlackComedy:
72	** The cabinet ministers being gassed to death -- after the Master insults them all.
73	** Vivien Rook's death involves being cut up into little pieces -- but we only hear her increasingly high-pitched shrieks while the Master winces and mugs.
74	* BoardToDeath: The Master uses two speakerphones with hidden nozzles to lethally gas all of his Cabinet ministers, while he himself comes prepared by wearing a gas mask. This, of course, coming after he delivers a bunch of hilarious insults to them.
75	* TheCaligula: The Master's EstablishingCharacterMoment is gassing his own cabinet to death and giving an [[TheMadHatter enthusiastic two thumbs up]] when a dying politician gasps, "You're insane!" President Winters makes a contemptuous comment about how Britain has elected "an ass" as PM, implying that those outside the [[MindControlDevice Archangel coverage]] don't seem to be impressed by him. John Simm has actually played Caligula, and stated it was just a dress rehearsal for the Master's antics.
76	* CallBack:
77	** The Master did the four-drum-beat with his fingers [[Recap/DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie once before]], although it didn't mean anything until this episode.
78	** The Master was the Minister of Defence who ordered the [[Recap/DoctorWho2006CSTheRunawayBride destruction of the Racnoss]].
79	* TheCameo: Sharon Osborne, Ann Widdecombe and Music/{{McFly}} happily endorse our soon-to-be EvilOverlord. Ann Widdecombe even finds him very handsome.
80	-->'''Sharon Osbourne:''' I'm voting Saxon, he can tick my box anyday!
81	-->'''[=McFly=]:''' ''VOTE SAXON! GO, HARRY!''
82	-->'''Ann Widdecombe:''' I think Mr. Saxon is ''exactly'' what this country needs, he's a very fine man. [[ButHeSoundsHandsome And he's handsome, too!]]
83	* {{Cliffhanger}}: TheBadGuyWins version, with the ray of hope of Martha escaping unnoticed.
84	* ConductingTheCarnage: Mr. Saxon plays "Voodoo Child" as a background to the Toclafane slaughtering one-tenth of humanity, singing along with it as he does.
85	* ContinuityNod:
86	** The Master using a pop song to underscore the decimation of humanity nods back to him playing a Music/KingCrimson song while scheming in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E2TheMindOfEvil "The Mind of Evil"]].
87	** The Master enjoying the ''Series/{{Teletubbies}}'' calls back to a scene in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS9E3TheSeaDevils "The Sea Devils"]] where he watches ''WesternAnimation/TheClangers''.
88	** Using a WeakWilled subordinate to carry out his plans was a favourite tactic of the Master in TheSeventies. ([[ContinuitySnarl Or was it the eighties?]]) Likewise, the flash of satin we see inside the Master's coat (though that's more a reflection of Creator/JonPertwee's extravagant dress sense).
89	** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E3SchoolReunion Nice chips.]]
90	** Martha's television is from [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E7TheIdiotsLantern Magpie Electricals]].
91	** The Doctor is really pissed off to find that Jack is with Torchwood, after [[Recap/DoctorWhoS28E12ArmyOfGhosts his last encounter with them]].
92	** Jelly baby?
93	* CrypticBackgroundReference: The Master fought in the Time War until he witnessed the Dalek Emperor take control of the Cruciform. Whatever that was, it scared him badly enough to go into hiding as his least favorite species.
94	-->'''The Master:''' I ran so far. Made myself human so they would never find me, because...''([[NotSoStoic voice breaks]])'' I was so ''scared.''\
95	'''The Doctor:''' ''([[SympathyForTheDevil sympathetic]])'' I know.
96	** The ExpandedUniverse Big Finish audio dramas would eventually elaborate on this, revealing the War Master himself actually caused the chain of events that led to the Dalek Emperor taking control of the Cruciform, having tried to use a powerful device known as the Heavenly Paradigm to rewrite the Time War, but failing and ultimately turning what had been a decisive Time Lord victory into a crushing defeat.
97	* DarkestHour: Between the Doctor weakened to the point where he is truly unable to do anything and the Toclafane violently slaughtering one tenth of the Earth's population, all hope seems lost at the end of this episode, leaving the audience wondering how the heroes will manage to get out of this one.
98	* DeadManWriting: A message from [[SacrificialLamb Vivien Rook]], the journalist killed by the Toclafane, is sent by email as a VideoWill.
99	-->'''Vivien Rook:''' If I haven't returned to my desk by 22:00, this file will be emailed to Torchwood. Which means if you're watching this then I'm... Anyway, the Saxon files are attached.
100	* DeadlyGas: The Master hides gas dispensers in the conference room to get rid of that inconvenient Cabinet.
101	* DeathTrap: The Master has ''finally'' become smart about this -- he knows full well the Doctor will escape last episode's {{Cliffhanger}} and the IncrediblyObviousBomb, but uses these deadly distractions to put pressure on the Doctor and his companions until they fall into the ''real'' trap.
102	* DiscontinuityNod: To the controversial proposed post-[[Recap/DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie TV Movie]] storyline. No, the Master is ''not'' the Doctor's long-lost brother.
103	* DistressedDude: The Doctor and Jack are captured by the Master in the episode's climax, while Martha escapes to fight another day.
104	* DomedHometown: The Citadel of the Time Lords.
105	* {{Eagleland}}: US President Winters is the type 2 variety with his arrogance and bullish presence. The Master even calls him "Uncle Sam" before having him vaporized.
106	-->'''The Master:''' Anything I can do? I could make the tea. Or isn't that American enough? I dunno, I could make ''grits''. What are "grits", anyway?\
107	'''Winters:''' If you could just sit.\
108	'''The Master:''' ''[rolls his eyes]'' Misery-guts.
109	* EmergencyTemporalShift: The episode kicks off with the Doctor, Martha and Jack escaping the ravenous Futurekind by using Jack's hastily-repaired vortex manipulator.
110	* EvenEvilHasStandards: The Master isn't fond of his Cabinet's behaviour, betraying their parties for his. Then again, he likely didn't want them backstabbing him. He also ran to the end of the universe itself because the Time War was too destructive even for him.
111	* EvilCounterpart: Lucy Saxon, to Martha Jones. Mrs. Saxon is a Time Lord's companion (and wife), who stands by him no matter what. Trouble is, ''her'' Time Lord is set on subjugating Earth, wiping out large swathes of the population, and eventually founding an empire.
112	* EvilGloating: The Master can only force himself stick to the role of a NoNonsenseNemesis for so long. In the end, he cannot help but give into into his old habits, and the episode closes on him giving his own personal NewEraSpeech to the Doctor.
113	* EvilVersusEvil: The Time Lords realised that the Master would be the perfect soldier for the Time War.
114	* ExtremelyShortTimespan: Martha realises that, from her family's perspective, all of series three has been this.
115	-->'''Martha:''' That's so weird, though -- 'cause the day after the election, that's only four days after I met you!\
116	'''The Doctor:''' We went flying all around the universe, while he was here all the time...
117	* FoeRomanceSubtext: The phone conversation between the Master and the Doctor. "Are you asking me out on a ''date''?" The way the Master ''sighs'' when he says "I like it when you use my name..."
118	* {{Foreshadowing}}:
119	** The Doctor offhandedly mentions that Gallifrey was only perfect to look at.
120	** The Master tells the Doctor that if he knew what the [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters Toclafane really were]], "[his] hearts would break".
121	** The effect of President Winter's disintegration at the hands of the Toclafane is exactly the same as the disintegration by stet radiation in the previous episode, hinting at their origins.
122	** [[MusicalSpoiler The theme]] that plays when Martha teleports away to witness the Toclafane ravaging London is a more dramatic version of the music that played in the previous episode when the Doctor talked about humanity's "indomitable" nature.
123	* ForTheEvulz: The Toclafane view this as an excuse to decimate the Earth; "It's fun!" Bonus points for proper use of the word "decimate".
124	* TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou:
125	** The Master keeps pulling InUniverse versions on the Doctor, giving media interviews that make it clear he knows the Doctor is watching. For example, towards the end of the news report the TARDIS crew watches upon returning to 2007:
126	--->'''The Master''': (to the news reporters) This country has been sick. This country needs healing. This country needs medicine. (cut to the broadcast) In fact, I'd go so far as to say that what this country really needs... (stares down the lens) ''right now...'' [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow is a Doctor.]] (shit-eating grin)
127	** A more blatant example, however, would be when the Doctor is watching his live broadcast at Martha's apartment, where he talks up the significance over humanity being introduced to the Toclafane:
128	--->'''The Master:''' Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. I dunno, every... ''medical student?''\
129	(The Doctor, Martha and Jack look shocked; the Doctor looks behind the TV and finds an IncrediblyObviousBomb)
130	* FreezeFrameBonus: The Magpie Electricals sticker on the back of Martha's TV is only on-screen very briefly.
131	* GenreBlind: Saxon's Cabinet really should have run away and never looked back from the moment he started calling them traitors.
132	* GoMadFromTheRevelation: The Doctor's story about how the Master went insane after looking into the [[EldritchLocation Untempered Schism]] as a child. The Doctor admits that he was one of the children that "ran away" and that in some ways, he never really stopped.
133	* HeroWithBadPublicity: The Master has our heroes declared public enemies one, two and three.
134	* HiddenInPlainSight: The Master has not only been on Earth the entire time the Doctor has been teamed up with Martha, he's [[RefugeInAudacity actually been running for election in the Doctor's favourite country!]] It's made all the more potent by the Doctor's statement in the opening that Time Lords can recognize each-other on sight even if they haven't yet seen the other's current regeneration, before he recognizes the new Master ''on TV'', meaning all it would've taken for the Doctor to realize "Harold Saxon's" true identity across previous episodes where he was on present day Earth was a passing glimpse of the Prime Minister's face in the media.
135	* HopeSpot: When the Doctor and company find the TARDIS on the ''Valiant'', and then they go inside to discover that it's been cannibalised to make a Paradox Machine.
136	* {{Hypocrite}}: President Winters takes the Master to task for ignoring UN convention and not taking FirstContact seriously. He then gloats that ''he'll'' be the one getting all the screen-time, and arranges for his personal suit of office to be front and centre.
137	* IAlwaysWantedToSayThat: When the Time Lords meet face-to-face. "[[WeMeetAgain We meet at last]], Doctor! Ooh, I love saying that!"
138	* IHaveYourWife: The Master has Martha's entire family held captive... except her brother, who she manages to warn in time because he was out of town. He was going to show up in the next episode for more than a cameo, but the actor wasn't available.
139	* ImmortalLifeIsCheap: The Master points this out after zapping Jack with the laser screwdriver.
140	-->"And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. ''I get to kill him again!''"
141	* IncrediblyObviousBomb: Seriously, that bomb on the back of Martha's TV looks like something [[WesternAnimation/WileECoyoteandtheRoadRunner Wile E. Coyote would use to catch the Roadrunner]]. To be fair, the Master does love his children's TV programming, since he's seen watching and marveling at the Teletubbies a few scenes later. And how often do people look behind their [=TVs=], anyway?
142	* InLoveWithYourCarnage: The Master is very impressed when he realizes how the Doctor ended the Time War.
143	-->'''The Master:''' What did it feel like, though? Two almighty civilizations, burning... ''[breathy]'' ooh, tell me, how did that feel?\
144	'''The Doctor:''' Stop it!\
145	'''The Master:''' You must have been like '''God'''.
146	* InformedAbility: The Doctor claims that he’d be able to recognise a fellow Time Lord on sight, calling it an ability they have. However, previous and later stories have had Time Lords fail to recognise their fellows in new regenerations/a PaperThinDisguise, including the Doctor himself[[note]]Previous examples of this include "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E1Castrovalva Castrovalva]]", "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E7TimeFlight Time-Flight]]" and "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E6TheKingsDemons The King's Demons]]"; subsequent examples include "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E11DarkWater Dark Water]]" and "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS38E1E2Spyfall Spyfall]]"[[/note]].
147	* InsultBackfire: The Master, upon being accused of insanity, just gives a double thumbs up.
148	* InventedIndividual: The Master fabricated an entire backstory for his "Harold Saxon" character.
149	* LampshadeHanging: Martha asks what kind of person would call himself "the Master". The Doctor later calls it a psychiatrist's field day.
150	* LargeHam: True to form for the Master, John Simm makes a determined effort to act everyone else off the screen.
151	* LastOfHisKind: As the President walks away, the Master says "The ''last'' President of America". (The Master means "of UsefulNotes/TheUnitedStates", but he's not from around there in the first place.)
152	* LateArrivalSpoiler: The image of the TARDIS transformed into the Paradox Machine makes up the main menu screen for the Season 3 [=DVDs=].
153	* LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: When Mr Saxon announces "Here come the drums!" and lets the Toclafane into the present day, the chorus of "Voodoo Child" by the Music/RogueTraders (''"Here come the drums, here come the drums"'') starts up. This appears to be a dramatic device similar to the "Dalek theme", "Time Lord theme" etc., until we see Lucy dancing along to it. The Master then turns off the PA system.
154	* MassHypnosis: The Master is sending a subconscious signal broadcast over a satellite phone network. It doesn't contain complex brainwashing instructions (which would be rejected) but a simple message like "Believe in me" or "Vote Saxon", enough to swing a crucial majority behind "Harold Saxon", and later to [[ResistanceIsFutile cow most forms of resistance]].
155	* MeaningfulName: Lampshaded with the Doctor (the man who [[ChronicHeroSyndrome fixes people]]) and the Master (the [[TheCaligula psychiatrist's field day]]).
156	* MindControlDevice: The Archangel satellite network.
157	* NeckSnap: Jack suggests using the perception filter to just sneak up behind the Master and break his neck. The Doctor considers this too "Torchwood" -- and it turns out it wouldn't have worked anyway.
158	* NemesisWeapon: The Master has a laser screwdriver to counter the Doctor's. It can do all the same things as the latter, and also zap people.
159	* NeverMyFault: Before [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness purging his Cabinet]], The Master [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech tears into them]] for abandoning their parties to join up with him and thus thinks [[RewardedAsATraitorDeserves they deserve what happens next]]. This despite the fact that he's already mind-controlling everyone in Britain, and presumably that would have influenced their decision to turn coat in the first place.
160	* NeverSpeakIllOfTheDead: Jack says that every legend he's heard of Gallifrey made it sound "perfect". The Doctor diplomatically admits that it was only perfect to look at.
161	* NewEraSpeech: "... What this country really needs -- ''right now'' -- is a Doctor."
162	* NiceJobBreakingItHero: WordOfGod is that due to the Doctor preventing "The Golden Age" of Harriet Jones, this created an irregularity in the course of history that wasn't ''supposed'' to happen. As a Time Lord, the Master naturally ''noticed'' and readily exploited this to become Prime Minister. Bet having a Prime Minister that only shot at hostile invading aliens on Christmas Day doesn't seem so bad ''now''.[[invoked]]
163	* NoHuggingNoKissing: Definitely averted with the Master shamelessly [[PetTheDog embracing]] and snogging Mrs. Saxon. [[CelibateHero The Doctor seems amazed]] that the Master has a wife at all, even for political reasons.
164	* NoodleIncident: The Master says he ran from the Time War after "the Dalek Emperor took control of the Cruciform", because he was "so scared". The only thing we know is that the Cruciform ''isn't'' the Crucible from the Series 4 finale, and that, given the Master's general lack of fear towards anything, it must have been ''bad''.
165	** If you take Big Finish as canon, it's shown in ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoTheWarMasterS1E4TheHeavenlyParadigm The War Master: Only the Good]]'' that the Master's horror and fear were elevated by the fact that he ''caused'' the Time War to go in the Daleks' favor and the loss of the Cruciform when naturally a grand scheme of his horribly backfired.
166	* ObliviousToLove: Really, Doctor? Really?
167	-->'''The Doctor:''' It's like when you fancy someone, and they don't even know you exist. ''[he rushes off to do something, leaving Martha stewing in frustration]''\
168	'''Jack:''' ''[to Martha]'' You too, huh?
169	* OhCrap: The Doctor expresses terror at the TV bomb, and then horror at the Paradox Machine.
170	* OrangeBlueContrast: The warehouse[=/=]flashback scene. The warehouse is blue except for the fire, Gallifrey has an orange sky (as established previously), and the Doctor's fire-lit face is 50-50 as he starts his monologue.
171	* OurPresidentsAreDifferent:
172	** President Winters is President Jerkass with a side-order of President Buffoon... or just plain President Unmodified, given how much of a Dubya analogue he is.
173	** The Master, naturally, is full-on Prime Minister Evil.
174	* OutOfCharacterAlert: Martha phones her parents to make sure they're safe. Her mother tells her she's fine and that she and Martha's father have decided to give their marriage another shot. Martha immediately knows something is wrong because they'd ''never'' get back together. They're actually being watched by the Master's underlings who are listening to the call.
175	* OverlyLongGag: The Toclafane kill a journalist who was close to unmasking the Master's cover. He closes the door on her screams. Several seconds later, he opens it: She is still screaming. He winces and closes the door. After some more time, he opens it again and she is [[invoked]]''[[CrossesTheLineTwice still screaming]]''. To quote Freema Agyeman on the DVD commentary:
176	-->'''Freema:''' That's ''so'' naughty... oh, he's ENJOYING it!
177	* PainfulTransformation: The Doctor being aged clearly hurts like hell, given he spends the entire time screaming and flailing.
178	* PapaWolf: Martha's father warns her that they're being monitored even though he knows it'll lead to his arrest.
179	* PerceptionFilter: The Doctor explains that the TARDIS has one, as it's designed to blend in -- and as the TARDIS keys are pieces of the actual ship, they have the same properties. Using this and the Archangel Newtwork's own perception-altering effect, the Doctor amplifies the filter so that he, Jack and Martha are basically invisible unless they draw attention to themselves. He plans to force one of the keys on the Master, which would cancel out the brainwashing signal.
180	* PetTheDog: President Winters gets a moment, when he sincerely wishes everyone good luck before meeting the Toclafane for the first time.
181	* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: The Master refers to Martha and Jack as "the girlie and the freak... although I'm not sure which one's which." This could just be showing how little he knows about humans, and the "freak" comment could easily refer to Jack's unnatural temporal immortality (especially when considering how drastically another Gallifreyan entity freaked out at Jack's presence at the start of the previous episode); but given Jack's sexuality and Martha's race, it comes across as this.
182	* PreemptiveDeclaration: Why is Mr. Saxon wearing a gas mask in a meeting with the Cabinet?
183	-->'''The Master:''' Because of the gas.\
184	'''Albert Dumfries:''' What gas?\
185	'''The Master:''' ''This'' gas.
186	* PresidentEvil: Well, Prime Minister Evil -- mass mind control, gassing the Cabinet to death and inciting an alien invasion are the Master's first acts as the PM.
187	* PsychopathicManchild: Not just the Master, but also the Toclafane with their little girl voices and the pleasure they take from slaughtering people in painful ways.
188	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: The Master would like to remind everyone of [[ExpospeakGag the imminent arrival of the percussion instruments heralding violent engagement]]. [[NoIndoorVoice At high volume levels.]]
189	* PutOnABus: The Master sends [[Series/{{Torchwood}} Jack's team]] off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas, ensuring Jack can't call them for help.
190	* RaceLift: This episode is notable as the first ''Series/DoctorWho'' TV story to show a black Time Lord. (The ''Magazine/DoctorWhoMagazine'' comics previously had a lengthy story arc about a black regeneration of the Master, and ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'' featured a black regeneration of Rassilon.) The concept wouldn't be discussed until "[[Recap/TheSarahJaneAdventuresS4E5E6DeathOfTheDoctor Death of the Doctor]]", though, in which the Doctor confirms that he can be "anything".
191	* RapidAging: The Master has not only improved and miniaturised Lazarus' device, he's figured out how to do it ''in reverse''. He ages the Doctor a century in less than a minute, leaving him a wizened old man.
192	* ReactionShot: When Martha jokes about expecting the Master to be the Doctor's brother, Jack stops and looks at the Doctor as though seriously considering it. The Doctor just finds the suggestion weird.
193	* RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver: The Master wears mostly black suits, while his overcoat has red satin lining, providing a darker spin on one of the Third Doctor's getups (first seen in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS7E1SpearheadFromSpace "Spearhead from Space"]]). Fitting, as the Third Doctor was the incarnation that the Master faced in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS8E1TerrorOfTheAutons his debut serial]].
194	* TheReveal: The Master was resurrected to be a soldier in the Time War (having previously met his apparent end in [[Recap/DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie the 1996 TV movie]]), but after seeing the horrors involved, he ran to the end of the universe and used a Chameleon Arch to make himself Professor Yana.
195	* RewardedAsATraitorDeserves: Invoked (though obviously [[DisproportionateRetribution not justified]]) by the Master before gassing his Cabinet (who he implicitly [[NeverMyFault mind-controlled into joining him, to boot]]):
196	-->'''The Master:''' As soon as you saw the votes swinging ''my'' way, you abandoned your parties and you jumped on the Saxon bandwagon! So ''this'' is your reward... ''[dons gas mask]''
197	* SayMyName: The Master likes it when the Doctor does.
198	* SceneryPorn: Gallifrey is given a big CGI scene. It is indeed "perfect to look at".
199	* SharpDressedMan: We see a flash of red satin inside the Master's coat.
200	* ShipTease: Aside from continuing the background arc related to Martha's unrequited love for the Doctor, Jack's response on realising this ("You too, huh?"), suggests that either he feels the same way or he's recalling Rose's similar feelings for the Doctor last time they met.. Neither get around to saying this to the Doctor's face, of course. This is the last time there's any on-screen hint to Jack having such feelings for the Doctor, as ''Torchwood'' soon paired him with Ianto Jones instead.
201	* ShoutOut:
202	** [[Film/AceVentura Repeatedly opening and closing a soundproofed door with somebody screaming on the other side.]]
203	** The Toclafane saying [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings "Master is our friend!"]] when they find themselves dealing with President Winters instead of the Master.
204	* ShownTheirWork: One of the rare correct usages of "decimate" in pop culture, which is killing one-tenth of something, which is what the Master orders the Toclafane to do.
205	* SignificantAnagram: Mister Saxon = Master No. Six[[note]]Delgado, Pratt/Beevers, Ainley, Tipple/Roberts, Jacobi and Simm[[/note]]. According to RTD, this was unintentional.
206	* SoundOnlyDeath: Vivien Rook. Played for laughs -- see OverlyLongGag.
207	* SoundtrackDissonance: The Master dances to pop music [[WhileRomeBurns as the Toclafane descend]] to exterminate 1/10th of the world's population.
208	* StrawCharacter: Winters doesn't have much characterisation beyond being an obnoxious (American) politician who acts as though he's the most important person in the room but is quickly shown to be out of his depth.
209	* SupermanStaysOutOfGotham: Justified with Torchwood's absence. As detailed under PutOnABus, the Master's used his Ministerial authority as "Saxon" to remove Jack's team off the board to ensure they can't help the Doctor.
210	* TakeThat: Some elements of the Master's fictitious backstory parody the actual life of politician, writer, compulsive CV-padder and perjurer Jeffrey Archer.
211	* TakeThatKiss: The Master blows one of these at the Doctor.
212	* TauntingTheTransformed: The Master uses tech borrowed from Professor Lazarus to [[RapidAging painfully age the Doctor into an old man]], taking great delight in leaving him too old and weak to stop the next stage of his masterplan.
213	* TemporalSickness: Using the Vortex manipulator causes this ''and'' TeleportationSickness. No capsule you know, it's a killer.
214	* TerribleTicking: The Master's drumming -- he even uses the rhythm for his mind control, causing people to unconsciously join him in tapping it out.
215	* TooDumbToLive:
216	** Winters turns into a blubbering, outclassed idiot when the Toclafane show up. What follows is ZAP!
217	** Vivien Rook finds indisputable evidence that "Mr. Saxon" is a fake. Who does she show it to first? Mrs. Saxon, the one person other than Saxon himself who would most want to keep it a secret.
218	** The cabinet ministers ''really'' should have bolted out of the room the second "Harold Saxon" put on that gas mask.
219	* TranquilFury: The Master briefly drops his hamminess before dealing with the President.
220	-->'''Winters:''' Saxon, what are you talkin' about?!\
221	'''The Master:''' I'm taking control, Uncle Sam, starting with ''you. [to the Toclafane]'' Kill him!
222	* TrashcanBonfire: Present in the warehouse the Doctor, Martha and Jack hide out in. They sit around it while talking.
223	* UndeadTaxExemption: The Master has to go to some lengths for his fake backstory to be accepted -- the 1% of people unaffected by his brainwashing signal note that the forgery is actually very obvious.
224	* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: The Doctor explains that he plans to slip the PerceptionFilter key around the Master's neck. Of course, this doesn't work.
225	* WarIsHell: Invoked by the Master, who found the carnage of the Time War too much even for him.
226	* WeComeInPeaceShootToKill: The Toclafane claim to be bringing gifts of technology and protection, simply in exchange for humanity's friendship. They proceed to wipe out one tenth of the world population within minutes of their arrival.
227	* WhamLine: "Every, I dunno, medical student?" ''That's'' when the Doctor discovers the IncrediblyObviousBomb behind Martha's TV.
228	* WickedCultured: Decimation is used as properly defined; "remove one tenth of the population". It's also a [[ContinuityNod reference]] to the Master's [[Recap/DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie little-known]] [[GrammarNazi obsession with proper grammar]].
229	* WrittenInAbsence: The Master sends Jack's Series/{{Torchwood}} colleagues on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas, so they're unable to help.
230	* TheXOfY: "The Sound of Drums".
231	* YoureInsane: [[InsultBackfire TWO THUMBS UP!]]
232	* YouWatchTooMuchX:
233	-->'''Martha:''' I thought you were gonna say he was [[invoked]][[DevelopmentGag your secret brother or something]].\
234	'''The Doctor:''' You've been watching too much TV.
235	----
236	->''"And so it came to pass that the human race fell, and the earth was no more. And I looked down upon my new dominion as Master of all, and I thought it ...'''good.'''"''

Context Recap / DoctorWhoS29E12TheSoundOfDrums