The Master is one of the longest-running villains in the history of Doctor Who. Since the classic series, he has remained as the greatest enemy of the Doctor, always there to cause trouble and throw a wrench in his plans.
A character with as long a history as this has had some of the best stories in the history of the show. With the varied amount of writers and actors behind the role, there are many different takes on the character. Looking back on the series, here are the best episodes to feature the character so far.
Spyfall
Though a recent story, this was one of the best Master reveals and performances yets. At the end of Spyfall Part One, no one expected Sacha Dhawan's character to make a heel turn as he did, and oh boy was it one of the more exciting moments of the series.
Dhawan gives an incredible performance as the Master. Full of vengeful insanity, his version of the character gleefully terrorizes everyone he comes in contact with. Fueling it though is his hatred for the Doctor. Let's hope The Timeless Children wasn't last we saw of him.
The End Of Time
The End of Time parts one and two saw David Tennant's run as the Tenth Doctor come to a climactic conclusion. It also saw the first return of Gallifrey and the timelords to the series since the classic era, bringing with them John Simm's master from series three.
This is a great conclusion to John Simm's version of the character. He has a full-circle moment of semi-redemption that still punishes him for his many crimes. But it was one of the few episodes that really showed him off as a sympathetic antagonist.
Dark Water/Death in Heaven
This double-feature finale saw the biggest change to the history of the character yet. FOr the first time in the show's history, a woman took on the villainous reigns of the Master, changing their name to Missy (a shorter and sweeter version of the more evil Mistress title).
Michele Gomez's performance was cemented as one of the best immediately. While the episode itself has some downfalls in terms of thematic execution and treatment of side characters, it is Missy and Twelve's iterations that make it all worth it.
The Magician's Apprentice/The Witch's Familiar
This was the second appearance of Michelle Gomez's Missy, appearing in the double part series opener for series nine. While the previous episodes saw her enter in all her glory, these two episodes saw Gomez really owning the role for the first time.
She has so much fun on screen during these episodes, absolutely killing it in every moment. Her interactions with Clara are equally tense and funny, and the chemistry between her and Peter Capaldi just continues to get better and better.
Terror Of The Autons
Terror of the Autons serves as a landmark history for both The Master as well as the show itself. It not only brought back the Autons and introduced Jo Grant as the newest companion, but it was the first episode to feature the character of The Master.
Roger Delgado made his first villainous appearance as The Master in this episode, leading to a long history for the character ever since. Delgado's signature mustache-twirling villainy is on full display and earned him a series-long tenure as the main villain.
Utopia/Sound Of Drums/Last Of The Timelords
This story arc saw the Master return for the first time in the revival, with both John Simm and Derek Jacobi taking on the roles. In Utopia, the reveal that Jacobi was actually playing the Master was one of the best moments of the series to date.
In the later episodes, John Simm cemented his tenure as the Master, taking control of Britain as Prime Minister Harold Saxon. His maniacal performance as the character became the signature one of the series and took years to challenge.
The Sea Devils
The Sea Devils is another landmark moment in the series, introducing the Sea Devils for the first time as well as bringing back Delgado after his long run in Season eight. Here he was regulated to mostly single appearances per season to not oversaturate him.
Delgado is exceptional in this episode. He is once again showing off his perfect charisma as a villain after his escape from Fortress Island. This episode also helped incubate the early ideas that the Doctor and the Master were childhood friends.
Survival
While some might disagree, the last few seasons of Doctor Who were exceptional (even if they were the final before cancellation). The writing team and all the performers really gave it their all when nearing the end of the run.
Survival, the last aired serial of the classic series, remains an outstanding episode featuring The Master. Anthony Ainley is finally overcoming early complaints of his performance, making the character entirely his own. It also remains the last time he would appear in character. His performance was remarkable in it's more subtle evil in comparison to his early appearances.
The World Enough And Time/The Doctor Falls
This is one of the best stories in the history of the character. While fans wish it had remained a surprise, the return of John Simm's master alongside Missy was an amazing choice. For the first time, two versions of The Master joined forces to bring the Doctor to his knees.
John Simm changes up his performance, channeling Delgado more so than ever before. But it is Michelle Gomez's Missy that is the ultimate highlight. Her redemption and turn to goodness were so effective, it has still left its mark as the definitive end for the character (with fans assuming Dhawan is an early regeneration).
The Daemons
This remains the best episode to feature the Master bar none. The finale of season eight, this episode saw The Master become the leader of a witch's cult in rural England, leading the show in full folk horror territory. The Master attempts to summon a demon and to harness its power for his own.
This climactic story is the end of a long run of episodes featuring Delgado as the main villain. It was the single best era for the character and saw him cement himself as the ultimate foe for the Doctor. Without a doubt, this bombastic end was the ultimate highlight.