*Spoilers.*
The Eric Roberts incarnation of the Master isn’t my favorite, but he certainly has the whole “evil” thing down pat. Despite only appearing in the 1996 TV movie, I was still able to fill an entire Top Five for him. Though I have to say, his list is less Magnificent Bastard Moments and more just straight-up Bastard Moments.
Taking Over Bruce’s Body (Doctor Who)
Like the Anthony Ainley Master before him, this Master has a very particular M.O.: cheat death by any means necessary, no matter who he has to kill to do so. After being executed by the Daleks, the Master is able to survive as a translucent, semi-corporeal snake thing (it’s the TV movie, don’t ask for logic.) He escapes the TARDIS and hitches a ride on a passing ambulance, then follows Bruce, one of the EMTs, home. This is this incarnation of the Master in a nutshell: he attacks poor Bruce in his snake form, wriggling down the guy’s throat, suffocating him and then taking over his body when he dies. To add insult to injury, he knows Bruce’s body won’t withstand this takeover for very long, so he immediately starts plotting to take the Doctor’s body instead. The Master murders this man, essentially, to serve as his temporary transport. Cold. Blooded.
Possessing Grace (Doctor Who)
As a byproduct of his previous snake form interacting with Bruce’s body, the Master now has snake eyes and can secrete this weird substance that can immobilize people. We also learn, unfortunately, that he can use it to possess people. Grace gets hit by a stray splash of the substance in the ambulance, and that’s enough for him to later take her over during a crucial moment, getting her to knock the Doctor out before he can thwart the Master’s plans.
Killing Chang Lee (Doctor Who)
While the Master possesses Grace, he uses old-fashioned lying and manipulation on Chang Lee, convincing him that the Doctor stole his body and promising Lee all manner of fabulous wealth in exchange for his help. When the Doctor tricks the Master into revealing the truth, he discards Lee at the first sign of anything less than complete loyalty and obedience. Just to be super gross about it, moments before snapping his neck, he purrs, “Lee, I would never lie to you. I would only protect you.” :shudder:
Opening the Eye of Harmony (Doctor Who)
The Master needs a human eye to open the Eye of Harmony, a security measure the Doctor had put in place. Now, first of all, the Master is doing this to steal the Doctor’s remaining regenerations, knowing that the Earth will be destroyed in the process. Second, he’s just killed one human lackey, and his other, Grace, has blackened eyes while he’s possessing her. The Master handles this obstacle in the grossest way possible, macking on Grace to suck the possession out of her(?), then forcing her in front of the Eye to open it. Talk about a creep!
Killing Grace (Doctor Who)
Once Grace has recovered from her possession, she struggles to thwart the Master’s plan, remembering the Doctor’s earlier instructions on jumpstarting the TARDIS. When she tries to help the Doctor, the Master flies into a rage, killing her by pushing her over the railing. Fortunately, the TARDIS is in a temporal orbit at the time, which allows recent events to be rewritten, but even if it gets quickly reversed, killing a companion will always be an absolute villain move.
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