this is a bit "japanese soldier still fighting 20 years after ww2" but i was reminded of my disappointment in how chibnalls era used the master (and "spymaster came before missy" is pure cope don't pull that one on me). what bothers me is that he's such a generic blank slate master, but moreso that almost any other writing decision would be vastly more compelling
bc frankly it would've been so fucking easy to build upon missy without even making any major changes. present it as addiction, and him falling off the wagon. let the doctor actually be betrayed, twist the knife (13s increased contempt for him is the only thing that even hints at their past). the obvious, open goal move was "i burned down an evil civilisation in righteous fury, just like you would've done" and "i did it to avenge what they did to you." builds off S10 without requiring a tonne of loredumps, a real twist to new viewers, adds a layer of tragedy (it being her fault, his twisted attempts to do the right thing), and then that perceived betrayal on the masters part from her horror sends him off the deep end into full evil. but no, just nothing
