While the War Doctor continues to try to find a way to save the planet Tharius’ inhabitants, forces begin to be ranged against him…

Andrew Smith picks up the pen for this second (or is it final?) part of the latest tale of the War Doctor’s early encounters, providing a script that builds off the back of the considerable world building done in the first part. There’s clearly been far more going on than meets the eye on Tharius, and we have to wonder how much they are tied to the secrets Case has in her own past. As with the opening episode, you need to concentrate on the various twists and turns; Smith plays fair with the clues but you need to be on the ball.

Once again the Doctor finds himself on the other side of the moral fence from Tamasan and Veklin, but the way in which the situation resolves itself is not one that you would expect to find carried out by other incarnations – bar, perhaps, the “chess player on 1000 boards” of the New Adventures Seventh Doctor. Smith sensibly provides commentary on this from one of the Gallifreyans who witnesses the Doctor’s actions and it’s a needed reminder that this version of the Doctor is destined to be steeped in blood.

Louise Jameson elicits strong performances across the board, backed up by an all encompassing sound design from Jack Townley that occasionally feels as if it goes from one extreme to the other, but uses both well.

Verdict: A story that throws up yet more questions about this Doctor’s moral compass. 8/10

Paul Simpson

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