Discussion: Unravelling the Mystery of Missy

August 25th, 2014
Warning! This article and its comments may contain spoilers...
discussion-unravelling-the-mystery-of-missy

The start of a new series of Doctor Who means the start of a new story arc and Steven Moffat wasted no time bringing this year’s mystery to the forefront of Whovian conversation.

At the end of Saturday’s Series 8 premiere Deep Breath we were introduced to Michelle Gomez as ‘Missy’, who we know from a previous BBC announcement is “the Gatekeeper of the Nethersphere”… whatever that means!

Not much is known about the enigmatic character, or perhaps more importantly, her relationship with the Doctor, thus far, but we thought we’d open this discussion for you to share any initial thoughts and theories.

The comments below will remain open throughout the course of the series so don’t forget to keep checking back to discuss the latest developments. Please note that the comments won’t be monitored for spoilers and also please only discuss broadcast episodes.

Whovians love to chat – click HERE to rate & discuss the latest Series 8 episode!

60 comments on this article
  1. Martin Snowden
    October 18th, 2014 at 6.48pm | #1

    Weird thought, previous episode title and something that missy said about ‘Was my Boyfriend Mean to You?’ and ‘I Love the new accent, Think I Might Keep It’

    Is it another case of a Human Avatar of the TARDIS, though a darker, sinister one, like the Doctor has the Valeyard…

  2. Poe Prodigy
    October 20th, 2014 at 2.07am | #2

    I’m getting a definite villain vibe; but villain with a complicated history. Like the Master, but not the Master. I mean, there were moments when I actually liked and empathized with the Master. I get the same kind of feeling with her.

    I think she must be a Time Lord, or at least some kind of serious Time Lord connection….

  3. Valcoor
    October 22nd, 2014 at 7.00am | #3

    We know that the TARDIS has a female personality.
    We also know that “she” chose the doctor, not the other way round.
    Is it possible that “she” has somehow developed a split personality? Could Missy be the darker side of that split?
    Her comments about her “boyfriend” fits.
    If she isn’t, it would make a good storyline.
    Royalties can be sent to my email address. lol

  4. Mandy Laurie Souza @Hiddlestardis
    October 26th, 2014 at 4.08pm | #4

    I think Missy is the new Master.If Clara not exist because Clara is a young version of Missy

  5. Grace Coleman
    October 26th, 2014 at 4.23pm | #5

    Okay, theory time, so I think the “I hope my boyfriend wasn’t to mean to me” line from Missy and the “Clara, I’m not your boyfriend” and “I never said it was your mistake” lines from the Doctor to Clara are connected. Seriously i will be crushed if Clara doesn’t exist because if I go bakc to watch an episode, say The Time of The Doctor for example, it will be hard to listen to her say “Please don’t change” when its not really her and the only way I will be okay with it is if Missy is controlling Clara. When Clara does eventually leave the show , and we all knkw she will at some point don’t deny it, I would hope she leaves the TARDIS crew to go get married to Danny and I hope she doesn’t get killed of because then she could come back like Martha did in The Sontaran Stratagem. But because it is a Moffat one she will most likely die, and if she does I hope her last words to the Doctor are “I love you, and one thing, Run, run you clever boy and remember me” that to me is the only way they can end it and it would be really sweet and emotional, and if she dies I want her last words to Danny to be “Danny, I always put you first, I love the Doctor, but I love you in different way, in a special way, and you will always be mine”. So that was long and rant-like but I really hope it is happy end, probably won’t be , but good to have hope.

  6. Mike Pooler @gistobe
    October 27th, 2014 at 10.19am | #6

    This may be one of the weirder theories, but I think Missy is an aspect of the Doctor that split off during his regeneration. The last thing we heard Matt Smith say is “miss you!” – could that even be related to her name “missy”?

  7. Ben
    October 30th, 2014 at 5.12pm | #7

    Missy looks an AWFUL LOT like “Miss Hartigan”, (Dervla Kirwan) from the 2008 Christmas special “The Next Doctor” with David Tennant.They both sport an umbrella,and dress in Victorian attire.She helped the Cybermen, in the end she was sent into the time vortex by the Doctor.Did she meet The Great Intelligence, (Simeon) there?There is a connection to the computer GUS.

  8. JC
    October 30th, 2014 at 5.25pm | #8

    @Ben

    Interesting idea, especially as I’ve never liked that Moffat made the cracks in the universe swallow the whole of “The Next Doctor” events.

    If Missy were Miss Hartigan, it would also link her to the Cybermen present in the screencaps.

    Not sure if that’s who she’ll turn out to be, but a great thought anyway.

  9. Ben
    October 30th, 2014 at 5.39pm | #9

    @Valcoor
    It may not be the Doctor’s TARDIS.When Clara entered the Doctor’s timeline the first thing she did was redirect the first Doctor to a different TARDIS.

  10. Gonzo
    October 30th, 2014 at 6.30pm | #10

    @Ben
    The clear implication was that she was sending him to the familiar TARDIS with her reference to the navigation system.

  11. The 13th Doctor
    October 31st, 2014 at 2.59pm | #11

    Missy… The Mistress. Romana was refered to as The Mistress once? E-space.. Alternative universe/Pocket Universe. Gatekeeper of the nethersphere/The Warrior’s Gate?
    Has Missy actually killed anyone? On the trailers she seems to be helping the Doctor in an odd way. Could Romana have regenerated into a more toughened, no BS, arrogant TimeLady? Oh wait.. The 12th Doctor is a bit like that, right?

    Now (speculation set to high level) Seb..?
    What if Seb was short for Mr. Sebastian? What word can you spell from some of the letters in MR. SEbaSTian..? Anyone? Anyone..? Bueller..? Bueller…?

  12. Jonus
    November 2nd, 2014 at 5.46am | #12

    Hi fellow who aims I know we wondered for a long time who’s missy well when I found out I was blow away I did not see that coming the master as a female I pictured it I (shamelessly) dreamt of it. But never believed till now quite timey Whimy lol

  13. Leala
    November 2nd, 2014 at 9.44pm | #13

    my theory is that Missy is shout for Mistress which would be linked to the master or even a female form of the master…but how maybe a he got another TARDIS and has left the time bubble but that’s not possible is it? No it cant be…

  14. Leala
    November 2nd, 2014 at 9.49pm | #14

    But what if the theoretical bubble is braking then what would happen,could the doctor save use the same way he did last time?

  15. William
    November 3rd, 2014 at 10.49am | #15

    MISSY IS THE MASTER!!!

  16. Leala
    November 3rd, 2014 at 5.40pm | #16

    @William
    yes but how?

  17. Rose
    November 5th, 2014 at 3.00pm | #17

    omg MISSY IS THE MASTER!!!!!!!!!!!

  18. rose
    November 5th, 2014 at 4.17pm | #18

    @Leala some sectors of time-lords can regenerate into the opposite gender :)

  19. Regan Smith
    November 9th, 2014 at 11.57am | #19

    Any time lord can turn into a woman

  20. doctor
    February 13th, 2015 at 3.20am | #20

    I don’t care what the show says, Missy is the doctor. Look at the eyes. Maybe the Master is the doctor in a child from, made just so time doesn’t collapse. That would explain how the doctor knew the master as ac child. Think about that.

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