Thank U So Fucking Much For Bringing This Up Bc I Was Rewatching This Scene The Other Day And It Made

thank u so fucking much for bringing this up bc i was rewatching this scene the other day and it made me think of how well that scared little headshake actually works. this whole ordeal is already sad as it his with the doctor pointing a literal gun at the master but the masters refusal to deliberately show a hint of emotion makes it worrrseeeee just like u said you can see it in his face and hear it in his voice but he wont say it. even in his final moments he can’t bring himself to, like u said, plead with the doctor which is so fitting for especially this incarnation of the master i think

“you never would you coward. (would you…?)”

the master getting teary eyed and scared when he realises the doctor is really considering to pull the trigger but still daring him to do it. He needs to know, he needs to see if the doctor is capable of it. is he? would he really? why is he still pointing the gun at him?

“go on then. do it.”

But he doesn’t want to die. you can hear it in his voice and see it in his face but he needs to know how far the doctor is willing to go. And besides he’s the master. He’s not gonna back down and plead. At least not in this regeneration. the subtle and terrorised headshake after works very well as there’s one part of the script missing in this scene

“don’t.”

and the doctor won’t.