Yana, Professor

Photo courtesy of BBC

Professor Yana was a genius who when we meet him is an old man working with his friend Chantho as a scientist on the planet Malcassairo. They had been working on the Utopia project for seventeen years on his Footprint Impeller to ensure the survival of the Human race.  Professor Yana had been found as a child on the coast of the Silver Devastation after a severe storm, he was naked apart from carrying a broken fob watch.  He had mysteriously suffered from headaches and hearing the sound of drums for his entire life. 

Doctor Who, Martha and Captain Jack come to Malcassairo and Martha spots the Professor’s fob watch and recognises that it is identical to the one The Doctor owns.  Martha knows that the fob watch is actually a Time Lord instrument used as a receptacle to store the very being of a Time Lord when he uses the Chameleon Arch. When the Time Lord does this he becomes human and has no recollection of ever being anything other.  When Professor Yana talks to The Doctor and they talk about the time vortex, this begins to waken memories in Yana’s head and after Martha brings the fob watch to the attention of Professor Yana he feels compelled to open it. 

I remember watching this episode when it aired and the way that Daughter, Small Child and I looked at each other with eyes and mouths wide when we first caught a glimpse of that fob watch. We were aware of exactly what that watch was used for, having seen Tennant's Doctor use it in a previous episode.  We were also remembering the wonderful Face of Boe’s words “You are not alone” this meant that Professor Yana was a Time Lord.

After he opens the watch Professor Yana realises instantly who he is, he is a Time Lord.  However he is also The Doctor’s nemesis and his name is no longer Professor Yana. His name is, The Master.