On Dec 23, 2024, "The War Games in Color" was broadcast in the UK. The original Second Doctor serial by Terrance Dicks and Malcolm Hulke is an excellent regeneration story, arguably one of the very best. But it's also extremely long - at ten episodes, it's one of the longest serials from the show's history, and it doesn't quite justify that length.
So the new version of "The War Games" isn't just a simple colorization. It's also been heavily edited from four hours to just 90 minutes. It also includes newly added music and even a new regeneration sequence. In many ways, it's a brand-new version of the classic story.
While "The War Games in Color" has yet to reach the U.S., it's clear from the reaction in the U.K. that these little changes and additions have been divisive. Especially how much this new version strongly hints at an old fan theory...
The War Chief, otherwise known as...
One of the key villains in "The War Games" is the War Chief. Played by Edward Brayshaw, the War Chief is an evil Time Lord who has allied himself with an alien race to gain power. He plans to eventually betray his allies and take over as ruler, but his betrayal is revealed and the aliens kill him at the end of the story. As a result, "The War Games" is the character's only onscreen appearance.
At least, officially.
For a long time, there's been speculation that the War Chief might be an early incarnation of the Master. And it's easy to see why. While the Doctor's archenemy wouldn't officially be introduced for another two years (played by the brilliant Roger Delgado), there are noticeable similarities between the two.
For example, the War Chief's scheme shares much in common with the Master's favorite, most reusable plan: help an alien race, gain their trust as they plan to conquer the Earth/universe/etc., then eventually betray them and take over. Both villains also have a clear history with the Doctor and a love for facial hair.
Unsurprisingly, it's a theory that has been addressed in expanded media many times over the years. Some stories have leaned into it, some have gone against it. And there's nothing on-screen that's even hinted at the theory.
That is, until now. In the new colorization of "The War Games", music has been added to some scenes featuring the War Chief. Which music, you ask? Well...just listen in the clip included in the tweet below.
The way I immediately sat up when that music kicked in #TheWarGamesInColour pic.twitter.com/I2NV9e5nN4
— Matthew (@DiscipleOfBrad) December 23, 2024
Sound and music
New Series fans at least will very likely recognize that music. It's "The Master Vainglorious", Murray Gold's theme for the Master created for Series 3. If that wasn't enough, one scene even uses Dudley Simpson's theme for Roger Delgado's Master. To top it all off, after the War Chief's death, you can clearly hear a regeneration sound effect.
Altogether, it feels like the team that worked on "The War Games in Color" is entirely on the side that the War Chief is an early incarnation of the Master...without quite outright stating it. Don't get me wrong, everything they've added makes their personal preference extremely clear.
But there's no newly added scene of Brayshaw regenerating into Delgado. And if they wanted to go that far, they definitely could've - this is the version of "The War Games" that shows the Second Doctor's regeneration in full for the first time. So you could say that the team that worked on this allowed some leeway if you're still against the theory. But not much.
Continuing speculation
As for my views on the old theory? Honestly, it always made sense to me. Admittedly, you wouldn't want every rogue Time Lord to suddenly turn out to be the Doctor's archnemesis. Certainly, I could never believe that the First Doctor's antagonist the Monk was also the Master. The earlier character is simply too mischievous and even naive for that. He doesn't want to conquer the universe, he just wants to improve history, often by using incredibly reckless methods.
However, in the case of the War Chief? As I said, there are many similarities between him and the Master, especially in their methods. And unlike "Master", "War Chief" was always more of a job title than a chosen name. It's very easy to imagine the character preferring another name altogether - especially when they planned to take over as galactic ruler.
Regardless of my thoughts - or even the thoughts of those who worked on "The War Games in Color" - I think this is one theory that fans will continue to debate on for a long time to come. And that's a good thing, because speculation and theorizing is one of the basic joys of fandom.