“Oh, I know why you’re here. To destroy the Doctor. You’ve never had any other. It obsesses you, to the exclusion of all else! You’re unbalanced. No wonder the Doctor always outwits you….!” Rani to the Master
The Female (Master) Of The Species Is More Deadly…
The Rani, which means ‘Queen’ in Hindu. Followed in the Time Lord tradition – of naming oneself, after an ‘authority’ figure – The Doctor, The Master.
Like The Doctor and The Master, the Rani had also absconded from the Time Lord race and gone on the run, around space-and-time – in a Tardis.
The Rani was completely ruthless and singular of purpose. Unafraid to cross a moral line, in the pursuit of scientific achievement – for further personal gain.
Despite sharing many machevellian traits with fellow antagonist; The Master. The Rani made a more dangerous opponent to the Doctor. As the Rani did not share a mutual respect for the Doctor.
Or indeed, the slight sentimentality the Master had for the Doctor; which prevented the Master from totally destroying his nemesis. The Rani shared none of this and frequently castigated The Master; in regardd to this percieved weakness.
The Rani’s principle interest – apart from gaining power and control, was unfettered (and unregulated) scientific achievement. Principally – biology and gene-splicing on biological lifeforms; usually on unwilling subjects.
Indeed – it was gene-splicing, that led to the Rani being castigated by the Time Lords; for creating giant lab-mice specimens – on Gallifrey. Which broke free, and attacked the Lord President Of Gallifrey – and ate his pet cat!
The Rani then went on the run, like the Master – in a fully functioning Tardis. Being about the same age – as both the Doctor and the Master. The Rani had – perhaps, maybe even shared the same Gallifreyan school class – as them.
The Rani was also a clever mechanical engineer. Creating cunning traps, including: mines – which when stepped on deleted the unfortunate victim, from time – itself.
Likewise, her deadly signature time-bubbles; captured and then bounced the unfortunte victim, all over environment – before exploding and vapourising them.
Dangerous enough – as a solo antagonist. The Rani was to create a double-threat, by teaming up with The Master in Mark Of The Rani – 1985. When travelling, to a 19th Century Earth mining-village and enslaving the population of the village – for genetic experiments.
Using captured villagers, the Rani harvested brain-fluid to synthesize drugs; which were to control the populace of another planet – Miasimia Goria; a planet where the Rani ruled, through drug pacification.
Along with the Master, the Rani used the villagers, as puppets – to trap the Sixth Doctor. Intending to use the Doctor for genetic experimentations.
The Doctor however, had a trick up the sleeve – though; by reprogramming the velocity control on the Rani’s Tardis – and sending it hurtling into the future, with the Master and the Rani aboard.
That was only part of their shared problems – though. As some T-Rex Embryos, (present in jars) smashed – and began to grow; whilst the Rani and Master, were pinned to the wall of the accelerating Tardis.
The Rani reappeared again, in the Seventh Doctor’s first serial; Time And The Rani – 1987. This time, surpressing the indigenous aliens of planet Lakertya; with her bat-like Tet-Trap army.
This time, the Rani was stealing Earth’s greatest Scientists. Including; Einstein, Louie Pasteur, Hypatia – and the Doctor. To combine their intellect – to create a powerful time-manipulator; out of a huge pulsating cyborg brain.
The Rani attacked the Tardis, forcing the Sixth Doctor to regenerate into the Seventh Incarnation. The Rani then
injected the Doctor, with an amnesia drug – to confuse. Before mimicing the persona of companion Mel. To trick the Doctor, into repairing some equipment – in her lab.
The Doctor was able to overcome the Rani and destroy the time-manipulator, with the help of the Lakertyans. However, the Rani escaped to her Tardis but found it overran with Tet-Trap’s; who themselves – had taken control and kidnapped the Rani.
The Rani did not feature again – but was intended as a recurring character, prior to the show’s cancellation; in 1989.
