Flashback (comic story)

Flashback was a Seventh Doctor comic story printed in DWMS Winter 1992. As the title implied, much of it was given over to a flashback to the Doctor's early life on Gallifrey, depicting the falling-out between "Thete" and an old friend of his known as "Magnus". Though intended and strongly implied to be an early version of the Master, as acknowledged in Invasion of the Cat-People and Goth Opera, this character was later construed as an incarnation of a distinct Time Lord of whom the War Chief was a later regeneration by Gary Russell.

Summary
The Seventh Doctor gives Benny a lesson in Gallifreyan history using a 3-D holo-simulation. They watch as Magnus attempts to drain the power from a huge sphere of Artron energy which has been brought back from the Time Vortex. Magnus is strongly opposed by his former friend Thete who, when it is revealed the Artron energy is alive, uses a Chancellery Guard's gun to end the draining and set the energy being free.

The holo-simulation ends. The Doctor says Thete was commended by the High Council for his actions; Magnus never forgave him and the friendship between the two was ended forever. Then he says that it has been enough ancient history for one day; the past will always be there, but he far prefers the future.

Characters

 * Seventh Doctor
 * Bernice Summerfield
 * "Thete"
 * "Magnus"

Worldbuilding

 * Travel into Gallifrey's own past is strictly banned by the Time Lords.
 * When reflecting of "Thete" and "Magnus", the Seventh Doctors comments on how "old nicknames can stick".

Continuity

 * The First Doctor is still known by his Acedemy nickname, "Thete". (TV: The Armageddon Factor, The Happiness Patrol)