October 14th, 2025 137 comments

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The Master and Tardis Vortex Edition Figure Set

Available to order from www.character-online.com

‘A new Body at last!’

Character Options unveils its latest Doctor Who exclusive – The Master & TARDIS Set

Character Options and BBC Studios are excited to reveal that its latest exclusive Doctor Who set has materialised.

The Master & TARDIS set is a Doctor Who ‘Vortex Edition’ release that’s kept fans and collectors waiting 44 years! This set will be available to purchase today, 14th October 2025, solely through www.character-online.com.

The Master & TARDIS Set

This higher-specification “Vortex Edition” release comes with a scaled 5.5-inch figure of the iconic ‘Anthony Ainley’ Master, presented in his original black velvet outfit. This figure release comes with two interchangeable head pieces, one with a more neutral pose and a second featuring the Ainley Master’s notorious sneer!

He comes complete with his ‘Doric Column’ TARDIS accessory, as it was seen in Tom Baker’s final story ‘Logopolis’, as well as ‘Castrovalva’, before being changed for ‘Time Flight’. Also included within the exclusive pack are two versions of the Master’s weapon of choice, the Tissue Compression Eliminator (TCE) in closed and open modes, plus a Time Lord funeral casket, and Matrix Internment Orb, as used by the Seventh Doctor to carry the Master’s remains back to Gallifrey in the 1996 TV Movie.

Anthony Ainley

Anthony Ainley was a British character actor who played the role of the Master and enjoyed its tremendous appeal and scope. He enjoyed the pure joy of playing the Master and his elaborate schemes and disguises, as well as his uncanny ability to escape from many seemingly impossible situations. Ainley’s incarnation of the Master brought flamboyancy and malevolence to the role including a maniacal laugh that was so recognisable it went on to be featured in the contemporary series, post 2005.

The Master

At the end of his final regeneration, and using the power of the Source Manipulator on the Planet Traken, the Master then stole the body of Consul Tremas and regenerated himself. This version of the Master would go on to face seven incarnations of the Doctor. His first encounter was with the Fourth Doctor on Traken, he then had several confrontations with the Fifth and Sixth Doctors before eventually encountering the First, Second, and Third on Gallifrey. Along the way he also had an alliance with another renegade Time Lord, the Rani.

Despite cheating death many times, the Master was captured and executed by the Daleks. But even in death the Master had a plan. The recovery of his remains by the Seventh Doctor would prove deadly, as he cheated death once again, using the form of the Deathworm Morphant, setting in motion a series of events that ultimately led to the Seventh Doctor’s own regeneration into the Eighth.

“It’s been a very long time coming!”

Al Dewar, Creative Director at Character Options, stated: “This figure, or lack of, has been talked about and desired by so many fans for years. I have stated before that if we were to do it, it had to be done properly! It will, I hope, be a big but very welcome surprise to fans and collectors alike. The reason we’ve held off for so long is that Anthony Ainley’s contribution to Doctor Who cannot be understated. With the exception perhaps of the Brigadier, I can think of no other character that has had the so much of an impact on the show. So, I’m particularly pleased we could finally bring ‘a new Master… at last!’ to the figure range.”

This new set is on sale now through www.character-online.co.uk and costs £44.99. Each online exclusive release has unique features not to be seen on retail versions and with a limited amount available, this set is certainly one not to be missed!

Categorised under: Doctor Who 5" scale figures, Toys