Rassilon

Played by Timothy Dalton

"We will ascend to become creatures of consciousness alone. Free of these bodies, free of time, and cause and effect, while creation itself ceases to be."

Even Time Lord history diverges on its opinion of Rassilon. Hero or villain? Foe or saviour? Sometimes two conflicting identities can both be correct...

One of the founders of Time Lord society, Rassilon was long dead when the Doctors travelled to the Death Zone on Gallifrey and witnessed his spirit imprison the power-hungry Borusa for eternity.

The Time Lords late resurrected Rassilon to lead them in the Last Great Time War. With the fate of Gallifrey hanging in the balance, he devised the "Ultimate Sanction" - a plan to destroy the universe and enable the Time Lords to ascend as creatures of "consciousness alone". The Doctor and the Master teamed up to put an end to Rassilon's madness, banishing him back to the burning planet.

When thirteen Doctors united to save Gallifrey, the planet was preserved in a parallel pocket universe. The Twelfth Doctor later found the Time Lords hidden at the extreme end of the time continumum. He confronted Rassilon about his crimes, assumed presidency, and told the former president, "Get off my planet."