Like Star Death, the DWM back up comic strip, this is a short story showing us Omega the scientist, exploring, experimenting and developing Time Lord science. I had assumed from surface impressions that this was looking at the same event as Star Death - Omega’s sacrifice leading to Gallifrey’s ability to time travel, but actually this is set even earlier than that and is an earlier experiment involving Omega entering the time vortex.

There are some neat details in this. Omega’s protective outfit is described as something which sounds rather similar to what he wears in The Three Doctors (although I’m not sure how practical that would actually be floating around in the vortex). And the experiment is cut short by the interference of a Chronovore which presents itself as both the white, winged creature and a woman as both seen in The Time Monster.

The story portrays Omega as a compassionate, reasonable, ambitious scientist. His jealousy of Rassilon is explored but only in so far as his contributions to Time Lord society are secret whereas Rassilon is showered with adulation. Rassilon is still his friend.

Omega mourns the deaths of two of his team at the hand of the Chronovore and aborts the experiment when his team advise it. It’s a refreshing take on Omega and fits perfectly with the character presented in Big Finish’s Omega and in The Box of Terrors. A tragic figure; a victim of circumstance and of the Time Lord’s ruthlessness.