The War Doctor Begins reaches its finale in one hell of a conclusion, not just to the series but Case's story arc. Much like He Who Fights with Monsters, at the time of release, no news had come out on future releases, while I suspected and was happy to learn later Big Finish would do more with the War Doctor, had this been his last audio it would've been a great sendoff.

It's hardly a spoiler given the cover art but in the War Doctor's mission to "remove Case from the Time War", he finds that he may need the help of someone who can be a better Doctor to Case than he could ever be. The entirety of the episode is just one drawn out master plan from the War Doctor concocted out of order and involves manipulating one of the Time Lord's most skilled medics. In sense he's pretty much won from the beginning as the episode slowly reveals how his victory is carried out and how he deals with former companion turned enemy Case who's become a most dangerous ally to the Daleks but is about to learn the terrible truth of the one philosophy the Daleks adhere to. It also brings to a close the semi-storyline around the Dalek Time Strategist who throughout the War Doctor Begins was presented very differently to how it's normally portrayed in other ranges. Scheming behind the Emperor's dome and plotting to overthrow him and carrying out stratagems that go against the Dalek ways.

The way the Eighth Doctor factors into this is just too good for me to ruin, his presence does excellently highlight the changes the Time War made to the two Doctors, especially during their brief interaction. It gave the idea that Case's story was on the verge of having a redemption and a hopeful outcome, only to throw in one massive gutpunch ending that beautifully closes Case's story and goes to show the more ruthless and tragic nature of the War Doctor and why he's no longer the man he used to be. The twist ending does admittedly open itself up to some logic holes if you stop and scrutinise every scene leading up to it but I actually appreciate the ending. This is a period of Doctor Who lore that doesn't often have happy endings and this story is a strong reminder of why.