#but not like. a perfect instacure. they still have occasional migraine-style episodes

[synthient]

ok fine, I'll be the defender of The Drums Thing if no one else will. Like no, it shouldn't be the sole retroactive explanation for their whole deal, but it works just fine as An element of their backstory. They had a form of chronic pain slash psychosis that their whole society gaslit and belittled them about from childhood on. That experience helped feed their desperation to never be seen as weak, but it also made them lean all-in on their reputation as mad/"cuckoo bananas," as a way of controlling their own narrative & preempting other people's ableism. It alienated them from time lord society, while making them all the more desperate to be the "ultimate" time lord and make up for their "defect," instead of questioning the whole value system. Even the Doctor bought into the framing, in ways that the Master has both resented and exploited (you wouldn't hit your friend who's Fragile and Mentally Unwell, would you? 🥺). Juicy stuff tbqh