M is for... Maxil

Commander of the Chancellery Guard - the internal security forces of the Time Lords of Gallifrey. Maxil was a ruthless and single-minded individual, who rigidly followed the orders of his superior, the Castellan.

Maxil was in command when an attempt was made by an entity from the universe of anti-matter to cross over into this one using the Doctor's body. Such a transference would be unstable and potentially catastrophic, so President Borusa decreed that the Doctor be brought back to Gallifrey and executed - his body atomised to prevent the entity exploiting it. Maxil hunted down the Doctor after his TARDIS arrived, and was then tasked with overseeing the execution. He planted a listening device in the console room, but the Doctor had guessed he would do this and so made sure to talk with his companion Nyssa and friend Damon away from that room. The Castellan clearly didn't think much of his commander, as he ought to have foreseen this.

The anti-matter entity proved to be Omega, in league with a member of the High Council - Hedin - and he ensured that the execution did not take place. Maxil was then asked to investigate the process, which included trying to identify the Time Lord traitor. He was not present, however, when the Castellan discovered Hedin's guilt, and that Omega had succeeded in taking over the Matrix.

He had either been replaced - or had regenerated - when the Doctor next visited Gallifrey. If the latter, then he had been corrupted by President Borusa in his final incarnation - helping to first frame then eliminate the Castellan.

Played by: Colin Baker. Appearances: Arc of Infinity (1983).

• Baker was recommended for the role by AFM Lynn Richards, after she had seen him playing Bayban the Butcher in the Blake's 7 episode "City at the Edge of the World".
• He was famous for playing the villainous Paul Merroney in the drama series The Brothers.
• At the time, he moaned to his agent that he was now unlikely to ever be cast as the Doctor. The agent responded by asking whatever made him think the BBC would ever consider him in the first place...
• Maxil tends to carry his plumed helmet, or not have it at all, as the feather made him too tall to fit through the doors. Baker nicknamed the headpiece "Esmerelda". 
• A bit of an attention-seeker, JNT had to remind him that this was Doctor Who and not "The Maxil Show"...
• Also considered for the role as Maxil was future James Bond Pierce Brosnan.
• So, could the Guard Commander in The Five Doctors be Maxil? He's not named on screen, but there's nothing to say that he can't be a regenerated version.
• And what has happened to Andred? He's no longer Guard Commander in the Capitol, though he may have been transferred to another Time Lord city - but that would mean demotion. Possibly marrying an alien - especially an alien like Leela - may have meant him being frozen out of his role. His and Leela's absence in this story might even mean that they have dropped out moved into Outer Gallifrey.