A new Doctor Who minisode has been released in advance of the 50th Anniversary Special featuring none other than Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor.

A prequel to the upcoming "The Day of the Doctor," "The Night of the Doctor" gives fans a look at the transformation of one war wary Time Lord and lends credence to a widely held theory as to when Unnumbered Doctor (John Hurt) first appeared.

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A young female pilot is seen attempting to send a distress signal from a badly injured ship despite the computers lack of cooperation. Unfortunately her futile efforts prove unsuccessful and it appears she will crash into an oncoming planet. That is, of course, until the Eighth Doctor appears and offers to help her to safety.

However, the realization that the Doctor is a Time Lord makes he pull away in horror. The pilot refuses to enter the TARDIS, furious at the Time Lords for causing mayhem across the universe as they waged war with the Daleks.

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Ultimately, the Doctor refuses to leave her side and they both crash into the planet Karn. While the young woman perishes, the Doctor is briefly revived by a cult of women who claim that he must fight in the Time War.

The Doctors desire to heal rather than fight results in a tense hesitation. However, sensing that entering the war is something he must do, the Doctor relents and drinks a special concoction that can control his regeneration. The potion, created by the women, allows McGann's Doctor to transform into a warrior.

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When the regeneration process completes, viewers see the reflection of the new doctor. It is a young John Hurt, dressed as Eight with a face pulled from the actor's old archival footage, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Hurt will join Matt Smith and David Tennant in "The Day of the Doctor" as the Eleventh and Tenth Doctors team up with their mysterious former identity.

"The Day of the Doctor" will air worldwide on Nov. 23.

Tags: Doctor Who BBC television