WATCH as The Master focuses his attention on a G class star that has run out of hydrogen to fuse in its core and has become a red giant. Its helium core has contracted and has heated up, although not enough to initiate that fusion. The core is now supported by electron degeneracy pressure, which does not expand with temperature like a plasma does and it is now a HUGE BOMB just waiting to go off.

The star continues to fuse hydrogen into helium in the shell around the core and that helium continues to be added to the degenerate core increasing its mass and its temperature.

PAY ATTENTION! For this is the moment that will MAKE OR BREAK HIS DREAM! Until now these common low mass red giants had stalled BUT The Lord of Subtlety has tweaked the parameters...

RIGHT THERE: The core has reached 100 million K. SEE HOW the fusion of helium begins using the triple alpha process. THRILL as this causes runaway thermal fusion of much of the core releasing the POWER OF AN ENTIRE GALAXY for a few minutes.

Most of this energy is utilised in lifting the core out of degeneracy, allowing it to expand and return to hydrostatic equilibrium where it can continue to fuse helium into carbon and oxygen using the triple alpha process until it dies.

During the course of its journey along the Asymptotic Giant Branch the star undergoes several dredge ups, which bring C and O from the core up to outer layers. When it finishes burning all the shell fuel it contracts and ejects its outer layer material to form a planetary nebula. All that remains is the hot central core which is now a white dwarf.

The ejected nebula is rich in C & O and as it slowly spreads into the interstellar medium it enriches that medium with the stuff required for life.

SUCCESS! A couple of little tweaks has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE and His plan is back on track! Even better: No appearance from the faceless ones.

His face cracks in a mischievous grin. He has deceived the Arbiters!

But He is a CAUTIOUS GOD and He waits for a million years to be sure before cracking the champagne and having a GOOD LAUGH!