An Abbreviated History of Doctor Who Part Two: Know thy Enemy
55When you travel around the known (and sometimes unknown) realm of time and space for 1000 plus years, you tend to rub a few groups or individuals the wrong way. Foiling the plans of various factions bent on global, galactic, universal, or even temporal domination makes a time traveler a very palpable target. Such is the price paid by the Doctor’s good intentions. From ruthless dictators, to robotic beings, and even to so-called gods and demons, The Doctor has made many enemies along his travels. Many debate on just who his greatest enemy is, but without question many would garner great consideration for being the biggest thorn in the Doctor’s side. Here is a short, but non-definitive list of some that would dream of the Doctor’s demise:
The Daleks: Ruthless, antagonistic, relentless. Those are just a few adjectives that could accurately describe the Daleks. Their cold-blooded demeanor is fueled by hatred of all things that are not Dalek. Inside their highly dense metallic exterior are the remains of a mutated biological being guiding its outer shell by mental will and disposition of all life. Remnants of a brutal nuclear war on their home planet of Skaro, the Daleks were created by a genocidal scientific genius named Davros. With raspy monotone robotic voices, their famous battle cry of “Exterminate!” strikes fear into those who know them (or have the misfortune of finding out who they are all too late).
The character of the Daleks, created by science fiction writer Terry Nation, is an allegory to Nazi Germany. Common ties to the Nazis include numerous references to being the “master” or “supreme” race, enslaving or extermination of those who are not Dalek, and being lead by ruthless, angry dictator bent on domination at any cost.
The Cybermen: If the Daleks would be categorized as a high quality of evil, the Cybermen would be considered as quantity. “The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs who are amongst the most persistent enemies of the Doctor in the British science fiction television series, Doctor Who. Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of humanoids originating on Earth's twin planet Mondas that began to implant more and more artificial parts into their bodies as a means of self-preservation. This led to the race becoming coldly logical and calculating, with every emotion all but deleted from their minds”. [1]
During the timeline of the Tenth Doctor (New Series Season 2 Episode 6: Rise of the Cybermen), the Cybermen were redesigned in an alternate dimension as an improvement to humans by integrating their brains into a metal body, however these new creations determine that humanity is obsolete and begin “upgrading”. Armed with weapons mounted to their bodies and the ability to electrocute with a touch, the Cybermen are undeniably a serious threat to any dimension.
The Sontarans: Cloned Humanoid creatures with heads resembling a russet potato, the Sontarans are bred in a strict militaristic society. Formidable opponents, their only weak spot is a small intake port on the back of their necks, which serves a dual purpose: its practical use is the intake of nutrients, while its psychological purpose it to ensure that a Sontaran soldier always faces his enemy. Debuting in the original series Episode “The Time Warrior” during the run of Jon Pertwee, the Sontarans are often seen at war with one species or another.
The Ice Warriors: Originating from Mars, the Ice Warriors debuted in the 1967 episode “The Ice Warriors”. “The Ice Warriors are reptilian humanoids, their scaly skin and features usually hidden under heavy armour. They have large, claw-like hands on which are mounted sonic weaponry, and their voices are a highly sibilant whisper, due to the different composition of Earth's atmosphere. Two types of Ice Warrior are seen in the series: the rank and file Warriors, and an officer class, which fan lore has christened Ice Lords (with at least one being referred to as a "Lord" on-screen). The main difference between the two is the design of their armour, with the Ice Lords wearing a lighter, more flexible version than those of the Warriors.”[2]
The Master: Every Hero needs an Arch Rival: Superman has Lex Luthor, Batman has the Joker, Common sense has the Democrats. What Professor Moriarity was to Sherlock Holmes, the Master is to the Doctor. Often refered to as the Doctors polar opposite, the Master is a renegade timelord who somehow has the ability to regenerate more than the alloted times. Just as intelligent and as evil as the Doctor is good, the Master seeks only to control others by any means. The Master’s ruthlessness is matched only by the Doctor’s determination to stop him.
Several actors have portrayed the Master, the original being Roger Delgado, who debuted the character in 1971 up to his death in 1973. Several other actors have portrayed the Master, including Anthony Ainley (who assumed the role after 2 other actors until the original series end in 1989) and Eric Roberts (in the 1996 Doctor Who movie opposite Paul McGann). In the new series, the Master was reborn, played by actors Derek Jacobi and John Simm.
Next- Part 3: Circle of Friends
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberman
[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_Warrior
