New Horrors, Old Frights: Exploring the Best Doctor Who Enemies
We take a look at both the classic and modern villains of the beloved series
With a 60 year history, there are countless malevolent entities that have left a mark on the hearts and minds of Whovians across the cosmos. While the classic Doctor Who series has a long list of iconic villains that have shown up in the 2005 revival, the Doctor and his companion have taken on many new villains that have earned the term “iconic” right alongside the Daleks. Let’s embark on a journey to discover the most iconic villains in the storied history of Doctor Who that have appeared in the revival.
Classic Doctor Who Villains
Daleks are one of the most iconic and enduring villains in Doctor Who. They appeared in the very first episode of the 2005 series and made multiple returns throughout the revived show, including in "Dalek," "Bad Wolf," and "The Parting of the Ways." They are known for their "Exterminate!" catchphrase and ruthless pursuit of universal domination.
Cybermen, another classic adversary, made their debut in the 2005 series in the episodes "Rise of the Cybermen" and "The Age of Steel." Humanoids turned into emotionless cyborgs, they represent the chilling consequence of losing humanity and seek to assimilate others.
Autons, known for their appearances in classic Doctor Who, made a comeback in the episode "Rose" in the 2005 series. They were plastic humanoid mannequins controlled by the Nestene Consciousness.
The Master, the Doctor's arch-nemesis, a Time Lord with a complex relationship with the Doctor, wielding intelligence, manipulation, and a penchant for chaos. Like The Doctor, The Master has the ability to regenerate, and first shows up in the revival during the Tenth Doctor’s era.
Sontarans, a warlike and militaristic race known for their battle prowess and strategic mindset, returned in the episode "The Sontaran Stratagem" and "The Poison Sky" during the Tenth Doctor's era.
Silurians, reptilian humanoids who lived beneath the Earth's surface, made a return in the episode "The Hungry Earth" and "Cold Blood."
Zygons, shape-shifting aliens capable of imitating humans, making them difficult to identify and presenting a threat to Earth appeared in the 50th-anniversary special episode, "The Day of the Doctor."
Ice Warriors, a Martian warrior race, returned in the episode "Cold War" in the Eleventh Doctor's era.
The Great Intelligence was a powerful and malevolent entity that seeked to dominate and control the universe, often taking various forms and employing manipulation. The Great Intelligence, which previously appeared in classic Doctor Who, played a central role in the Eleventh Doctor's series, particularly in the episodes "The Snowmen" and "The Bells of Saint John."
New Iconic Villains Introduced into the Whoniverse after 2005
The Weeping Angels, quantum-locking stone creatures that send their victims back in time, were introduced in the episode "Blink" and became one of the most iconic new villains in the series.
The Slitheen were a family of shape-shifting aliens from the planet Raxacoricofallapatorius who posed as humans and plotted to take over the Earth. They made their debut in the episodes "Aliens of London" and "World War Three."
Cassandra O'Brien, also known as "The Last Human," was a character who had transformed herself into a stretched piece of skin with eyes and a mouth. She appeared in the episode "The End of the World."
The Empty Child and its eerie gas mask-wearing zombies were featured in the two-part story "The Empty Child" and "The Doctor Dances." The Empty Child was a haunting presence in wartime London.
The Reapers were temporal creatures that appeared when the timeline was disrupted. They posed a significant threat in the episode "Father's Day."
The Gelth were gaseous, ethereal creatures seeking refuge in human corpses. They appeared in the episode "The Unquiet Dead."
The Wire was an alien entity that fed on human energy and made its appearance in "The Idiot's Lantern."
The Empress of the Racnoss was a gigantic spider-like creature that threatened the Earth in the episode "The Runaway Bride."
The Silence were a religious order that could make people forget their encounters with them as soon as they looked away. They played a prominent role in the Eleventh Doctor's era.
The Whisper Men were enigmatic beings who whispered in rhyme and served the Great Intelligence in the episode "The Name of the Doctor."
The Vashta Nerada were invisible creatures living in the shadows, capable of consuming living flesh in an instant, first appearing in “Silence in the Library.”
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