Iraxxa

Iraxxa
Species:	Ice Warrior
Place of origin:	Mars
Appearance:	Empress of Mars
Main actor:	Adele Lynch

Iraxxa was the Ice Queen of the Ice Warriors. She was put into hibernation, who was later awakened with the help of Friday. (TV: Empress of Mars)

Biography

Iraxxa at some point before 1881 was put into a sarcophagi of sorts which would put her into a state of hibernation. Her tomb also served as the entrance to an Ice Warrior Hive.

After Jackdaw removed some of the gems surrounding her tomb, she was awakened by his tampering and killed him. Vincey later entered the tomb to alert him people were coming, but to his surprise found Iraxxa instead, telling him to speak. Another soldier came in and shot her out of fear. Telling him that was unwise, Iraxxa fired at the soldier, causing him to fold up into a cube-like shape, breaking his bones and killing him. She was about to kill Vincey before Friday walked in, giving him a distraction. Friday was Iraxxa's sentinel and she told him that he fulfilled his pledge, however he tells her that they've been asleep for a lot longer than was anticipated; 5000 years.

Not long later, the Red Coats were called to arms upon finding out the news of Iraxxa's awakening and all ran to her tomb as well as the Twelfth Doctor and Bill. Neville Catchlove in rage told his men to prepare their guns as revenge for killing some of "his" men, but the order was retractedby the true leader at the time Peach. Peach allows the Doctor to talk with Iraxxa who tries to negotiate with her to give mercy to the Victorian soldiers. To her surprise, he's familiar with her species. He tells her that the planet is dead now, and Friday reinforces his word. She asks for Bill's opinion as she is also a female. Bill later agrees with the words spoken by the Doctor and Friday, and told her that they saved Friday's life. However, she was enraged at how they treated Friday which caused the soldiers to aim their guns at the two. The Doctor tries to negotiate still so no more would have to die, telling them to fight for the future and not for a past long dead. Unfortunately for him, a soldier accidentally fires at her, causing her to grant the Doctor's wish for mercy - but with a quick death as her form of mercy. She fires at one of the soliders, causing them to retreat.

After Catchlove fires the Gargantua which blocks off the doorway, Iraxxa begins to awaken the dormant Ice Warriors. She states that it'll take time to revive all the Ice Warriors but she mentions that enough are awake to attack the humans. She sends them underground and to burrow upwards as a surprise attack. Whilst the battle occurs, she continues to awaken the rest of the Ice Warriors.

Bill distracts Iraxxa whilst the Doctor begins his plan with the Gargantua, telling her to talk woman-to-woman. Bill asks her why this has to be war, telling her they can stand together, but Iraxxa tells her Mars stands alone. The Doctor sets up the Gargantua to the roof, and tells her that if they don't spare the people then he'll fire, burying the place and everyone in it in snow, meaning they can either live together or die together. However, Catchlove gets her from behind with a cutlass to her neck, threatening her to repair his ship or he will kill her. She stands her warriors down and begins to make way to the ship, before Peach appears and shoots Catchlove, saving Iraxxa's life. She questions Peach's move to sacrifice Catchlove, putting them at a tactical disadvantage. He replies that he executed him, and in return she asks if he expects his life to be spared as a result of this action. He doesn't, and expects to be killed and allows it to happen willingly. Iraxxa tells Peach it'd be her pleasure, but first he has a request for her to spare the humans and to not think of humanity by his or Catchlove's actions. Iraxxa tells him that it's considered and that he'll die with honour and bravery and in the service of those he had sworn to protect - but not today, but in battle, the way of the warrior. She tells Peach to pledge his allegiance to her and Mars and she'll ensure that he has the oppurtuinity. He does pledge to her.

The Doctor sends a message to Alpha Centauri in order to give the Ice Warriors a life away from their now dead planet, beginning the Martian Golden Age. Iraxxa speaks to Alpha Centauri, to which they say that they'll need a physical marker to guide their ships. (TV: Empress of Mars)

Personality

Iraxxa, being the Queen of the Ice Warriors was of course very commanding. She also seemed to care about the treatment of the Ice Warriors and would always retaliate to an act of violence no matter how much or how little damage was done. She put her Ice Warriors and her pride for them before any sort of alliance and protected them.

However, in the end she did show compassion by sparing Peach's life so that as a soldier, he could fight again with honour. She also thanked the Doctor for kickstarting the new Ice Warrior's life, meaning she did learn to cooperate with non-Ice Warrior lifeforms. (TV: Empress of Mars)

Behind the Scenes

While Iraxxa was the first on-screen female Ice Warrior seen, she was not the first in all media with other female Ice Warrior individuals such as Luass in the comic stories Descendance and Ascendance as well as Lixgaar in the audio story The Prisoner of Peladon.

However televised media has been no stranger to the idea of female Ice Warriors either. In Cold War, Skaldak mentioned having a daughter.