Thal

Thals were one of two near-human races which originally inhabited the planet Skaro (the other being the Kaleds).

Physical characteristics

Thals appear identical to Humans and to Kaleds (DW: Genesis of the Daleks onwards). Previous to the Thousand Year War the Thals tended towards blond hair. (DW: Genesis of the Daleks). Afterwards, all Thals had belonde hair. ((DW: The Daleks, Planet of the Daleks) The Thals believed that the following the war, radiation had mutated them into perfect beings. (DW: The Daleks).

Either they had also evolved to have much greater radiation resistance to humans or Gallifreyans, or else they had very effective anti-radiation drugs, or both.

One account states that both the Thals and Kaled derive from humans taken from Earth to Skaro as an experiment by the Halldons. (We are the Daleks!)

History

Thousand Year War

Oral history and later records would describe the Thals as originally warriors with the Kaleds more orientated towards science. (DW: The Daleks).

The Kaleds and Thals engaged in a Thousand Year War. By the end of the conflict, both Thals and Kaleds sheltered in domed cities overlooking a wasteland. (DW: Genesis of the Daleks

The Doctor and Bettan, a Thal soldier, during the last days of the Thousand Year War. (DW: Genesis of the Daleks)

The war concluded when Davros, a Kaled leader, gave the means to destroy the Kaled Dome to the Thals. They used this compound in the missile they sent to the Kaled city, and destroyed it. In "retaliation" for the destruction of the base, Davros ordered the Daleks to destroy the Thals. Led by a Thal, Bettan, Thals and Mutos joined together to fight the Daleks who an explosion then buried in the Kaled bunker, defeated but still alive. (DW: Genesis of the Daleks)

Aftermath

An indeterminate length of time, longer than living memory, passed.

The Thals renounced violence and became pacifist farmers living in small bands in the Petrified Forest near the Dalek City led by an elder, Temmosus. They would not even engage in violence for self-preservation and showing no curiosity about the Dalek City or its in inhabitants. (DW: The Daleks)

Dyoni, Temmosus, Ganatus and Alydon in the petrified forest (DW: The Daleks)

Ian Chesterton, a companion of the Doctor, used moral blackmail to force the Thals, Alydon into particular, into putting together an expedition into the Dalek City in order to fight against the Daleks who intended genocide against the Thals. The Thals invaded the Dalek City, cut off the power and so deprived the Daleks of the static electricity they needed to live. (DW: The Daleks)

Spaceflight era

The Doctor and Jo Grant met a taskforce of Thals on Spiridon where a small group. led by Taron, had landed to destroy a Dalek army massed on that planet. The Thals had, by then, reclaimed Skaro. (DW: Planet of the Daleks)

This event possibly takes place in 2540.

We do not know the eventual fate of the Thals when the Doctor tricked Davros into using the Eye of Omega, destroying Skaro. ([[DW]: Remembrance of the Daleks)

They may well have quit the planet, as a previous story shows Skaro apparently dominated by Dalek forces. (DW: Destiny of the Daleks).

Culture

During the Thousand Year War, Thals were equallly as brutal as the Kaleds. They had no qualms about using the slave labour of Kaled prisoners and Muto to build the neutronic missile, even when they knew the radiation form the missile would kill the slaves. (DW: Genesis of the Daleks)

As noted above, after the war, the Thals developed into a peaceful people concerned with knowledge and living in small bands. (DW :The Daleks)

Centuries later, they revered the Doctor and his companions as heroes and referred to the prior event as the First Dalek War. Turning full circle,they had once more adopted a militaristic way of life, though only, it seems against the Daeleks. (DW: Planet of the Daleks)