Cyberman
The Cybermen of our universe, the Mondasian Cybermen had their origins on the planet Mondas in contrast to the Cybermen of an alternative timeline.
Biology
The Cybermen are humanoid, but cybernetically augmented.
Evolution
In their first appearance, the only portions of their bodies that still seemed Human were their hands, but by their next appearance, their bodies were entirely covered up in their metallic suits. It is presumed that underneath their suits there still exist organic components and they are not true robots, but this has not been confirmed. Unlike such races as the Daleks and Sontarans, the Cybermen have dramtically changed their appearence from encounter to encounter. Nearly all are silver in colour, with exposed circuitry and tubing which may contain hydraulic fluids for motion covering a rubber or mylar like outer skin. Cybermen frequently attempt to increase their number by converting their humanoid victims into Cybermen (a process known as cyber-conversion).
Early Cybermen had a somewhat sing-song voice constructed by putTING the INflecTION in the wrong PLAces (sic). Later Cybermen spoke in more of a monotone, emphasizing their lack of emotion.
Cybermen have a number of major weaknesses, of which the most notable is the element gold. Due to its non-corrodable nature, gold essentially chokes their respiratory systems. For example, the glittergun, a weapon used during the Cyber-Wars in the future, fired gold dust at its targets. Other weaknesses include solvents and excessive levels of radiation.
- However, in some serials, gold appeared to affect them rather like silver affects werewolves, with gold coins or gold-tipped bullets fired at them having the same effect.
Over the years Cybermen have been shown with various forms of weaponry. During their attack on Earth in 1986 they had large handheld energy weapons. (DW: The Tenth Planet Centuries later, Telosian Cybermen used a hand-held Cyber-weapon which was a form of X-ray laser. In the 21st century, the Cybermen who attacked Space Station W3 had death rays built into their chest units. The Cybermen encountered by UNIT in the 1970s displayed these same built-in weapons as well as also carrying large rifles for medium distance combat. The Cybermen who attacked the Nerva beacon in the third millenium had their weapons built into their helmets. (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen) Subsequent appearances have shown them armed almost exclusively with cyberguns. The Cybermen also have access to weapons of mass destruction known as cyberbombs, which were banned by the galactic Armageddon Convention. (DW: Earthshock)
The Cybermen also use small cybernetic creatures called cybermats as weapons of attack and as carriers of plagues. Cybermats resemble oversized metallic silverfish and have segmented bodies with hair-like tactile sensor probes along the base of their heads. Two models of cybermat are known to exist, the first with crystalline eyes and antennae through which they receive commands. The second have photoreceptors for eyes instead of crystals.
As they are few in number, the Cybermen tend towards covert activity, scheming from hiding and using human pawns or robots to act in their place until they need to appear. In general, most of the Cybermen are identical in both appearence and skills. However, one Cyberman exists with a title, the Cyber Controller. The Cyber Controller has appeared in multiple forms, both humanoid and as an immobile computer, though many of them have been able to identify the Doctor. Early in their history, some Cybermen had individual names such as "Karg," a vestigial custom from their humanoid origins (see History below).
History
Origin of the Cybermen
Cybermen were originally a wholly organic species of Near-Humans originating on Earth's former twin planet, Mondas. which was knocked out of solar orbit and drifted into deep space. The natives began to implant more and more cybernetic parts into their bodies. (DW: The Tenth Planet, BFA: Spare Parts).
Alternative origin of the Cybermen
Another account says that Mondas originated as Marinus and that the Cybermen originated as Voords who experimented to time techonlogy to "quick evolve" themselves. (DWM: The World Shapers)
- Possibly, Cybermen did evolve on the not very Earth-like Marinus, ventured into space and persuaded the Mondasians to also convert themselves into Cybermen. This theory, however, remains speculative and only an attempt to resolved the conflicting accounts.
The 20th century though 2006
1940s and 1950s
The Doctor and Ace fought Cybermen in 1940 London (PDA: Illegal Alien)
The same team would fight them in 1950s Nevada. (DWM: The Good Soldier)
The first invasion
Mondas acquired a drive propulsion system in place of the planet's core to move the entire world. As the original Cybermen limited in numbers and were continually being depleted, the Cybermen decided to invade Earth. (DW: The Tenth Planet)
By 1970 or before, Cybermen had established a base on the dark side of the Moon. The Cyber-Planner had contacted the industrialist Tobias Vaughn, the head of the Internationl Elecromatics corporation. The Cybermen had him install mind control circuits in electrical appliances manufactured by his company, paving the way for a ground invasion. the head of Electromatics International, and partially cyber-converted him. They had also grafted cybernetic arms onto several of his workers. Vaughn had a Cyber-Planner installed in his office and communicated with it.
The plot was uncovered by the newly formed United Nations Intelligence Taskforce and by the Doctor who assisted in beating off the invasion both on the ground and from the Cyberman Moonbase. (DW: The Invasion).
- These Cybermen had evolved considerably from Mondasian form and from the Cybermen which would invade Earth in 1986. The exact date of this first invasion remains unknown, though estimates range of its date ranging from 1969 to 1979
The 1980s
In 1985, Cybermen lurked in the sewers below London, awaiting another invasion, which would come in 1986.
- Many or all of these had survived from the earlier invasion, though they had a different physical form.
Cybermen in the future, having captured a time vessel, knew that the Doctor would destroy Mondas, so planned, instead, to divert Halley's Comet towards Earth. (DW: Attack of the Cybermen)
In the December 1986, the Doctor met an advance force of Cybermen that landed near Snowcap Base in Antartica. This advance force was to prepare for the return of Mondas to the Sol system and the drain Earth's energy for the use of the Cybermen. Mondas absorbed too much energy and was destroyed, as were the Cybermen on Earth who depended on Mondas for power. (DW: The Tenth Planet)
In [[[November]] [1988]] a fleet of Cyber warships was assembled to turn Earth into New Mondas now that their homeworld had been destroyed. A scouting party was sent to Earth in search of a statue made of validium and part of Nemesis a Time Lord weapon. (DW: Silver Nemesis).
Early 21st century
In 2006, Cybermen once more invaded the South Pole of Earth. (NA: Iceberg)
Later events
The chronology of several of these events in relationship to each other remains unclear.
- In 2070, by which time Earth's weather was being controlled by the Gravitron installation on the Moon, Cybermen planned to use the Gravitron to disrupt the planet's weather patterns and destroy all life on the planet. (The Moonbase)
: The Moonbase)]]
- The Cybermen had all but passed into legend when an archeological expedition to the planet Telos uncovered their Tombs. In the Tombs, they they waited, in cryogenic suspension, (DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen)
- In the middle to late 21st century, the Space Station W3, known as "The Wheel," was the site of a takeover by Cybermen on Earth. (DW: The Wheel in Space)
- Following the Cyber-Wars the Cybermen had been reduced to small remnant groups wandering around the galaxy. One group tried to take revenge by making a desperate attempt to blow up the remnants of the planet Voga. (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen)
- In 2526 several planets would unite in war against the Cybermen. A force of Cybermen tried to devastate Earth by bomb and convert the survivors. Failing this, they hoped to crash the freighter into Earth and cause an ecological disaster. Although the attempt failed, the freighter was catapulted back in time to become the "meteor" that wiped out the dinosaurs. (DW: Earthshock')
- The Time Scoop operated by Borusa re-located a Cyberman squadron to the Death Zone to threaten and harry the Doctor's various incarnations. (DW: The Five Doctors). (DW: The Five Doctors)
- On Telos, the Cybermen plotted to change history and, as already noted, divert Halley's Comet to Earth in order to destroy it and to save Mondas. (DW: Attack of the Cybermen)
- The Doctor encountered Cybermen in 2191 (MA: Killing Ground)
Later history
By the 101st Century, the Cybermen had nearly died out. Several centuries before that, they choose a new name for their species and became pacifists. (DW: Synthespians™)
Transcending into pure energy, they would ultimately redeem the whole of sentient life. (DWM: The World Shapers)
Minor appearances and references
- The Doctor projected an image of a Cybermen to the Time Lord tribunal as an example of the enemies he had fought to protect the innocent. (DW: The War Games)
- A Cyberman was among the life-forms exhibited in Vorg's Miniscope (DW: Carnival of Monsters).
- During the Dark Times on Gallifrey, the Cybermen were excluded from the Death Zone games, possibly out of fear that they would pose a threat to the Time Lords should they escape. (DW: The Five Doctors)
- In 2012, the inert head of a Cyberman was part of the Vault, Henry van Statten's artefact collection. (DW: Dalek)
According to its label, it was recovered from the London sewers in 1975, though its design seems slightly anachronistic for its era, seemingly belonging to the post-Cyber-War era.
Major appearances
Television
- The Tenth Planet
- The Moonbase
- The Tomb of the Cybermen
- The Wheel in Space
- The Invasion
- Revenge of the Cybermen
- Earthshock
- The Five Doctors
- Attack of the Cybermen
- Silver Nemesis
