Strategist Dalek (New Dalek Paradigm)
The Strategist Dalek was a blue, specialised Dalek of the New Dalek Paradigm. As with their fellows bar the Eternal Dalek, the sense globes on their base unit were coloured dark silver. The first one was created by the Progenitor in 1941.
History
The original Strategist, along with the other original four Paradigm Daleks (the white Supreme, yellow Eternal, orange Scientist, and red Drone), were created when the three survivors of an encounter with the Doctor tricked the Eleventh Doctor into allowing them to activate the Progenitor device. The original Strategist's first act was to exterminate two of its predecessors (a painted "Ironside" and its unpainted comrade). It escaped through a time corridor with the others and went on to help rebuild the Daleks. (TV: Victory of the Daleks)
Later, a number of Strategists would be seen in the Supreme Council Chamber on a restored Kaalann, alongside the new Dalek Emperor, who was also coloured blue. (GAME: City of the Daleks)
A Chief Strategist, one of a higher rank of Strategist Daleks, was in command of the platoon that attacked Station 7, with several other Strategists, Scientists and Drones under its leadership. It knew of the plans by the SSS agents on Station 7 to use captive Daleks to fight them, and let the humans believe their strategy would work until the last minute. Under this operation, another Strategist commanded Search Squad Delta. (COMIC: The Only Good Dalek) When the Daleks reintroduced the bronze casing for standard Dalek foot soldiers, a Black Dalek took up a similar role. (COMIC: The Dalek Project)
Strategist Daleks led Drones as the Daleks fought to protect their weapons bases from the Silurians, Sontarans and Cybermen. (GAME: Dalek Supremacy)
Several Strategists were present in the Dalek Emperor's flagship when the Daleks invaded Earth with a piece of the Eternity Clock in 2106. River Song was chased by one of the Strategists in a devastated London as she traversed a ruined building. (GAME: The Eternity Clock)
Upon the establishment of the Parliament of the Daleks, based on the spacecraft Nacrana Va Hateen, the Dalek Strategists' purpose was to channel the mental capacities of the thousands of Dalek governors and then present them as options to the Dalek Prime Minister, who could then instruct the Supreme Dalek. The Parliament's deliberations were highly classified, its sessions barely even recorded on the Dalek pathweb. However, as with administrations the galaxy over, there were leaks, both deliberate and accidental. (PROSE: Dalek Combat Training Manual, Dalek: The Astounding Untold History of the Greatest Enemies of the Universe)
When the Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams were transported to the spaceship of the Dalek Parliament, at least one Strategist was present amongst the Parliament members. By this time, the colour of the Strategist class’ casing had been altered to a much darker, more metallic shade of blue. (TV: Asylum of the Daleks)
A Strategist accompanied the Supreme and the Eternal Dalek in directing the Dalek invasion of Medrüth which the Strategist had devised to lure the reported surviving Time Lord, the Doctor. The Strategist identified the counterattack to individuals enhanced by the Surge, ordering a Special Weapons Dalek be deployed to exterminate Hayden Lockwood. (AUDIO: Daleks Victorious) The Strategist and Supreme were trapped together by the Doctor when he drew the Daleks into the Arkheon device’s picket universe, being placed in a sealed room with construct of Surge-enhanced Roanna. The Strategist instructed the Supreme not to fire despite her goading, as it would trigger her mutation, however began to fall victim to the Arkheon device’s emotional drain and questioned its actions. This deviation infuriated the Supreme who destroyed the Strategist. (AUDIO: Victory of the Doctor)
Behind the scenes
Props
As with its fellow new Daleks, the Strategist Dalek in Victory of the Daleks was depicted with a specially created prop. This prop was later modified to portray the active Stone Dalek in The Big Bang before being restored to normal, as confirmed by director Toby Haynes. (DWM 424).[1]
A new Strategist Dalek prop, of an updated "New Dalek Paradigm" design, was created for Asylum of the Daleks.[2]
Cameos
Sylvester McCoy uses the new Strategist Dalek prop to secure a part in the 50th Anniversary Special in The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot.
All five archetypes of the New Dalek Paradigm feature in The Lego Batman Movie, appearing among the inhabitants of the Phantom Zone, alongside many famous villains from a number of fictional franchises. Like the others, they are unleashed upon Gotham City by the supervillain known as "the Joker" at the climax of the film, only to be defeated and sealed back inside the prison dimension. Their one line is the exclamation "Exterminate!", actually a piece of archive audio originally recorded by Nicholas Briggs for The Parting of the Ways.
Other matters
- According to Doctor Who Confidential, the name "Strategist Dalek" was coined by Mark Gatiss as one of the new styles of Daleks. Gatiss also coined the names of the White Supreme, Drone and Scientist Daleks.
- Matt Smith stated in Confidential that the "blue" Dalek was his personal favourite of the five Progenitor Daleks.
- Although the Supreme, Drone and Eternal have appeared in The Pandorica Opens and The Big Bang, the Strategist and Scientist have not.
- The Strategist Dalek appears to have a colour scheme reversed to the original footsoldier Daleks from 1963-1967. Those had silver bodies with blue orbs while the Strategist has a blue body and silver orbs.
- The Progenitor Emperor Dalek is blue, which may mean that it is a Strategist for the Dalek Empire. (GAME: City of the Daleks)
- According to the non-narrative source Doctor Who The Official Annual 2011, the Strategist Dalek was created with the purpose of acting as a battle planner for Dalek troops.
- New Paradigm Strategist Dalek is one of Dalek enemies used in the Doctor Who: Legacy mobile game.
- In Dalek Hack, the player has the option to turn a Dalek's casing, shaped identically to the bronze Dalek, into any of the five colours of the New Dalek Paradigm.
