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Theory:Timeline - Daleks

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Index → Timey-wimey detector → Timeline - Daleks
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If this thread's title doesn't specify it's spoilery, don't bring any up.

This page lists appearances of the Daleks in the order in which they experienced them. This timeline is based upon observations of the Doctor Who universe and the events that occur during each of these stories. This timeline is based in part on the observations of The Discontinuity Guide and the Dalek timeline theory that first appeared in it.

Limiting factors

Dalek timeline theory in The Discontinuity Guide

In one timeline, Davros created the Daleks, who actually, not just apparently, exterminated him. In this timeline, the Daleks develop full time travel and, except for a brief civil war during the events of The Evil of the Daleks conquer as a united force.

In the second timeline, created by the Fourth Doctor's intervention in Genesis of the Daleks, Davros appears to die, but, in truth survives in a dormant state. The Daleks revive him in Destiny of the Daleks. Later, his survival provokes the Imperial-Renegade Dalek Civil War, which weakens the Daleks, who never develop full time travel during it and never become a serious threat to the Time Lords. The Seventh Doctor destroys Skaro and perhaps all of the Daleks at the end of Remembrance of the Daleks.

Therefore, while Davros existed in both timelines, Dalek stories set prior to Genesis of the Daleks, and those set after, take place in different continuities.

In the real world, Davros had never appeared on-screen because up until Genesis of the Daleks, Terry Nation had not invented the character. Various accounts had given different accounts of the creation of the Daleks, which conflicted to a greater or lesser degree from one another. The character of Davros achieved such popularity that various production teams brought him back in later stories.

The BBC supported the Discontinuity Guide's theory by including it on the Classic Series section of its website. (See "External links")

Reconciling the two timelines

The 2011 reference guide The Dalek Handbook claims that a new timeline is established after the Doctor's intervention in Genesis of the Daleks. However, it is not made clear how much of the timeline is altered. Other material suggests that not all events in Dalek history were changed - the 22nd century Dalek invasion, first encountered by the First Doctor in TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth, is later encountered by the Sixth Doctor in AUDIO: Masters of Earth, implying this event was largely unchanged between the timelines, if any change was made at all. Stories featuring later Doctors do not necessarily belong only to the second timeline.

TV: Frontier in Space (set before the Doctor's intervention) shows the origin of the Second Dalek War, a conflict which plays a large part in PROSE: Prisoner of the Daleks (set after the Doctor's intervention). The Third Doctor is also show an Imperial Dalek casing in PROSE: The Scales of Injustice, indicating both timelines could be combined or that "crossing" from one to the other was possible.

other factors to consider

The Daleks have diverged at times. Around the 20th century, there are Daleks around the edges of the Mutter's Spiral and on Skaro. (PROSE: Alien Bodies) Various Dalek groups also separate to different corners of the universe to prevent the spread of the Movellan virus, (TV: Resurrection of the Daleks) so they may have their own histories.

The only dates for some stories are based on comments that different characters make, so their accuracy may be debatable.

Series basics

Broadly speaking, on top of the two timelines, the Last Great Time War splits Dalek history into before Doctor Who's 2005 revival and after, with no Daleks from before the Time War able to interact or cross paths with those after.

How the Time War era and beyond can be reconciled with the Dalek timeline theory, which pre-dates the Time War's introduction, is unclear, as the Time War features both a living Davros, as well as a cohesive Dalek fleet led by the Dalek Emperor that possessed enough control over time travel to fight the Time Lords.

Timeline

Timeline 1

The Daleks are created and exterminate Davros. End of the Thousand Year War.
The Daleks have invaded Earth before. The Daleks travel back in time to 21st century Earth to do so again.
Sara is alive
Sara is alive.
Sara Kingdom dies during Master Plan.
Order based on The Discontinuity Guide's theories published on the Doctor Who classic series website.

Timeline 2

Davros is thought exterminated, but actually enters suspended animation.
The Daleks are attacking Earth colonies.
The invasion of Earth has begun.
Occurs during 22nd century, may occur before Lucie Miller/To the Death.
Takes place during a version of the Second Dalek War.
"Thousands of years" after the Daleks were created. Davros is awakened and later put in suspended animation.
Dalek Duplicates mentioned
90 years after the events of Destiny of the Daleks, Davros is taken out of suspended animation to cure the Movellan virus.
Occur during flight from Necros.

crashed. Davros is likely retrieved after this [statement unclear]

Leads into Rememberance
The Seventh Doctor mocks the Dalek Supreme for being "a thousand years" from Skaro; which would make the local time for the Daleks c.2963 since the story is set in 1963.
Order based on The Discontinuity Guide's theories published on the Doctor Who classic series website.
After Remembrance
There is confusion whether this or the above account happened first. However, the Daleks are rebuilding.
The Special Weapons Dalek is used, so after civil war. The stories are labelled as preludes to Dalek Empire
Takes place during Time
Clearly happens here [statement unclear]
Set in 53rd century

The Time War

The Gallifreyan city of Arcadia falls to the Daleks.
Set shortly after Arcadia has fallen. The War Doctor survives the Last Great Time War, and with the help of his other twelve incarnations, destroys the fleet of Daleks concentrating fire on Gallifrey on the final day of the Time War.

Post-Time War

At some point, three separate groups of Daleks survive the Time War independently. Two of the three are effective dead-ends of the timeline.
A Dalek that crash landed on 20th century Earth.
The Dalek Emperor, who ended up in the Sol system circa the year 199,900.
The Cult of Skaro and many prisoners within the Genesis Ark, who escaped into the Void. At the end of Doomsday, the Cult emergency temporal shift, leading into further stories. Tardisode 13 is set during the Battle of Canary Wharf.
The Cult has recently escaped Canary Wharf. At the end of Evolution of the Daleks, Dalek Caan again temporal shifts into the Time War.
Caan is an insane oracle after rescuing Davros from the Time War. The Dalek appearing in Adelaide's flashback is from when the 26 planets appeared in the Earth's sky.
Continues The Beast Below's cliffhanger. Surviving Daleks, seemingly made from Davros' cells from The Stolen Earth / Journey's End, awake the New Dalek Paradigm.
The Daleks' memories of the Doctor are wiped by Oswin Oswald.
The Daleks regain their memories of the Doctor through Tasha Lem.

Unplaced

Timeline 1

These stories involve the Doctor from before the events of Genesis of the Daleks relative to his timeline, and are likely to be set here.

Timeline 2

Post-Time War

Unclear

Either no incarnation of the Doctor, an unclear incarnation, or multiple incarnations pre- and post-Genesis appear in these stories.

aHistory Timeline

This pre-Time War timeline is from the third edition of aHistory. Most of the dates given here are speculative.

External links

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