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The Cybermen of our universe, the Mondasian Cybermen had their origins on the planet Mondas in contrast to the Cybermen of an alternative timeline.
Characteristics
Physical characteristics
The Cybermen were, for the most humanoid in form, but cybernetically augmented.
Evolution
- It seems that the evolution of the Mondasian Cybermen has no proceeded in a linear fashion or in the same way in the same places.
The Cybermen and the Doctor met on Snowcap Base in 1986 had undergone a less radical conversion and still retained biological hands. (DW: The Tenth Planet)
Cybermen encounteredered on the the Moon's surface were entirely covered up in their metallic suits. (DW: The Moonbase)
- It is presumed that inside the more advanced Cybermen there are still exist organic components and they are not completely cybernetic, but this has not been confirmed.
Some consistency appear between different kind of Cyberman. 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 numbers by cyber-conversion.
Appearance
The Snowcap Cybermen had a quavery voice which put certain inflection on certain syllables in a seemingly random, sing-song manner. (DW: The Tenth Planet) Later Cybermen spoke in more of a monotone, emphasizing their lack of emotion. (DW: The Moonbase onwards)
Vulnerabilities
Cybermen have a number of major weaknesses, of which the most notable is the element gold. Gold, having a non-corrossive nature, chokes their respiratory systems, a propety exploited by the glittergun, a weapon used during the Cyber-Wars.(DW: Revenge of the Cybermen. Earthshock, Silver Nemesis)
On occasions, the mere touch of gold seemed toxic to them, with gold coins or gold-tipped bullets able to destroy them. (DW: Silver Nemesis)
Other weaknesses of the Cybemrmen include the combination of solvents known as Cocktail Polly (DW: The Moonbase) and excessive levels of radiation. (source?)
Cybermen affected by the cerebration mentor, an emotion enhancing device went "mad". (DW: The Invasion).
Cyber-Technology
Weaponry
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
In 2070, the Cybermen possessed an X-ray laser. (DW: The Moonbase).
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 late 20th century had displayed these same built-in weapons as well as also carrying large rifles for medium distance combat. (DW: The Invasion)
The Cybermen who attacked the Nerva Beacon had their weapons built into their helmets. (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen)
Other appearaances have shown them armed almost exclusively with cyberguns. The Cybermen also have access to weapons of mass destruction known as cyberbombs.
Strategy
As they are few in number, the Cybermen tend towards covert activity, scheming from hiding and using human pawns , cybermats or robots to act in their place until they need to appear.
Hierarchy and identity
Early in their history, some Cybermen had individual names such as "Karg," a vestigial custom from their humanoid origins. (DW: The Tenth Planet)
Cybermen in positions of authority have included the ground level Cyber-Leader, sometimes assisted by a Cyber-Lieutenant. Others have the mobile, computer-like Cyber-Planner (DW: The Wheel in Space, The Invasion). The Cyber-Controllers, with an enlarged cranium, had, possibly, the position of highest possible authority. (DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen, Attack of the Cybermen)
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 Cyber Empire era
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. (DW: 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)
- Though this does not help us in dating this event precisely, the last Cybermen appearance known to Humans had happened five centuries before this date.
- In the middle to late 21st century, the Space Station W3 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 scattered remnants groups around the the galaxy. One group returno the Sol system for revenge against Voga, the "planet of gold". (DW: Revenge of the Cybermen)
- In 2526 several planets would unite in war against the Cybermen. A force of Cybermen tried to devastate Earth using a Cyberbomb 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')
- 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)
- As noted previously, these actions would have reprucssions in the year 1985.
- The Doctor encountered Cybermen in 2191 (MA: Killing Ground)
Final evolution
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)
Rassilon Era
- Borusa transported a Cyberman squadron to the Death Zone to threaten and harry the Doctor's various incarnations. (DW: The Five Doctors)
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 subtly anachronistic for its era and more typical of the designs seen in the post-Cyber Wars era.
Mysteries and discrepancies
- Several different accounts exist of the origins of the Cybermen which contradict each other in minor or in some cases, major, ways.
- The degree to which Cybermen do or do not retain emotions also differs.
- On Telos ,the Doctor seemed to have knowledge, if not foreknowledge of the Cyber-tombs. (DW: The Tomb of the Cybermen) This might suggest that before he met Jamie, the Doctor had encountered the Cybermen before.
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