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- For the story, see The Ice Warriors. For the Target Books novelisation, see Doctor Who and the Ice Warriors.
The Ice Warriors and Ice Lords were a race of reptilian humanoids from the planet Mars.
Physical characteristics
Ice Warriors were large and imposing reptilian humanoids, reaching up to 7 feet tall. Outside of their armour, had flattened, scaly faces with sharp fangs, large black eyes (RT: Descendance) and thin green tongues (BNA: The Medusa Effect) Ice Warriors had a skeletal structure much like that of a Humans, though with a flatter skull and wider eye sockets (RT: Ascendance).
They had clamp-like hands, at least in their armour. They preferred cold climates and could be killed by extreme heat, though small fires were no more dangerous to them than a Human. (RT: Descendance) Due to differences in atmosphere and gravity, on Earth-like environments, Ice Warriors seem to be perpetually wheezing and tended to move slowly. (DW: The Seeds of Death) They spoke in a drawn-on hiss (DW: The Ice Warriors).
Technology
Armour
Ice Warriors almost always wore thick, green, ceremonial armour. They usually wore a similarly-colored helmet with a red blast-screen which covered everything but their mouths. For obvious reasons, they particularly hated it when an enemy fired at their eyes (DWM: 4-Dimensional Vistas). The common Ice Warriors wore patterned thick shell-like bulky green armour, while the Ice Lords wore lighter armour, sleeker, bullet-shaped metallic helmets, a simple breastplate and capes (DW: The Seeds of Death). By the late 26th century, at least, this armour was built directly into the body. This armour was controlled by an implant at the back of the brain and powered by the Ice Warrior's nervous system. Ice Warriors also had artificial membranes inside their throats, allowing them to filter out gases not necessary for their survival. (BNA: The Medusa Effect)
Weapons
Ice Warriors also used small, hand-held sonic weapons built into their armor just above their "hands" (DW: The Ice Warriors) or more colloquially "sound guns" (NA: Transit). The Ice Warriors tended to use sonic weapons (DW: The Ice Warriors) right up to sonic cannons (DWM: 4-Dimensional Vistas). During the 22nd century Dalek invasion, the Ice Warriors had one superweapon, the GodEngine, put together from technology left over by the Osirians, god-like visitors to Mars from long ago. The GodEngine could destroy a star by making it go supernova (NA: GodEngine).
Transportation
On their homeworld of Mars, the Ice Warriors used air cars. (RT: Descendance)
History
The Ice Warriors made their first attempt to invade Earth (or more specifically the United Kingdom) was made by the Argyre Clan. (DW: The Dying Days) Another invasion was in later in the 21st century, when the Ice Warriors, led by Slaar, invaded a base on the Moon regulating the global T-Mat system and attempted to use a type of Martian fungus, which would turn the Earth into planet more hospitable for them (DW: The Seeds of Death).
In 2086, another invasion was attempted, leading to the Thousand Day War. By 2088, the Humans had won this conflict. (NA: GodEngine, The Dying Days). In early 22nd century, Subspace Stunnels from Earth made travel between different planets, Mars included, almost instantaneous. Humans treated as their colony (NA: Transit) and, through the 22nd century, marginalized the Ice Warriors on their own home planet (EDA: Fear Itself). Later, though, the Ice Warriors had become allies with the Humans. These Ice Warriors came into conflict with the Selachian Empire when one colony refused to sell weapons to the Ockorans. The Ockorans used their sun-stoker on these colonists to kill them (PDA: The Final Sanction).
By the 26th century the Ice Warriors had colonised a new planet and named it New Mars (NA: Legacy), also known as Neo Aries (BNA: The Medusa Effect).
By the late 40th century, the Ice Warriors had, for the most part, renounced their war-like ways and the Ice Warriors joined the Galactic Federation (DW: The Curse of Peladon, The Monster of Peladon).
Undated events
- In an early point of Ice Warrior history, the Doctor and Stacy accidentally interrupted Izaxyrl's rite of ascension. During the distraction, Izaxyrl was kidnapped by Lord Artix in order to stop the ceremony. If Izaxyrl was not an adult, he could not inherit the title of High Lord of Balazarus Mons from his father Uzoxx, which would mean Artix would take over. Though Izaxyrl was eventually rescued, the Doctor and Izaxyrl returned to the fortress of Darsus Mons to try to rescue Stacy and Ssard and were captured. Despite this, Artix was eventually defeated and Izaxyrl became an adult. (RT: Descendance, Ascendance)
- When this event occurred is unknown, though the Ice Warriors knew about Humans by that time.
- During an Ice Age on Earth, Varga and his crew, accidentally frozen in a glacier, revived during an ice age and decided to take over first Brittanicus Base and then the world (DW: The Ice Warriors).
Culture
Ice Warriors had a strong sense of honour. As an example, after the Doctor saved the life of the Ice Lord Izlyr, he felt obliged by duty help the Doctor escape (DW: The Curse of Peladon). They also believed that a victim of murder would not rest in peace until their killer has atoned for the crime (BNA: The Medusa Effect).
The Ice Warriors used a hereditary system of rulership, with fathers passing on their land to their sons. These sons had to become adults first in the Ritual of Tuburr named after a deity of [[Tuburr|the same name) (RT: Descendance). This feudal way of life was maintained at least as late as the era of the Galactic Federation (DW: The Curse of Peladon).
Though Ice Warriors were not known for their sense of humour (BNA: The Medusa Effect). Nevertheless, Bernice Summerfield actually had done a thesis on that very subject and knew at least one "hilarious" Martian joke (DWM: Emperor of the Daleks).
In their early history, the Ice Warriors worshipped a deity called Tuburr. (RT: Descendance)
Clans
Much of the Ice Warrior's early history/culture was defined by clans and families. They had a very rigid society of castes and classes. There were many struggles for power between the different families. When the Doctor and Stacy came to Mars, there was a struggle for power between the Balazarus Mons and Darsus Mons families. (RT: Descendance, Ascendance)
Behind the Scenes
- Strictly speaking, according to their debut story, the Ice Warriors never had that name until Victoria Waterfield gave it to them. Subsequent stories would forgot this, and have the Ice Warriors use this name to refer themselves. Their debut story also implies that Mars can no longer support life. The Ice Warriors seen in that story come from the Mars of long ago. The storyline of The Seeds of Death made it clear that Mars could still support life in the Doctor Who Universe even up until approximately the 21st century, when that story took place.
- The distinctive qualities of the Ice Warriors came out of the design process. The original conception of the Ice Warriors described them as partially machine-like and from the planet Mars. Rather than try to make up a race of cyborgs which would appear too similar to the the Cybermen, designs for the character emphasized the more organic, reptilian qualities of the Ice Warriors.
- Ice Lords made their debut in The Seeds of Death So far, not more than one Ice Lord has ever appeared on screen at the same time.