Graske
The Graske were sentient humanoids from the planet Griffoth, known for a being a mischievous species.
Biology
The Graske were small compared to humans and had pebbly brown skin and three tentacle-like features on their heads. (GAME: Attack of the Graske) They had difficulty speaking other languages, using odd grammar and curt sentences. (TV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?, TV: Music of the Spheres) Individuals were physically similar, leading Mr Smith to suggest that the Graske may have been a clone species like the Sontarans. (TV: Sarah Jane's Alien Files episode 1)
The Groske were related to the Graske, though blue in colour. (TV: Death of the Doctor)
Technology
The Graske were a time-active species and could travel by different methods. Individuals could travel through time with ease, using a device on their belt to vanish in a distinctive blue glow. (GAME: Attack of the Graske) Krislok also used a snare cable to take people out of time and put them into Limbo. It could also reverse the process, putting them back in time and space and restoring their timeline. (TV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?, Sarah Jane's Alien Files episode 1)
When invading a planet, they replaced the inhabitants of the planet with changelings. This process was quick, with the Graske replacing the individual with the changeling in seconds. The originals were then stored on Griffoth in stasis chambers in order to maintain the copy. The changeling could be identified by its glowing green eyes.
To protect themselves, the Graske used blasters which shot purple lasers . (GAME: Attack of the Graske) They also used snare cables for capture. (TV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?, Sarah Jane's Alien Files episode 1) Graske also had conventional spaceships for travel. Krislok was also capable of disguising himself as a human child. (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith)
History
The Graske were conquerors, though unlike other species they did not take a planet by force. They would instead use their changelings to systematically replace the inhabitants of the planet.
It is believed that at one point the Graske may have attempted an invasion of Earth, stealing people from various Christmases from across time, which was stopped by the Tenth Doctor and one of his companions by reversing the capturing process, returning the hosts. (GAME: Attack of the Graske)
A Graske named Krislok became a slave to the Trickster after the Trickster agreed to save its life during what would have been a fatal crash. (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith) He was used by the Trickster to remove Sarah Jane Smith and later Maria Jackson from time. The Graske succeeded both times, but Maria managed to escape into 1964. The Graske recaptured her again, but then got sent to capture Alan Jackson. Alan fought the Graske and beat it, forcing it to tell him where his daughter went. The Graske later escaped by wriggling its way out of its bonds. (TV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?)
Later, the Trickster had Krislok pose as a small boy to lure Sarah Jane into a trap set at the time of her parents' death. In the alternative timeline created, the Graske was charged with enslaving humanity to do the Trickster's bidding. Clyde Langer and Rani Chandra convinced Krislok to help them, and they gave him the puzzle box to protect him should the Trickster seek revenge. (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith)
There is an unconfirmed report that a Graske also managed to invade the Doctor's TARDIS and used a space portal to travel to Earth. The Doctor managed to close the portal and send the Graske back to where it came from. (TV: Music of the Spheres)
One Graske was captured by the Krulius and stored in a hologram. (WC: Monster Hunt)
In June 2010, three Graske were eating at Big Paulie's Sausages on Earth. (PROSE: The Forgotten Army)
Later that year, a Graske was seen at the bar where the Tenth Doctor came to visit Jack Harkness one last time before his regeneration. (TV: The End of Time)
In late 2010, a Graske was hypnotised by The Krulius as part of his army of alien slaves led by him to attack Sarah Jane's house. When Clyde defeated several other of aliens, the Graske regrouped with the army and the Krulius ordered them to retreat. (WC: Defending Bannerman Road)
Behind the scenes
- As indicated above, the first two Doctor Who-related televised appearances of the Graske are of uncertain canonicity as both were interactive, fourth wall-breaking episodes. The first definitively canonical appearances of the Graske were in two episodes of The Sarah Jane Adventures. The first of these, Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?, makes a possible oblique reference to Attack of the Graske when Sarah Jane Smith makes reference to there being "some Graske activity" on earth a couple of years prior. The first indisputably canonical appearance of a Graske in Doctor Who proper was as a patron of a bar in The End of Time.
- Russell T Davies' original concept for the Shadow Proclamation scene in The Stolen Earth included an appearance by a Graske, but his plans to feature a "rogues gallery" of alien races in the scene fell through; ultimately the Judoon were the only returning race featured. Strangely, the Graske in the sketch is depicted as wearing a kilt and with fish-like feet, something it is never shown as on tv.
- A Graske appeared along with Androvax and Kudlak in a promotional trailer for Series 4, the three foes having seemingly made an alliance. Androvax announced that the Earth would be theirs in 12 hours and the trio proceeded to laugh sinsterly. They were interrupted by Sarah Jane, who revealed them to be Clyde, Luke, and Rani respectively, using some sort of holographic device to pose as their old enemies. Androvax would be the only one of those three foes to return, unless you count the appearance of the Groske in TV: Death of the Doctor.
