Ascension of the Cybermen (TV story)

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Ascension of the Cybermen was the ninth and penultimate episode of series 12 of Doctor Who.

Synopsis

In a galaxy still dealing with the aftermath of the deadly Cyber-Wars, the Thirteenth Doctor and her companions are separated both from each other and from the TARDIS. Banding together with the last dredges of humanity, they must all attempt to find Ko Sharmus and the Boundary before Ashad, or any other remaining Cyberman forces, can locate them. And who is Brendan, the abandoned baby?

Plot

On "Earth"

In 1920s "Ireland", a man finds a baby in a basket abandoned in the middle of the road. He brings it home to his wife. They report the finding to a local Garda (policeman), but when the baby is not claimed, the couple adopt him and name him Brendan.

Brendan grows up and joins the Gardaí. While chasing a thief, he is shot and falls off a cliff hundreds of feet high. He wakes up and is apparently unharmed even though the bullet holes passed through the chest of his uniform.

Many years later, old Brendan retires, but as he is leaving the police station after his retirement ceremony, his father and the sergeant (who have not aged) appear and half-drag him back in. They strap him to a chair and attach some electronic equipment to his hands and head. When they turn it on, energy arcs around it and Brendan screams as his memory is wiped.

In space

The Doctor brings Ryan, Graham, and Yasmin to a planet where she says the last few remaining humans are hiding, the rest having been wiped out by the Cybermen. The refugees have little useful weaponry and one ship, which is still being repaired. They panic as two Cybermen ships fly over the ruined village.

The team bring several pieces of the Doctor's equipment which are supposed to slow down the Cybermen. However, a swarm of flying Cyber-drone heads appears, destroys the equipment, and kills two of the refugees. The Cybermen disembark, revealing that they are led by Ashad.

The advancing Cybermen have cut them off from the TARDIS. The Doctor tells the refugees to go to their ship and take off as quickly as they can, and tells the Team to go with them as well while she holds off the Cybermen. Since the team are human, if caught they would be converted into Cybermen. However, two of the refugees and Ryan don't make it, while Ravio launches the ship as it can't withstand any more damage from the Cybermen. Feekat (the older man) is killed. Ethan is confronted by Ashad, but is rescued by the Doctor. Ryan, the Doctor, and Ethan steal one of the Cyber-shuttles and head for Ko Sharmus.

The remaining refugees Ravio, Yedlarmi, and Bescot, with Yaz and Graham, are also heading toward Ko Sharmus. Ravio explains that there is a phenomenon called "the Boundary" there which teleports the travellers to random locations in the universe. They can't control where it goes, but at least they would be safe from the Cybermen. However, the ship's ailing engine explodes. They end up on a giant structure that turns out to be a Cybermen troop carrier, containing thousands of dormant Cybermen.

The Cyber-shuttle reaches what they think is the planet of Ko Sharmus. However, Ko Sharmus turns out to be one lone human, who stayed behind in case any more refugees were seeking the Boundary.

Ashad and his crew find the troop carrier with the other refugees. They decide to steer the ship to Ko Sharmus as it is their only chance of escape before they are taken by Ashad and the now-awake thousands of Cybermen.

Ko Sharmus shows the Doctor, Ryan, and Ethan the Boundary, which appears as a rippling sheet of energy. It unexpectedly clears, and the Doctor sees the capital city of Gallifrey on the other side. The Master leaps through the Boundary and informs the Doctor that "everything is about to change forever".

Cast

Crew

to be added

References

Locations

The Doctor

Individuals

Food and beverages

Business

Technology

Vehicles

Culture

  • Yedlarmi is called Eeyore by Graham.

Story notes

Ratings

  • 3.71 million (BBC overnight)[1]
  • 4.99 million (BBC overall)[2]

Filming locations

to be added

Production errors

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.

to be added

Continuity

Home video releases

to be added

External links

Footnotes