Anatomy of a Dalek (feature)

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Anatomy of a Dalek was a fiction piece published in The Dalek Book. The reader is meant to believe this fold-out cross-sectional poster is the pamphlet Jeff Stone finds in City of the Daleks. However, the poster is called Anatomy of a Dalek, and the comic calls it Anatomy of the Dalek.

Anatomy of a Dalek was the first cross-sectional view of a Dalek that had ever been publicly released. Some of its terms were later reused on-screen or other narrative sources.

Summary

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Characters

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References

Notes

It must be noted that Anatomy of a Dalek is at odds with depictions of the Dalek interior in other media, particularly those seen on-screen. For instance, Anatomy has the Dalek mutant contained within a yellow globe inside the base unit, while on-screen Dalek mutants as seen in TV: Resurrection of the Daleks and Dalek onward, are found with no secondary casing within the grating section immediately beneath the dome. This, combined with the complex array of machinery within the casing, also clashes with The Daleks, in which the First Doctor and his companions remove an exposed mutant from its casing, where its place is taken by Ian Chesterton. An adult human male, Ian, while finding the casing "very cramped" with "not much room" for his legs, is able to just about fit inside and operate the internal controls himself.

Behind the scenes

Many cross-sections of a Dalek were produced along the years, often based on at least parts of the original one until a narrative picture of a Dalek drone was shown in Into the Dalek although it clashes with what was shown when a dalek opened its casing in Dalek and Daleks in Manhattan. A narrative showing of the Golden Emperor insides was done in The Secret of the Emperor.

The Dalek Pocketbook and Space Travellers Guide (1965)

A similar cross-section as the Dalek Book one with the same descriptions and a slightly edited version of the Dalek War Machine illustration, also titled "Anatomy of a Dalek".

Doctor Who and the Daleks Omnibus (1976) / Terry Nation's Dalek Special (1979)

Main article: Inside a Dalek (feature)

The Anatomy of a Dalek was published in Doctor Who and the Daleks Omnibus. It was reprinted in Terry Nation's Dalek Special as Inside a Dalek, it contains an original cross-section of a Dalek with slats. The damaged New Dalek Paradigm Supreme Dalek from TV: The Wedding of River Song appears to be based on it, especially the strainer-like piece under its dome.

Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1979 (1978)

Contains a new drawing called "Anatomy of a Dalek" of a slated Dalek.

  1. Dalek eye
  2. 'Noise telepathy' unit
  3. Energy dispersers
  4. Outer casing
  5. Bands
  6. Dalek Blast Gun
  7. Ultra sensitive globes
  8. Sucker Cup
  9. Atractavon
  10. Dalek Fenders

The Doctor Who Technical Manual (1983)

Contains an annoted drawing of a slated "Mark V" Dalek, titled "Anatomy of a Dalek".

  1. Eye
  2. Insulators
  3. Energy dispensers
  4. Translator unit
  5. Super-sensitive recording screens
  6. War computer
  7. Outer casing
  8. Manipulator arm
  9. Blast-gun
  10. Control chambers
  11. Sense globes
  12. Gravity compensator
  13. Attractavon [sic]
  14. Motive power source

Target Books (1985)

A 1985 poster by Graham Potts depicted a cut away of a slated Dalek.

Doctor Who Yearbook 1993 (1992)

"Anatomy of the Imperial Dalek" by Lee Sullivan details what could be glimpsed from the transmated Dalek from Remembrance of the Daleks.

Dalek Survival Guide (2002)

The beginning of the "Know Your Enemy" section contains an annoted drawing of a slated Dalek cutaway.

Doctor Who DVD Files (2012)

Reprinted in A History of the Universe in 100 Objects, this cross-section of a Dalek War Machine was done by Peter McKinstry.

DWM 471 (2014)

A graphics of a Dalek War Machine, titled "Anatomy of a Dalek!", done by Gavin Rymill.

  1. Radiation valve
  2. Eye
  3. Computer brain
  4. Sensor mesh
  5. Television screen
  6. Dalek mutant
  7. Manipulation and neural feedback arm
  8. Neutraliser weapon
  9. Hemispherical detectors
  10. Limbs
  11. Dalekanium
  12. Power unit
  13. C.A.S.T.O.R.S. (Chassis Acceleration System for Transit Over Rigid Surfaces)