Auton
The Autons were metamorphic android robots, artificial life forms that were essentially life sized plastic dummies, animated by the Nestene Consciousness. Though they were not the only creations of the Nestene Consciousness, they were the most common and the most easily identifiable.
Appearance and abilities
The typical Auton did not look particularly realistic, resembling a mannequin, being robotic in its movements and mute, although an Auton leader could speak in a robotic voice. (DW: Terror of the Autons) Despite their solid appearance, Autons could change the shape of their features and limbs. (DW: Rose) Autons concealed deadly weapons within their hands, which could kill or vaporize their targets using psychic projections. (PDA: Synthespians™) These were powerful enough to temporarily disable a weakened Dalek. (DW: The Big Bang) Some could also shoot a traquilizing gas from their hands. (DWM: Plastic Millennium) They were also excellent trackers, able to find other creatures by their brain-wave patterns. (PDA: Synthespians™)
More sophisticated Autons could be created. They could look and act human except for a slight sheen to the skin and a flat sounding voice. Autons could also copy specific individuals, though these copies were imperfect. When duplicated, the originals were kept alive to maintain the copy. A copy of Channing was maintained by the Nestenes during their first invasion of Earth. (DW: Spearhead from Space) Mickey Smith was also copied by the Nestene to gather information on the Ninth Doctor. (DW: Rose)
Even more accurate Autons could be made, identical in appearance and actions. These Autons were implanted with false memories and actually believed they were the subjects they duplicated. The models taken from a memory print of Amy Pond could mimic humans perfectly, and were used as sleeper agents, with the Nestene Consciousness later asserting its influence over them. Somehow - perhaps due to Amy's proximity to a time crack her entire life- one of the duplicate Autons, the copy of her fiancé Rory, was partially able to resist the influence of the Nestene Consciousness. (DW: The Pandorica Opens)
Autons were extremely long-"lived"; The Auton duplicate of Rory managed to exist for almost 2000 years with no visible signs of wear, even with the link to the Consciousness broken by the latter's erasure from the universe. (DW: The Big Bang)
They were vulnerable to intense heat, as this caused them to melt. Radio waves could also destroy them, as they could intefere with the Nestene's mental control. Bullets had almost no effect on them. (DW: Spearhead From Space, Terror of the Autons)
Duplicates
Aside from the basic Auton, more agile and manoeuvrable models were made as duplicates of humans. A number of famous figures were duplicated and displayed at Madame Tussauds. A duplicate of General Scobie was made to take the real Scobie's place and command the army. Channing was an Auton developed to carry out the plans of the Nestene, so he required a human appearance. When destroyed, the duplicates reverted to the appearance of a basic Auton. They were near identical to their counterparts with a slight yellowing and glint of the skin. (DW: Spearhead from Space) This glint was shared by a duplicate of Mickey Smith. (DW: Rose) The Auton duplicate of Rory Williams was indistinguishable from its counterpart. (DW: The Pandorica Opens)
History
When the Nestene Consciousness joined the Alliance, they produced Autons disguised as Roman soldiers in 102. These, believing themselves to be genuine Roman soldiers, tricked the Eleventh Doctor, who realized too late what they were, and imprisoned him in the Pandorica. One, fashioned after the late and time-erased Rory Williams, actually attempted to resist the call to arms, not wanting to fire upon Amy Pond. Afterwards, the Auton helped the Doctor resurrect Amy with the Pandorica and save the universe. After the Doctor reset the universe and time, this Auton and all of the Roman soldier ones were erased from existence as the cracks never happened and thus the Alliance was never formed. The real Rory Williams remembers what his Auton self's life was like, but doesn't like to think about it. (DW:The Pandorica Opens/The Big Bang)
During the attack on the Earth by the Nestene Consciousness in the 20th century, the invasion was co-ordinated by a Swarm Leader known as Channing. Taking over a plastics factory, Channing arranged for standard Autons to be mass-manufactured and placed in shops across Britain. Channing also obtained a contract from Madame Tussaud's to make plastic "waxworks" of key members of government and the military. The attack was co-ordinated first thing in the morning, when the Autons broke out of shops to attack key strategic positions whilst the facsimiles helped soften resistance.
Unfortunately for the Autons, the Third Doctor and the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce had detected their base and rigged a device capable of destroying both Autons and the Nestene. (DW: Spearhead from Space)
Some months later, the Nestene made an alliance with the Master. Although the Nestene did use standard Autons for this operation, the assault relied on deadly plastic daffodils, but was again foiled by the Third Doctor and UNIT. (DW: Terror of the Autons)
In 1989, Winston Blunt was taken control of by the Nestene, forming the Galaxy Plastics Inc and then killing himself. In his place, an Auton named Mr. Dolman controlled the company. When an industrial spy, Max Fisher, disrupted operations, Dolman attacked and later killed him. An Auton copy of Max was later created. (DWM: Business as Usual)
Circa the 1990s an Auton replica known as Alisha Hammerson set up the Hammerson Plastic PLC company. On New Year's Eve, 1999, she planned to replace several key figures in the plastic industry with Auton replicas, in order that the Earth could be dominated and absorbed. The Seventh Doctor and Mel, gate-crashing the party, broke the Nestene link which de-activated her. (DWM: Plastic Millennium)
After the Nestene's protein planets were destroyed during the Last Great Time War, it arrived in 21st century London and used standard Autons to conquer the planet. When the Ninth Doctor came to investigate, it sent Autons to try to stop him. When Rose Tyler got in the way, it also sent an Auton impersonator of her boyfriend Mickey Smith to try to find out more. The Doctor was able to use the Auton's head to track down and confront the Nestene Consciousness. When the Nestene realized it was in danger, it activated the Autons to cause them to go on a rampage. When the Nestene was killed with anti-plastic, the Autons were deactivated. (DW: Rose, Love & Monsters)
In 2013, Autons placed in Hyperville by Miss Devonshire and the Nestene helped with the attempted takeover of Earth. Among the normal Autons, there were several varieties, such as Autons that could stretch their heads about a meter, an incredibly strong Auton, known as B-4, who could strangle their victims, and Auton replicas. All the Autons were destroyed by the Doctor and Kate. (NSA: Autonomy)
The Nestene also used Autons when they attempted to take over the New Earth Republic in the 101st century. They used both standard and facsimile versions. (PDA: Synthespians™)
Other references
- When Es'Cartress tried to take over the Tenth Doctor's mind via the TARDIS' Matrix, he used his memories of the Autons to attack him. (IDW: The Forgotten)
- River Song once dated an Auton with a removable/replaceable head. (DW: The Big Bang)
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