By Christian Kern
The next episode of Doctor Who, Cold War looms on the horizon, featuring the return of the Ice Warriors who have not been seen on screen since 1974! We at I’m With Geek thought it would be fun to give a small treatise on these fantastic unsung monsters of Doctor Who legend.
The Ice Warriors were an attempt to create a new recurring monster for the show. When the fourth season of the classic series ended, the production team felt something else outside of Daleks and Cybermen were needed. The entire second Doctor era tried hard to capitalize on the various alien threats, hence why it is more commonly referred to as the Monster Era.
The next episode of Doctor Who, Cold War looms on the horizon, featuring the return of the Ice Warriors who have not been seen on screen since 1974! We at I’m With Geek thought it would be fun to give a small treatise on these fantastic unsung monsters of Doctor Who legend.
The Ice Warriors were an attempt to create a new recurring monster for the show. When the fourth season of the classic series ended, the production team felt something else outside of Daleks and Cybermen were needed. The entire second Doctor era tried hard to capitalize on the various alien threats, hence why it is more commonly referred to as the Monster Era.
“The Ice Warriors! Cruel Martian invaders!”
-The Doctor, The War Games part 10
The Ice Warriors would first appear in 1967 in a story entitled The Ice Warriors. This first appearance would be based on the 1951 movie, The Thing from Another World. As Doctor Who was known for being quite frightening, this would add to yet one more reason to hide behind the couch. Originally the Ice Warriors were designed by Brian Hayles to be cybernetic though the BBC creature department feared a similarity with the Cybermen and went for a more reptilian armored look. They would appear onscreen in four stories; The Ice Warriors, The Seeds of Death, The Curse of Peladon, The Monster of Peladon and have various cameos in The War Games, The Mind of Evil and even a mention in the 2009 episode, The Waters of Mars which eludes to why the Ice Warriors left Mars in the first place.
The Ice Warriors
The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria would discover the Ice Warriors in the far future where Earth is in another ice age. Below the surface of the arctic is a ship with Ice Warriors in suspended animation. The Ice Warriors are revived and want to take control of the ice base so they can return home, their home being Mars, making them genuine Martians. The Doctor destroys their ship with all of them onboard. Sadly two episodes are missing from this story but enough remains of the story to be enjoyed without major interruption, and the feature is being released on DVD later this year, with the missing episodes reconstructed through animation.
The Doctor, Jamie and Victoria would discover the Ice Warriors in the far future where Earth is in another ice age. Below the surface of the arctic is a ship with Ice Warriors in suspended animation. The Ice Warriors are revived and want to take control of the ice base so they can return home, their home being Mars, making them genuine Martians. The Doctor destroys their ship with all of them onboard. Sadly two episodes are missing from this story but enough remains of the story to be enjoyed without major interruption, and the feature is being released on DVD later this year, with the missing episodes reconstructed through animation.
The Seeds of Death
Returning for a second time in 1969, the Ice Warriors square off against the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. An Ice Warrior platoon seizes control of a T-Mat device on the surface of the Earth’s moon. The objective is to send seeds to Earth which will alter the atmosphere to make it more like the Martian surface of Mars. The Doctor, in an amazing Doctor-like fashion, sends the invading Martian forces into the sun.
Returning for a second time in 1969, the Ice Warriors square off against the Doctor, Jamie and Zoe. An Ice Warrior platoon seizes control of a T-Mat device on the surface of the Earth’s moon. The objective is to send seeds to Earth which will alter the atmosphere to make it more like the Martian surface of Mars. The Doctor, in an amazing Doctor-like fashion, sends the invading Martian forces into the sun.
The Curse of Peladon
The Ice Warriors would not be truly seen again in a story until 1972 when the Third Doctor and companion Jo Grant are forced to go to the planet Peladon where the Doctor was expected to help find an assassin who was trying to destroy negotiations between the admittance of Peladon into the Galactic Federation. The Doctor instantly distrusted the Ice Warriors who, by this point, had renounced violence having changed their ways. Eventually the Doctor lowers his guard and the Ice Warriors prove their new allegiance.
The Ice Warriors would not be truly seen again in a story until 1972 when the Third Doctor and companion Jo Grant are forced to go to the planet Peladon where the Doctor was expected to help find an assassin who was trying to destroy negotiations between the admittance of Peladon into the Galactic Federation. The Doctor instantly distrusted the Ice Warriors who, by this point, had renounced violence having changed their ways. Eventually the Doctor lowers his guard and the Ice Warriors prove their new allegiance.
The Monster of Peladon
In 1974 the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith returned to Peladon when the Galactic Federation sends the Ice Warriors in as peacekeeping troops. However the Ice Warrior leader, Azaxyr is using the legend of the Monster of Peladon to scare the ruling family of Peladon, plotting to restore the Ice Warriors to their war-like state. He is eventually defeated by the Doctor and the other Ice Warriors.
In 1974 the Doctor and Sarah Jane Smith returned to Peladon when the Galactic Federation sends the Ice Warriors in as peacekeeping troops. However the Ice Warrior leader, Azaxyr is using the legend of the Monster of Peladon to scare the ruling family of Peladon, plotting to restore the Ice Warriors to their war-like state. He is eventually defeated by the Doctor and the other Ice Warriors.
NEVER SEEN AGAIN
The Ice Warriors were never seen again on screen. They have had countless mentions but as a main focus they’ve never been used in an episode since, although the Doctor Who novels would use the Ice Warriors occasionally, two major stories particularly standing out.
Legacy by Gary Russell, is written as part of what has been considered the Peladon Trilogy. The Seventh Doctor and Bernice follow a criminal wanted by the Galactic Federation to Peladon, however the Doctor is framed and arrested for the crime instead. As Peladon slowly changes from its sophisticated state to the once barbaric world it use to be, it’s up to Bernice to prove the Doctor’s innocence and save Peladon.
The second book, The Dying Days is written by Lance Parkin and is the first adventure of the eighth Doctor in novel form. The Ice Warriors mount an invasion of Earth in 1997 (after the Doctor’s regeneration and run in with the Master in the FOX TV movie). When an Earth Mars expedition is sent to Mars, they disturb a Martian crypt and are slaughtered by Martians, leaving one lone astronaut to be framed for the brutal killing. As he escapes custody, the Ice Warriors invade with a deadly red dust that seemingly kills the Doctor. The Red Death, as it is called, is released upon the world and only the Doctor’s friends Bernice and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart are left to defend Earth.
The Ice Warriors were never seen again on screen. They have had countless mentions but as a main focus they’ve never been used in an episode since, although the Doctor Who novels would use the Ice Warriors occasionally, two major stories particularly standing out.
Legacy by Gary Russell, is written as part of what has been considered the Peladon Trilogy. The Seventh Doctor and Bernice follow a criminal wanted by the Galactic Federation to Peladon, however the Doctor is framed and arrested for the crime instead. As Peladon slowly changes from its sophisticated state to the once barbaric world it use to be, it’s up to Bernice to prove the Doctor’s innocence and save Peladon.
The second book, The Dying Days is written by Lance Parkin and is the first adventure of the eighth Doctor in novel form. The Ice Warriors mount an invasion of Earth in 1997 (after the Doctor’s regeneration and run in with the Master in the FOX TV movie). When an Earth Mars expedition is sent to Mars, they disturb a Martian crypt and are slaughtered by Martians, leaving one lone astronaut to be framed for the brutal killing. As he escapes custody, the Ice Warriors invade with a deadly red dust that seemingly kills the Doctor. The Red Death, as it is called, is released upon the world and only the Doctor’s friends Bernice and Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart are left to defend Earth.
In 2009, The Waters of Mars included a small allusion as to why the Ice Warriors left Mars in the first place. When the Tenth Doctor stumbles upon a human outpost on Mars they find something has contaminated the water. An entity with a collective consciousness that lives in the ice beneath the surface. As the alien mind hive speaks Martian with the Doctor, the Doctor theorizes that the Ice Warriors found this creature, trapped it beneath the ice and left the planet.
This Saturday (April 13th, 2013) will be a fantastic day for Doctor Who as the Ice Warriors return in the episode Cold War! Either as an old school fan of the series or a newly anointed 2005 fan this episode should be a treat for everyone! I know I’ll be watching!
This Saturday (April 13th, 2013) will be a fantastic day for Doctor Who as the Ice Warriors return in the episode Cold War! Either as an old school fan of the series or a newly anointed 2005 fan this episode should be a treat for everyone! I know I’ll be watching!
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