Guest Author: Kyle Pressley

The oldest question in the universe that must never be answered is hidden in plain view; for if this one question is answered, all of time could be destroyed. Doctor Who? Being the longest running sci-fi series in human history, Doctor Who first appeared on the BBC on Saturday November 23rd 1963. The program ran for almost thirty years before being cancelled in 1989.

In 2005 the show was revamped by the BBC and writer Russell T. Davies. It has been a huge success ever since. The Doctor once again became a household name and topic of discussion among young and old viewers alike. In the past fifty years the Doctor has had many adversaries, but which ones have been the most persistent and downright terrifying? This is a list of the five most memorable villains to appear on Doctor Who.

5. The Daleks

“Exterminate! Exterminate!” This is the catchphrase of the mutant cyborgs who first appeared on television in December of 1963 in their debut episode “The Daleks”. The Daleks were created by the scientist Davros in the final days of a thousand year war of attrition between the Kaleds and the Thals. Davros mutated his own people, the Kaleds, into tank-like monsters stripped of all emotion and leaving only hatred.

They soon start to view themselves as the supreme race in the universe and begin a campaign to exterminate all non-Dalek life forms. The Daleks are persistent, menacing, and unstoppable when facing an inferior race, which in their collective opinion is everyone. They have been the Doctor’s oldest and most feared foe appearing in 99 episodes as of January 2014.

4. The Cybermen

On Earth’s twin planet of Mondas, immortality is a dream come true…literally. In order to preserve themselves forever, the people of Mondas implanted artificial parts into their bodies until they were nothing but cold steel, emotionless cyborgs, with a universal conquest to upgrade every race that is compatible.

Throughout all of history there have been sightings of Cybermen and the Doctor has encountered them on many occasions. Cybermen were also created in a parallel Earth by John Lumic of Cybus Industries. He wanted to convert the entire population into Cybermen to create a superior race.

The Doctor later defeats the Cybermen in the parallel universe, or so it seems. The remaining Cybermen, on parallel Earth, figure out a way to escape their universe through a tear in the fabric of reality and invade our universe yet again in their everlasting conquest for perfection. The Cybermen have appeared in roughly 20 episodes.

3. The Weeping Angels

“Don’t blink; blink and you’re dead. They are fast; faster than you can believe. Don’t turn your back. Don’t look away. And don’t blink. Good Luck.”

These are the Doctor’s last words to Sally Sparrow before she must escape the weeping angels in the episode “Blink.” The Weeping Angels are as old as time itself and their origin is unknown. They are the loneliest beings in the universe and are described as “the deadliest, most powerful, and most malevolent life-form evolution has ever produced.”

It has been said the weeping angels have one major evolutionary flaw: as long as they are being watched, they are quantum locked in time and space and appear as weeping angel statues. If two weeping angels happen to look at each other, then they will be quantum locked for all eternity.

When not being watched they move faster than light, appear demonic with long claws and vampire like teeth, and kill their victims by sending them back in time to let them feed on the potential life energy of what could have been. The weeping angels have appeared in 6 episodes since 2005.

2. The Vashta Nerada

“Ya know what? This is the biggest library in the universe. So where is everyone? It’s silent.” The Doctor’s words upon arrival before realizing it has been infested with the Vashta Nerada.

Literally meaning the shadows that melt flesh, the Vashta Nerada are microscopic creatures that appear as dust in bright light. In a high enough concentration they can take on the form of shadows and strip the flesh off their prey in the blink of an eye. They are also able to form a group-mind while in this state, giving them the intellectual levels of a human; thus making these swarming specks cunning hunters.

The Vashta Nerada exist on almost every planet, but mainly live in forested areas feeding on carrion. The Doctor states that the Vashta Nerada are the reason that many life forms instinctively have a fear of the dark. The Vashta Nerada appear in 2 episodes since 2008.

1. The Doctor

“Great men are forged in fire. It is the privilege of lesser men to light the flame; whatever the cost.” These are the words of the most terrifying alien life form in the universe. They were said by a Time Lord, but not just any Time Lord; The Doctor himself.

The Doctor is the one responsible for ending the Time War by detonating an ancient W.M.D. of the Time Lords; destroying all Time Lords and Daleks in the process. Being the only Time Lord left in existence, The Doctor decides to break his own rules of time travel and fixed events. He declares himself the Time Lord Victorious and speaks of himself as a god as he rescues the remaining crew members of the doomed Mars colony in the episode “The Waters of Mars”.

The Doctor is the most feared alien in the universe. He is feared by the Daleks, Cybermen, Sontarans, Slitheen and countless other races and for good reason. It is said; “When a good man goes to war, demons run.”