Doctor Who: The Day the Cybermen Truly Made Their Mark
By David Hill
Not only is today the 50th anniversary of the Doctor regenerating for the first time, it has also been 50 years since the Cybermen made their first appearance. It is fitting that they were the cause of the First Doctor’s demise.
From the moment that the Cybermen first appeared on Doctor Who, they were a notable foe. While they were more human in appearance during their first time on the show, that only served to give them a more fearsome presence. Instead of being the more robotic monstrosities that they have evolved into, they appeared to be nothing more than surgically enhanced people.
That appearance helped to cement the Cybermen as one of the more notable enemies of the Doctor. Along with the Daleks, they quickly became one of the more recognizable creatures, ones who brought danger with them at every turn. And yet, the first adventure featuring the Cybermen as the enemy was notable for more than simply their debut.
Today also happens to be the 50th anniversary of the Doctor regenerating for the first time. That moment only further cemented the legacy of the Cybermen, as they were able to wound him with such severity that a regeneration was needed. They managed to accomplish something that none of the other baddies on the show managed to do at the time.
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It also makes sense that they were a continual thorn in the side of the Second Doctor. Having brought him into existence, doing their best to convert him into another form, they menaced him throughout his tenure on the program. While they disappeared for most of the next decade, the Cybermen remained a threat, a foe that withstood the test of time.
Now, 50 years later, the Cybermen are still a fearsome enemy. Yes, they may look different, having a much more robotic appearance as their humanity is all but gone, but that is to be expected with technological upgrades. After all, they are not satisfied until they are turned into the perfect machines.
Given how much the Doctor’s regeneration and the Cybermen are linked, these beings may well rival the Daleks as one of the Doctor’s most formidable enemies. Yes, the Daleks and the Doctor have an epic mutual hatred that spans across all of time and space, but the animosity of the Doctor toward the Cybermen is arguably more personal. While they are unfeeling machines focused on upgrading everyone, they dealt the Doctor his first, and most painful, defeat. That is something which he will never forget.
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