The Cybermen have had many designs in Doctor Who over the years. But is their original look still the scariest?
The Cybermen are an interesting Doctor Who monster. They’ve changed and evolved over the years a great deal. There have been many stories told with them. Unlike the Daleks, they’ve been shown to be on the edge of survival at least as much as being a galactic threat, perhaps more so.
Arguably, the most successful Cybermen stories are the ones that remember where they originally came from: us. Or, at least, from primarily humanoid species who were forced to become a part of their race. Either it focuses on this idea by exploring their origins (such as in Spare Parts or Rise of the Cybermen), or it focuses on a small group of people who are under threat of conversion (such as in The Tomb of the Cybermen).
Their design also reflects this. The Cybermen have had many different looks over the years. Many of them stand out – for example, the RTD era Cybermen were popular with New Series fans, and I’m personally fond of the ones from The Invasion.
But most of them also look more robotic than cyberorganic. Unlike Star Trek‘s the Borg, there’s hardly anything in their look that reminds you of the humans that they used to be.
Except perhaps one.
A very different look
One of the best decisions Steven Moffat made during his era as Doctor Who‘s showrunner was bringing the Mondasian Cybermen back in World Enough and Time. And, even better, giving them a story that reminded the viewers of how scary they really were.
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Perhaps their original look seemed more basic and less advanced than later designs. But that’s really the appeal of them. Or, at least, the horror of them.
For example, their clothed faces give more of an impression of a human face underneath. (Or whatever’s left, at least.) The black eye holes almost look like empty sockets, and even the ungloved hands look like pieces of the human flesh left over. A reminder of their previous humanity while also making them look like walking corpses.
Even their sing-song voices are creepy. It’s like they’re trying to speak, but without emotion – without their souls – they don’t know how. It’s so off and so creepy, and there isn’t anything quite like it.
I’m a fan of Cybermen stories generally, at least when they’re handled right. But the Mondasian Cybermen will always stand out to me. Since they have more reminders of their humanity left, they are also the most horrifying.
Do you agree that the scariest Cybermen are the originals? What’s your favorite Cybermen design? Let us know in the comments below.