Doctor Who classic moments: The Dalek Emperor’s return in The Parting of the Ways

A highlight of the Ninth Doctor’s final episode was the return of the Dalek Emperor – a character that hadn’t been seen in Doctor Who in almost four decades!

The Parting of the Ways is an episode that’s filled with amazing moments. But, upon rewatching it as part of Doctor Who Lockdown, there were a couple of moments that stood out. The first that we’re focusing on is the return of the Dalek Emperor.

I’m not sure I can stress enough how huge this moment was for fans of the Classic Series. The Dalek Emperor hadn’t been seen in decades. While we had seen Davros declare himself emperor in Remembrance of the Daleks, it was the first time that we had seen this emperor – or at least, something close to it – since the classic Patrick Troughton story The Evil of the Daleks.

On top of that, while it looked as grand and massive as it did before, it also had a brand new design. Matching the bronze look of the new Daleks and even featuring a Dalek head, but built to a far larger scale, the new Dalek Emperor was an impressive sight to see, both for fans of the Classic Series and for those brand new to the show.

The Dalek Emperor hadn’t appeared in Doctor Who since Patrick Troughton story The Evil of the Daleks in 1967 – almost four decades previously!

Image Courtesy BBC Studios, BritBox

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Re-introducing the Emperor

What was so brilliant about bringing the Dalek Emperor back was that the character wasn’t too well known. While it was easy for fans to speculate if Davros or the Dalek Supreme were coming back, (certainly, trailers for The Parting of the Ways hinted that something was leading the Daleks in this story,) Russell T Davies went for an enemy that had barely appeared in the TV series.

This was a rather smart move. By bringing back a character that didn’t have too much history, it was simple for Davies to reintroduce them to a new audience rather easily. Especially by making them a key part of the Time War itself. So while pre-existing fans were able to get excited about the return of a monster that hadn’t been seen in decades, new fans were able to enjoy an exciting monster they hadn’t seen before, one that felt brand new, at least.

These days, it’s easy to overlook how important this moment was. Especially if you’re a fan of Big Finish – with their broad focus on exploring the Time War across many ranges, the Dalek Emperor has naturally appeared in many stories so far. But back in 2005, the Emperor’s return was a genuinely shocking moment and a real highlight of a fantastic finale.

What are your thoughts on the Dalek Emperor’s return in Series 1’s finale? What was your reaction? Were you familiar with the character already, or was he brand new to you when you first watched the episode? Let us know in the comments below.