“All enemies of the Daleks must be destroyed! Exterminate them! EXTERMINATE!” Dalek
Exterminate!
“Exterminate!”. Now there is a statement, that will send a shiver down the spine of any self-preserving life-form!
It is difficult now, to appreciate how fresh, original and futuristic the Daleks were; on their first appearance in 1963’s – The Daleks. Especially, how much they captured the public’s imagination in the mid-60’s.
The Daleks quickly became the principle Doctor Who monster and also the first, to make a reappearance – in the series. Although, they have somewhat fell out of favour in recent years – mainly through overexposure; their original cult appeal remains intact.
The Dalek’s were created by the late Terry Nation and Raymond Cusick. Played by many different ‘movement’ artists – and voiced by many voice-over actors, through the years. Notably, by the late Roy Skelton, who also voiced George and Zippy – on Children’s classic Rainbow.
To understand the Daleks, one must go back to the beginning; in Genesis Of The Daleks – 1974. To really get to the bottom of their famous ‘salt-shaker’ appearance.
Sure enough, they initially couldn’t go up stairs (it was referenced frequently) – or traverse the alien (quarry) landscapes, very well. However, these flaws were eventually worked out. As the Daleks evolved and the evolutionary kinks, were straightened out.
The Daleks were born out of the planet Skaro’s civil war – between the Kaleds and the Thals. After centuries of war, with both races depleted of resources, the two races were reduced to waging Earth-style (primitive) World-War one warfare.
In an attempt to break the stalemate. Brilliant Kaled scientists, were working on a number of top-secret projects; to swing the balance. Including; a bio warhead which could destroy the Thal’s heavily-armoured command dome.
More secret, was the project led by disabled and mad scientist; Davros. Davros’s aim was to create an artificial and evolutionary next step, for the Kaled race.
Initially, it was a goal of all of the top Kaled Scientists, until Davros took over the project and changed its aims; for evil purposes. The other scientists weren’t as keen to take part, so Davros murdered them.
Davros himself, had as much reason to want to be victorious in the civil war. A Thal shell had exploded near to him and had almost killed him. He was left horribly scarred and blind, only seeing – by means of an electronic third eye.
He was also wheelchair bound, which served as a life support system and he only had the use, of one functioning hand. Luckily, his brilliant (if twisted) mind, was left intact and his ability to command others – to do his bidding.
The Dalek design, was titled a ‘Mark III travel machine’ – based on his own life support wheelchair design. It contained a mutated (gooey) green version of a Kaled lifeform. The mutant began life as an unseen clawed thing. But over time, changed into a slimey green squid-like organism and even a red jelly monster.
The mutant was encased in a tough Polycarbide armoured shell, with a death ray attachment and a telescopic plunger; capable of manipulating or interacting with objects. It could even be used, to crush the head – or read the mind of prisoners.
The Dalek’s optics, was a single eye stalk; which protruded from a dome shaped head. It could do a full 360 degree spin. Later, Daleks could see in infra-red vision.
“…Today, the Kaled race has ended, consumed in a fire of war, but, from its ashes will rise a new race. The supreme creature. The ultimate procreator of the universe: THE DALEKS! The action you take today is the beginning of a journey that will take the Daleks to their destiny of universal and absolute supremacy. You have been conditioned and programmed to complete a task. You will now carry out that program.” Davros
Davros also removed from his mutations; all emotion – except hatred (much to the constenation of the Kaled high-command). With all moral reasoning gone, the Dalek’s could concentrate fully on destroying their Thal enemies.
The problem was, by removing their emotions. Davros had given the Daleks, no reason to be loyal to him and in return; they exterminated him and destroyed the Kaled base.
However, the Dalek design did hide a number of weaknesses, which gave bipedial opponents a chance – at least. Such as the Dalek’s first appearance in The Daleks – 1963 where they required conductive metal floors, to move about on.
They upgraded, seemingly, in The Dalek Invasion of Earth – 1964. When they could now move about freely on any surface – and even go underwater. As a Dalek memorably emerges out of the Thames river, to attack some fleeing humans.
Removal of the Dalek’s eyestalk (if the opponent could get close enough!) rendered the Dalek blind and it would usually end up self-destructing or shooting itself; via a ricochet.
The Daleks experimented – unsuccessfully in The Evil Of The Daleks; with re-introducing human emotions, into their Dalek brains. In a vain attempt, to gain an advantage over their more thoughtful enemies. This almost resulted in their total destruction, as a civil-war broke out – between the Daleks and their more ‘humanised’ cousins.
Also, their initial inability to traverse stairs, was to become something of a poibt to mock the Daleks with. In Destiny Of The Daleks – 1979, the fourth Doctor, having escaped from the Daleks – up some stairs, stops and shouts;
“If you’re supposed to be the superior race of the universe, why don’t you try climbing after us?”
This was finally overcame, when the Dalek’s were upgraded with an anti-gravity unit; to fly up stairs. Nevermore horrifyingly realised, than in Remembrance Of The Daleks – 1989.
The Daleks, also – on at least a couple of occaisons; discovered and perfected working time-machines. Most notably, in The Chase and Remembrance Of The Daleks; which they used to transport Dalek forces, around time-and-space.
With the Thals vanquished, the Daleks turned their attention to other species of the galaxy, with the sole aim of conquering and exterminating; to expand the new Dalek empire.
The Daleks generally worked alone, but on occaision – when it suited their long-term aims; they would ally with other races. Such as other galaxies in Mission To The Unknown & The Daleks’ Master Plan.
In Destiny Of The Daleks; Davros;) – their creator, (still alive and trapped in his underground Kaled lab) was rediscovered by the Daleks – and the Fourth Doctor. Davros was sought after by the Daleks; no longer as their creator and leader but as a slave engineer, who could upgrade the Dalek’s computer brains. Davros was not best pleased about this ironic turnaround in his fortunes. From creator – to slave to his creations.
This initative to draft Davros back in, was to try and gain an advantage – in their war with the Cyborg-like Movellan’s; which had reached stalemate. The Daleks eventually broke-off into various splinter groups, after this failed campaign.
Some, remained true – to the Dalek Emperor. A kind of huge sedentary Dalek-being, with a massive computer-brain; first seen in The Evil Of The Daleks. Whilst some, kept their allegiance – to their original creator Davros.
In Death To The Daleks – 1974, the Daleks crashlanded on a planet with an oppressive energy field; which stopped the Dalek’s from using their death rays. Identifying the problem, the Daleks came up with a solution and swapped their faulty ray-guns, for all-purpose machine guns; which could kill and oppress – the local alien tribes.
When it came to oppressing aliens, the Daleks were always quick to put them to work; as a slave race. This was to fulfill, any needs the Dalek cause required. In Death To The Daleks, the Daleks put the local alien populace – to work, mining minerals.
In Day Of The Daleks & Frontier In Space, the Daleks had enslaved the Ogrons; a kind of squat muscular neandathal – hired to do the Daleks dirty work.
In Planet Of The Daleks, the Daleks were after the secret of invisibility cloaking. By attempting to recreate the invisibility of the Spiradon race. They also had stored a huge army – in cold storage, underneath an ice volcano.
Davros had become something of a dirty secret, to the new Dalek-ran empire. Until the Daleks came calling for him, again. This time to attempt to force him to work on an anti-virus, to a Movellan viral bio-weapon; which was killing the Dalek race off.
A civil-war was inevitable between the Supreme Daleks and Davros’s rebel Dalek faction -and when it came, it was devastatingly collateral and many humans were killed in the crossfire – in Resurrection of the Daleks – 1984.
Davros’s Rebel Dalek’s popped up again, in Revelation Of The Daleks – 1985 attempting to quietly steal the bodies of terminally-ill cryogenically stored humans, to mutate into new rebel Daleks.
When the Supreme-led Daleks found out, what was happening. They arrived and arrested Davros but not before destroying his Rebel Dalek force; in a firefight. In the ensuing battle, Davros lost the fingers, from his remaining good hand.
The civil war reached a peak in Remembrance Of The Daleks, 1989; when the rival factions warred on Earth – over possession of ‘The Hand of Omega’. The Hand, was a device created by the most brilliant Gallifreyian Timelord; Omega. Who had originally discovered time-travel bit had tragically become trapped in a wormhole.
The Hand Of Omega could manipulate space-and-time and the Daleks calculated, it would make them the supreme-race; in the universe. In this fight, the Supreme Daleks (unbeknown to them) were secretly under the control of Davros himself.
Davros had escaped again and built and hid himself – in a special Dalek body; and was masquerading – as the new Dalek Emporer. He wheeled out the big guns – literally; with Tank style Daleks – called “Abominations”. Backed up by white upgraded Imperial Daleks; to retrieve The Hand Of Omega.
What the warring Daleks hadn’t banked on, was that the seventh Doctor – Sylvester McCoy, had reprogrammed the Hand of Omega; to destroy the Dalek mothership and homeworld of Skaro. Davros was lucky to escape in an escape pod, as the Dalek control ship exploded.
The Daleks, made a brief cameo appearance in Doctor Who : The Movie – 1996; where they tried the Master in a court of law and then atomized him. Even allowing the Seventh Doctor – Sylvester McCoy, to pop by and collect and transport the ashes back to Gallifrey; inline with the Master’s last wishes.
The Daleks quickly became the principle Doctor Who monster and also the first, to make a reappearance – in the series. Although, they have somewhat fell out of favour in recent years – mainly through overexposure; their original cult appeal remains intact.
The Daleks experimented – unsuccessfully in The Evil Of The Daleks; with re-introducing human emotions, into their Dalek brains. In a vain attempt, to gain an advantage over their more thoughtful enemies. This almost resulted in their total destruction, as a civil-war broke out – between the Daleks and their more ‘humanised’ cousins.
With the Thals vanquished, the Daleks turned their attention to other species of the galaxy, with the sole aim of conquering and exterminating; to expand the new Dalek empire.
In Destiny Of The Daleks; Davros;) – their creator, (still alive and trapped in his underground Kaled lab) was rediscovered by the Daleks – and the Fourth Doctor. Davros was sought after by the Daleks; no longer as their creator and leader but as a slave engineer, who could upgrade the Dalek’s computer brains. Davros was not best pleased about this ironic turnaround in his fortunes. From creator – to slave to his creations.
The civil war reached a peak in Remembrance Of The Daleks, 1989; when the rival factions warred on Earth – over possession of ‘The Hand of Omega’. The Hand, was a device created by the most brilliant Gallifreyian Timelord; Omega. Who had originally discovered time-travel bit had tragically become trapped in a wormhole.
