“Run………..! It’s the yeti………..!” Professor Travers [Web Of Fear – 1968]
Yeti – Has No Great Intelligence – itself!
The Yeti, although animalistic in appearance, hid below their thick fur; a robotic internal skeletal mechanism. The Yeti was controlled, by a detachable small glowing sphere mechanism, which acted as a receiver.
The Yeti themselves, weren’t intelligent – in the sense of reasoning abilities, they were capable of simple tasks and following defined orders. Their strengths, came about from their frightening appearance, almost indestructible shell – and their brute strength.
The internal control sphere (as mentioned previously), was a receiver; controlled by a separate entity, called the ‘Great Intelligence’. Little is known of the Great Intelligence. Other than, it was a disembodied and intelligent energy-being collective; from another dimension, with nefarious motivations and designs on subjugating Earth.
The Yeti were pretty much indestructible, repelling bullets and explosives easily and their only sign of weakness, was their control sphere, if it could be separated from the Yeti frame. The Yeti would then deactivate and could then be reprogrammed, to take control of the Yeti; once reinserted.
The Second Doctor, first met the Yeti, in The Abominable Snowmen – 1967; when visiting 1930’s Tibet. The Yeti have been harrassing an explorer, called Travers and the local monks in the Monastery. At first, Travers and the Monks – accuse the Doctor of the attacks (as he is dressed in his fur coat) but soon, come to realise the truth.
It became apparent the Yeti, were being controlled by the leader of the Monastry, himself. Who in turn, is being controlled by the Great Intelligence and used as a relay device. The Doctor is able to stop the Great Intelligence’s influence, by destroying the equipment; which controls the Yeti spheres.
The next appearance of the Yeti was The Web of Fear – 1968; which also featured, a first appearance of Colonel Lethbridge Stewart. The Yeti and the Great Intelligence were back, in 1960’s – London. This time, due to (an older) professor Travers (from The Abominable Snowmen – 1967), meddling with requistioned Yeti control spheres.
The Yeti, were spreading a sticky-web like fungus around London Underground; which the Great Intelligence was using, to try to wipe out the human race.
The Doctor this time, thwarted the Great Intelligence – by reprogramming one of the Yeti and used it to smash the relay; that the Great Intelligence was using to manifest itself on Earth.
A lone Yeti, made a final appearance in The Five Doctor’s – 1983; chasing the Second Doctor and Lethbridge Stewart, through the Deadzone – in the Games Of Rassilon.
Cornered within a cave, the Doctor managed to scare the Yeti away; with a small explosive device, refered to – as a “cherry bomb”.
The Yeti didn’t make a followup appearance, in the classic series; which was a shame as the Yeti, were as much a staple part of the Troughton era and programme as the Daleks or Cybermen.
