Daleks - A Brief Overview of their Uncertain Origin

D is for Daleks!

The Daleks are one of, if not the most celebrated Doctor Who villain. They have faced every one of the Doctor's incarnations except for the Eighth - the Daleks did, however, have a cameo in the Eighth Doctor's television movie, and their voices were heard.

But the Daleks were not always the metal-encased creatures we see on Doctor Who. In fact, they were once absolutely humanoid...

Daleks,  Susan and the Doctor in the 1963/64 serial "The Daleks" - the Daleks' first television appearance.

Both the Kaled/Dal race and the Thals originated and evolved on the planet Skaro. According to Thal records (which consisted of passed down legend and historical documents, beginnning approximately a half million years in the past) the Kaleds/Dals were honored teachers and philosophers. They were also extremely xenophobic, and would stop at nothing to destroy the Thals - an imperfect race. The Thals, at this, time, were warriors, with blonde hair as opposed to the Kaled dark hair. Aproximately 1500 years before the Doctor landed on Skaro, a highly degenerative war occured between the Kaleds/Dals and the Thals. Davros, the leading Kaled scientist, gave the Thals the information needed to get passed the Kaled dome. When the Thals attacked using this information, this gave Davor a proper reason for letting loose his newly created Daleks. This war was ended when the Thals exploded a neutron bomb.

Due to the radiation caused by the weapons used during the war (which may have been one thousand years, or merely a quick neutronic war), both the Kaleds and the Thals mutated very quickly. According to the Thals, they mutated in a kind of full-circle - they went through stages of mutation which eventually brought them back to humanoid form, and made them perfect beings. They became nearly extinct, and became pacifists. The Kaleds, however, mutated in a different matter.

One of the Thals from the 1963/64 serial "The Daleks"

I will write no more on the Thals at this time.

During the war, the Kaleds mutated rapidly and irreversibly due to the increasing radiation. Davros thus turned his research from that of weapons and winning the war to the Kaled survival. Davros did experiments on the Kaleds in order to find their final mutated form, and then devised a protective casing. Soon he did not wish merely for survival of the Kaled race, but for utter supremacy - to wipe out all other life on Skaro. Davros continued to manipulate the genetic structure of the mutants, and isolated and removed "weaknesses" such as compassion and morality. These mutations were then housed in a "travel machine", and named Daleks (dalek being an anagram of kaled). These Daleks needed radiation to live, and operated on static electricity. With the help of the Doctor, the Daleks' power source was disabled, and the Daleks were left lifeless in their city.

There would, however, come a time when the power was reactivated, and the Daleks would learn that there were worlds outside of theirs to be exterminated - as they were designed to destroy all life and be loyal only to the Daleks (many were not even loyal to Davros, as he was not a Dalek).

Davros as seen in his first television appearance in the 1975 serial "Genesis of the Daleks"

The Daleks have since evolved many times, and in many designs -  each time stonger and more agile. Every time the Doctor wipes out the Daleks, they manage to return...

Fun fact: In the 1975 episode "Genesis of the Daleks" the Doctor finds himself on the planet Skaro near the end of the war, attempting to stop the creation of the Daleks. This may have been one of the factors eventually causing the Time War.

Note: There are actually many different accounts of the Dalek's history and creation - certain episodes contradict others, and many details remain unclear. For other accounts, visit here.

Doctor Who Postcards From Time and Space - 100 Doctor Who Postcards in One Box

Walking (or rather weaving, trying not be touched by the other people) between the tables set up with collectibles at the Comic and Toy Expo, I came across a single TARDIS box, laying in front of some Classic Who DVDs. I ended up buying both the box and the DVDs, but do you know what was inside the box? One hundred beautiful Doctor Who postcards.

The main focus seems to be on Matt Smith and his episodes, but there are also quite a few creatures from the tenth Doctor's (David Tennant's) adventures. I have not seen a lot of these images before, and I picked out quite a few of my favorites to scan. I split them into two categories - portrait and landscape - and have posted the landscape postcards below. The rest will be in another post. At the top of each card I have written the description from the back. Click images to enlarge.

"Doctor? Doctor, are you out there? Can you hear me? Doctor?" (Amy Pond)

"You have been here many days. No one is coming." (Silent)

"Time to roll out the secret weapon!" (Winston Churchill)

"The New Dalek Paradigm"

"The Dream Lord's alternate reality"

"The Doctor and Amy Pond"

"Homo Reptilia, warrior class... A new type of Silurian, different tribe."

"Rubbish. Must be broken. I hate these things."

"One of Vincent van Gogh's final paintings. The Pandorica Opens."

"A Christmas Carol"

"It is the Doctor! Exterminate..."

"I need you all with me now. Whatever happens, promise me you'll stay." (the Doctor)

"Smiler on Starship IK"

"The TARDIS hutles through the Vortex on the way to another adventure"

"Gallifrey - home planet of the Time Lords"

"Aliens of London/World War Three"

"The Doctor"

Sometimes, when I cut my hair, I make wigs for Daleks.

Sometimes when I cut my hair, I save bits and pieces to make "groovy" wigs for my Daleks. For example, I gave a Flock of Seagulls hairdo to the Dalek on the left, and a combover to the Dalek on the right.

Why did I do this?

Because I could.

Sleeping with Daleks, a Slitheen, and Moxx of Balhoon.

I was busing around the city with my boyfriend the other day when we decided to get off and visit a "bed, bath, and kitchen" collectables shop before checking out the comics a few minutes over. It was one of the best decisions ever made - I found a doctor Who single duvet cover and pillowcase for about fifty dollars, on sale.

This amazing duvet cover features the Doctor Who logo, the TARDIS, a dalek, a Raxacoricofallapatorian (this one a Slitheen), and Moxx of Balhoon. The picture on the right is of my top-bunk sleeping quarters, with my new bedding! My bed looks so lovely now. Also notice my Sleezy Green plush (Cyanide and Happiness), Spock plush, Doctor Who poster, Adam Ant/John Lydon/misc pins, and printed pictures of the lovely Ranya Mordanova.

Now how about some beautifully detailed photos? The get much larger, so click to see them in all of their glory.

Notice the bottom side of the duvet cover - vibrant blue with floating Daleks, TARDISs, logos, and faint circles that remind me in the strangest way of circular Gallifreyan writing - if you squint really hard and shake your head around a bit. I think they should have actually used circular Gallifreyan. That would be cool.

My Own Little Corner of Heaven - A Salute to Greatness

Just about half of all my Star Trek and Doctor Who belongings take up a single corner of my (shared) bedroom. Basically, I have this kind of shrine made up of a desk with some shelves piled on top of it holding my books, magazines, figures, unlimited rice pudding, etcetera (bonus points to anyone who got that reference).

Anyways - while playing around with my new camera the other day, I took some photos of this cluttered contraption and the belongings which I hold so very dear (click to enlarge):

To those who have been following my blog up until this point, many of these items will look familiar. If you would direct your attention to the photos directly below:

You would see (especially if you enlarged the photo) many fantastic things such as: the Portal cake. Pictures of myself in Vulcan dress with Robert Picardo and Tim Russ. A paper model of the Enterprise. A portion of my Star Trek and Doctor Who novels. My kalimba and wooden harp. Random printed out pictures stuck to the wall. A newspaper clipping that reads "Crucifixion Draws Crowd". Every TOS episode on DVD, guarded by Daleks. A TARDIS. Metal Box (PiL). Some of my arts and crafts. My action figures. Tons of Manic Street Preachers and PiL CDs. A 3D holographic Dalek poster. An ant playing a trumpet, whom I named Adam Ant and is from Whoville. Star Trek movies. A newspaper cut-out of Sheldon and Leonard in their underwear. I could go on, but instead I will move on to the bottom...

Down here we have fun things like Star Trek: The Game. A tricorder. Star Trek Magazines. More Star Trek and Doctor Who novels. Star Trek and Doctor Who hardcovers. The floor. And if you look in behind the books, you will see Richey Edwards poking his head out from under the desk.

The rest of my things are on (hyperbole time again!) a million other shelves in my room, and my comics are in boxes. I love my room - it is filled with everything I have ever loved, but in excess. I swear to you now, there is nothing better.

Cybermen Vs. Daleks Poster

I managed to get my hands on the Doctor Who Magazine from December 1991 - Issue 182. Not only does it have amazing artwork on the cover, but it also has a wee Sylvester McCoy in the corner (I do love the Seventh Doctor).

The best part is the free poster inside, featuring the Mondasian Cybermen battling the Daleks. Interestingly enough, we don't actually see the Daleks and Cybermen together until "Doomsday" in 2006 (Terry Nation, the creator of the Daleks, never did agree to have them appear together).

I have this poster up on the wall right beside my bed, so whenever my Dalek alarm clock goes off, I open my eyes and see this battle scene. It's a great way to wake up in the morning.