Sycorax

The Sycorax are a superstitious race of warriors which attempted to invade Earth in Christmas, 2006. (DW: The Christmas Invasion)

Biology
The Sycorax were humanoid in basic appearance with glowing red eyes. Sycorax have have both an endo- and exoskeleton. This exoskeleton covers part of their head (giving them a skull-like appearance), while the rest of their face is vulnerable skin. (DW: The Christmas Invasion) Sycorax can live for 400 years. (Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary)

Culture
Sycorax culture was made primarily of warlike tribes which survive by looting other planets. Sycorax have a sense of honour and pride, with some respect for the laws of combat. They will never turn down a challenge by combat. Though they had advanced technology such as interstellar space travel and energy whips, they are still a superstitious race who believed in magic and witchcraft. (DW: The Christmas Invasion) Sycorax wear skull-helmets to impress their enemies, and red-robes as a sign of leadership. They will take trophies of body parts from conquered races, such as bones, skin or hair. (Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary)


 * Their skull masks, ritualised society and voodoo-like use of Blood Control are all highly reminiscent of Faction Paradox, who share those traits and techniques. They may be one of the cultures the Faction 'seeded', such as the Remote (EDA: Interference), or inheritors of one of the caches of Faction technology that were left scattered through time following the fall of the Eleven-Day Empire (MB: Coming to Dust).

The Sycorax worship the god Astrphia. (DWF: The Final Darkness) Sycorax have many ancient rituals involving the suns and moons. As such, they leave a hole in their space-ships for the solar and lunar light to get in. (Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary)

The native language of the Sycolrax is Sycoraxic. (DW: The Christmas Invasion)

Technology
The Sycorax use asteroids as spacecraft, which are fitted with a All Speed Inter-System Type K engine to move them. They have teleporters to move Sycorax in and out of the ship. The first of these asteroids was the home-world of the Sycorax, the Fire Trap. More asteroids were added later on by other tribes, creating the Sycorax Armada.

The Sycorax used energy whips, which could destroy all the flesh in someone's body, leaving only burnt bones. During the invasion of Earth, the Halvinor Tribe used blood control. (Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary)

History


UNIT had no record of the Sycorax ever in their files, suggesting that the following was their first encounter with Earth, despite their apparent familiarity with its location and solar system.

A Human space probe, Guinevere One, crashed into the spaceship of the Halvinor Tribe near Mars. The Sycorax's intent was to enslave humanity and steal their resources. With a sample of A+ blood from the probe, they would use blood control to force humanity into surrendering. Their leader controlled everyone with the A+ blood type, commanding them to stand on the top of the tallest buildings. Then-Prime Minister of the Great Britain Harriet Jones and several UNIT personnel were brought to the Sycorax spaceship where they deliver their ultimatum: Half of the world to be sold into slavery or one third kill themselves.

The Doctor (who had just regenerated) and his allies Mickey and Rose and were inside his TARDIS. The Sycorax picked up a signal from the TARDIS’ advanced technology and teleported them to their ship. The Doctor activated the blood control but no humans killed themselves; their survival instincts were too strong. The Sycorax were forced to leave Earth and humanity alone after the Doctor defeated their leader in a sword duel. Although the Sycorax ship was retreating and leaving Earth Harriet Jones, ordered Torchwood to fire at it and had it destroyed outright. The Doctor considered this an act of mass murder. (DW: The Christmas Invasion)

The Sycorax used an on-board energy detectors to realise this threat. They realised that they would die and so placed a curse upon Earth. (DWF: The Final Darkness)

Other References

 * When the Doctor travelled to 1599, an animal skull reminded him of that of a Sycorax's, giving William Shakespeare the idea to name a character in one of his plays, The Tempest. (DW: The Shakespeare Code)