Supreme Dalek

The Supreme Dalek was the name given to many Daleks, usually within the Black Dalek ranks, to serve the role of commander. This title could refer to the leader of a specific operation, territory, faction or of the entire Dalek race in the absence of the Dalek Emperor.

22nd century Dalek invasion of Earth (2157 - 2167)
A Black Dalek known as a Supreme Controller directed the Bedfordshire operation. It had a terrifying pet called the Slyther, which it used to let roam free around the mines at night, killing those it found. The Supreme Controller's voice was considerably higher than the other Daleks'. A black-and-silver-coloured Dalek referred to as the Saucer Commander was also used during this invasion. (TV: The Dalek Invasion of Earth)

Alternate timeline of the 22nd century
The Daleks on Earth were led by a Gold Dalek in an alternate timeline in which World War III had occurred in the 1970s, enabling the Daleks to take over. (TV: Day of the Daleks)


 * "The Dalek Tapes", a feature in the Genesis of the Daleks DVD, presented this Dalek as being a member of the Supreme Council.

Dalek invasion of Spiridon
During the 26th century, Supreme Daleks were gold with black trim. The Master liaised with one after he'd been hired to start another human-Draconian war. (TV: Frontier in Space)

Another, a member of the Dalek's Supreme Council, arrived to take command of operations on the planet Spiridon. He exterminated the Dalek Section Leader for its incompetence and ended up stranded after Thals stole his ship, but called for another one. The second Supreme had an eye-stalk that lit up when it was speaking. (TV: Planet of the Daleks) The Dalek Tapes feature presented all golden Dalek Supremes as members of the Council.

Circa 4000
A Dalek Supreme also led the Daleks on the planet Kembel, as well as dispatching a Dalek execution squad. (TV: The Daleks' Master Plan, The Chase).

The Dalek Emperor used black-domed Daleks as lieutenants and guards. (TV: The Evil of the Daleks)

Dalek-Movellan War
The Dalek Supreme was the Supreme Commander of the Daleks during the war with the Movellans. A Dalek lieutenant, a Dalek of a darker shade of grey than the rest, was also of an intermediate rank at that time. (TV: Destiny of the Daleks)

Imperial-Renegade Dalek Civil War
A schism developed between the Daleks led by the Dalek Supreme and those still loyal to their creator Davros. Following the Dalek-Movellan War, the Supreme Dalek was a fully black Dalek, with white bumps and a more hollow voice. He was destroyed when the prison station holding Davros self-destructed, taking the Dalek ship with it. (TV: Resurrection of the Daleks) When Renegade Daleks captured Davros for trial, he tried to convince them he was their master, to which they responded they obeyed only the Supreme Dalek. Davros stated he could make them all Supreme Daleks but they would not release him. (TV: Revelation of the Daleks)

During the civil war, another Dalek Supreme was the leader of the Renegade Daleks that opposed the Imperial Daleks commanded by Davros, now calling himself the Dalek Emperor. The Dalek Supreme ended up as the last surviving member of the original, Kaled-descended Daleks. The Seventh Doctor convinced it that it had no purpose. At this point, in a state of confusion and distress, it destroyed itself. This variation was also mainly black, but had silver sensor globes, shoulder slats and neck rings, orange dome-lights, and a less-tapered "skirt" section. (TV: Remembrance of the Daleks)

53rd century
A Supreme Dalek, assisted by a Black Dalek, lead the invasion of the New Earth System aboard the Dalek Hive. It planned to collapse the star into a black hole and invade the multiverse to exterminate all impure Daleks. It was significantly larger than other Daleks and possessed an actual eye with veins and a claw-manipulator. It was destroyed by the impure Daleks. (COMIC: Fire and Brimstone)

New Dalek Empire
After the return of Davros and the reestablishment of the Dalek race, a red Supreme Dalek took charge of the New Dalek Empire. His casing had gold ridges around it, and its spheres were also golden. The Supreme Dalek spoke in a deeper voice similar to that of the Emperor. He was killed by Jack Harkness when he attempted to kill Davros and the Doctor. (TV: The Stolen Earth/Journey's End)

New Dalek Paradigm
Three survivors of an encounter with the Doctor, with their heavily-damaged Dalek saucer, located a Progenitor device, capable of restoring the Dalek race, which refused to activate for them due to their "impurity". The Daleks decided to lure the Eleventh Doctor to them by posing as man-made machines in World War II. Gaining the Doctor's "testimony" that they were truly Daleks, the Progenitor finally activated for them, creating a new faction of improved Daleks who considered themselves superior. These Daleks were led by a white Dalek Supreme. Under the Supreme's orders, the old Daleks were destroyed by the new ones. The Supreme Dalek then threatened to destroy the Earth using an Oblivion Continuum. While the Doctor rushed to Earth to disarm the device, the Supreme Dalek and his subordinates departed the era in a time corridor to go on and rebuild the Daleks. (TV: Victory of the Daleks)

Alternate versions
The Master apparently fought a Supreme Dalek on the hills of the Never Vault during the Time War. (TV: The Witch's Familiar)

A Supreme Dalek oversaw the placement of the Eye of Time in the ruins of Kaalann. However, its plot was foiled by the Eleventh Doctor and Amy, reversing the invasion of Earth and sending the Supreme Dalek and his army back to their own time and space. (GAME: City of the Daleks)

A Supreme Dalek appeared at the opening of the Pandorica. (TV: The Pandorica Opens)

The Eleventh Doctor found a dying Supreme Dalek and took information about the Silence from its memory banks. (TV: The Wedding of River Song)

Another Supreme was an inmate of the Dalek Asylum. (TV: Asylum of the Daleks)

A Dalek Supreme served under the Dalek Time Controller during their plan involving the Doctor and the Sunlight Worlds. (PROSE: The Dalek Generation)

A Supreme Dalek commanded the Daleks on a rebuilt Skaro. This Supreme ordered the extermination of and Clara Oswald. (TV: The Magician's Apprentice) These Daleks were destroyed by the rejuvenated Daleks in the sewers. (TV: The Witch's Familiar)

Behind the scenes

 * A Supreme Dalek appeared in two short length BBC sketches featuring Matt Lucas and David Walliams promoting a new comedy, Come Fly With Me. The first sketch features the Dalek collecting a boarding pass at Heathrow Airport and telling the hostess that it is going to Skaro. The second sketch features the Dalek leaving the airport, with shopping bags on its plunger arm and being distracted by two attractive air hostesses.


 * Many pre-Time War Supreme Daleks appeared in audio stories and comic strips.


 * The rank of Supreme Dalek is equivalent to an Army General and subordinate of a Dalek Emperor on Skaro during the invasion of Mutter's Spiral in the 42nd century and 67th century. (AUDIO: Dalek Empire)


 * A Supreme Dalek appears in Gallifrey series. It has a Time War casing with black dome and black globes.