Cyber-Controller

A Cyber-Controller directed lesser-ranking Cybermen and Cyber-Leaders from the Cyber-Tombs and, later from Cyber-Control.

Biography
Around the 1970s, a Controller remarkably similar to the one on Telos was activated on Isos II to lead the counter-invasion of Earth after the first one was repelled. (AUDIO: The Isos Network, TV: The Invasion)

In 2006, the Seventh Doctor met the Cyber-Controller in its original form as the Cyber Co-ordinator. (PROSE: Iceberg)

In 2011, a group of Cybermen almost converted Craig Owens into a Cyber-Controller, but his "love" for his son overloaded their emotional inhibitors and caused them to explode, saving Craig from the complete process. (TV: Closing Time)

In the late 21st century, a Cyber-Controller led an attack on Space Station W3. Zoe Heriot brought the Cybermen into the Land of Fiction. The Cyber-Controller realised the potential of converting fictional characters and led an invasion of the Land of Fiction until Grendel's mother ripped its limbs off and the Lady of the Lake beheaded it. (AUDIO: Legend of the Cybermen)

In the 25th century, the Second Doctor and his companions found the Cyber-Controller in the Cyber-Tombs, and it immediately took charge of the Cybermen. Toberman, a partially cyber-converted human attacked the Controller just before the Doctor sealed off the Cyber-Tombs, freezing the Cybermen once more. (TV: The Tomb of the Cybermen) On returning to Telos, the Sixth Doctor met the Cyber-Controller again, this time in a more advanced body. A blast from a cyber-gun fired by the Doctor killed him. (TV: Attack of the Cybermen)

During the Cyber-Wars a Super Controller, which the Sixth Doctor described as "bloated," directed Cyber-forces from Telos before attempting to install Zoe as the new Controller since her mind was already compartmentalised. (AUDIO: Last of the Cybermen)

A Cyber-Controller attended Bonjaxx's birthday party at Maruthea. (COMIC: Party Animals)

In the far future, the Cyber-Controller took the Cybermen back in time to the early 21st century to convert all the humans on Earth. It was killed by the Eighth Doctor, who used the time vortex to turn it into dust. (COMIC: The Flood)

Alternative timeline
On the planet Chronos in the year 3286, the Sixth Doctor encountered a version of his companion, Evelyn Smythe, who had become the Cyber-Controller long before. This Controller planned to convert the Doctor himself into the next Cyber-Controller. This Cyber-Controller had come into existence when, Evelyn, infected by a techno-virus created by her own future self, had landed on 1927 Earth. The techno-virus had allowed the cyber-conversion of the humans who survived the virus. The Cyber-Controller herself infected Evelyn, her former self. Reece Goddard, a Cyberman from this timeline who resembled a human, killed this Cyber-Controller. Neither the Doctor or Evelyn realised the connection between her and this Controller. (AUDIO: Real Time, WC: Real Time)

Appearance
Taller than the others, the Controller found in the Cyber-tombs on Telos had an enlarged, dome-shaped semi-transparent brain case lit from the inside. He also lacked the Cyberman chest unit and the Cyberman head handles, and his head was grey instead of silver. The Cyber-Controller had such authority that, upon awakening, the other Cybermen appeared to salute him. (TV: The Tomb of the Cybermen) Later, when he co-ordinated actions from Telos, the Controller had changed physically, now having changed to resemble the other Cybermen of that era. He had a chest unit, but still lacked the Cyberman head handles. He also now had a metal, though still enlarged, brain case. (TV: Attack of the Cybermen)

Behind the scenes

 * The credits list in The Tomb of the Cybermen lists the Controller slightly differently, as the "Cyberman Controller".
 * Whether or not the title of Cyber-Controller belongs to a unique individual or more than one (sequentially or at the same time) remains unclear.