Ascension of the Cybermen (TV story)

I don't think this is the place for me, or anyone, to go into the Timeless Child arc. I like it, in fact I like it more the more I think about it, but this isn't really the place for that. There's more to these episodes than just that. Ascension of the Cybermen is (apart from World Enough and Time) my favourite Cyber-story since the 1960s. Their new design is magnificent, as is that of the Cybermasters. Sacha Dhawan is fantastic once again, as is Jodie Whittaker. There are two things I really adore however. 1) The story with Brendan. I remember being fascinated by it the first time around, thinking he was going to turn out to be Ashad. It's a great mystery, with a genuinely sinister climax. 2) Bravo to Segun Akinola for fitting in the theme tune mid-episode.

Let me preface this by saying that I know a LOT of people despise this series. I do too! Orphan 55 is genuinely one of the stupidest episodes I have ever seen and the make-up on Hyphen is just awful. The timeless child arc and the revolution of the daleks special that basically retconned the entirety of the show really disappointed me. That being said, however, I really feel like it received too much hate. If you disagree with me, I totally understand! I'd just like to know why you think that, because I'll be presenting my favorite parts of the series. Let me know what you think!

SPYFALL

Honestly I really really liked this episode. Jodie was finally given a competent script that showcased her talents and I could see a little bit of the Doctor finally shining through! The visuals and direction were absolutely SPECTACULAR. The camerawork and CGI were beautiful to behold. The eiffel tower scene was BEAUTIFUL, but the plot was fairly complicated. However, I really did enjoy it. But it kind of annoyed me how they completely destroyed the character of Missy for a one-off (sort of) villain.

FUGITIVE OF THE JUDOON

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. Really really interesting implications and I was hooked. The Captain Jack teasing did annoy me, though. I wish they'd actually made him a part of the episode because I didn't appreciate that. I did enjoy the episode, though. Jo Martin had an interesting take on the doctor that I've grown to appreciate.

PRAXEUS

Chibnall got a little too pushy on the plot with the ethics and morals, but I did enjoy it when I first watched it! The plot drew me in and I liked the characters and ideas it used. I totally understand if you didn't though, it did have some flaws.

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

I didn't hate it but upon my first watch I kind of enjoyed it, I guess? Pretty engaging story but the Doctor talking to herself kind of annoyed me. I didn't like that, I thought it was weird. That being said, though, I kind of enjoyed it in a way!

THE HAUNTING OF VILLA DIODATI

I really really really liked this episode! The suspense, the VFX, and Ashad were incredible to see and I really liked it.

ASCENSION OF THE CYBERMAN/TIMELESS CHILDREN

Again, as I've said before, stunning CGI and effects. It was beautiful to watch and I loved the visuals. However, the direction they chose was really strange. I appreciated the cyberman redesign but the choice to DESTROY gallifrey, AGAIN, was ridiculous. We'd finally gotten it back, and Chris decided to write it off! That really really really bugged me and I was very irritated. Howevever, it did make for a good watch, and the scene where the Doctor overloaded the matrix with her thoughts was super cool. The Boundary was really weak writing and I definitely agree with the idea that the Timeless Child should've been the Master. Annoyed me for sure, but it was fun to watch and I really enjoyed it despite the stupid storywriting.

What did you think? I'm really interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this! I've never posted to a Doctor Who community and I'm really nervous. I totally understand if you disagree, I'd LOVE to hear your takes on it. I'm really curious to hear y'all's opinions. I hope you have a lovely day :)

In the Matrix redaction of the Timeless Child of Gallifreyan history it is clearly shown that Brendan is adopted by two individuals.

With minor details it would be easy to disregard but this seems pretty significant to me, and even if it were not there seems to have been less significant details represented in the Brendan projection.

So I was just wondering who you thought this figure may be, seeing as the only Shobogan we heard about was Tecteun, but it definitely seems as though there should've been at least one other significant figure, Shobogan or not, in the life of the Timeless child.

Okay, it's just a theory, but I'm really confident in it! I'm going to detail it with pictures because I love visual aids in my discussions! Now, Allons-y!

We know the Cyber-Warriors want to make a siege on Gallifrey. But why? With their extensive knowledge, they must know Gallifrey is decimated, with no Time Lords left to convert!

We also know Brendan was a baby found on a planet with human-like creatures and aged faster than them. He also survived a gunshot wound and falling from a cliff, all before having his memory-wiped.

We ALSO know Gallifrey was built on the lie of this "Timeless Child." Now, we've seen the Timeless Child, so we know it isn't Brendan, but he does seem somewhat timeless, doesn't he? What if he was an attempted experiment by the humans to try and create a Timeless Child, and immortal being who could outlive all others? But, in the end, only one proper one could be produced. So the rest settled for the next best thing: being able to change their faces, rewriting their biology every time they die to survive for thousands of years!

That's right, the Time Lords are future humans! Of course, since we've seen that the human race survives more or less as is until 100 trillion, they'd have to be descendants of colonists who left Earth, likely at the start of the Cyber-Wars, who landed on Gallifrey, once a lush and placid planet, and tried experimenting on children to try and survive in a better, more humane way than the Cybermen did. Brendan was a failed attempt at making the race immortal. The Master realized that this was why the Doctor loved humans so much: because the idea of humans and Earth are buried in the memories of every Time Lord!

The Timeless Child is likely used as some kind of power source, which is why the Lone Cyberman wants to get to Gallifrey, wanting to use it as a weapon to destroy. It would also explain why the Master was so angry at this revelation, because the High Council of Time Lords also ruined his life as a child with the Drumming. This is where the Fugitive Doctor (let's go with the Third Doctor theory) comes in.

She learned of the innocent little immortal girl the High Council of Gallifrey was keeping captive to harness her energy and went rogue from the Time Lords, trying to free it. They captured her, wiped her memories of that entire regeneration, and one of the Council was forced to transfer a regeneration of their own to her so she wouldn't notice. Then they killed her, placed him in the TARDIS in the Second Doctor's clothes, and sent him to Earth, with no memory beyond being forced to regenerate in The War Games.

So how will it all change? Well, for starters, one of our companions will die, that's a given. If not Ryan, he'll probably leave the TARDIS. Hell, they'll probably all get forced out by the Doctor trying to force them all from danger and protect them from harm! The Doctor and the Master will fight, the Master trying to utilize the Child's power because we all know he's a hypocrite. The Cybermen or the Master will gain the power of the Child, and Ashad will die, believing he's accomplished his purpose. Either way, the new wielder of the Timeless Child's power will disappear to continue this arc in a future season, much like Dalek Caan's disappearance in Evolution of the Daleks. The Doctor will now be alone, prepared to fight another Time War, among the last of the Time Lords once again.

So what does this all mean? It means Doctor Who is finished, the show as we know it is over. Nothing will ever be the same. It truly will change, and be darker and more action-packed than ever before in Season 13.

It's a lot to assume, I know. But if I'm right, it means HUGE things for the entire Whoniverse. As for Ko Shamus, he's no one, and Jack will return to meet the Doctor next season. I really hope I'm at least somewhat right, because this is definitely the direction I want the show to go in next.

Am I right? Wrong? Only Sunday will tell. But until then, tell me what you think! Share your thoughts! Theories! Comments! Questions! Corrections! Weird personal facts you should've kept personal! Let me know! Love you all! Thanks for enduring this!!!

To celebrate the return of my favorite Doctor Who antagonists in Season 12, here are the moments featuring the Cybermen that scared me the most:

5. "Let us see what the future holds." - Assimilation²

Kind of a cheat, but still very much effective, the Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover comic, Assimilation², is still canon and worthy of a mention. When the prime Star Trek universe and Whoniverse were merged by the Cybermen, the Borg contacted the Enterprise to assist them in defeating them. When Captain Picard refuses to accept the Borg's assistance due to personal history with them, the Eleventh Doctor takes him to see a future where the Cybermen have conquered the Whoniverse and prime Star Trek universe. While it is neat to see Cyber-Vulcans and Klingons alongside Cyber-Slitheen and Judoon, it's important in the story, and truly shows the horror and danger of what will happen if they lose.

4. "You think the Cybermen will help you!?" - The Tomb of the Cybermen

Although The Tenth Planet is my favorite classic Cybermen story, their scariest moment has to be in The Tomb of the Cybermen. An expedition to a tundra joined by the Second Doctor and his companions reveals a Telosian Cybermen tomb, filled with sleeping Cybermen. Once uncovered, they break their way out of the tomb. While you can make the argument to it being goofy retro sci-fi, the slow way they awkwardly push their way out of the plastic just looks wrong, making the viewer uncomfortable in all the right ways.

3. "I slit their throats once they joined the resistance!" - The Haunting of Villa Diodati

While there's definitely something to be said for nearly all of his moments in both this episode and Ascension of the Cybermen, The Haunting of Villa Diodati had the scariest moment of the Lone Cyberman so far, at least in my opinion. When the Lone Cyberman meets Mary Shelley, she asks if he had children, trying to comfort him and stop his rampage. He seems to listen at first, answering that he did have children. Then he grabs Shelley by the throat and lifts her off the ground! "I did have children," he says, "I slit their throats when they joined the resistance!" Need I say more?

2. "Pain..." - World Enough and Time

Let's be honest, I could have picked about seven different moments from World Enough and Time, given that it is my favorite Cyberman, and Twelfth Doctor story, of all time (coupled with The Doctor Falls, of course), but this one still chills me to the bone every time I think about it. When the Doctor, Missy, Nardole and Bill land on a Mondasian colony ship, they encounter the Patients, dying Mondasians who aren't fully converted yet. Because of this, their emotional inhibitors aren't activated, and all they can say is, "Pain." Look at these things. Imagine them robotically and slowly saying "pain" over and over again, emotionless but somehow still hurting. All as they slowly walk towards you. I just gave you nightmares for a year. You're welcome.

1. "I am... Bill Potts." - World Enough and Time

How could it be anything else? The cliffhanger in World Enough And Time is the best in Doctor Who, and is made all the more horrifying by the revelation that lovable companion Bill Potts was converted into a Cyberman. Searching for a missing and wounded Bill, the Doctor and Nardole come across a fully converted Cyberman. The Doctor backs away from it as it lumbers toward him, asking it where Bill is. After much scanning and locating of its neural net, it gave the blood-chilling answer of "I am Bill Potts." Many of us watching the episode (myself included) already knew it was coming ("We've got something for that..."), but none of us wanted to believe it, hoping it would be a trick. But these words sadly and horrifyingly confirmed our worst fears: Bill Potts was lost to the Cybermen, and while she was (sort of) restored in The Doctor Falls, she would never be the same, and soon after, she left the show for good. It was a brilliant twist and the scariest Cybermen moment to date, beating everything I already listed AND everything in last night's episode by a landslide. Swear to God, I haven't had a good night's sleep since June 24, 2017.

What do you think? Are there any I missed? What Cybermen moment terrified you the most? Jackie's conversion? Adric's death? One of these? The alliance with the Borg? Let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts!