Tardis

New to Doctor Who or returning after a break? Check out our guides designed to help you find your way!

READ MORE

Tardis
Advertisement
Tardis

The Movellan virus was developed by the Movellans to attack Dalek casings and tissue.

History[]

In the early stages of the Dalek-Movellan War, the Daleks divested their organic nature to become robotic entities to better understand the Movellans. When this led to a logical stalemate, the Daleks returned to their organic roots and began making small gains in the war. Deducing from this that the Daleks were organic creatures, the Movellans began researching ways to target the Dalek mutant. (PROSE: Dalek Combat Training Manual [+]Richard Atkinson and Mike Tucker, BBC Books (2021)., Dalek: The Astounding Untold History of the Greatest Enemies of the Universe [+]George Mann, Justin Richards and Cavan Scott, Dalek: The Astounding Untold History of the Greatest Enemies of the Universe (Ebury Publishing, 2017).) According to one account, the First Movellan was inspired to the create the virus when Davros attempted to spread a computer virus throughout the Movellan network. (AUDIO: The Triumph of Davros [+]Matt Fitton, Dalek Universe (Big Finish Productions, 2021).)

Its effects were immediate and devastating. Symptoms included loss of motor control and expulsion of a whitish, foamy substance from vents and seals in the Dalek's casing. The infrastructure of the Dalek Empire was so damaged by the virus, the empire broke into factions and fled to distant parts of the universe to avoid infection and find a cure. (TV: Resurrection of the Daleks [+]Eric Saward, Doctor Who season 21 (BBC1, 1984).)

Davros was rescued by the Black Dalek Leader to develop a cure. Davros instead tried to use the virus to destroy the Daleks loyal to the Supreme Dalek and subsequently develop Daleks completely loyal to him. However, Davros' Kaled tissue proved vulnerable to the virus and he began to display symptoms before escaping captivity. (TV: Resurrection of the Daleks [+]Eric Saward, Doctor Who season 21 (BBC1, 1984).) According to The Lives and Deaths of Davros, his analysis had been sent to Dalek Supreme Command, allowing for a cure for the virus (PROSE: The Secret Lives of Monsters [+]Justin Richards, BBC Books (2014).) to be synthesised by Dalek scientists, resulting in the remnants of the Dalek army coming to reassemble itself.

By one account, it was the new viral technology developed to combat the Movellan virus which granted the Daleks an immunity to the space plague which struck the galaxy, precipitating in the Exxilon Gambit. (PROSE: The History of the Daleks [+]John Peel and Terry Nation, The Official Doctor Who & the Daleks Book (St Martin's Press, 1988).)

The Thals later developed a concentrated form of the virus, a thousand times deadlier. It would kill immediately, spreading throughout the entire Dalek race in seconds if it was released on Skaro. (AUDIO: The Davros Mission [+]Nicholas Briggs, I, Davros (Big Finish Productions, 2007).)

During the Great War, the Daleks were driven from Mars by a virus that was hypothesised to be derived from the Movellan virus. (PROSE: The Whoniverse [+]George Mann and Justin Richards, BBC Books (2016).)

During the Last Great Time War, the Time Lords had a sample of the virus cultured in laboratory condition but early tests suggested that the Daleks had succeeded in gaining immunity. (PROSE: Dalek Combat Training Manual [+]Richard Atkinson and Mike Tucker, BBC Books (2021).)

Advertisement