It has been over 50 years since the Doctor's old and most frequent enemies have made an appearance in the show, but finally, the original Cybermen are making a comeback in "Doctor Who" season 10. What will their return mean for the show?
The Mondasian Cybermen hailed from the planet Mondas. They used to be human but when they started to get physically weak, they turned to metal and plastic. They used it to transform themselves into emotionless semi-living robots and tried to convert every human being into their kind.
The last time they appeared on the show was back in 1966, wherein the Doctor (William Hartnell) got so exhausted from fighting them that he died and regenerated into a younger body. The former actor was then replaced by Patrick Troughton.
In the latest promotional image for season 10, the Doctor, now played by Peter Capaldi, is seen with his classic foes, the Cybermen. Since season 10 will be the last for Capaldi, as announced in January, will the return of the classic enemies pave the way for another regeneration? Will history repeat itself?
It looks like the show's giving Capaldi a memorable send-off with having the Cybermen return for his final "Doctor Who" stint. According to a report by The Telegraph, Capaldi wanted to see these old foes back in the show even if showrunner Steven Moffatt didn't want to bring back the robots.
"I'd also like to see – this is really one for geeks – the return of the Mondasian Cybermen," Capaldi said back in 2014. "They came from the Planet Mondas and first appeared in [the 1966 story] The Tenth Planet. They were absolutely terrifying, with cloth faces. That was really creepy," he added.
The Cybermen will return for the 11th and 12th episode of season 10, which are currently being filmed. The episodes were written by Moffat and directed by Rachel Talalay.
"Doctor Who" season 10 premieres Saturday, April 15, on BBC One and BBC America.
