Cyberman

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The Cybermen are a fictional race of cyborgs from Doctor Who. They start as humans who replace their body parts with mechanical parts to survive, then remove most of their emotions to become a unified, emotionless army. Their goal is to grow their numbers by converting others into Cybermen and to take over or control worlds.

Origin and appearance
- Created by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, they first appeared in The Tenth Planet (1966). In that story, the Mondasians on the twin planet Mondas upgrade themselves to survive.
- Over the years, the Cybermen changed a lot in look and backstory. Early versions showed some human parts; later ones were fully robotic with helmets, chest units, and “handles” on the head. There are leaders and controllers who command other Cybermen.
- A later, popular origin in 2006 placed Cybermen in a parallel-universe London, created by Cybus Industries. This version upgrades many people with robotic shells and brain transplants.

How they work
- Cybermen convert humans and similar species through a painful process called cyber-conversion or upgrading. Their brains are kept, but most of their emotions are suppressed by emotional inhibitors.
- They are intelligent, organized, and often work from behind the scenes before launching big confrontations.

Weapons and weaknesses
- They use a variety of built-in and handheld weapons, including energy guns, electric discharges, and weapons connected to their chest units. They also deploy tiny cybermats—small robotic creatures that help in attacks or reconnaissance.
- A famous weakness in the original stories is gold, which could harm or slow them. In newer versions, this weakness is no longer relied on, and they can be defeated by other means such as advanced weaponry or the Doctor’s tactics.
- Some Cybermen have special forms, like the Cyber Leaders, Cyber Controllers, and the newer Cyber Masters, each with distinctive abilities or brains displayed.

Notable appearances and media
- The Cybermen are one of Doctor Who’s most enduring foes, appearing across many Doctors from the 1960s to today.
- They’ve also shown up in Torchwood, Big Finish audio dramas, Doctor Who novels, comics, video games, and crossover stories (including a well-known Star Trek crossover).
- The design and origins have evolved many times, reflecting changing storytelling needs and new technologies, but their core idea—humans turning into machine-based beings to survive and dominate—remains central.

Why they matter
- The Cybermen explore themes about technology replacing humanity, the ethics of upgrading ourselves, and the fear of losing what makes us human. They’re a recognizable symbol of technological fear in the Doctor Who universe, continually reinvented while staying true to their core concept.