DW 12-09: Ascension of the Cybermen

A guide to classic Who references in new Who.

Doctor Who Series 12, episode 9 in which the Doctor meets the Lone Cyberman. Again.

May contain spoilers for 

"Ascension of the Cybermen"

References

[OLD] - Things that first appeared in the classic series (or the film).

The following are also covered:

[NEW] - Things that first appeared in the new series.
[1ST] - Things appearing for the first time in the episode.

Previously on Doctor Who...

Cybermen

• [OLD] The cybermen were foe of the Doctor from the classic series. They last appeared in "World and Time Enough"/"The Doctor Falls" (Doctor Who (2005) series 10) where it was revealed that many different groups of Cybermen developed on different planets.

The Doctor

• [OLD] The main character of Doctor Who, classic series and new. Born on Gallifrey,  she is a Time Lord. Due to Time Lords' ability to regenerate this is the "Thirteen Doctor."

Sonic Screwdriver

• [OLD] The Doctor's favourite tool: the sonic screwdriver. First shown to be used by the Second Doctor in "Fury of the Deep" (Doctor Who (1963) season 5), it has been used almost constantly since. She built her current version in "The Woman Who Fell to Earth" (Doctor Who (2015) series 11). It can usually read everything.

The Lone Cyberman

• [NEW] First mentioned in a message given to the companions by Captain Jack Harkness in "Fugitive of the Judoon" (Doctor Who (2005) series 12). He appears first appeared in "The Haunting of Villa Diodati"(Doctor Who (2005) season 12) to be an unfinished version of the type that first appeared in "Nightmare in Silver" (Doctor Who (2005) series 7). 

The Master

• [OLD]  An enemy snd childhood friend of the Doctor, first introducted in the classic series. Like The Doctor and other Time Lords the Master can regenerate. He was last seen when the Kasaavin took him back to their dimension "Spyfall, part 2" (Doctor Who (2005) series 12).

Gallifrey

• [OLD] The Home Planet of the Time Lords. Appeared in the original series; first appearing in Second Doctor story "The War Games" (Doctor Who (1963) season 6) and its name first said by the Third Doctor in "The Time Warrior" (Doctor Who (1963)  season 11).  It last appeared in the old series in The Five Doctors special and was mentioned as the Seventh Doctor's destination in the beginning of the Doctor Who (1996) movie. It was destroyed in the Time War (between the movie and the new series), but was restored in "Day of the Doctor" (Doctor Who (2005) 50 Anniversary Special). It was revealed to have been destroyed again by the Master in "Spyfall, part 2" (Doctor Who (2005) series 12).

The TARDIS

• [OLD] The Doctor's time and space travel vehicle.  It stands for Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space.  Like a lot of the Doctor's race's technology, it is "bigger on the inside."  The Doctor stole her second-hand TARDIS when fleeing her homeworld. It is an older model ("Type 40") and unreliable, often ending up in the wrong location, and being unable to blend into its environment (a feature TARDISes should have). This is the 12th television story in the history of Doctor Who in which the TARDIS does not appear, although it is mentioned a few times.

This episode...

Neural Inhibitor System

• [1ST] The first appearance of this devices. The cyber-men's lack or emotion has been part of their make-up since their first story ("The Tenth Planet" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 4)), but the Emotional Inhibitor wasn't mentioned until "Age of Steel" (Doctor Who (2005) Series 2).

Allegic to gold 

• [OLD] In "Earthshock" (Doctor Who (1963) Season 19), "glitter guns" were used during the Cyber-Wars to fire gold-dust at Cyber-men, asphyxiating them by clogging their vents due to its non-corrosive nature. Later firing coins or gold tipped arrows would kill them.

Cyber-drones

• [1ST] The first appearance of these cyber-devices, although the term was used in comics for a partially converted Cyber-man.

Cyber-Legion Cybermen

• [NEW] These versions of the Cybermen first appeared in "A Good Man Goes to War" (Doctor Who (2005) series 6) but are very similar to the Cybus Cybermen but without the Cybus logo.

Cyberium

• [NEW] The first appearanced last episode.

Warrior-Class Cybermen

• [NEW] The first appearance of this model of cybermen.

~ DUG.

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The Time Crash blog was created to help New Who fans understand Classic Who references - and to know if something isn't a reference but a new idea.  If there's a reference I missed or a subject that you feel needs more explaining, please comment.