Davros

In the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Davros is a wheelchair-bound scientist from the planet Skaro who created the Daleks during a long-running war between his race, the Kaleds, and their enemies the Thals. Horribly scarred and crippled, with only one functioning arm and one cybernetic "eye" mounted on his forehead, he depended upon his life-support chair completely; it would become an obvious inspiration for his eventual design of the Dalek.

Related Topics:
British - Science fiction television - Doctor Who - Skaro - Dalek - Kaled - Thal

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Davros is a megalomaniac — he believed that through his creations, the Daleks, he would become the supreme being and ruler of the universe. He is a brilliant scientist who has demonstrated mastery of robotics, metallurgy, chemistry, artificial intelligence, cloning, genetic engineering, biology and military tactics. The Doctor grudgingly admitted at one point that Davros is as smart as him. Davros and the Daleks were the creations of writer Terry Nation.

Related Topics:
Megalomania - Robotics - Metallurgy - Chemistry - Artificial intelligence - Cloning - Genetic engineering - Biology - Military tactic - Terry Nation

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Davros first appeared in the 1975 serial, Genesis of the Daleks, where he was played by Michael Wisher, whose performance in the role is acclaimed by many fans. It has been said that almost everything said by Davros in this story is quotable, with a discussion between himself and the Fourth Doctor on the topic of the creation of a hypothetical lethal virus being an example.

Related Topics:
1975 - Genesis of the Daleks - Michael Wisher - Fourth Doctor - Virus

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In Genesis, Davros realized that contamination from the nuclear and biological weapons used in the war were mutating the Kaled race. He artificially accelerated the process to examine the ultimate evolutionary end product. The mutatations were weak and crippled, no more than brains with tenticular appendages and with no hope of survival on their own. His solution was to remove all emotions pertaining to weakness, such as compassion, mercy and kindness, and place the mutants in tank-like "travel machines" that were partly based on the design of his wheelchair. He named these creatures Daleks, an anagram of Kaled. Davros quickly became obsessed with his creations, considering them to be the ultimate form of life and superior to all others. To stop his own people from shutting down his Dalek project, he arranged for them to be wiped out by the Thals. The Daleks then exterminated the Thal victors, but ultimately turned on Davros and apparently killed him.

Related Topics:
Nuclear - Biological - Anagram

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He proved too effective a character to be kept dead, however, and was resurrected four years later in 1979's Destiny of the Daleks (this time played by David Gooderson), on the grounds that his chair had a defense mechanism built in which had kept him in suspended animation and then, over a period of centuries, restored him. Further appearances followed in Resurrection of the Daleks and Revelation of the Daleks, where he created a new variety of Daleks loyal to him, distinguished from the others with white and gold livery and slightly changed design. In these serials, Davros was portrayed by Terry Molloy.

Related Topics:
1979 - Destiny of the Daleks - David Gooderson - Suspended animation - Resurrection of the Daleks - Revelation of the Daleks - Terry Molloy

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Davros's last appearance (played by Molloy) was as the Dalek Emperor in Remembrance of the Daleks, with his white and gold Daleks termed "Imperial Daleks". By this time, Davros was physically reduced to a head in a customised Dalek casing. In the serial, set in London in 1963, both he and Skaro were apparently destroyed by the Seventh Doctor using the Time Lord artifact known as the Hand of Omega. However, a Dalek on the bridge of Davros's ship was seen reporting that the Emperor's escape pod was being launched at the time of its destruction, leaving a clear route to bring the character back in the future.

Related Topics:
Dalek Emperor - Remembrance of the Daleks - London - 1963 - Seventh Doctor - Time Lord - Hand of Omega

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In the 2005 series, it was revealed that the Daleks and the Time Lords had engaged in a mutually destructive Time War, although the Dalek Emperor survived to build a new race of Daleks. When the Emperor made its appearance in the season finale, The Parting of the Ways, it was a Dalek mutant floating in tank of fluid connected to a giant Dalek shell, and was evidently not Davros. Davros's status at this point, or any role he may have played in the Time War, is unknown.

Related Topics:
2005 - Time Lord - The Parting of the Ways

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Davros' catchphrase was "Excellent!" (see Montgomery Burns).

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