Cyber series - Introduction to the Cybermen
So, here's the first part of the series. It's the first time I do that kind of thing and knowing myself, it'll probably be a bit messy. However, I'll do my best to keep it organized (and entertaining, since I'm not aiming to do something too serious and there's already the TARDIS Data Core for that). Also, as I said in the masterpost, I'll mostly be speaking of the Pete's World Cybermen, which I'll call Lumic Cybermen (as opposed to the Mondasian Cybermen in Classic Who).
So, this first entry will feature basic informations on the Cybermen and some of my thoughts about them. It's a bit longer than what I expected, even more when I did delayed most of the writing because I thought I wouldn't have much to add. I was wrong though; that intro part was just like a paragraph in the original draft and I intended to couple it with some other stuff. It grew into a full part though. Anyway, after speaking so much of this in my last posts I hope you'll like it (and I've love some feedback, discussions are always interesting).
And what's better than Cybermen dancing the Macarena to begin the post?
Cybermen are one of the most iconic villains of the show, along with the Daleks and the Master. They were first introduced in the Tenth Planet, which also saw the First Doctor regenerate. Originally, they were humanoids from Mondas, Earth's twin planet, who underwent cybernetic augmentations and eventually became Cybermen, getting rid of these filthy and useless emotions in the process. Also, they replaced their original method of reproduction by the cyber-conversion process, which allows them to convert other species into fellow Cybermen. Their main goal is to unify the universe by upgrading everyone coming in contact with them, and killing those they can't convert.
In the reboot, we were first introduced to them back in season 2, during Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel. Same principle, just a different origin. I absolutely loved their backstory, simple but still efficient. I loved the 'emotions are a weakness' part and how they fought, i.e. dirty.
One of my first thoughts about them was they'd potential to make such a great counterpart to the Daleks. They hadn't the firepower of a single Dalek of course, but they had the number and all the cunning. Also, in contrast to the Daleks, the Cybermen were 'innocent', in a very sad and frightening way. You know, in one hand you've got the Daleks who kill everyone not Dalek (or other Daleks not Dalek enough) and basically are puddles of hate (and sometimes, fear). The Cybermen though? They don't have that. They don't have emotions.
Oh a pin-striped suit, seems familiar! XD
Anyway, I love the contrast between his expression and the cybermen behind.
So that's one of the conversation between Lumic and one of his Cybermen during Age of Steel:
John Lumic: My everlasting children. Tell me... how does it feel?
Cyberman: We feel nothing.
John Lumic: But in your minds, what do you think?
Cyberman: We think the same. We are uniform.
John Lumic: But you think of what?
Cyberman: We think of the humans. We think of their difference and their pain. They suffer in the skin. They must be upgraded.
And that sums up pretty much everything about them. They aren't malicious. Or rather, their intent and stand about humans (or other species for that matter) isn't malicious. How could they be when they've got no emotions? They've got no moral, not because they're "evil" or "hating", it's just because they can't feel what'd be wrong and what'd be right to do. From their point of view, seeing that they were created by John Lumic's fear and pain, they are the solution. And that's a no-emotion policy. That's how they were programmed, and we can say Lumic did a pretty good job since they never strayed from that path.
Actually, it's a very common trope in dystopias: true equality and perfection can only be achieved by uniformity. As such, emotions are deemed a nuisance to that goal because negativity steers from the fact one can feel. The example I've got in mind right now is Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series. In it, every teenager, 'Uglies', once they reach 16, get turned into 'Pretties' by an extreme cosmetic surgery, where they also get brainwashed. Basically, Pretties are all beautiful and perfect, but incredibly stupid and can't think for themselves. Second that comes in mind is Brave New World.
But back to the Cybermen. Their relative 'innocence' excuse neither their acts nor makes them less of a genocidal species and overall sneaky bastards. But that's why they make such a good balance to the Daleks, ones are too full of emotions and the other devoid of them, both are completely monomaniac and megalomaniac. Similar goals, different ways. Daleks want to conquer the universe by destroying everyone else (or enslaving them, depends on the faction and time). Cybermen want to unify the universe by converting everyone else into fellow Cybermen. In the end, they're still the only ones left and there isn't one who's better than the other.
And this is becoming a bit long for an introduction so I'll add a last thing that makes me love the Cybermen. They are made from humans/humanoids, it adds so much more to their spookiness because it's easier to think they could be us in a distant future: not appearance-wise, but the ideology and robot-like thinking (propaganda does make miracles if given enough time and dedication) and they are some people in real life who have similar way of thinking.
click on the banner to get to the masterpost
So, this first entry will feature basic informations on the Cybermen and some of my thoughts about them. It's a bit longer than what I expected, even more when I did delayed most of the writing because I thought I wouldn't have much to add. I was wrong though; that intro part was just like a paragraph in the original draft and I intended to couple it with some other stuff. It grew into a full part though. Anyway, after speaking so much of this in my last posts I hope you'll like it (and I've love some feedback, discussions are always interesting).
And what's better than Cybermen dancing the Macarena to begin the post?
Cybermen are one of the most iconic villains of the show, along with the Daleks and the Master. They were first introduced in the Tenth Planet, which also saw the First Doctor regenerate. Originally, they were humanoids from Mondas, Earth's twin planet, who underwent cybernetic augmentations and eventually became Cybermen, getting rid of these filthy and useless emotions in the process. Also, they replaced their original method of reproduction by the cyber-conversion process, which allows them to convert other species into fellow Cybermen. Their main goal is to unify the universe by upgrading everyone coming in contact with them, and killing those they can't convert.
In the reboot, we were first introduced to them back in season 2, during Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel. Same principle, just a different origin. I absolutely loved their backstory, simple but still efficient. I loved the 'emotions are a weakness' part and how they fought, i.e. dirty.
One of my first thoughts about them was they'd potential to make such a great counterpart to the Daleks. They hadn't the firepower of a single Dalek of course, but they had the number and all the cunning. Also, in contrast to the Daleks, the Cybermen were 'innocent', in a very sad and frightening way. You know, in one hand you've got the Daleks who kill everyone not Dalek (or other Daleks not Dalek enough) and basically are puddles of hate (and sometimes, fear). The Cybermen though? They don't have that. They don't have emotions.
Oh a pin-striped suit, seems familiar! XD
Anyway, I love the contrast between his expression and the cybermen behind.
So that's one of the conversation between Lumic and one of his Cybermen during Age of Steel:
John Lumic: My everlasting children. Tell me... how does it feel?
Cyberman: We feel nothing.
John Lumic: But in your minds, what do you think?
Cyberman: We think the same. We are uniform.
John Lumic: But you think of what?
Cyberman: We think of the humans. We think of their difference and their pain. They suffer in the skin. They must be upgraded.
And that sums up pretty much everything about them. They aren't malicious. Or rather, their intent and stand about humans (or other species for that matter) isn't malicious. How could they be when they've got no emotions? They've got no moral, not because they're "evil" or "hating", it's just because they can't feel what'd be wrong and what'd be right to do. From their point of view, seeing that they were created by John Lumic's fear and pain, they are the solution. And that's a no-emotion policy. That's how they were programmed, and we can say Lumic did a pretty good job since they never strayed from that path.
Actually, it's a very common trope in dystopias: true equality and perfection can only be achieved by uniformity. As such, emotions are deemed a nuisance to that goal because negativity steers from the fact one can feel. The example I've got in mind right now is Scott Westerfeld's Uglies series. In it, every teenager, 'Uglies', once they reach 16, get turned into 'Pretties' by an extreme cosmetic surgery, where they also get brainwashed. Basically, Pretties are all beautiful and perfect, but incredibly stupid and can't think for themselves. Second that comes in mind is Brave New World.
But back to the Cybermen. Their relative 'innocence' excuse neither their acts nor makes them less of a genocidal species and overall sneaky bastards. But that's why they make such a good balance to the Daleks, ones are too full of emotions and the other devoid of them, both are completely monomaniac and megalomaniac. Similar goals, different ways. Daleks want to conquer the universe by destroying everyone else (or enslaving them, depends on the faction and time). Cybermen want to unify the universe by converting everyone else into fellow Cybermen. In the end, they're still the only ones left and there isn't one who's better than the other.
And this is becoming a bit long for an introduction so I'll add a last thing that makes me love the Cybermen. They are made from humans/humanoids, it adds so much more to their spookiness because it's easier to think they could be us in a distant future: not appearance-wise, but the ideology and robot-like thinking (propaganda does make miracles if given enough time and dedication) and they are some people in real life who have similar way of thinking.
click on the banner to get to the masterpost