As I was composing my History of the Cybermen series, I wanted to get into the various capabilities and special features of each model. I found my word-count was starting to get just a bit too high, though, so I decided to make it a special entry all on its own. Since it helps to see what the model looks like, I decided to go a bit crazy with attaching pictures to each category.
THE MANY MODELS AND BREEDS...
One of the things I love best about Cybermen is the fact that we get them in so many varied models. The regular change in aesthetics certainly keeps things interesting - but it's not just a questions of appearance.
Each model seems to come with different weapons and abilities. Some use cybermats. Some are governed by Cyber Planners or Cyber Leaders or even Cyber Controllers. There is a myriad of interesting details about each model. Here is my attempt at the definitive illustrated guide to the various Cybermen that inhabit our universe. Or, sometimes, breach our universe and try to invade it.
MARINUSIAN CYBERMEN (referenced in The Doctor Falls): Little is known about their capabilities. As mentioned in Part 1 of the Cyber History essay, we can't really go by anything we see in the actual comic strip. It is my belief that whatever happened on Marinus in the proper show, itself, might be similar to what we saw in the comics but is not exactly the same. So, unless, we see a proper story with Cybermen from Marinus (which I doubt we will - it would just be too convoluted to explain) we'll never know their exact specs.
(sorry, wanted to use a new pic - but this is still the clearest one I could find)
MISSY'S CYBERMEN: (Dark Water, Death In Heaven) Like much of the Cybermen in New Who, this version possesses a charge of energy that it can release when it has physical contact with an opponent. The charge can kill or stun. It also has a projectile energy weapon built into the arm that can conceal itself when needed. Unlike most models, however, this race can fly. This branch of Cybermen can also "pollinate" by simply blowing itself up and having its base particles come into contact with dead organic flesh.
CYBUS CYBERMEN: (Rise of the Cybermen, Age of Steel, Army of Ghosts, Doomsday, The Next Doctor, The Pandorica Opens) In Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel, Lumic's creation only seems capable of carrying a charge that is released on physical contact. There seems no hint of a projectile weapon. Army of Ghosts/Doomsday show us Cybermen with arm-mounted projectile capability. In The Next Doctor, they've scaled back again to physical contact charges. During Pandorica Opens, we see them using an inbuilt charge, an arm gun and a lazer riffle.
This race also had a Cyber Controller for a brief period of time. Otherwise, they use Cyber Leaders. This is also the only time we've ever seen them use Cyber Shades. A sort of low-grade conversion that seems to have been performed on animals. Cyber Shades are very quick and agile. They can leap a considerable distance and can climb sheer walls. But their weapons capability is negligible. They seem to just pounce on their victims and hold them still until a proper Cyberman can show up and do real damage. Pandorica Cybermen also have a Cyber Leader who looks the same as the Doomsday Cyber Leader. But in The Next Doctor, the Cyber Leader has a funky-looking exposed brain helmet.
Cybus Cyber Controller
Cybus Cyber Leader - Version 1
Cybus Cyber Leader - Version 2
Cyber Shades from The Next Doctor
COLONY SHIP MONDASIAN CYBERMEN: (World Enough and Time, The Doctor Falls) The first completed models show similar capabilities as other New Who Cybermen: in-built charge released on contact (they seem to have to give their victims a full hug, though) and a projectile energy weapon. Like Revenge-style Cybermen, the projectile weapon fires through the head unit.
As they evolve, however, they also develop flight. Like Missy's Army, they use jets mounted in the soles of their boots. We also see them evolve into Cybus and Nightmare-Style models - which are also capable of flying. We see projectile weapon capability with these models but we can't be sure if they also had inbuilt charges. Most likely, they did.
INVASION CYBERMEN (SPACE-FARING - MAIN FLEET): (The Invasion - extremely brief cameos in The War Games and Carnival of Monsters) These space-faring Cybermen seemed to only rely on projectile weapons they fired from the top of their chest units. The weapon did not seem to be detachable, though. They also carried different styles of laser rifles.
This species are governed by Cyber-Planners.
Cybermen from The Invasion - does this scene look familiar?
Cyber Planner from The Invasion
PROPER MONDASIAN CYBERMEN: (The Tenth Planet, very briefly in Twice Upon A Time) While very similar to the Colony Ship Cybermen, there are enough differences in appearance to consider them their own proper model.
There is no post-production visual effect to help re-enforce it, but we do see this model using an inbuilt charge that is released on contact. They also use a somewhat bulky detachable projectile energy weapon that hangs from the bottom of their chest unit.
This is the only version of Cybermen that seemed to draw all their energy from their homeworld. Which meant that when Mondas died, they went with it. This is also the only version we've seen that was vulnerable to radiation.
SPACE-FARING CYBERMEN - VERSION 2: (The Moonbase, Tomb of the Cybermen) Though there are slight variations between Moonbase Cybermen and Tomb Cybermen, they are similar enough to call the same model. A good 500 years separates them so a few modifications can happen in that time.
This model shows a new weapon. They have an inbuilt charge that discharges from their hand but they don't need to actually touch the victim. The charge has a short range to it. They also use a pistol that is holstered at the bottom of their chest unit. We never see the Tomb Cybermen draw their weapons but it is there. They are operating at such low energy in that story that the guns probably aren't charged.
The Tomb Cybermen also seem capable of sending telepathic signals to subjects whose minds they are controlling. This might be a modification that was made to them during the 500 year gap that exists between these two versions of the same model since the Moonbase Cybermen don't display this ability.
The Tomb Cybermen use cybermats. They also have a Cyber Controller. From what we understand, he will convert into a Neomorph in a later story.
Moonbase Cybermen
Tomb of the Cybermen. Slightly different wiring
The Cyber Controller
regular-sized cybermats
tiny cybermat - perhaps an early version of a cybermite?
SPACE-FARING CYBERMEN - VERSION 3: (Wheel In Space) This particular branch has a lot of cool abilities. Some that we've never seen in other models. Like the Invasion Cybermen, they have projectile energy weapons mounted into the top part of their chest units. Like the Tomb Cybermen, they can send telepathic instructions to a subject that they're mentally controlling. But they can go one step further with this ability. They can even see images being projected in the imagination of the subject they're controlling.
They seem to have inbuilt charges with limited range that can operate on very delicate levels so that they can control electronic equipment without having to touch it (we can assume that same charge can be used as a weapon). But their coolest capability that no other model has ever displayed is the hypno-ray they can shoot from their head units. One blast from the ray instantly puts their target under their mental control. How friggin' cool is that?!
This breed follows the instructions of Cyber Planners. They also use cybermats. Even the cybermats have abilities that other cybermats don't. They can fire limited-range energy beams from their eyes.
Aesthetically, Neomorphs are my favorite. But this might be the most awesome model of them all. A pity they only got one story!
Cyber Planner from Wheel In Space
A Cybermat from Wheel In Space - slightly different from Tomb. Check out those vicious dorsal fins!
REVENGE CYBERMEN: (Revenge of the Cybermen) These Cybermen use a projectile energy weapon mounted in the head unit. They have a vulnerability to gold but it doesn't seem to be quite as pronounced as it is in the Neomorphs.
They made use of very bulky-looking Cybermats. A Cyber Leader seems to be their highest level of authority.
Cybermen with their Cyber Leader in Revenge of the Cybermen
A cybermat from Revenge of the Cybermen
THE NEOMORPHS: (Earthshock, The Five Doctors, Attack of the Cybermen, Silver Nemesis) Still the best looking model (in my opinion, at least). This model keeps things pretty simple. They just have really good laser rifles with convenient shoulder straps. Like the Revenge Cybermen, they're also allergic to gold.
They have quite the system of government, though. There is a Cyber Controller - who appears to get killed (again!). They also use Cyber Leaders, And, for the first time, Cyber Lieutenants.
They do appear to go through a slight upgrade in their later years.
Neomorph Cyber Controller
CYBUS STYLE CYBERMEN: (Closing Time. Seen briefly in The Doctor Falls (early model). Cameos in A Good Man Goes to War and Nightmare In Silver) Much the same abilities as the Cybermen created by John Lumic - but no Cybus logo. We do see them using the in-built charge but we never witness the use of an arm-gun. Since the most screentime they have is in Closing Time, though, they might not be using that weapon because they are operating on low power. They are handling laser rifles during their cameo in A Good Man Goes to War. In that same scene, there is an Exposed Brain Cyber Leader.
These Cybermen also use cybermats.
a cybermat from Closing Time
NIGHTMARE STYLE CYBERMEN: (Nightmare In Silver, Time of the Doctor, Seen briefly in The Doctor Falls (early model). Nightmare Style Cybermen are also seen in Dark Water and Death In Heaven but are not the same breed) The capabilities this model shows in Nightmare In Silver may not extend much beyond this particular story since Hedgewick's World is destroyed and a lower grade Cyberman might get used in future stories featuring this model.
But in Nightmare In Silver, they are awesome. This is another model that shows abilities no other model has. They're almost as cool as the Wheel In Space Cybermen!
One of the first things we notice is how they are capable at exhibiting short bursts of incredible speed. It's almost like they can "warp" for brief moments. The other really impressive new skill is the way they automatically upgrade themselves' whenever a weakness presents itself so that the weakness can no longer be exploited. So what might kill one Cybermen won't kill the next. Or, in some cases, the Cybermen beats the weakness as it's being used against them.
Aside from that, we see the usual arm-mounted projectile weapon and the in-built charge that kills or stuns on contact. This model also seems to like to detach parts of itself to help in attacks. Again, this is something that may have only existed in Nightmare In Silver and has been phased out during later editions.
We must also, of course, mention the cybermites. The next stage in evolution for the cybermat. The cybermites don't attack in the way their predecessors did. Instead, they are used to facilitate the conversion process. Even if a human (or any form of organic matter) comes in contact with but a few cybermites, they will fall under cyber control and begin turning into a Cyberman.
This model also seems to be using a Cyber Planner again. We never, physically, see it. But it seems to transmit its thoughts through a neural net known as the Cyberiad.
cybemites - the ultimate in cybermat evolution?
There you go - I have thoroughly covered everything I could ever want to say about Cybermen. For the moment, at least...
All of Cyber-History:
Part 1:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2018/02/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of.html
Part 2:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2018/02/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of_9.html
Part 3:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2018/02/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of_13.html
Part 4:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2018/02/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of_18.html
Part 5:
https://robtymec.blogspot.ca/2018/02/chronologies-and-timelines-history-of_27.html
Thank you for the photos! It really helps to explain things. And it gives us a look at some of the classic era Cybermen.
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