Cyber-Leader

A Cyber-Leader, as it appears in Earthshock

A **Cyber-Leader** was the most commonly assumed rank in the leadership hierarchy of the Cybermen.

## Profile

Within the Major Phalanx of the rigid Cyberman hierarchy, basic Cyber-Leaders were assisted by Junior Leaders who oversaw the Cyber-Army, and themselves assisted the Senior Leader, who answered only to the Cyber-Controller. (PROSE: *Attack of the Cybermen*)

A Cyber-Leader served as the supreme leader of the Cybermen when the Cyber-Controller was not present. When a Cyber-Controller was present, Leaders sometimes served as second-in-commands instead. (TV: *Attack of the Cybermen*, *Destiny*) Cyber-Leaders were sometimes accompanied and assisted by a Cyber-Lieutenant. (TV: *The Five Doctors*, *Silver Nemesis*)

Cyber-Leaders were of sufficient value to warrant a personal guard of Cybermen. (TV: *Earthshock*)

Although Cyber-Leaders shared the same basic vulnerabilities as their subordinates, they were stronger than normal Cybermen. When attacked with gold or electricity, they were more resistant. (TV: *Silver Nemesis*)

Most Cyber-Leaders were recognisable as leader by either a black helmet (TV: *Revenge of the Cybermen*, *Illegal Alien*, *Destiny*), or black side handles on their helmet (TV: *Earthshock*, *The Five Doctors*, *Attack of the Cybermen*, *Silver Nemesis*). However, early Mondasian Cyber-Leaders, such as Krail, had no markings to indicate their rank. (TV: *The Tenth Planet*/PROSE: *Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet*)

## History

### Mondas

Krail acted as leader and spokesman of the Mondasian Cybermen who invaded the Snowcap Base in Antarctica in December 1986. (TV: *The Tenth Planet*) He was accompanied by three fellow Cyber-Leaders, Regos Krang, Jarl and Gern. (PROSE: *Doctor Who and the Tenth Planet*)

### Start of the Cyber-Wars

A Cyber-Leader planned to destroy Earth with Cyber-bombs to stop a conference leading to an alliance against the Cybermen. When its androids were destroyed and the bomb had failed, it sent the Cybermen to attack Briggs' freighter. Its cargo, unknown to the crew, was an army of Cybermen. They awoke and took over the ship. The Cyber-Leader planned to destroy life on Earth by hitting it with the craft they had reprogrammed. The craft was taken back in time by the Fifth Doctor. It hit the Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs. The Cyber-Leader attacked the Doctor, Nyssa and Tegan Jovanka in the Doctor's TARDIS. The Doctor ground Adric's gold star badge into the Cyber-Leader's chest. It shot at the TARDIS console and died when the Doctor shot it several times. (TV: *Earthshock*)

### Saving Mondas

A Cyber-Leader was second in command to the Cyber-Controller in its attempt to time travel and destroy Earth in the year 1985 so Mondas would not be destroyed the next year. He was shot dead by the Sixth Doctor. (TV: *Attack of the Cybermen*)

### The Nemesis

A Cyber-Leader led a shuttle to Earth in 1988 to find the Nemesis and, upon arrival, they massacred the Neo-Nazis whom they encountered at their landing site. The Cyber-Leader was wounded by a gold coin shot by Ace, but he survived and shot De Flores dead when he held the bow. The Cyber-Leader was killed by Richard Maynarde, who stabbed him with Lady Peinforte's gold arrow. (TV: *Silver Nemesis*)

### Voga

A Cyber-Leader was in command of an ancient Cybership which attempted to destroy the planet of gold, Voga, to stop the production of glitterguns. It was killed when its ship was destroyed by the Vogan rocket *Skystriker*. (TV: *Revenge of the Cybermen*)

### Destroying the Doctor

A Cyber-Leader was ordered by the Cyber-Controller to initiate the process of sending Cybermen back in time to destroy the Doctor's timeline. It was itself sent, alongside some other Cybermen, to kill the Seventh Doctor and Ace. The platoon was taken over by Body-snatchers the Doctor had been fighting, and were eventually destroyed through the use of nitro-9, thrown by Ace, Bernice Summerfield and Liz Shaw. (TV: *Destiny*)

### Undated events

#### In the Death Zone

A Cyber-Leader commanded a squad Time Scooped by Borusa to the Death Zone. It found the Doctor and the Master and fired at them. The Doctor escaped with the Master's homing beacon while the Master tricked the Cybermen into working with him to destroy the Time Lords. They went to a giant chessboard in the Dark Tower. When the Cybermen attempted to cross, they were all electrocuted. The Cyber-Leader asked why the Master had betrayed them. He told him the safe path changed with every journey. When the Master showed the Cyber-Leader the safe path under threat of death, he turned around and killed the Cyber-Leader. (TV: *The Five Doctors*)