Ice Warriors

The **Ice Warriors** and **Ice Lords** were a race of reptilian humanoids from the planet Mars,

## Characteristics

### Biology

Adult, fully armoured Ice Warriors were large, imposing reptilian humanoids, up to seven feet tall. Unarmoured, they had flattened, scaly faces with sharp fangs and thin green tongues. (DW: *The Ice Warriors*, *Legacy*)

Females were built more slightly than males, and had spiny dorsal crests. (DW: *GodEngine*)

Ice Warriors perpetually wheezed and tended to move slowly, (TV: *The Seeds of Death*) though they could move fast when needed. (TV: *Legacy*, Nuclear Threat) They spoke in a drawn-out hiss. (TV: *The Ice Warriors*)

The typical lifespan of an Ice Warrior was three hundred Earth years. They had a complicated genetic structure and were herbivores. (TV: *GodEngine*)

### Society and Culture

The planetary identification glyph of the Martians was a triangle overlaid with a lightning bolt with an artificial burning sun at its centre. (TV: *GodEngine*)

#### Honour

Ice Warriors had a strong sense of personal honour. After the Third Doctor saved the life of the Ice Lord Izlyr, he felt obligated to help the Doctor escape. (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*) Ice Warriors disliked lying, though they would do so when necessary. (TV: *Legacy*) When challenged to a ritual blood duel, an Ice Warrior would spit at an opponent's face. Terrorism was anathema. (TV: *GodEngine*)

#### Religion

The Ice Warriors also worshiped Tuburr, who was thought to be the one who made the Ice Warriors into warriors. In the early years of Ice Warrior civilisation, the young would be sent to the surface as a ritual trial of endurance. If they survived, they took the oath of Tuburr and tried to pull the Sword of Tuburr from a brazier, after which they were considered adults. (TV: *Legacy*) Martian law forbade any forging of copies of the holy Sword. (TV: *GodEngine*)

Martian tombs, pyramids and burial of the dead was similar to Egyptian civilisation, suggesting that both were influenced by the Osiran race. During funeral rites, the deceased wore metallic clothes known as warding shrouds to protect them before the cremation. (TV: *GodEngine*)

#### Society

Advancement in the hierarchy was decided on merit and skill. (TV: *Legacy*) The skill of cooking was highly prized. (TV: *GodEngine*) This feudal way of life continued until the era of the Galactic Federation. (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*)

When a marriage bond was broken, it was called Fass-jul-Aqq. (TV: *GodEngine*)

#### Titles

* Supreme Lord - a high ranking position. (TV: *Legacy*)
* Grand Marshall - the staff of a Grand Marshal was an important relic. (TV: *Legacy*)
* Marshal - wore decorative helmets with jewels. (TV: *The Seeds of Death*, *Legacy*)
* Shsurr - a title that roughly translated to mean M'lady. (TV: *Legacy*)
* Scholastor - this position was one held by scholars and scientists. (TV: *GodEngine*)
* Abbot - a title held by religious figures. (TV: *GodEngine*)

### Technology

#### Armour

Ice Warrior armour augmented their already considerable strength. This included a half-face helmet and a red blast-screen over each eye. Ice Warrior nobility ("Ice Lords") wore light armour with sleek, bullet-shaped, metallic helmets, a simple breastplate and a cape. (TV: *The Seeds of Death*)  An Ice Marshall's helmet contained circuitry beneath its surface and acted as an additional nervous system for its wearer after it bonded with the cranium. (TV: *Ice Time*) Common warriors had much heavier and bulkier, intricately patterned full-body armour, and stubby helmets (some designs of which also placed blast screens over the ears). (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*)

Their exoskeletal armour melded with the body of their wearer and an Ice Warrior was described as being one with their armour. (TV: *Ice Time*) This armour consisted of carapaces and helmets grown in nutrient tanks and cybernetically augmented to provide the wearer with increased strength, reaction time, spectral sensitivity and biological efficiency. It also gave them a direct link to the Martian battle net. Finally, it boosted the efficiency of their waste management systems. (TV: *GodEngine*) The armour technology included locked-sequence communicators and induced muscular hydraulics. (TV: *Ice Time*)

#### Weapons

Ice Warriors had small sonic weapons in the wrist of their armour as a personal defence weapon, (TV: *The Ice Warriors*)

They also made use of sonic grenades that operated by emitting a sonic impulse which caused fried the brain cells of anyone within the vicinity of the blast radius. (TV: *Ice Time*)

They also used genetically-engineered weapons, such as a bacteriological weapon based on Martian sleeping fever. (TV: *GodEngine*)

During the 22nd century, the Ice Warriors had a superweapon named the GodEngine, built from technology left over by the Osirans, god-like visitors to Mars long before. The GodEngine could destroy a star by making it go supernova; its deployment was prevented by the Eighth Doctor. (TV: *GodEngine*)

#### Terraforming

The Ice Warriors could deploy seeds on a planet which altered the environment and made it an icy world. (TV: *The Seeds of Death*)

#### Transportation

Ice Warriors had access to Spacecrafts. (TV: *Ice Time*)

#### Other

A notable interrogation tool designed specifically for use on humans was the brain-rack. It created artificial neural pathways in the human mind which dominated the existing thought processes and ultimately ensured obedience in the subject. These machines were said to have no harmful side effects and the process wore off after a week or so when the artificial engrammes began to decay and the natural pathways reasserted themselves. Seen as a potential brainwashing tool, the brain-rack also increased learning rates by three hundred percent. (TV: *GodEngine*)

## History

### Early History

The Ice Warriors were once visited by the godlike Osirans, who cruelly and callously used them as little more than labourers on their construction projects. Millions of years BC, the Martians were a migratory species. They evolved to the point that all their waste products were recycled. (TV: *GodEngine*)

Some exploration of other planets was attempted. Varga went to Earth, but his ship was trapped in a glacier for thousands of years. Some time after this, the Ice Warrior's civilisation went into decline as Mars became more inhospitable. (TV: *The Ice Warriors*, *Legacy*)

Circa 5000 BC, the Ice Warriors realised that complete devotion to the concepts of war would destroy their species in the same manner as the Osirans. Using their legends and race memories, they created a peaceful religion that taught pacifism and compassion. This became the doctrine of the Order of Oras. (TV: *GodEngine*)

### 20th Century

In 1934 a group of Ice Warriors led by Hhessh were exiled to Earth. (TV: *Ice Time*)

In 1967 a group of Ice Warriors led by Hhessh attempted to retrieve the helmet of the Ice Lord Sezhyr from the Kremlin in Moscow. Hhessh was aided by Hex, a fellow Ice Warrior along with the Seventh Doctor, Ace, and Kate Tollings. Once Sezhyr was resurrected through Kate she attempted to lead an invasion force on Earth. But these plans were thwarted by Ace. (TV: *Ice Time*)

On Mars a faction of Ice Warriors led by Foghert rebelled and took over. Foghert attempted to destroy the other Ice Warriors (including Hex who had by this point turned on his fellow Ice Warriors) with a device that would lower the temperature and kill them while he and his followers stayed inside a protected area. His plans were thwarted when the Seventh Doctor with help from Kate and Hex reversed the effects of the device, killing Foghert and all his followers. (TV: *Night of the Ice Warriors*)

### 21st Century

Another invasion and terraforming was attempted in the mid-21st century, when the Ice Warriors, led by Slaar, invaded the central T-Mat base on the Moon which regulated global T-Mat operations. He attempted to use a fungus, which would turn the Earth into a more hospitable planet for them. The Second Doctor and his companions stopped him. (TV: *The Seeds of Death*)

in 2086, an invasion was attempted yet again, leading to the Thousand Day War. By 2088, the humans had won. (TV: *GodEngine*)

### 22nd Century

And through the 22nd century, marginalised the Ice Warriors on their own home planet. Later, the Ice Warriors became allies of the humans. The Ice Warriors colonised a new planet and named it New Mars or Neo Ares. (TV: *Legacy*)

In 2157 a group of Ice Warriors, led by Falaxyr attempted to locate the GodEngine in order conquer Mars. The Eighth Doctor, Rebecca and Calvin defeated them. (TV: *GodEngine*)

### 26th Century

By the 26th century, the Ice Warriors were an isolated species. They had left Mars and were isolated on New Mars. (TV: *Legacy*)

### 39th Century

The Ice Lord Izlyr represented the Ice Warriors when the members of the Galactic Federation met to discuss wether Peladon should join the Federation. (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*)

### 40th Century

By the late 40th century, the Ice Warriors (still in the Galactic Federation) had, for the most part, renounced their war-like ways. (TV: *The Curse of Peladon*, *The Monster of Peladon*)

In 3935 a faction of Ice Warriors led by the Ice Lord Azaxyr were working for Galaxy 5 who were at war with the Galactic Federation. These Ice Warriors desired to return to the Ice Warriors former ways of military conquest. Azaxyr and his troops helped take over the Trisilicate Mines while making out that they'd been sent by the Federation to keep the miners under control. The Third Doctor and Sarah Jane eventually defeated them. (TV: *The Monster of Peladon*)

In 3984 An Ice Lord named Rassbur led a team of Ice Warriors to Peladon in order to guard a treasure that had been brought to Peladon in order to protect it from a group of mercenaries. However almost all the Ice Warriors were killed by a Sontaraan grenade. (TV: *Legacy*)

### 46th Century

By 4544 political tensions between the Ice Warriors and Time Lords had strained with the former threatening Gallifrey with all out war. After several meetings between the Lady President Romana and the Ice Warriors they agreed to hold diplomatic talks. (TV: *Tension Between The Two**, Preperations*)

The diplomatic talks between the Time Lords and Ice Warrios occurred but ended with the Ice Warriors threatening the Time Lords with Nuclear War. (TV: *Diplomatic Talks*)

The Ice Warriors launched a nuclear warhead which destroyed Karn. (TV: *Nuclear Threat*, *Aftermath of the Conflict*)

The Ice Warriors soon invaded Gallifrey and entered several battles with the Time Lords but were driven back to Mars. (TV: *A Shocking Revelation*)

Mars was soon invaded by the Time Lords who overthrew the Ice Warriors and took control of Mars. Romana told the Ice Warriors that they could have Mars back if they promised to surrender and never attack Gallifrey again. The Ice Warriors surrendered and were given control of Mars back. (TV: *The Ultimatum To Change The Planet*)

In 4546 the Ice Warriors were contacted by The Valeyard and Higgiof who proposed an alliance in order to take over Gallifrey. Together with the Zygons they helped to conquer Gallifrey. (TV: *Revival*)

Once the Doctor had been revived the Valeyard used the Ice Warriors and Zygons as part of his army. They battled against the Time Lords but both were eventually defeated causing the remaining forces to flee. (TV: *Resurrection of The Doctor*)

### 51st Century

Circa 5000, during an Ice Age on Earth, Varga and his crew were finally revived and decided to take over first Brittanicus Base and then the world. (TV: *The Ice Warriors*)

### Legacy

While on trial for breaking the Time Lords non-interference policy, the Second Doctor used a Thought Channel to show them some of the evils he'd fought against, one of which was an Ice Warrior. (TV: *The War Games*)

While under attack from the Keller Machine, the Third Doctor saw an illusion of an Ice Warrior. (TV: *The Mind of Evil*)

When The Valeyard took control of the Matrix he created a simulation of a space station and a trio of Ice Warriors who had been accused of commiting mass genocide on a small colony world. The Sixth Doctor and Peri helped clear their names. Later when the Doctors and their companions infiltrated The Valeyard's fortress he created more Ice Warrior simulations who chased the Sixth Doctor and Peri, but were defeated when the two denied their existence. (TV: *Ascend From Darkness*)

## Behind the Scenes

* Strictly speaking, according to their *debut story*, the Ice Warriors never had that name until Walters gave it to them and Victoria Waterfield carried Walters' description back to the Second Doctor. Subsequent stories would forget this, and have the Ice Warriors use this name to refer to themselves.

## List of Appearances

### Doctor Who

#### Season 6

* *The Seeds of Death*
* *The War Games*(cameo)

### Gallifrey

#### Series 1

* *Tension Between The Two*
* *Preparations*
* *Diplomatic Talks*
* *Nuclear Threat*

#### Series 2

* *Aftermath of the Conflict*
* *A Shocking Revelation*
* *The Ultimatum To Change The Planet*