Davros is arguably Doctor Who’s most iconic and terrifying recurring villain, even more so than the Daleks themselves, because he is their creator. This twisted genius from Skaro has plagued the Doctor across multiple incarnations, always scheming to impose his vision of a Dalek-dominated universe. But who is Davros, and why is he such a compelling and enduring antagonist in the Doctor Who universe?
Davros’s origins are as tragic as they are horrifying. Born on Skaro during the thousand-year war between the Kaleds and the Thals, Davros was a brilliant but ruthless scientist. The Kaleds, weakened by the war and ravaged by mutations from nuclear fallout, were desperate. Davros saw a solution: accelerate their evolution, but control it. His experiments led to the creation of the Daleks, initially intended to be survival machines for the Kaled race. However, Davros’s own warped ideology of racial purity and ruthless efficiency was imprinted onto his creations. The Daleks, stripped of emotion and driven by pure logic and hatred, quickly turned on their creator and anyone not like them.
Davros first appeared on screen in the 1975 serial Genesis of the Daleks, during the Fourth Doctor’s era. This story is crucial for understanding Davros’s motivations and the genesis of the Daleks. Played with chilling intensity by Michael Wisher, Davros was presented as a megalomaniacal scientist convinced of his own superiority. He saw the Daleks as the ultimate beings, devoid of weakness and capable of conquering the universe. His cold, calculating demeanor and unwavering belief in his cause made him instantly memorable. The Fourth Doctor, horrified by Davros’s creation and its potential for universal destruction, grappled with the moral dilemma of whether to prevent the Daleks’ creation altogether, even if it meant altering history.
Alt text: Davros creator of the Daleks Doctor Who villain Genesis of the Daleks Michael Wisher
Davros’s survival after Genesis of the Daleks was almost inevitable, given his popularity and the enduring appeal of the Daleks. He returned in Destiny of the Daleks (1979), again facing the Fourth Doctor, now played by Tom Baker. In this story, Davros, believed dead, was revived and sought to regain control of the Daleks. This appearance solidified Davros as a recurring threat, not just a one-off villain.
Alt text: Fourth Doctor Tom Baker faces Davros in Destiny of the Daleks Doctor Who series villain confrontation
The Sixth Doctor, played by Colin Baker, encountered Davros in Revelation of the Daleks (1985). This story presented a particularly twisted scheme by Davros: creating a new, loyal strain of Daleks from human beings in a funeral home on the planet Necros. Davros’s manipulative nature and his willingness to exploit and corrupt humanity for his own ends were on full display. Revelation of the Daleks is often praised for its dark tone and strong performance by Terry Molloy as Davros, who took over the role after Wisher.
Alt text: Sixth Doctor Colin Baker and Davros Terry Molloy Revelation of the Daleks Doctor Who confrontation Necros
Davros’s appearances continued into the modern era of Doctor Who. He was resurrected in the two-part story The Stolen Earth / Journey’s End (2008) during the Tenth Doctor’s era, played by David Tennant. This marked a significant return for Davros, now portrayed by Julian Bleach. He was revealed to be behind the creation of the Reality Bomb, a weapon capable of destroying all of reality itself. This story emphasized Davros’s scale of ambition and the sheer scope of his evil plans. He positioned himself not just as a threat to the Doctor or Earth, but to the entire universe and beyond.
Davros’s complex relationship with the Doctor is a key element of his appeal. The Doctor sees Davros as a perversion of science, a man who has twisted creation into destruction. Yet, there is a strange kind of respect, or perhaps morbid fascination, between them. Davros, in his own twisted way, sees the Doctor as his ultimate adversary, the only being capable of truly challenging him. Their confrontations are often intellectual battles as much as physical ones, with both characters probing each other’s philosophies and motivations.
In The Witch’s Familiar (2015), during the Twelfth Doctor’s era (Peter Capaldi), Davros made another dramatic return. This story delved deeper into Davros’s character, showing a more vulnerable side, albeit still manipulative. He lured the Doctor to Skaro, seemingly to confess and seek understanding, but ultimately, it was another elaborate scheme. This episode explored themes of mercy, compassion, and the possibility of redemption, even for someone as monstrous as Davros.
Davros remains a potent symbol of evil in Doctor Who. He represents the dangers of unchecked ambition, scientific hubris, and the corruption of power. His creations, the Daleks, are a constant reminder of his legacy of destruction and hatred. Despite numerous defeats, Davros always seems to find a way to return, ensuring his place as the Doctor’s most persistent and perhaps most personal nemesis. For fans of Doctor Who, Davros is not just a villain; he is a crucial part of the show’s mythology, a dark reflection of the Doctor’s own battles against evil and a testament to the enduring power of compelling antagonists in science fiction.
