Doctor Who, season 12 episode 9 – Ascension of the Cybermen

Cybermen were once humans and they lost their feelings and emotions when they became cyborgs. Time Lords were once humans (and that became more clearer in this series) that were transformed during or after they passed through a temporal vortex. The last part were not so hard to deduce considering the similarities between the humans and Doctor’s species, even when this transformation remained a mystery. Until now.

Reaching to the destination set in the previous episode the Doctor and her friends found themselves in a period of time the war between humans and cyborg almost destroyed both sides. The only human survivors on that planet have to save themselves after a few Cybermen and their drones get to location. The lone and emotive Cyberman is among them, in charge, and the confrontation between him and the Doctor is quite interesting.

The surivors split into two smaller groups: some leave with the defective ship they came with (it broke during their travel, again) while the Doctor, Ryan and someone else steal one of the Cyberman ships. They should have met in the place to pass to the only refuge left for humans but the first group gets detoured to a transport ship for cyborg troops.

Things get complicated, of course, and the Master returns only to prepare the for the final of the season – they will find some secrets and some questions will get their answers. It was a pretty good episode.

Directed by Jamie Magnus Stone, written by Chris Chibnall.

Cast: Jodie Whittaker (The Doctor), Bradley Walsh (Graham O’Brien), Tosin Cole (Ryan Sinclair), Mandip Gill (Yasmin Khan), Julie Graham (Ravio), Ian McElhinney (Ko Sharmus), Patrick O’Kane (Ashad), Alex Austin (Yedlarmi), Steve Toussaint (Feekat), Rhiannon Clements (Bescot), Matt Carver (Ethan), Jack Osborn (Fuskie), Evan McCabe (Brendan), Branwell Donaghey (Patrick), Orla O’Rourke (Meg).

The next episode, and the last of series 12, The Timeless Children, will air 1 March 2020 and will bring a lot of new and old faces: the Master is already back, Ruth (the other Doctor) will return bringing along Rose Tyler and captain Jack Harkness. The true identity of Ruth is revealed when the Doctor and friends travel to Mondas to defeat the Lone Cyberman.