Davros' Dalek Empire

Lore & Background

The history of this faction is marked by dramatic cycles of creation, betrayal, and resurrection. In their origin serial Genesis of the Daleks, Davros arranged for the extinction of his own people before the Daleks turned on him, shooting him as he tried to halt the production line. However, in Destiny of the Daleks, it was revealed he survived in suspended animation underground. The Daleks later unearthed him to break a logical impasse against the Movellans, only for Davros to release a virus that nearly wiped out his own creations. His ambition evolved into distinct factions; by Revelation of the Daleks, he created white-armoured Daleks loyal solely to him while using lesser intellects as food. This culminated in Remembrance of the Daleks, where Davros, physically transplanted into a customised Dalek casing, led 'Imperial Daleks' against the grey 'Renegade Dalek' faction. The conflict ended when the Seventh Doctor tricked Davros into using the Hand of Omega, causing Skaro's sun to go supernova and destroying their mothership.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of this Empire is defined by its creator's desperate struggle for control against his own creations. During Resurrection of the Daleks, Davros was released from a space station prison by a small force aided by human mercenaries, yet he immediately suspected treachery. Using a syringe-like mind control device hidden in his wheelchair's secret compartment, he attempted to dominate both Daleks and humans before unleashing a virus sample to kill them off. In the revived series, specifically The Stolen Earth, Davros was revealed to have survived the Time War after his command ship 'flew into the jaws of the Nightmare Child' at the Gates of Elysium. He was pulled from the time lock by Dalek Caan, who used his own flesh to create a 'new empire'. This resurgence highlights the recurring theme: Davros seeks to be the ruler of the Universe, but his creations consistently view him as expendable or flawed.

Reader's Guide

To understand this faction, one must recognize its fluid nature and internal contradictions. Originating from Skaro, the Daleks were designed by Davros during a bitter war, with their initial design inspired by his own self-designed mobile life-support chair. The hierarchy is notoriously unstable; while Davros positions himself as the supreme architect, often acting as the Emperor Dalek in a gold casing, the standard Dalek doctrine prioritizes purity over loyalty to an individual. This leads to frequent schisms, such as the civil war between Imperial and Renegade Daleks, or the Daleks' attempt to execute their creator after he served his purpose against the Movellans. Their primary adversary is the Doctor, who has thwarted them from Genesis of the Daleks through the Time War. A key turning point in modern lore occurred in 2023 when executive producer Russell T. Davies decided to depict Davros without his wheelchair or scarring for future appearances, aiming to avoid associating disability with evil, a decision that received divisive reception among fans.

Did You Know?

• The name 'Daleks' is an anagram of 'Kaleds', the race Davros belonged to before their mutation.
• Michael Wisher, the original actor for Davros, based his performance on the philosopher Bertrand Russell and rehearsed with a paper bag over his head to prepare for the heavy mask.
• In the 2023 minisode 'Destination: Skaro', Davros was depicted as non-disabled and without scarring, marking a deliberate departure from previous portrayals to avoid harmful tropes.
• Davros' original wheelchair design served as an obvious inspiration for the shape of the Dalek travel machines he created.
• During the episode Resurrection of the Daleks, Davros used a syringe-like mind control device hidden in a secret compartment within his wheelchair to control others.