Despite being among Doctor Who's most overlooked villains, the Ice Warriors are nevertheless some of the most dangerous foes that the Time Lord has ever faced. Making their debut in a 1967 serial, the Ice Warriors are one of Doctor Who's oldest adversaries, and they continue to crop up across the franchise's lengthy timeline. Though their role changed dramatically after their big debut, the distinct look and raspy voice of the Ice Warriors have become a quintessential part of Doctor Who lore, and they have featured prominently in both the classic series and the reboot.
Though their background is explored more in Doctor Who's many apocryphal sources, each Ice Warrior appearance in the television show has opened the door for new and interesting information about the secretive alien race. Never intended to be one of Doctor Who's many one-time villains, the Ice Warriors were destined to be an integral part of the franchise from their inception. Though they're overshadowed by the likes of the Daleks and the Cybermen, the Ice Warriors are iconic enough to take their place among the Doctor's massive stable of intergalactic enemies.
The Ice Warriors Are Reptilian Humanoids From Mars
Making their first appearance in the Doctor Who season 5 serial The Ice Warriors, the titular monsters are aliens from the planet Mars who come to Earth with the intention of conquering it. They wear ribbed armor eventually revealed to be green, and its shielding protects a reptilian body underneath. Ice Warriors speak with a raspy voice, and they often extend "s" sounds like the hissing of a snake. The classic Doctor Who series shows the Ice Warriors with two-pronged hands, while their later appearances in the new Doctor Who replaces their claws with functional three-fingered gloves.
The classic Doctor Who aliens were improved by their altered appearances in the new series, but their slight change in physiology in season 7, episode 8, "Cold War," wasn't their first major transformation. They debuted as deadly villains intent on conquering the planet, but by their third appearance in classic Doctor Who, they had actually become champions for peace. The season 9 serial The Curse of Peladon is set in the distant future, and the Third Doctor encounters the Ice Warriors as they arrive on the planet Peladon to broker peace and usher the world into the Galactic Federation.
They Were Originally Meant To Replace The Daleks
The legacy of the Ice Warriors has been overshadowed on Doctor Who by the undeniable charisma of the Daleks, but they actually made their debut in the franchise in order to replace those metallic nemeses. After many of the classic Doctor Who Dalek stories, the Daleks were supposed to receive a spinoff show in the U.S. (via Radio Times), and a suitable replacement was created in the form of the Ice Warriors. Unfortunately, the Dalek program failed to materialize, and the Ice Warriors slowly faded away in classic Doctor Who after only starring in four serials across the 1960s and 1970s.