Honestly not all that much to report here, it's the origin story of the Cult of Skaro, pre-time war. We get to see Sec's victory over the mechanoids that shows why he's chosen to become Sec, we hear The Emperor's reasoning for creating the cult, him giving them each names, generally just some fun stuff there.

Also learning that Sec's casing is a reinforced but expensive version of dalekanium answers some questions as to why he looks like that (though admittedly also brings up a lot more generally about why no other daleks do).

I've also realized this is the last story with The Cult of Skaro I hadn't seen, and their only appearance outside the TV show which surprises me, I know The Emperor has been touched on in other media but not The Cult?

I guess there being a straight line from The Doctor finding out about them through all their appearances until they all die is probably why, but still, absolutely *nothing* more done with them surprises me

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

"BIRTH OF A LEGEND – HOW THE CULT OF SKARO FOUND ITS VOICE"

Birth of a Legend sets its sights on Dalek history, and to its credit, it manages to feel consequential. Told in two halves, the story begins with a large-scale war between the Daleks and the Mechanoids—a conflict rendered in bursts of strategy, destruction, and classic technobabble. It's a familiar setup: metallic juggernauts exchanging fire across the stars. While the writing doesn't always manage to conjure a vivid image of the scale, it still communicates the gravity of the event and the relentlessness of Dalek conquest.

There's a definite echo of the Daleks! animated web series released during Time Lord Victorious—a similar setup of Daleks versus Mechanoids in a shiny sci-fi battleground, complete with arrogant monologues and cold military precision. In both cases, the Mechanoids are doomed.

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CULT

It’s in the second half, though, that the story truly earns its title—and its place in Doctor Who lore. The Dalek Commander returns to Skaro, summoned before the mighty Emperor Dalek. What follows is not just a change of orders, but a creation myth: the founding of the Cult of Skaro.

In a rare move for Dalek storytelling, there’s a moment of ceremony, as the Emperor explains a radical new idea—creating Daleks who can think creatively, imagine, and even consider failure as a strategic option. The four chosen Daleks are each given names—Sec, Thay, Caan, and Jast—and assigned new casings in preparation for their mission.

This moment is surprisingly moving in its cold-blooded way, and offers retroactive depth to a key part of the revived series. The Cult of Skaro, last seen time-looped into oblivion in The Stolen Earth, gets an unexpectedly poetic prologue here.

A LEGEND, BORN IN METAL

The prose isn't the most evocative—some battle sequences feel too abstract or overburdened with jargon—but the story succeeds by framing itself around something significant. It doesn’t just show Daleks shouting “Exterminate” and exploding things. It gives them a mythos.

That alone makes Birth of a Legend the closest thing Heroes and Monsters has to required reading. Fans of Doomsday, Daleks in Manhattan, or any of the Cult's onscreen appearances will find plenty to enjoy in this unexpected origin tale.

📝THE BOTTOM LINE: 7/10

Birth of a Legend may stumble in its depiction of large-scale Dalek warfare, but it delivers a satisfying and surprisingly essential origin story for the Cult of Skaro. If you’re looking to complete your understanding of these unique Daleks, this story is a must-read.