Return to Skaro

They really shouldn’t have touched the daleks again

The fact that this even is a story is quite interesting. In the modern day, the doctor and the daleks are intermingled in a web of wars and conflict, but to add in a new story in the early stages, is quite a risk. Still, I believe it can be done.

This story does it decently, but sadly, it fails to add anything of value to the concept of the daleks. Even if there, timeline wise, would only have been 1 story before this.

We return to Skaro, a few decades after the original Dalek tale, and discover the Thaals thriving. The interesting thing about them is their skewed development. They have great technological inventions because of dalek remnants, but they don’t have created that much on their own.

So what would happen if you bring the daleks back to them? That could be more interesting than it seems at a glance. If we keep it in perspective, this is the second dalek story ever. At this point, they are purely ugly blobs in metal containers. No lump of hate, no creation with Davros, no Time War. Just one of the monsters faced in a season. And now it comes back. Asking for a second chance. It’s gun replaced with a second sucker (take note, cover). What would the Thaals think after so long? What would the doctor think after their previous encounter?

Turns out those questions don’t matter. The doctor barely walks through a door before the Daleks show themselves as evil again. What a waste.

Think of what could have been! What if the Daleks were sincere, but the Thaals were fearful? What if the Thaals wanted the benefits, but not the risks, so they decide to try and kill all Daleks? What if the doctor had to save the Daleks, so the original script is flipped? This story could’ve done so many original things, but it is limited by a modern vision.

So what does this story end up with overall? Well, the Daleks have some new traits. This is the first time a leader Dalek is used. The Daleks no longer need magnetic floors. Their guns are now used purely for killing. Basically, they’ve made steps towards modernity. Maybe those steps could’ve been more subtle or smaller, but this is fine. Otherwise, I guess there’s some more life on Skaro, but that is really all it has. Quite disappointing.

This is just a story that’s too caged by lore and the image the Daleks have gotten over the years. Which is shame when you go back to a time where the road is not yet paved. It could have been a million things, but it is, in the end, a rehash of what came before, and what will come after.