They breathe like they’ve got a chest full of gravel. That iconic, rhythmic wheeze is probably the first thing you think of when you hear about Doctor Who the Ice Warriors. It’s unsettling. Honestly, back in 1967, it was enough to make kids hide behind the sofa before the monsters even appeared on screen. But here’s the thing: they aren't just "Martians in armor." They are a complex, dying race with a code of honor that puts the Daleks’ mindless hate to shame.
Most people just see the scaly green suits and the sonic cannons. They assume they're just another "monster of the week." They’re wrong. Brian Hayles, the writer who created them, didn't just want another robot. He wanted a species that felt ancient. He succeeded.
When you look back at their debut in The Ice Warriors, the Doctor—played by Patrick Troughton—encounters them frozen in a glacier during a future Earth ice age. It’s a classic setup. But the nuance is in the biology. They’re cold-blooded. They hate heat. Our cozy, warm-blooded world is basically a furnace to them. That single physical limitation dictates their entire tactical philosophy.
The evolution of the Martian reptilians
It’s been over fifty years. Think about that. From the black-and-white grainy footage of the sixties to the high-definition CGI of the modern era, Doctor Who the Ice Warriors have changed, but their core has stayed weirdly consistent.
In the early days, they were bulky. Heavy. They looked like they could crush a TARDIS with their bare claws. Varga, the leader of that first group, wasn't some mustache-twirling villain. He was a commander trying to save his people. Mars was dead. It was a desert. His race was starving for a new home. You kind of have to respect the hustle, even if it involves trying to take over Earth.
Then came the Peladon era. This is where things get interesting. In The Curse of Peladon (1972), Jon Pertwee’s Doctor is shocked to find the Ice Warriors acting as peace ambassadors. It was a total subversion. Fans expected a fight. Instead, they got a lesson in galactic diplomacy. This was the first time the show really leaned into the idea that "monster" is a subjective term. Lord Izlyr, the Martian delegate, is refined. He’s disciplined. He’s arguably more civilized than the humans in the room.
Redefining the "Ice" in Ice Warrior
The 2013 episode Cold War took them back to basics but added a terrifying twist. We finally saw what was inside the armor. Writer Mark Gatiss realized that the suit is just a life-support system. When Grand Marshal Skaldak steps out of his shell, he’s a fast, sleek, reptilian predator.
✨ Don't miss: Chase From Paw Patrol: Why This German Shepherd Is Actually a Big Deal
It changed the power dynamic. Suddenly, they weren't just tanks. They were ninjas.
The sound design in that episode deserves a shoutout. The way Skaldak’s voice changes when he’s outside the suit—it’s thinner, more vulnerable, but infinitely more dangerous. It reminds us that these creatures are survivors first and warriors second. They’ve survived the death of a planet. You don't do that by being weak.
Why the armor matters more than you think
The "look" of Doctor Who the Ice Warriors is iconic for a reason. It’s functional. Those carapaces aren't just for show; they are designed to regulate temperature and provide a pressurized environment. Mars has a thin atmosphere. Earth is a pressurized nightmare for a Martian.
Actually, if you look at the design history, the armor has stayed remarkably faithful to the original sketches by Martin Baugh. The "scales" are actually a type of bio-organic plating. In Empress of Mars (2017), we see a much more ornate version of this. The Empress, Iraxxa, wears armor that looks like jewelry. It’s gold-trimmed. It’s regal. It shows that Martian society has tiers. They have artists. They have royalty. They aren't just a hive mind like the Cybermen.
They value "thall" (Martian for strength/honor). If you show them you're a warrior, they might spare you. If you show them you're a coward, you're done.
The "lost" Martian history and the Ice Lords
There is a weird divide in the fandom about the "Ice Lords." In the Second Doctor's final Ice Warrior story, The Seeds of Death, we saw a new type of Martian. They were taller, slimmer, and didn't wear the heavy armor. They were the thinkers. The strategists.
🔗 Read more: Charlize Theron Sweet November: Why This Panned Rom-Com Became a Cult Favorite
This creates a fascinating societal structure. You have:
- The Warriors: The heavy infantry, the ones we see most often.
- The Lords: The command class, often more ruthless and less concerned with "honor" than the soldiers.
- The Empress: The literal heart of the hive, as seen in the Peter Capaldi era.
This isn't a military; it’s a civilization. When the Doctor interacts with Doctor Who the Ice Warriors, he isn't just fighting a baddie. He’s negotiating with a culture that predates human history. That’s why the Doctor often tries to find a peaceful solution. He knows what they’ve lost. He remembers Mars when it was green.
Practical ways to explore the Martian lore
If you’re looking to really get into the weeds with these guys, don't just stick to the TV show. The expanded universe—novels, comics, and audio dramas—does some heavy lifting here.
Specifically, the Big Finish audio dramas are gold. Lords of the Red Planet is a "lost" story that explains the actual origin of the race. It’s dark. It involves genetic engineering and a desperate attempt to outrun extinction. It makes the Ice Warriors tragic.
You should also check out the Virgin New Adventures novels from the 90s. They explored the "Mars-Earth" wars in a way the TV budget never could. It turns the Ice Warriors into a genuine galactic superpower that rivaled the early British Space Empire.
Key episodes for your watchlist:
- The Ice Warriors (1967): The beginning. Watch it for the atmosphere and the introduction of Varga.
- The Curse of Peladon (1972): The best example of them as "good guys."
- The Seeds of Death (1969): High stakes, T-Mat teleportation, and the debut of the Ice Lords.
- Cold War (2013): A claustrophobic thriller on a Russian submarine. Modern Doctor Who at its best.
- Empress of Mars (2017): Victorian soldiers vs. Martians. It’s as fun as it sounds.
What most people get wrong about their weaponry
Everyone talks about the sonic cannons. Yes, they can vibrate a human being into a pulp. That’s cool. But the real weapon of Doctor Who the Ice Warriors is their patience.
💡 You might also like: Charlie Charlie Are You Here: Why the Viral Demon Myth Still Creeps Us Out
They are cold-blooded in every sense of the word. They can wait for centuries. They can stay in stasis while whole civilizations rise and fall around them. Most Doctor Who villains are in a rush. The Daleks want to EXTERMINATE right now. The Cybermen want to UPGRADE today. The Ice Warriors? They’ll wait for the sun to go out if it gives them a tactical advantage.
That patience makes them terrifying. It means they don't make mistakes often. When they do lose, it’s usually because they’ve underestimated the "chaos factor" of humanity—or the Doctor’s ability to talk them into a corner.
The future of the Red Planet in the Whoniverse
Where do they go from here? With the show moving into its newest era, the Ice Warriors are ripe for a comeback. We’ve seen them in the past and the distant future, but we haven't seen a lot of their "Golden Age."
There’s a massive gap in the timeline between their departure from Mars and their eventually joining the Galactic Federation. That’s a space-opera epic waiting to happen. Imagine a series focused on the Martian diaspora. Thousands of ships, carrying the last of a proud race, looking for a home in a galaxy that fears them.
The Ice Warriors aren't just monsters. They are a mirror. They show us what happens when a proud civilization refuses to die. They are stubborn, cold, and incredibly loud breathers. And honestly? Doctor Who wouldn't be the same without them.
If you want to understand the deeper lore, start by watching The Curse of Peladon. It completely flips the script on what a "monster" is supposed to be in sci-fi. After that, listen to the Big Finish audio The Red Lady for a different flavor of Martian horror. Once you’ve done that, you’ll never look at a block of ice the same way again.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
- Track down the "Ice Warrior" action figures: The 5-inch Character Options figures from the 2013 Cold War episode are widely considered the most detailed sculpts.
- Read "The Dying Days": This Eighth Doctor novel by Lance Parkin is the definitive take on an Ice Warrior invasion of 1990s London. It’s out of print but easy to find on the secondary market.
- Visit the filming locations: If you're in the UK, many of the "Mars" scenes in Empress of Mars were filmed in the Dan-yr-Ogof caves in Wales. They are open to the public and look exactly like a Martian hive.
- Focus on the sound: If you're a cosplayer or fan-film maker, the "Ice Warrior hiss" is achieved by whispering through a pressurized valve or using a specific frequency of white noise modulated by a low-pass filter.