Doctor Who: Did the Doctor create the Daleks?

Doctor Who has had the Doctor face off against many foes, and even create a few, but did he create his greatest enemy, the Daleks?

Doctor Who has faced off against a whole universe of monsters, but throughout all of time and space, one foe that keeps coming back is the Daleks.

The Daleks have been a figure since the very first season of Doctor Who back in 1963, and were a major part of the series’ 50th Anniversary for their inclusion in the Time War.

But now, with new Doctor Who media coming out this very week for the 60th Anniversary, there’s been new information on the Genesis if the Daleks. Specifically in how it pertains to the Doctor. So that begs the question: Did the Doctor make the Daleks?

Did the Doctor create the Daleks?

No, Davros created the Daleks. They first appeared in 1963 against William Hartnell’s Doctor, already fully formed.

However, that doesn’t mean that the Doctor hasn’t been tricked into helping the Daleks before. He helped them and Davros come back to form in both Victory of the Daleks in Season 5 And The Witch’s Familiar in Season 9. In the latter he even helped Davros intentionally, saving him on the battlefield as he was just a child then. We are also answering this question just based on the show, no doubt there’s a whole universe of Doctor Who content focusing on the building of the Daleks.

As stated by the BBC itself, “The Daleks were created by the Kaled scientist, Davros, as travel machines. He had deduced that the years of radiation and chemical poisoning from an ongoing war would lead his race to mutate into immobile organisms.

“The Dalek travel machines would house these creatures and allow the Kaleds to survive. However, in the course of his experiments, Davros deliberately removed what he considered to be debilitating emotions from the mutants and a force of evil was spawned!

“The Daleks were born without any ability to feel compassion or pity and were motivated only by hate, fear, and an implacable belief that they were the superior creatures in the Universe.”

However, a new BBC Children in Need skit has joked about the Doctor helping the Dalek’s very creation. In said skit, the 14th Doctor – that being David Tennant again – lands where the Daleks are being conceived.

14 ends up giving the Dalek’s their name, their catchphrase, as well as the title “Genesis of the Daleks,” much to his dismay. He also gives them their plunger devices.

Watch the full skit below:

Now, whether or not this is supposed to be taken as canon is another thing, Children in Need skits are generally considered to be just a bit of fun, but in all of time and space, anything’s possible!

Plus, this is the only Dalek content we’re going to get for a while, as showrunner Russel T. Davies had recently announced that Tennant’s next regeneration, Ncuti Gatwa, won’t face the Daleks when he steps into the TARDIS in 2024.

The Doctor Who 60th Special will premiere on BBC One on November 25th. Find out more about it here, more about the Daleks rumor here, and check out our other Doctor Who coverage here.