Doctor Who has returned to screens once again and hasn’t taken its time in introducing some old enemies. It’s certainly a spoiler to say that the first two episodes of the latest season brought back one of the Doctor’s worst villain, The Master.
However, with the showrunners clearly taking a look back at the Doctor’s past for inspiration on her latest foes, this seems like the perfect time to create a list of villains who could return in some way in the latest series of episodes. Here’s our top 10!
THE OOD
The Ood had been featured a few times throughout the David Tennant era of Doctor Who and were showcased to be both peaceful and violent. They can be manipulated and are very dangerous when under the influence of someone dastardly.
However, these creatures are far more complex and not just simply one-dimensional killers. The latest incarnation of the Time Lord would certainly try to see the good in the Ood, but there may be far more at play here that could be slightly more sinister.
CATKIND
Speaking of the Tennant era, another great series of villains came from an unlikely place. A species of creatures known as the Catkind were introduced and they were just as creepy as the CGI cats spawned by Hollywood.
There seems to be no better time to bring back this species, as the sly aliens are known to create long term plots in order to gain power or status. Although we’ve seen them in many roles, including as nurses, there’s so much more potential for the Catkind.
WEEPING ANGELS
The Weeping Angels have re-appeared countless times even in wider material such as books and comics. They instantly became a hit after a spooky episode where they were seen hunting down a new cast of characters before the Doctor saves them.
The “Don’t Blink” tagline that comes along with the Weeping Angels immediately adds a sense of tangible stakes. Everyone can relate to the feeling of having to keep their eyes open as long as possible, making these villains that much more terrifying.
THE SILENCE
The Silence are a result of the Matt Smith era of the show. They will erase themselves from someone’s memory after being seen, making their infestation of Earth even scarier due to how long they’ve actually been around.
This kind of invasion story wouldn’t work in the same way since they’ve been beaten once and even supported the Doctor, but the Silence are sinister enough to bring back and turn into a far more villainous role once more.
ZYGONS
The classic shapeshifting aliens have made an appearance in the rebooted version of the show, so it’s likely we could see them again. They are especially interesting as they can appear as a friend before being revealed to be a foe.
It would be very easy to incorporate one of these creatures into the series once again. There could even be a huge reveal that one of the companions has actually been a Zygon the whole time; high stakes follow this alien species around.
ICE WARRIOR
The Ice Warriors are another species that have been brought back from classic Who. The Martians can sometimes be misunderstood but they are a species of fighters. They are used to going to war and the Doctor has been a target of theirs in the past.
Although these villains are unlikely to serve as the big bad of the series, there’s every chance the Ice Warriors could be brought back for a two-parter. They are scary and strong enough to really push the Doctor to her limits and keep audiences compelled to watch more.
OMEGA
Omega is an incredibly important Time Lord within the history of Gallifrey as he is supposedly one of the founders of the society that the Doctor originates from. However, there could be more to this story than what has been revealed.
It looks like the latest series is set to revise how Gallifrey really got started and who better to bring back than Omega as a manipulative villain who has woven these lies throughout time (before Rassilon took it all over for his own personal gain).
MIDNIGHT MONSTERS
A Tennant-era episode, Midnight saw a set of mysterious entities slowly take over a small cruiser, killing most of its inhabitants. They had remarkable abilities and the Doctor couldn’t actually identify the species, giving the storyline all the makings of an age-old puzzle.
This species has not been revisited since but it would be interesting to know what was really causing all that trouble on the planet Midnight. If Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor is to face an old foe, these paranoia-inducing monsters could be a great option.
VASHTA NERADA
The Vashta Nerada are just as mysterious as they are lethal. They are like a swarm of piranha, completely stripping any living thing down to the bone. Doctor Who has generally shown them in a weaker state, so what would happen if they were even more powerful?
This latest Doctor would have her work cut out for her if she was to have to face the creatures that once took River Song away from her. There would be a sense of real worry if these deadly beings returned, especially because of the history between the characters.
THE GREAT INTELLIGENCE
The Great Intelligence is both a classic villain as well as a recent addition to the universe. It has seemingly been destroyed but perhaps even the Doctor isn’t intelligent enough to actually counter this entity long term.
There’s a sense of revenge that the Intelligence never quite got on the Doctor. If this entity ever managed to return, its first mission would be to finish what it had started. This would be a battle of the brains which could make for an interesting but perhaps quieter episode.
