Doctor Who: 5 Best Uses Of Classic Monsters In NuWho

5. The Ice Warriors - Empress Of Mars

In this series ten story marking the second NuWho appearance of the Ice Warriors, the Twelfth Doctor and his companions Bill and Nardole are surprised to discover a company of Victorian-era soldiers on Mars, having travelled there using technology borrowed from a rescued Ice Warrior, whom the soldiers have named Friday after the character from the Robinson Crusoe novel.

While searching the planet, the soldiers accidentally uncover and awaken Iraxxa, an Ice Warrior Empress. Iraxxa is at first open to negotiating peaceful terms with the human settlers, but when a conflict arises over ownership of Mars, the Empress awakens more Ice Warriors, ready to fight for her planet.

Friday, having formed genuine friendships with the human soldiers, works with the Doctor and his companions to avoid conflict. Ending with a cameo from the Classic Who character Alpha Centauri, Empress of Mars acts as a bridge between the war-like Ice Warriors of their earlier appearances, to the more diplomatic race they have become by the time of the Peladon stories. These special Easter eggs have gained the episode a lot of love from Classic Who fans.