10 Important Doctor Who Details That Are Almost Never Mentioned
5. UNIT Can Destroy The Earth At Any Moment
UNIT are well-established as the heroic defenders of Earth. The long-running military organisation is our first line of defence against alien attacks, and the Doctor's first port of call whenever he needs some human assistance (or someone to sign his HMRC paperwork).
It's also having a bit of a renaissance at the moment, arguably being more relevant now than at any point since Jon Pertwee had the keys to the TARDIS. But between their shiny new London base, Kate Stewart’s friendly relationship with the Doctor, and the ever-increasing list of ex-companions they have on their payroll, it’s easy to forget that UNIT has a much darker side too.
Nothing embodies this more than the Osterhagen Project. Hidden around the world are 25 nuclear warheads, positioned at key locations underneath the Earth’s crust so that, when detonated, they will destroy the entire planet. Considered a weapon of last resort, the Project is only to be activated in the event that the Earth has fallen, to prevent an alien enemy fully taking control.
As mentioned in The Day of the Doctor, UNIT also has a nuclear warhead underneath the Black Archive, which would destroy London if activated – which it very nearly was!
Though the Doctor implores Martha to decommission the Osterhagen Project, there's no onscreen proof that it was – and let's be honest, UNIT doesn't always listen to the Doctor.
It’s not exactly comforting to think that the show’s ostensible “good guys” are sitting on a stockpile of WMDs powerful enough to literally end the world. Let’s hope nobody trips and hits the detonate button.