10 Most Powerful Doctor Who Villains

5. Vashta Nerada

Doctor Who Cybermen Daleks
BBC Studios

Appearing in the same episode that marked the debut of River Song, Silence in the Library, the Vashta Nerada are incredibly small and yet remarkably powerful. The microscopic beings are not a threat on their own, but they generally live in swarms of thousands, which is when things get a little more dangerous.

They essentially appear to be just shadows when grouped together in huge numbers, making it very easy for them to stealthy attack their prey, and are similar to piranhas in that they can strip a body to the bone in an instant. Given their size and shadowy nature it’s extremely difficult to stop an attack, with their only weakness being light.

Oh, and their name translates to ‘the shadows that melt the flesh’, which is all kinds of powerful, terrifying bad-ass-ery. Doctor Who, in particular Moffat’s creations, is brilliant at playing on psychological fears, and thanks to the Vashta Nerada you may now want to be a little more careful when you see what you *think* is just a harmless shadow.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.