Doctor Who: 10 Times The Earth Was Invaded
4. The Auton Invasions
Long-time Doctor Who villains the Nestenes, and their Auton soldiers, have attempted to invade the Earth many times. First appearing in 1970's Spearhead from Space, the Nestenes planned to replace world leaders with plastic facsimiles in order to control the world. When the Third Doctor and UNIT began investigating, the Nestenes accelerated their plans, unleashing shop window dummies on the high streets to gun down unsuspecting citizens.
Foiled by the Doctor, these same Nestenes returned to Earth shortly after with help from the Master. This time, with his help, they would receive another chance at dominating our plastic-polluted planet. Assembling an army of plastic carnival clowns armed with killer daffodils, the Master's plans would have gone ahead if not for the Doctor and UNIT's intervention once again.
Following the Time War, the Nestene Consciousness returned to Earth for one final attempt at an invasion. 'Rose', the first episode of the 2005 revival series, pitted the Ninth Doctor against these plastic menaces. Using the London Eye as a transmitter, the Consciousness planned to invade Earth and convert it into a feeding planet. Activating shop window dummies, killer wheelie bins and dodgy duplicates, the Nestene plot almost succeeded if not for Rose Tyler's gymnastics abilities.
Saving the Doctor and tipping a vial of anti-plastic into the Nestene Consciousness in the process, Rose halted this invasion and the Nestenes were defeated once more.