Doctor Who: 5 Times The Cybermen Terrified Us
4. Adric's Death - Earthshock
The Cybermen were prevalent throughout Doctor Who for the rest of the 1960s, but then took a break as the show developed, with only one appearance in the 1970s during Tom Baker's era. It was therefore a genuine surprise for fans when (thanks to then show runner John Nathan-Turner insisting it was kept under wraps), the cyborgs made their grand return in the Peter Davison serial 'Earthshock'.
This was a more advanced Cyberman than we had ever seen before, and they were all the more dangerous for it, planning to crash a space freighter into the Earth, while also taking over the Tardis and holding the Doctor prisoner.
Ultimately, they were destroyed, but not at the cost of one of the Doctor's companions, Adric, who was left trapped on the freighter after the controls were damaged. This was the first major example of the Doctor losing someone because of the actions of the Cybermen, and it was heartbreaking to witness as the young genius realised there was no way out.
Say what you like about Adric, but the way he died remains one of Doctor Who's most emotional moments to this day.