Doctor Who Flux: 10 Huge Questions After War Of The Sontarans

The Sontarans are a curious enemy. Bred for war, and with no other purpose, they appear remarkably incompetent at times. When the first Sontaran, Linx, was introduced in The Time Warrior (1974) the removal of his helmet was one of the series’ scariest cliff-hangers, but over the years they’ve increasingly become figures of ridicule. That’s not to say that their creator, Bob Holmes, didn’t build into their characterisation a degree of his trademark satire, here aimed against the military mindset.

Their strategic weaknesses have always been a feature - the Achilles heel of the probic vent, the need to periodically recharge, the ease at which they can be manipulated through talking their language – but since Strax became indebted to the Doctor and joined the Paternoster Gang, we’ve forgotten they are essentially a race of bloodthirsty, merciless warmongers.

The inability of the Sontarans to hit close targets in War of the Sontarans is one of the few weak points of the script. It’s not credible to imagine that a warrior race could be quite so bad at their job, and quite how Dan was able to infiltrate their base as if they were a poorly realised ai in a video game is beyond us.

But it’s hard to wish away the inherent humour of the race when they get one of the best lines ever. 'Why the Crimean war?' asks the Doctor, to which the commander admits ‘so much opportunity, and also… I wanted to ride a horse’.