Doctor Who Series 12: Ten Huge Questions After Nikola Tesla’s Night Of Terror

2. Who Were The Skithra and Will They Be Back?

Skithra Doctor Who
BBC

Unfortunately, the Skithra are the least convincing aspect of this story. Plenty of work had clearly gone into the characterisation of Tesla, Edison and Dorothy Skerrit, but we find out precious little about the aliens, despite the Queen receiving plenty of screen time. They are a scavenger race with a hive mind and a sense of entitlement and superiority, but that’s about it.

Why they ended up in need of Tesla’s help is not clear, but it is important to remember that this story starts with the action already in full swing. The Doctor is already on the case, similar to the beginning of Rose.

The fact that the ship appeared to escape at the end is a strong hint that they will have another role to play. What’s the betting that the Doctor, a collector herself, will need one of their many acquired gadgets to help her build something? It’s certainly convenient to have them around.

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Paul Driscoll is a freelance writer and author across a range of subjects from Cult TV to religion and social policy. He is a passionate Doctor Who fan and January 2017 will see the publication of his first extended study of the series (based on Toby Whithouse's series six episode, The God Complex) in the critically acclaimed Black Archive range by Obverse Books. He is a regular writer for the fan site Doctor Who Worldwide and has contributed several essays to Watching Books' You and Who range. Recently he has branched out into fiction writing, with two short stories in the charity Doctor Who anthology Seasons of War (Chinbeard Books). Paul's work will also feature in the forthcoming Iris Wildthyme collection (A Clockwork Iris, Obverse Books) and Chinbeard Books' collection of drabbles, A Time Lord for Change.