Doctor Who – Ascension of the Cybermen

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

The penultimate episode of the series begins with a narration from the lone Cyberman describing how the Cybermen were defeated, a fallen empire. However, the narration goes on to say that “that which is dead can live again in the hands of a believer.”

In 20^th Century Ireland we see Patrick (Branwell Donaghey) find an abandoned baby in a basket in the middle of a country lane. He takes the baby home to his wife (Orla O’Rourke) and they agree with policeman Michael (Andrew Macklin) that they will look after the baby until his parents are found. We see various milestones in the baby’s life – his first birthday, the day Patrick and Meg adopt him and name him Brendan, his first day at school and him joining the Garda. Brendan (Evan McCabe) appears to live a normal life, that is until he is shot whilst on duty and falls from a cliff only to wake unharmed. To add further mystery to his life, an old and retired Brendan is greeted by an un-aged Patrick and Michael and taken to a backroom of the police station. They thank him for his service, and tell him they’re sorry he won’t remember it before electrocuting him.

Far in the future it seems The Doctor (Jodie Whittaker), Ryan (Tosin Cole), Yaz (Mandip Gill) and Graham (Bradley Walsh) come across the last seven survivors of the Cybermen’s destruction. The fam are kitted out with makeshift tech to stop the Cybermen and save the last of the human race. As Feekat (Steve Toussaint) and Ravio (Julie Graham) discuss their escape, two Cyber shuttles fly overhead landing not far from the small settlement. The Doctor tells Feekat and Ravio to make sure everybody hides. After the excitement of setting up their defenses against the Cybermen, the fam are surprised when they are attacked by Cyber drones. With everyone taking cover Fuskle (Jack Osborn), who has been mute for some time, makes a run for it. His brother Yedlarmi (Alex Austin) shouts after him, but it’s too late. The Doctor tells everyone else to run and get to their ship. Yedlarmi wants to fight, but The Doctor tells him it will be a massacre. The Doctor tells Yaz, Ryan and Graham to go with the humans and that she’ll find them.

The Doctor confronts the lone Cyberman, Ashad (Patrick O’Kane), but this time he’s not alone. The Doctor runs thinking this will cause a distraction, but Ashad sends his men after the rest of the fam. Ryan is left behind as Yaz and Graham make it to the humans.  Ravio fires up the ship, but Bescot (Rhiannon Clements) wants to wait for the others. Yedlarmi tells her they’ll be dead by now and that they need to go. Graham and Yaz beg to be let back outside to find Ryan, but Ravio flies the ship away.

Ryan is using the derelict buildings to hide from the Cybermen when The Doctor makes him jump. Ethan (Matt Carver) and Feekat are also hiding when Ashad approaches and tells them to surrender. Ethan comes out of hiding to tell him it’s just him there and to take him, but Ashad shoots Feekat. As Ashad is wondering whether to let Ethan live to tell the tale, The Doctor appears and throws a bomb towards Ashad and she runs with Ethan and Ryan. They steal a Cyber ship which The Doctor begins to hotwire, but Ethan shows her a quicker way. The Doctor flies them away just in time.

In deep space Yaz assures Graham that they will find The Doctor and Ryan. Yedlarmi and Ravio argue over how much power the ship needs. Yedlarmi tells her that she’ll wreck the ship if she pushes it past half power. Ravio tells him everything will be fine; however, that is until the ship begins to falter. Bescot explains to Yaz and Graham that they are trying to make it to Ko Sharmus to pass the Boundary, a gateway to another galaxy, which is the only point of safety.

Meanwhile, aboard the Cyber ship Ryan is feeling a little travel sick. Ethan sets the coordinates for Ko Sharmus as he knows that’s where the others will be heading. As Ethan explains the first thing his dad taught him was how to hijack a Cybership we see Ashad appear as a hologram. He tells The Doctor that the Cyberium says that she and the human race will be destroyed. Ashad explains that he was a willing recruit to the Cyber race, but he was denied his “blessed ascension However, he understands this to mean that he was chosen to revive the Cyber race’s glory. The Doctor taunts Ashad about his inner conflict seeing as the anger and hate driving him in his mission are human emotions yet is surprised when he agrees with her. Ashad tells her he’s the perfect vessel for the Cyberium, for the ascension of the Cybermen and beyond. The Doctor asks him what is “beyond” and Ashad tells her the death of everything is within him.

Ravio tells those aboard her ship that now is the time for any end-of-life, heartfelt speeches. There is a thud on the outside of the ship and Yaz looks out of the window to find that the falling body parts of many, many Cybermen are hitting the ship. Yaz also notices a fleet of dormant ships and Graham points out that the one at the front has an open docking bay. With nothing to lose, Ravio and Yedlarmi use all of the ship’s power to steer it towards the docking bay. They make it and the crew head out to explore the massive carrier ship. However, Ashad and his Cybermen have followed their trail and are too about to board the ship. Ashad says the site of the Cyberman’s greatest defeat will soon be a shrine for their rebirth.

Ravio mentions how cold it is on the carrier ship and Graham tells her that it’s because she’s breathing thanks to him and Yaz…and yes, he is going to go on about it every hour, on the hour. The crew make it to the control deck and Ravio and Graham go to explore the ship further as Yedlarmi begins to power up the controls.  After a slight bit of flirting, Graham and Ravio come across what look like pods. As he wonders out loud what they are, Graham kicks one. This turns out to be a bad decision as the pod opens to reveal a dormant Cyberman. The opening of this pod triggers the opening of around a thousand other pods. Ravio notes she counted ten doors on each level and there’s several hundred levels to the ship!

After the controls have powered up Yaz notices that Ashad and his Cybermen have boarded the ship. She sends a message over the comms to warn Graham and Ravio. They flee from the familiar metallic march of the Cybermen. The crew debate what to do next with a ship full of warrior Cybermen. Yaz says they’re going to find The Doctor and take the Cybermen down. Yedlarmi activates the ob system to check on the Cybermen. The crew watch as Ashad makes one of the awoken Cybermen shriek in pain. After gathering his troops, Ashad warns the crew that they’re coming for them.

The Doctor beams a message to Ko Sharmus and an old man (Ian McElhinney) emerges from his tent to respond. It turns out that he is Ko Sharmus. He doesn’t believe that there are any humans left, but The Doctor tells him they’re just going to park over the bridge. Ko Sharmus explains that he started his settlement with a few others after escaping the Cybercamps. He is the only one left as everyone else has crossed the Boundary. He waited in case others came. The Doctor asks Ko Sharmus to show them the Boundary. Ko Sharmus takes them to the shore and tells The Doctor that the Boundary responds to proximity. Whilst the Boundary starts to open up, Yaz has managed to find the right frequency to radio to The Doctor. Yaz explains their situation and The Doctor tells her to get off the ship. As Yaz tells her they’re trapped, The Doctor loses her. Before The Doctor has time to think, the Boundary opens up to reveal Gallifrey! Oh, and it throws out The Master (Sacha Dhawan). He tells The Doctor that everything is about to change…forever.