Sontarans: The Cult Spy Guide

After two decades, Doctor Who monsters the Sontarans are finally back on screens. The warmongering race of clones may not be as iconic as the Daleks or Cybermen, but fans of the original series fondly remember the creatures with 'baked potato' heads, strutting around like Uncle Fester's S&M-obsessed twin. Since the first Sontaran appearance on the show, the vertically challenged foes have encountered several Doctors and battles along the way. Here's what you need to know about the squat soldiers…

The Essentials

Hailing from the planet Sontar, funnily enough, this race of clones believe that dying in battle is the greatest honour and love getting stuck into a ruck more than Robbie Savage. Their species is entirely male, they don't eat meals and they don't have sex – is it any wonder that they have aggression?

Despite their lack of height, they are physically strong, although notably bad conversationalists. Their dialogue mostly revolves around militarial mantras and strategies, with common references to their mortal enemies The Rutans, which resemble green jellyfish.

On a visual level, they amusingly have heads the same shape as their helmets. The first episode cliffhanger at the end of their introductory story 'The Time Warrior' used the grand reveal to fine dramatic effect (with the help of a protruding pink tongue!) Their blood is also a gooey green, as anyone who witnessed the gory 1985 adventure 'The Two Doctors' will remember. They also come equipped with a wand-like weapon, which they love to hold in a right hand that only has two fingers and a thumb.

Despite all their bluster, they are far from invincible. Their main Achilles heel lies at the back of their neck in the shape of their probic vent. This functions as the Sontaran equivalent of a USB port, where devices can be plugged in to both clone and feed them. However, any blow to the probic vent can either incapacitate or kill a Sontaran. Former Doctor Who companion Leela used her knife throwing skills to great effect in 1978's 'The Invasion of Time', while The Doctor deployed a squash ball to hinder General Staal in 'The Sontaran Stratagem'.

Their battles with The Doctor have all ended in defeat for the clones. A solitary Sontaran warrior Linx stomped through the Middle Ages, abducting present day scientists, in the 1973 Third Doctor story 'The Time Warrior'. An arrow through the probic vent killed off Linx's fiendish plans though.

Another lone warrior, General Styre, was defeated by the Fourth Doctor in the following season's 'The Sontaran Experiment'. Set on a future Earth devastated by solar flares, the story culminated in Styre's head deflating like a balloon after The Doctor rewired his technology to give him an energy burst. He had previously been undertaking a series of brutal tests on captive human survivors.

The Doctor's home planet of Gallifrey endured a one-day Sontaran occupation in 'The Invasion of Time'. Fronted by Commander Stor, the invaders were wiped out with a special Demat Gun – a special Time Lord weapon. This story is notable for featuring a chase sequence inside the Tardis that includes Sontarans strutting past the vessel's swimming pool!

In 'The Two Doctors', a pair of Sontarans collude with the villainous Chessene and capture the second incarnation of the heroic Time Lord – and transport him to Seville, of all places. The Sixth Doctor arrives on the scene and saves the day, with the Spanish heat fortunately leading him to remove his ridiculous coat. The Sontarans are killed when Chessene betrays them and deploys deadly coronic acid on them. You'll never look at guacamole in the same way again after witnessing their demise!

> Click here for our review of 'The Sontaran Stratagem'