'Doctor Who' Season 12 Episode 8 features the lone Cyberman and fans love the terrifying half-human design

In an earlier episode, Jack warned that the Doctor should not give the lone Cyberman what it wants. However, that's exactly what happens
PUBLISHED FEB 17, 2020
(BBC)
(BBC)

Spoiler alert for 'Doctor Who' Season 12 Episode 8

In this week's episode of 'Doctor Who', the Doctor and her companions travel to Lake Geneva in 1816 to the night which inspired Mary Shelley to write 'Frankenstein', which is considered by many to be the first science-fiction novel.

The episode featured the lone Cyberman that Captain Jack Harkness warned about. In an earlier episode, Jack relayed the warning that the Doctor should not give the lone Cyberman what it wants.

Unfortunately, the Doctor had to do just that in order to save Percy Shelley's life, after all, "words matter," and influenced thousands in the future. Percy had found the Cyberium — kind of like the essence of Cybermen — and the lone Cyberman wanted it back to create a Cyber-army.

The Cyberman featured in this episode was quite different, however. It was half-human in appearance and the viewer could see part of his face as well as his arm. The design was both fascinating and terrifying as viewers attested to the same.

A still from 'Doctor Who' (BBC)

One fan tweeted, "This Cyberman was genuinely terrifying and seeing a Cyberman with a tiny bit of its humanity left was really interesting, I am so glad we see a Cyberman done right again, properly chilling stuff (after Series 10 which also did)."

Another viewer tweeted, "I love that this cyberman has the original cyberman arm. like it's been building itself up from scratch and slowly upgrading itself, desperate for survival, showing that it's still human underneath. it's a f***ing gorgeous design."

A viewer wrote, "I think my favorite bit of tonight’s episode was a Cyberman who liked being a Cyberman," while another tweeted, "I've gotta say, this is the most freaky and eerie Cyberman design ever."

Fans also noticed that the Doctor's speech was a callback to a previous companion, Bill Potts. One fan tweeted, "THIRTEEN SAYING SHE WON’T LOSE ANYONE ELSE TO BECOMING A CYBERMAN BECAUSE THE LOSS OF BILL POTTS WILL ALWAYS HAUNT HER wow I am so sad."

A viewer also noted the connection between Cybermen and Frankenstein, writing, "Cybermen are the reason we have Frankenstein? Cybermen are inspired by Frankenstein. It's a circle."

'Doctor Who' airs on BBC America on Sunday nights at 8/7c.

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