History Characters / DoctorWhoDalek

* BadassNormal: While "normal" is not the best word that could be used to describe someone like Davros, his genius is on-par with the Doctor's despite coming from a planet that's only barely above Earth's technology. At their height, his creations — the Daleks — ''nearly destroyed'' [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens the Time Lords]], who were top dogs of the universe during that time.

* CharacterisationMarchesOn: The original Daleks were vastly different from what they would become. They hated the Thals completely, but were willing to keep the Doctor and his companions alive, even feed them. They required radiation and a constant supply of electricity to survive. That said, their first story takes place in the Daleks' past, before they had achieved space flight; it might simply have been a case of both their [[TechnologyMarchesOn technology]] and society marching on in-universe. The BBC website for the classic series explains that these Daleks were Davros' early prototypes, and all the other Daleks were out in space building their empire.

** As of the 12th Doctor's era, Davros has come to expect this, fondly remarking, "You know how children are." The Doctor notes later on in the episode, after having stolen Davros' chair, that he stole it precisely because Davros has survived so long amongst several billion psychotic "mini-tanks" with ChronicBackstabbingDisorder.

* IgnorantOfTheirOwnIgnorance: Thanks to Davros' word being the be-all-and-end-all of Kaled science, they believed that there were only seven galaxies, and that of them Skaro was the only planet capable of supporting life.

Davros' relationship with the Doctor is one of begrudging mutual respect for the other's genius. Along with [[Characters/DoctorWhoMasters the Master]], Davros is one of the strongest contenders for the title of the Doctor's ArchEnemy.

* ArtEvolution: Throughout the show's history, Davros' appearance has changed subtly but noticeably as the years go by. In the Fourth Doctor Era, Davros' skin was a sickly green. Beginning with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks "Resurrection of the Daleks"]], his skin became orange and his face looked melted. In the revival, his skin is still orange, but more wrinkled.

* ForTheEvulz: The Doctor poses him a philosophical question: "If you had a virus that, when released, would kill everyone in the universe, would you release it?" Davros' answer is that yes, he would release it, for no other reason than because he could.
* FreudianExcuse: Throughout the series, it's implied that Davros' violent insanity comes from [[WarIsHell his experiences in the Thousand Year War.]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E1TheMagiciansApprentice "The Magician's Apprentice"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E2TheWitchsFamiliar "The Witch's Familiar"]] explores this further (see UsedToBeASweetKid). Big Finish debunked it with their miniseries "I, Davros" — yes Davros grew up in a horrible environment (and that's not even taking his BigScrewedUpFamily into account) but he was naturally a sociopath and would've ended up as a MadScientist regardless of his environment.

* HopeCrusher: He tries to push the already guilt-stricken Doctor to the DespairEventHorizon in hopes that he can turn him into a man willing to kill Davros' younger self, willing to commit genocide against the Daleks at last... all to prove his own belief that the Doctor and his compassion are wrong and have an ultimate victory over his nemesis.

* RedemptionEqualsDeath: After playing his role in Davros' failure, Caan makes no effort to save himself as the Crucible is destroyed, presumably dying in the explosion. Earlier, Dalek Sec seems to sacrifice himself by [[TakingTheBullet taking a death beam]] aimed at the Doctor.

Davros originally created the Daleks as nothing more than a travel machine and protecting case for his people for their eventual fate; helpless blobs as the result of chemical weapons used in the war. But darker thoughts entered Davros' mind as he begin to tamper with their emotions to eradicate all feeling save aggression...

* HumanResources: They're not above converting other lifeforms into Daleks if they need the numbers (Parting of the Ways) or the subject is too useful to pass up (Asylum). Or if Davros feels like making a point — he had this done to eight billion humans in the audio "Terra Firma", just to twist a knife in the Doctor.

* ArtEvolution: Throughout the show's history, Davros' appearance has changed subtly but noticeably as the years go by. In the Fourth Doctor Era, Davros' skin was a sickly green. Beginning with [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks "Resurrection of the Daleks"]], his skin became orange and his face looked melted. In the revival, his skin is grey and more wrinkled.

* ArtEvolution: Throughout the show's history, Davor's appearance has changed subtlety but noticeably as the years go by. In the Fourth Doctor Era, Davros' skin was a sickly green. Beginning with " Resurrection of the Daleks" his skin became orange and his face look melted. In the revival his skin is still orange but now more wrinkly.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: He started off as just a child from the worn-torn planet of Skaros but would eventually become a MadScientist who ended up wiping out his own people and whose creations, The Daleks would threaten the safety of the universe.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: He started off as just a child from the worn-torn planet of Skaros but would eventually become a MadScientist who ended up wiping out his own people and whose creations, The Daleks would threaten the safety of the universe.

Davros' relationship with the Doctor is one of begrudging mutual respect for the other's genius. Along with the Master, Davros is one of the strongest contenders for the title of the Doctor's ArchEnemy.

* EvilSoundsDeep: Julian Bleach gives him a deep rasp similar to [[Characters/StarWarsEmperorPalpatine Palpatine]].

* TheUnfettered: There is absolutely nothing he's not prepared to do to ensure the survival of the Daleks.

-->'''Davros:''' The man who abhors violence, [[DoesNotLikeGuns never carrying a gun]], but this is the truth, Doctor: you take ordinary people and you fashion them into weapons... behold your Children of Time, transformed into murderers. I made the Daleks, Doctor, you made ''this''.
-->'''The Doctor:''' I'm trying to help.
-->'''Davros:''' Already I have seen them sacrificed today, for their beloved Doctor. The Earth woman who fell opening the Sub Wave Network.
-->'''The Doctor:''' Who was that?
-->'''Rose:''' Harriet Jones. [[HeroicSacrifice She gave her life to get you here]].
-->'''Davros:''' How many more? Just think, how many have died in your name? The Doctor, the man who keeps running, never looking back because he dare not, out of shame. This is my final victory, Doctor. I have shown you yourself.

The creator of the Daleks, a Kaled from the war-torn planet of Skaro. Davros was the Kaled's greatest scientist, and he was indispensable to his people. Horribly crippled in an accident, his brain power and intelligent remained intact, which allowed to maintain his position in a culture where imperfects were "rejected".

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience:

[[folder:The Dalek Emperor]]

* FrontlineGeneral: Sec prefers a more hands-on approach than the Emperor or the cowardly Supreme Dalek in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS25E1RemembranceOfTheDaleks Remembrance of The Daleks]]".

* TheChessmaster: Dalek Caan is definitely worthy of this title as of [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E12TheStolenEarth "The Stolen Earth"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E13JourneysEnd "Journey's End"]], having orchestrated events to bring about the Daleks' destruction, though he claims to have "only helped" and that what happened [[YouCantFightFate was destined to happen anyway]].

%%Despite being credited on-screen as a "Dalek Voice", John Leeson in "Remembrance of the Daleks" voiced a human operating a Battle Computer, according to the Tardis Data Core.

Mutants. Cyborgs. Aliens. Xenophobia personified. In short; the Daleks. A species of genetically engineered creatures native to the planet Skaro, whose general purpose for existence is to "EXTERMINATE!" all non-Dalek forms of life in the universe. Created by a MadScientist named Davros, the Daleks' physical form is shriveled and weak, but they make up for that by having each individual travel in a distinctive set of mobile armour, which looks rather like a pepper pot, which makes them ''even more terrifying.'' ''The'' first villainous alien race introduced in the franchise (in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E2TheDaleks the second episode]]'', in fact), they are the most endearingly and enduringly popular, and are considered to be The Doctor's collective [[ArchEnemy archenemy]].

!! Tropes associated with the television continuity

--> '''EXTERMINATE!'''

* AgeWithoutYouth: "The Witch's Familiar" reveals Daleks can't die naturally, but they do age, the body breaking down, rotting, decaying; when a Dalek reaches this point, they're consigned to the tunnels beneath Dalek cities without their armour. [[AndIMustScream There's a reason the Dalek word for "graveyard" is the same as the one for "sewer"]].

--> '''Eleventh Doctor''': Imagine you were dying. Imagine you were afraid and a long way from home and in terrible pain. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, you looked up and saw the face of the Devil himself... ''Hello Dalek!''\\
'''Dalek''': [[AC: Emergency! Emergency! Weapon System Disabled! Emergency Protocols Have Been Breached! ''[[MadnessMantra Emergency, Emergency, Emergency!]]'']]
** Rose could also count considering what she did to the Dalek Emperor and an entire army with just a wave of the hand.
--> '''Rose''': If you um... escaped the Time War don't you wanna know what happened. What happened to the Emperor?\\
'''Dalek''': [[AC: ({{Beat}}) The Emperor ''survived?!'']]\\
'''Rose''': [[BadassBoast Till he met me]]. Cause if these are gonna be my last words than you're gonna listen. I met the Emperor and I took the Time Vortex and I pulled it into his head and turned him into dust. Did you get that? The God of all Daleks and I destroyed him!

* AttackItsWeakPoint: The eyestalk. Hitting it with enough power will kill the Dalek, and blinding it will cause the creature to panic. Became much less of a WeaksauceWeakness in the revival; their force field protects it (the Doctor claims concentrating fire on it could work, but this appears to have mixed results), and trying to blind it with paint only worked for a second. River managed to kill one with a blast to the eyestalk, but this particular Dalek was already in such poor shape that it needed several minutes to recharge between shots.
* AxCrazy: Every single Dalek is a psychopathic KnightTemplar OmnicidalManiac. Even the "sane" ones realise what they are and tend to GoMadFromTheRevelation.
* BadassArmy: Nine times out of ten they surpass the humans in military capacity if the Doctor doesn't interfere.
* BadFuture: According to "Genesis of the Daleks" they would've eventually succeeded in their goal of destroying all non-Dalek life. Luckily the Fourth Doctor's meddling in their birth fixed all of that.

* BerserkButton: The Doctor eventually becomes this for them. Notably, the lone Dalek in "Dalek" stayed completely silent for 50 years, not saying a word to its human captors. But as soon as a man introduces himself to it as "The Doctor", the Dalek ''loses'' it.
-->'''Dalek:''' DOC-TOR? ''The'' Doctor? EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! '''EXTERMINATE!'''

* CanonDisContinuity: Several bits of the Daleks' stories are continually discarded for one reason or another. This ranges from [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E8TheChase the time the producers tried to make them comic relief]] to [[Recap/DoctorWhoS17E1DestinyOfTheDaleks that time the guy who made them forgot that they weren't robots]].
* CantUseStairs: A RunningGag for many years. Later stories established the Daleks as capable of flight, once the special effects were up to portraying it. "Remembrance of the Daleks" was the first to show this, with the first episode cliffhanger being the Doctor fleeing up the stairs thinking he was safe from the Dalek chasing him, only for it to start levitating up the stairs after him. It happened again in "Dalek", the revived series episode that re-introduced the Daleks, where Rose told folks the pursuing Dalek wouldn't be able to follow them up the stairs. The Dalek announced "EL-E-VATE!" and began levitating up them. This was put in after one of the writers asked his girlfriend why she thought the Daleks made rather pathetic villains in the original show, and she told him how easy they were to foil.

* CharacterisationMarchesOn: The original Daleks were vastly different from what they would become. They hated the Thals completely, but were willing to keep the Doctor and his companions alive, even feed them. They required radiation and a constant supply of electricity to survive. That said, their first story takes place in the Daleks' past, before they had achieved space flight; it might simply have been a case of both their [[TechnologyMarchesOn Technology]] and society marching on in-universe. The BBC website for the classic series explains that these Daleks were Davros' early prototypes, and all the other Daleks were out in space building their empire.

* TheComicallySerious: Despite them being xenophobic murderers, the fact that they have few emotions, including zero sense of humor, occasionally makes them this.

* CreepyHighPitchedVoice: The average Dalek screams every single word with a shrill monotone. This tips viewers off to the Daleks' inhuman natures immediately, if that wasn't given away by the salt shaker-shaped tanks they live in or by their delightful catchphrase, "Exterminate."

--> '''Tenth Doctor:''' Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch. [[AndIMustScream Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything ever, from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage. Completely alone. That explains your voice. No wonder you ''scream'']].

* CyberCyclops: The New Paradigm Daleks even had pupils, making the eye-stalk look almost organic.
* DeflectorShields: The revival gave them personal force-fields that can melt bullets before they even hit home. Even guns capable of destroying the [[ImmuneToBullets bullet proof]] Cybus Cybermen have no effect on them.
* DemotedToExtra:

** In the Creator/StevenMoffat era, they are just a MonsterOfTheWeek instead of being the BigBad, [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope until]] the Eleventh Doctor's GrandFinale, [[Recap/DoctorWho2013CSTheTimeOfTheDoctor where]] they become the FinalBoss]].
* {{Determinator}}: They ''never'' give up. You have to admire a species that manages to survive even after being made extinct. ''Repeatedly.'' And for never turning a blind eye to their mortal enemy, the Doctor, who has been responsible for several of those mass extinctions. An enemy who became a warrior to fight them personally when they declared war on his people - a race so advanced they could dismantle reality if they wanted to. And ended that very same war by turning their numbers against them. What did the Daleks do? Enter a ''second war'' with the Doctor alongside his worst foes when he was on the verge of rescuing his own people. And even then continued to do battle for ''centuries'' after ''everyone else gave up'' and they had tried to kill him so much he finally began to die of ''old age''.
** During the Time War, the Time Lords threw literally everything they could think of at the Daleks - super-weapons, [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]], altering time itself - and not a single one of these attempts stopped them.
* TheDreaded: In a universe full of any number of beasties, psychopaths and ''gods'', the Daleks are consistently shown to be the #1 fear of those who've fought them, the Doctor included.

* EliteMook: The Special Weapons Dalek - though all other Daleks treated it with contempt.

** Twice on TV: first in "The Evil of the Daleks" when the Doctor infected a group of Daleks with the Human Factor and second in "Resurrection of the Daleks", "Revelation of the Daleks" and "Remembrance of the Daleks" in which Davros creates upgraded Imperial Daleks, conditioned to be personally loyal to him as their emperor. It led to a war with the baseline Daleks.

* EyeOnAStalk: A mechanical example; defeating them often revolves around [[GoForTheEye attacking it.]]
* FantasticRacism: They harbor a deep hatred of any species that isn't them, viewing them as inferior life forms that must be exterminated.
* TheFarmerAndTheViper: When facing their own defeat or perhaps simply wishing to gain an advantage, the Daleks often count on their foes being a GoodSamaritan and always cry [[SchmuckBait "Have pity!"]] or beg for help in order to bite back and destroy their enemies when they have the chance. {{Averted}} when one tries it on River Song. After making it beg three times, she kills it.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: In Doylist terms, though not Watsonian. In their first appearance, they were confined to a single city and trying to survive. Then they acquired space and later time travel, [[TheDreaded becoming one of the most powerful and feared races of all time.]]
* GoldColoredSuperiority: The rank structure of the Daleks places Golden Daleks high in the hierarchy.

* HumanResources: They're not above converting other life-forms into Daleks if they need the numbers (Parting of the Ways) or the subject is too useful to pass up (Asylum). Or if Davros feels like making a point - he had this done to eight billion humans in the audio Terra Firma, just to twist a knife in the Doctor.
* ImmuneToBullets: They're (mostly) vaporized by a forcefield before they can make contact. And even without their shields, bullets in the revived show never have any effect on them.
* ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy: Inverted in the revived series. Unique among Doctor Who villains, the Daleks NEVER miss, even when shooting at the Doctor himself. Ascended into ImprobableAimingSkills in "Victory of the Daleks" where we see one shoot down airplanes.
** It's also an AA Defense Designer's wet dream. Projectiles that travel at the speed of light that destroy the target on contact, targeted by a supercomputer and firing at aircraft designed before stealth was even considered. If we wanted, we could build a system almost as effective in the current day for use against WWII fighters.
* InLoveWithYourCarnage:
** They built the Dalek Asylum to contain Daleks that were too violent and insane even for ''them'' to control but refuse to destroy them because they find such pure hatred to be beautiful. It has an entire wing containing the Daleks that have gone insane in battles with the Doctor, which are judged to be so dangerous and unstable they must be kept separate for the protection of the ''[[UpToEleven other]]'' prisoners.

* LackOfEmpathy: It's kind of a requirement when your ambition is to wipe out everything that isn't you. They understand "pity" and "mercy" only as something to demand from enemies when they're vulnerable, and the idea of empathizing with other life-forms is one of the few things that scares them besides the Doctor. That said, the fact they even ''have'' any concept of mercy is a plot-point in "The Witch's Familiar"; it turns out they get it from Davros, as they get so much else.
* LargeHam: "EXTERMINATE!" This is especially when voiced by Creator/NicholasBriggs.

** Inflicted on all of them in "Asylum of the Daleks". It was undone when they "harvested" the memories Tasha Lem had of the Doctor after converting her into a Dalek puppet in "Time of the Doctor". Whether this restored their memories or replaced them isn't entirely clear.
** "Into the Dalek" reveals that the Dalekanium transport shell does this to all the Daleks on purpose, suppressing any memories that might lead the Daleks away from the "purity" that Davros had envisioned for them all the way back in "Genesis of the Daleks".

* LittleGreenManInACan: Or as the Seventh Doctor put it, "little green ''blobs'' in bonded polycarbide armor."
* LowCultureHighTech: Much like their [[ANaziByAnyOtherName real life inspiration]], and a great part of what makes them so scary. They are one of the most advanced races in the 'verse, even making regular use of TimeTravel, but all they ever conceive of doing with their spaceships is find new places to raze.

* MasterRace: As one Dalek says in "Victory of the Daleks", the fundamental basis and belief of their entire culture. "DALEKS ARE SUPREME!"
* MeatMoss: Thanks to AgeWithoutYouth, this is the ultimate fate of any Dalek that isn't killed in battle. They degrade into slime, still fully-conscious, and are left to line the walls of Dalek sewers.
* MindRape: "Into the Dalek" reveals that Dalek tech does this to them on purpose, to reinforce the notion of their OmnicidalManiac status. Any memory that might lead to a moral or existential epiphany is forcibly suppressed.
* MoralityDial: As revealed in "Into The Dalek", each Dalek's internal [=CPU=] constantly purges any information that could induce even the slightest amount of compassion or empathy.
* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The [[SignificantAnagram Kaleds]], ancestors of the Daleks, wear [[PuttingOnTheReich black military uniforms very close to the standard Nazi uniform]], complete with faux-Iron Crosses at the neck, use what appear to be Luger pistols, and give Roman salutes with heel clicking. They're very fond of shouting a lot, violent threats and talk about racial purity. They get painted as Nazis [[RecycledInSpace IN SPACE]]. This is not surprising, since the Daleks themselves were one of the few Nazi-esque villains who were explicitly meant to be substantively Nazi-like, as opposed to just generic Nazi symbolism to make sure the dimwitted know when to boo. It was nicely {{lampshaded}} in the 2008 episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E13JourneysEnd "Journey's End"]] where Martha teleports to Germany to play her part in activating the Osterhagen Key, and Daleks can be heard shouting in German "Exterminieren!" Possibly even more so in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS2E2TheDalekInvasionOfEarth "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" (1965)]] where the Daleks refer to the destruction of the human race as "the Final Solution" and greet each other by jerking their plungers upwards.
** Bonus for the Thals stating that the Kaleds used to be [[UsefulNotes/DichterAndDenker thinkers and scientists]] before the whole Skarosian mutual extermination war got started and the fanatics took over the place; It is to be noted, however, that "Genesis of the Daleks" itself adds a bit of Cold War subtext as well.

** Part of the reason the Doctor wouldn't destroy the Daleks while they were being developed in "Genesis of the Daleks", for all the times they've done this.
-->'''The Doctor''': I know that although the Daleks will create havoc and destruction for millions of years, I know also that from their evil must come something good.
** In "Into The Dalek", the Doctor admits that it was his first encounter with Daleks that changed his less-altruistic first incarnation into the force for good he would later be known for.
--> '''The Doctor''': The Doctor is not the Daleks.
* NighInvulnerability: They started out as ''tanks'', and since the revival they have forcefields that make them immune to nearly everything except their own weapons, only because there aren't ''any'' defenses against them. Earlier stories had their eyestalks, but that's a very small target (and the force field covers that now, too).
** EnergyWeapons of sufficient power seem to do the job; the modified defabricator blows them clean open, and the lightning guns from parallel Earth / Pete's World were at least able to disable them for a while once the Doctor modified them. Other Pete's World weapons seemed specifically designed to kill them.

* OnceASeason: They have appeared in some form at least once a year since the revival, including cameo appearances in "The Waters of Mars" and "The Wedding of River Song". In Classic Who, after 1965 the Daleks turned up less frequently, but this still somewhat applies as every Doctor faced them at least once (the notable exception is the Eighth Doctor. The Daleks did appear in the TV movie, but he didn't interact with them, though fortunately Big Finish more than makes up for it).
* OneManArmy: In the revived series, if only a few individual Daleks appear, they're usually almost unbeatable and killing even one of them becomes a huge task. Special mention to the Special Weapons Dalek, which was able to win the battle in "Remembrance of the Daleks" single handedly, and it was against other Daleks.

* ScaryDogmaticAliens: They're Nazis [[AC:In Space!]], with the odd religious fundamentalist overtone, such as in "The Parting of the Ways".

* TheStarscream: They have repeatedly turned against and overthrown their creator, Davros, only to come crawling back when they are weak, because he is smarter than them. Though not smart enough to have realized that when he created a race that thinks they are superior to ''everyone'', that would include him. SubvertedTrope in the 2008 revival episode [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E12TheStolenEarth "The Stolen Earth"]]; the Daleks don't even ''pretend'' to respect him this time, and are keeping him as a "pet".
** As of the 12th Doctor's era, Davros has come to expect this, fondly remarking, "You know how children are." The Doctor notes later on in the episode, after having stolen Davros' chair, that he stole it precisely because Davros has survived so long amongst several billion psychotic 'mini-tanks' with ChronicBackstabbingDisorder.

* SuperSoldier: They have one, the Special Weapon Dalek, which has a different casing from its fellows, and is far stronger, capable of incinerating three Daleks in one shot. Apparently, [[AllThereInTheManual according to the novelisation of "Remembrance of the Daleks",]] it's crazier than the average Dalek, due to the radiation its weapon produces. Daleks being Daleks, they think it's an abomination and have to be told not to kill it.

* TechnologyMarchesOn: In-universe. One of the few species besides humanity that is depicted in different stages of their development - when we first saw them, before they reached space flight, they were dependent on external power sources. They had remedied this with disk-like accessories in the 22nd century, and engineered their casings to not even need these further ahead. They also achieved time travel at some point and multiple wars and conflicts in their history / the future are known. At some point, they also experimented with making themselves completely mechanical. Later in the classic series, and most of the new one, we mostly encounter those far future Daleks occasionally ending up back on present!Earth.

** Their increase in threat level is most apparent when you see how the characters approach them: Back in the classic series, two strong men (or just one Ace) with a blunt object could usually ambush and incapacitate one. In the new series, you need at least a futuristic raygun to even ''stand a chance'', and in large numbers, only a major plot event / DeusExMachina can stop them.
** This extends to the scale of their plans as well. While they have been {{Absolute Xenophobe}}s since their early years, this mostly extended to conquering planets and enslaving inferior races. In the Revival Series, they are full-on {{Omnicidal Maniac}}s who attempt to destroy ''all of reality'' at one point and nearly succeed.

* ToServeMan: "Into the Dalek" reveals that Daleks feed on a protein goop processed from the carcasses of their victims.

* UnwillingRoboticisation: The Robo-Men (not to be confused with the Cybermen), the Daleks' low-level police/enforcers during their 22th century invasion of Earth.

* VillainDecay: Thought to have happened after Davros appeared, where the Daleks were reduced to Mooks. They seemed to re-establish themselves slightly at the end of "Revelation of the Daleks" and finally in "Remembrance of the Daleks" a faction are fighting Davros.
** Largely undone in the revival series. The titular Dalek in "Dalek" wiped out the whole of the underground base on its own. "Asylum of the Daleks" shows that they can convert human beings into unwitting meat puppets, or even full on Dalek conversions. And "Into the Dalek" shows the inner workings of the outer shell, and the horror of just what Daleks do to themselves on a daily basis just to maintain their "purity".
** ZigZagged in the Moffat years. Under Davies they eventually became TooPowerfulToLive to the point where them merely being ''alive'' was a threat to the universe (and beyond), yet due to JokerImmunity they would always come back regardless. When Moffat took over, the policy changed and they now show up as MonsterOfTheWeek, also preferring to try and use or kill The Doctor but no longer trying to destroy the universe, even trying to ''save'' it at some points (albeit only so they don't die too). Their technology and threat level is greater than ever, but they do not put it into practice.

** "Asylum of the Daleks" suggests that their respect for the degree of hatred he feels for them [[WhyDontYaJustShootHim inhibits them from killing him]], although the Dalek in question may just have been messing with the Doctor's head.

A species of humanoid aliens and the ancestors of the Daleks who use to inhabit the planet Skaro. They got into a thousand year war with the Thals that nearly decimated both species. The Kaleds were beginning to mutate due to chemical weapons and the Daleks were originally designed as a travel machine for the final mutation. Originally they died from a nuclear bomb, but the Fourth Doctor's meddling in their timeline meant the majority were killed by a Thal rocket and the early Daleks. Davros is currently the only living Kaled.

--> '''General Ravon:''' OUR BATTLE CRY WILL BE TOTAL '''EXTERMINATION''' OF THE THALS!

--> '''Nyder:''' We must keep the Kaled race pure. Imperfects are rejected.

-->'''Fourth Doctor:''' But it's a known fact that there are more than seven galaxies.
-->'''Ronson:''' ''(humouring him)'' ... Quite.

* SmallRoleBigImpact: They only had a major role in one Fourth Doctor story (and a cameo in the Series 9 premiere) but they are essential to the ''Doctor Who'' mythos, because without them there would be no Daleks.

-> '''Voiced by:''' Roy Skeleton (1967), Terry Molloy (1988), Creator/NicholasBriggs (2005)

-> '''Dalek Emperor:''' So, you are the Doctor.\\

!!! Tropes associated with the television continuity
* BigBad: In Series 1 of the Revival.
* CanonImmigrant: First appeared in comic books -- the 1988 version was modelled on the design used by the comics.

* DeadpanSnarker: "Hail the Doctor, the [[HeWhoFightsMonsters Great Exterminator]].".
* EvilSoundsDeep: Dalek Emperors are recognized by their very deep voice similar to the New Series Dalek Supremes, as opposed to the high-pitched mooks.

* GodEmperor: The 2005 Emperor, until Rose / Bad Wolf disproved this by vaporizing him.
* GreaterScopeVillain: To the Dalek Empire as a whole up until Series 1 of the Revival.

* PuppetKing: Creator/RussellTDavies dubbed them "Puppet Emperors", since no matter who's in charge, the Dalek Empire remains the same, since any leader who exhibits non-Dalek behavior (like Dalek Sec) is immediately removed from power.

The creator of the Daleks, a Kaled from the war-torn planet of Skaro. Davros was the Kaled's greatest scientis, and he was indispensable to his people. Horribly crippled in an accident, his brain power and intelligent remained intact which allowed to maintain his position in a culture where imperfects were "rejected".

Davros originally created the Daleks as nothing more than a travel machine and protecting case for his people for their eventual fate; helpless blobs as the result of chemical weapons used in the war. But darker thoughts entered Davros' mind as he begin to tamper with their emotions to eradicate all feeling save aggression....

Davros' relationship with the Doctor is one of begrudging mutual respect for the other's genius. Along with the Master, Davros is one of the strongest contenders for the title of the Doctor's ArchEnemy.

!!! Tropes associated with the television continuity

--> '''Davros:''' ''[fondly]'' You know what children are like...
* AGodAmI: Created the Daleks to put himself "above the gods", and admits he would [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out all life]] to get the same rush.

* AnArmAndALeg: His arm gets shot off by Bostock in "Revelation of the Daleks".

** The Twelfth Doctor refers to Davros as his arch-enemy in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E1TheMagiciansApprentice "The Magician's Apprentice"]]. Missy, the Master's female form, [[ImStandingRightHere who is standing next to the Doctor when he says it, takes some offence to the remark]].
* AxCrazy: He lacks the mobility for much direct violence, but the sheer glee he takes in building doomsday weapons and causing massacres says a lot.
* BackFromTheDead: He's killed by the Daleks in "Genesis" and succumbs to the Movellan virus in "Resurrection", yet manages to survive both times.
* BadassNormal: While "normal" is not the best word that could be used to describe someone like Davros, his genius is on-par with the Doctor's despite coming from a planet that's only barely above Earth's technology. At their height, his creations -- the Daleks -- ''nearly destroyed'' [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens the Time Lords]], who were top dogs of the universe during that time.
* BaitTheDog: He seemed like he was legitimately going to reform in ''The Magician's Apprentice'' as he was dying, but in truth used it to sucker the Twelfth Doctor into both reviving him and creating Dalek/Time Lord hybrids using his regeneration energy.

* BigBad: Of Series 4 of the revival. Although the Daleks are keeping him prisoner, he's the one pushing and guiding them to make the Reality Bomb. Also for the beginning two-parter in Series 9.
* BrainInAJar: He appears to have been reduced to this in "Revelation of the Daleks". As it turns out however, it's just a decoy.

* TheChessmaster: Watch "Genesis of the Daleks" — for the whole 6 episodes, he is not so much as momentarily inconvenienced by any of the events of the serial until the very end.

* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: In "The Magician's Apprentice" and "The Witch's Familiar".
* DeadpanSnarker: Especially in "Revelation of the Daleks" and "The Magician's Apprentice".

* EnemyCivilWar: During the Sixth Doctor's time, Davros created Daleks that were ''loyal only to him'', the Imperial Daleks (white and gold casing). This led to a civil war between them and the other Daleks (the Renegades), which lasted until "Remembrance of the Daleks", when the Seventh Doctor managed to take out both sides.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: In "Genesis of the Daleks", he's quite upset when the Daleks kill Nyder, and when they move to kill his only other loyal supporters too, he is shocked and tries to think up reasons for why the Daleks ought to let the men live. Though it's downplayed and subverted in that he doesn't seem to care about them afterwards, not even mentioning them.

** His laboratory was bombed out while he was still inside it. The blast burned away his left arm, entire lower body, and even his [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking taste buds]]. Davros ended up hooked in a life support system with a bionic eye and other mechanical bits in his body. On top of that, he lost his right hand when Bostock shot it to bits in "Revelation of the Daleks" and now has a robot prosthesis. Oh, and ''half his chest cavity has been hollowed out'' to clone Daleks out of his DNA. Davros has been ground up like no other.
** For a long time it was believed that the blast also [[EyelessFace burned away his eyes]], but according to "The Witch's Familiar", he still has his original eyes, it's just very, ''very'' hard to tell given how badly his face has been damaged. We also get to see Davros out of the chair... and he stops at the stomach. We see his spine.
* EvilIsHammy: He screams ''a lot'', which is probably a reason his creations do as well.

* FalselyReformedVillain: In "Revelation of the Daleks", he takes to calling himself the Great Healer and offering a solution to galactic famine. Thanks to this, Davros can truly call himself humanitarian.

* FreudianExcuse: Throughout the series, it's implied that Davros' violent insanity comes from [[WarIsHell his experiences in the Thousand Year War.]] "The Witch's Familiar" explores this further (see UsedToBeASweetKid). Big Finish debunked it with their miniseries "I, Davros" - yes Davros grew up in a horrible environment (and that's not even taking his BigScrewedUpFamily into account) but he was naturally a sociopath and would've ended up as a MadScientist regardless of his environment.
* FriendlyEnemy:

* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: "The Witch's Familiar" shows Davros has lost his legs and some of his lower body. He is apparently connected to his chair by a mechanically enhanced spine.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: He has a bit of a blind spot when it comes to the Daleks. In "Resurrection of the Daleks" he seems to be learning and tries to wipe out the Daleks and start again. In "Remembrance of the Daleks" it is implied he was so successful with his new Daleks he has taken over Skaro. However, he falls victim to this again when he tries to use the Hand of Omega and destroys Skaro, in the Seventh Doctor's first use of this trick.

* InSpiteOfANail: At the end of ''The Witch's Familiar'', Doctor ''saved'' Davros as a young child, and told him the value of mercy... and he still turned out an utter bastard. That one bit of mercy saved Clara's life, though, in spite of what Davros would become. It also goes a way to explaining Daleks like [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E2IntoTheDalek "Rusty"]] and why they need a MoralityDial to stay evil.

* JokerImmunity: Like the Master and the Daleks themselves, Davros is too iconic a villain to kill off for good. Creator/RussellTDavies even [[WordOfGod outright admitted]] that Davros survived the events of "Journey's End" because he didn't want to kill off such a classic villain.

** In "The Witch's Familiar", while talking with the Doctor, he says a man should have somewhere to belong, a home, a people, the implication being that he feels the absence of the Kaleds - albeit for his own nationalist, fascist reasons.
-->"A man should have a race, a people, an ''allegiance''. A man should belong."
* MadScientist: Sealing tiny little mutant {{omnicidal maniac}}s into personal tanks can't be anything but mad.
* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: In most cases, Davros barely acknowledges the horrible state of his body beyond a clinical analysis. Occasionally, some people even note that Davros has the [[FridgeHorror intelligence and scientific background to fully heal or replace his body]], but [[DisabilitySuperpower uses his constant agony as motivation.]]
* ManInAKilt: Well, the first actor was. When he played the character, he wore a kilt underneath the "Dalek wheelchair." Also applies to the "wheelchair" itself, as it's been continually referred to as one during filming. ''And'' he was Scottish during his second appearance for some reason.

** He's tried to pull this on the Doctor a few times, such as in "Journey's End".
--> '''Davros:''' The man who abhors violence, never carrying a gun. But this is the truth, Doctor. You take ordinary people, and you fashion them into weapons. Behold your Children of Time transformed into murderers! I made the Daleks, Doctor; you made this.

** Especially in "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End", when he planned "'''[[PunctuatedForEmphasis THE DESTRUCTION!]] [[ChewingTheScenery OF REALITY! ITSELF!!!]]'''"
** This was alluded to back in "Genesis of the Daleks", where he admitted that, if he could wipe out all life with his own creation, he would, for no other reason than because he could. Explains the Daleks.
-->'''The Doctor:''' Davros, if you had created a virus in your laboratory, something contagious and infectious that killed on contact, a virus that would destroy all other forms of life, would you allow its use?\\
'''Davros:''' It is an interesting conjecture! [...] To hold in my hand a capsule that contains such ''power'', to know that life and death on such a scale was my choice... To know that the ''tiny pressure'' of my thumb, enough to break the glass, would end ''everything''... Yes, I would do it! That power would set me up above the gods! AND THROUGH THE DALEKS, ''I SHALL HAVE THAT POWER''!

** Happens again in the New Series. In "Journey's End" he's last seen on an exploding Dalek saucer spitefully rebuffing the Tenth Doctor's offer to save him. Seven years later, in "The Magician's Apprentice", he pops up on Skaro without any explanation.

* UsedToBeASweetKid: The Twelfth Doctor accidentally ended up on Skaro when Davros was still a kid and was in the process of saving him from a mine field until he learned he learned that boy he was trying to save would grow up to be his most hated enemy. And Davros ''remembers'' the encounter.[[note]]Big Finish did an audio drama, ''I, Davros'', which came to the conclusion that Davros is naturally a sociopath and would end up as an evil MadScientist regardless of any outside circumstances.[[/note]] [[spoiler: In the end, the Doctor saves him from the minefield anyway.]]

* YouSeeImDying: In "The Magician's Apprentice" he is dying and wants to see the Doctor.

!!!Tropes associated with Big Finish

* BastardBastard: [[spoiler: In the first episode of "I, Davros" it is revealed his mother Calcula's husband was sterile when he was conceived and his real father was Counciller Quested.]]

--> '''Davros:''' ... What ... what is that smell?
--> '''Ral:''' [hesitantly] ... It's ''you'', Davros.
* CreepyMonotone: 16-year-old Davros, heard in "Innocence", almost sounds like a regular inquisitive teenaged boy -- but speaks in a detached and scientific way, with very blunted affect. The result is genuinely creepy.
* EnemyMine: He comes to deeply admire the Sixth Doctor, and considers him the closest thing he's got to a friend. Six does not agree. At all.
* FreakyFridayFlip: Gets into one with Six.
* FreudianExcuse: Invoked: his childhood was a bit screwed up, with his mother being pretty much an {{Expy}} of [[Series/IClaudius Livia]]. Still, it's abundantly clear that he would have become a MadScientist no matter what, and that's he's naturally a sociopath.

* LongGame: In "Terror Firma", it's revealed that [[spoiler: he's been tracking the TARDIS]] ever since [[spoiler: "Storm Warning"]].

--> '''Davros:''' I was able to operate --
--> '''Eighth Doctor:''' My TARDIS?
--> '''Davros:''' Operate [[spoiler: ''on'' your TARDIS]].
* MortonsFork: A core element of the "Masters Of War" story is Davros constantly having to choose between two negative outcomes: either give his Daleks some kind of moral compass and compassion and have his entire army be more vulnerable because of it, or create them without morals and inevitably end up betrayed by them. The episode really dives into this idea and explores it from all possible angles.
* MotiveRant: He's infamous for getting in at least one good rant per story. His day in the limelight episode, therefore, begins with one showing his thoughts immediately after receiving his injuries.
* NotSoDifferent: From Six. Davros poses that they might have been friends if they hadn't been enemies. Six does ''not'' agree.

-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/NicholasBriggs (2012)

-> '''The Doctor:''' You think hatred is beautiful?
-> '''Dalek Prime Minister:''' Perhaps that is why we have never been able to kill you.

-->''"There are millions of humans and only four of us. If we are supreme, why are we not victorious? The Cult of Skaro was created by the Emperor for this very purpose. To imagine new ways of survival!"''

* ArmourPiercingQuestion: Sec asks his fellow Daleks one in "Daleks in Manhattan" (quoted above): if the Daleks are the supreme beings, ''why'' are they so routinely defeated?
* BadassArmy: They completely slaughter the Cybermen in "Doomsday".

-->'''Cyber-Leader''': ''Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen.''
-->'''Sec''': ''THIS IS NOT WAR. THIS IS PEST CONTROL.''
-->'''Cyber-Leader''': ''We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?''
-->'''Sec''': ''FOUR.''
-->'''Cyber-Leader''': ''You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?''
-->'''Sec''': WE WOULD DESTROY THE CYBERMEN WITH '''ONE''' DALEK! YOU ARE SUPERIOR IN '''ONE''' RESPECT.''
-->'''Cyber-Leader''': ''What is that?''
-->'''Sec''': ''[[OhCrap YOU ARE BETTER AT DYING!]]''
* TheChessmaster: Dalek Caan is definitely worthy of this title as of "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End", having orchestrated events to bring about the Daleks' destruction, though he claims to have "only helped" and that what happened [[YouCantFightFate was destined to happen anyway]].
* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Dalek Sec, the leader, is black rather than bronze, but the other three Cult members all look just like regular Daleks.
* CharacterDevelopment: Caan gets this in spades. When the Cult are introduced in ''Doomsday'', the other three members are constantly voicing their opinion, while Caan speaks once during the entire story. By ''Evolution of the Daleks'', Caan is the one who leads the revolution against Sec. ''Then'' he engineers the destruction of the entire Dalek race in ''Journey's End''.
* EliteMooks: They seem to be more durable than normal Daleks, with Thay and Jast absorbing a lot of laser strikes before finally exploding. They are also more intelligent and imaginative than regular Daleks.
* EvilerThanThou: In their debut, they upstage the Cybermen as the main threat even before the Genesis Ark opens.
* ExactWords: Caan's prophecies are heavy on this, allowing him to convince Davros that he's prophesying the ultimate victory of the Daleks over the Doctor, while in fact saying nothing of the sort.
* FourTemperamentEnsemble: Sec is the reflective melancholic despite being the leader as he is the first to be open-minded to humanity, Caan is choleric as he is the first to rebel and persuade the other two Daleks to follow his lead against Dalek Sec, Thay is sanguine due to being very vocal about his opinions and prone to mistakes such as identifying first to the Cybermen, and Jast is phlegmatic as he is reserved and the last to betray Sec.

* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Played with. Dalek Caan's attempt to get Davros out of the Time War caused him to see all of time and go mad, but it ''also'' kickstarted a HeelRealization for him to realize the true evil of the Daleks. The wonderful loon goes on to plan an [[TheChessmaster elaborate scheme]] to bring the entire Dalek species back from the dead ''just so he can exterminate them again''.
* GoneHorriblyRight: The Cult of Skaro was designed with an imagination so they could find new ways of keeping the Daleks alive. Dalek Sec's priority of survival ends up with him [[HumanityIsInfectious becoming half-human]] and all but abandoning what makes a Dalek Dalek.

** Caan accidentally ended up in the Last Great Time-War after he escaped The Doctor and saw the evils the Daleks had done. Despite going insane, he manipulated events so that The Doctor and his companions could destroy the Daleks once and for all, tricking even Davros. Cann is the first Dalek to turn on his kind completely by his own will and without help from genetics.

* SoleSurvivor: Dalek Caan is the only surviving member of the Cult after the events of "Evolution of the Daleks."

* TalkativeLoon: Caan, post his excursion into the Time War. As ''Journey's End'' shows, however, at least some of it is an act, one he drops as soon as his deception is revealed.

* WhamLine: When Dalek Sec has The Doctor brought before him instead of having him exterminated, The Doctor begins shouting at him for the deaths he and the others just caused only for Sec to respond with "The deaths were wrong!"

* NoPlaceForMeThere: They initially intended to kill themselves at the Dalek victory as they were not worthy of survival beyond that point. [[spoiler:When they discovered that there would be no Dalek victory, they made other plans.]]

-> '''Voiced by:''' Creator/NicholasBriggs (2009–present)

A Dalek from the far future, which was created with an evolved mind that allowed it to perceive time in a more advanced manner than a standard Dalek. Consequently, the Dalek Time Controller was given the position of strategist for all Dalek time missions. Chronologically (from its perspective) first meets the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC novel [[Recap/NewSeriesAdventuresTheDalekGeneration "The Dalek Generation"]] and later encounters the Sixth Doctor, before becoming a main antagonist to the Eighth Doctor. In the Eighth Doctor's opinion, this is the most threatening Dalek of them all. Why? He can take the Dalek race's greatest failures and change them into their greatest ''victories''. See his tropes in the "New Series Adventures" [[Characters/NewSeriesAdventures here.]]

!!! Tropes associated with the Big Finish
* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler: Resorts to this in order to live, due to its symbiotic connection to Molly O'Sullivan slowly ''killing it''.]]

* BadassDecay: Acknowledged and justified InUniverse. [[spoiler: The Time Controller is ''literally'' decaying by "Dark Eyes 4", due to the symbiotic connection it developed with Molly O'Sullivan, and is in constant pain from this. Its DNA has also decayed enough that the other Daleks refuse to acknowledge it as a fellow Dalek or a high ranking officer in the Empire. Even its non-organic components are suffering from this, its weapon weakening to the point it requires several direct hits to kill someone. Doesn't stop it from blowing up Dalek after Dalek though]].

* TheChessmaster: Throughout most of of "The Dalek Generation". It goes up against the equally formidable Master in "Dark Eyes 4". [[spoiler: [[OutGambitted The Master wins]].]]

* TheCorruption: [[spoiler:By existing outside of time, the Dalek Time Controller remembers events from the timeline in Dark Eyes. However, the rapidly changing timelines cause it to pick up and retain various bits that, to the Daleks, make it less and less Dalek. By being involved in Molly O'Sullivan's timeline for so long, the Dalek Time Controller ends up being ''symbiotically linked'' to her, weakening it as Molly's own body ages and fails.]]
* CrossThrough: His appearance outside of Six's timeline seriously freaks out Eight. To make things more complicated, he's also the main villain in "The Dalek Generation", a novel written by Creator/NicholasBriggs, in which (from his perspective) he meets the Doctor for the first time... and his first Doctor is, via LoopholeAbuse of the story being a BBC Books novel and not a Big Finish audio play, the ''Eleventh'' Doctor whom he meets post Time War (relatively speaking) while working for the [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E3VictoryOfTheDaleks New Dalek Paradigm]].
* CruelMercy: In "To the Death" tells the Eighth Doctor he will be left on Earth as it is sent through time to the Amethyst viruses. Being a Time Lord will enable the Doctor to live long enough to watch the Earth die.
* EnemyMine: In ''[[Recap/BigFinishDoctorWhoNEDASDarkEyes2E1TheTraitor The Traitor]]'', the Doctor helps him against [[spoiler:the Eminence]]. Earlier he joined [[spoiler:Straxus' future incarnation]] Kotris against the Time Lords.
* {{Expy}}/EvilCounterpart: Seems to be one for Dalek Caan of the New Series, as like Caan he was flung through time and saw all of eternity and every possibility as well as the whole of Dalek history. Unlike Caan who was driven insane with horror at the true evil of the Daleks, the Time Controller instead saw exactly how he could mastermind the Dalek's conquest of all eternity.

* JokerImmunity: Even though history being changed in "Dark Eyes" means he shouldn't have survived the events of "To the Death" he shows up again in "Dark Eyes 2".

!!!Tropes associated with New Series Adventures
The main villain in [[Recap/NewSeriesAdventuresTheDalekGeneration The Dalek Generation]]. The Dalek Litigator represents the others legally in the Sunlight Worlds, where they are considered nice. Revealed to be the Dalek Time Controller, a villain from AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho.

* CanonImmigrant: The Dalek Time Controller, who takes the leap from the continuity of Big Finish to that of the New Series Adventures. Bear in mind this was before Recap/TheNightOfTheDoctor made Big Finish canon.
* TheChessmaster: Manipulates the 11th Doctor throughout "The Dalek Generation" and throughout history to assist its plan.
* HaveWeMetYet: From its perspective when the Time Controller meets the 11th Doctor this is the first time he has met the Doctor, even though this is the post-Time War timeline. From the Doctor's perspective he first met them in his 6th incarnation.

[[folder: Rusty]]

->''"I am '''not''' a good Dalek."''

** As with all Daleks, he still hates the Doctor with a passion and tries to kill him in "Twice Upon a Time". Combined with his original programmed hostility towards the Doctor and what happened to him because of him, it's likely he despises the Doctor ''more than any Dalek ever has in history''.
* HunterOfHisOwnKind: In his introduction, he decides that all Daleks are monsters and they need to die. By "Twice Upon a Time", he has spent ''billions'' of years hunting and killing other Daleks.

* SociopathicHero: Despite attempts to reform him, Rusty instead hones in on The Doctor's [[ArchEnemy hatred of the Daleks]] to fuel his rampage.
[[/folder]]

--> '''Tenth Doctor:''' Technology using the one thing a Dalek can't do. Touch. Sealed inside your casing. Not feeling anything ever, from birth to death, locked inside a cold metal cage. Completely alone. That explains your voice. No wonder you ''scream''.

** In the Creator/StevenMoffat era, they are just a MonsterOfTheWeek instead of being the BigBad, [[spoiler: [[SubvertedTrope until]] the Eleventh Doctor's GrandFinale, where they become the FinalBoss]].

-->'''Cyberman''': ''Daleks, be warned. You have declared war upon the Cybermen.''

-->'''Cyberman''': ''We have five million Cybermen. How many are you?''

-->'''Cyberman''': ''You would destroy the Cybermen with four Daleks?''

-->'''Cyberman''': ''What is that?''

** In the Moffat Era, they are just a MonsterOfTheWeek instead of being the BigBad, [[spoiler: until the Eleventh Doctor's GrandFinale, where they become the FinalBoss]].

* {{Determinator}}: They ''never'' give up. You have to admire a species that manages to survive even after being made extinct. ''Repeatedly.'' And for never turning a blind eye to their mortal enemy, the Doctor, who has been responsible for several of those mass extinctions. An enemy who became a warrior to fight them personally when they declared war on his people - a race so advanced they could dismantle reality if they wanted to. And ended that very same war by turning their numbers against them. What did the Daleks do? Enter a ''second war'' with the Doctor alongside his worst foes when he was on the verge of rescuing his own people. And even then continued to do battle for ''centuries'' after ''everyone else gave up'' and they had tried to kill him so much he finally began to die of ''old age''.
** During the Time War, the Time Lords threw literally everything they could think of at the Daleks - super-weapons, [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]], altering time itself - and not a single one of these attempts stopped them.

** In the Moffat Era, they are just a MonsterOfTheWeek instead of being the BigBad.

Mutants. Cyborgs. Aliens. Xenophobia personified. In short; the Daleks. A species of genetically engineered creatures native to the planet Skaro, whose general purpose for existence is to "EXTERMINATE!" all non-Dalek forms of life in the universe. Created by a MadScientist named Davros, the Daleks' physical form is shriveled and weak, but they make up for that by having each individual travel in a distinctive set of mobile armour, which looks rather like a pepper pot, which makes them ''even more terrifying.'' ''The'' first villainous alien race introduced in the franchise (in ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS1E2TheDaleks the second serial]]'', in fact), they are the most endearingly and enduringly popular, and are considered to be The Doctor's collective [[ArchEnemy archenemy]].

* CyberCyclops: The production team has added pupils to the 2010 models, making the eye-stalk look almost organic.

* TheDreaded: In a universe full of any number of beasties, [[Characters/DoctorWhoMasters psychopaths]] and ''gods'', the Daleks are consistently shown to be the #1 fear of those who've fought them, the Doctor included.

* UnskilledButStrong: Compared to several other threats that have opposed [[Characters/DoctorWhoDoctors the Doctor]], the Daleks are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Then again, when they have weapons strong enough to bust through nearly any resistance their foes may put up, and enough defenses to NoSell nearly any enemy attack, they don't often feel the need to think and strategize, as merely blasting the enemy into oblivion is often enough to do the job. In contrast to several examples of this trope, the Daleks never grow out of this mindset and their solution to every defeat they have faced is simply to increase the strength of their weaponry and armor from what it was previously. Also in contrast to said examples, simply enacting this approach has enabled them to remain a relevant and competent threat over their decades long history on the show.

* GoMadFromTheRevelation: Played with-Dalek Caan's attempt to get Davros out of the Time War caused him to see all of time and go mad, but it also made him sane enough to realize the true evil of the Daleks and plan a way to take them out.

* StrongAsTheyNeedToBe: Their DeathRay weapon, justified depending on how much power is used in it. It varies from being enough to kill a human or a Cybus Cyberman, to blasting a hole in a bomb shelter blast door.

* ArcVillain: They are the threat behind the ''Eleventh Doctor: Year Two'' arc.

* FantasticRacism: They harbor a deep hatred of any species that isn't them. Viewing them as inferior life forms that must be exterminated.

* LargeHam: "EXTERMINATE!" This is especially when voiced by NicholasBriggs.

* TheMan: The Dalek Emperor is this in the Series 1 finale, running not only the New Dalek Empire, but also secretly running the Human empire from behind the scenes, initially through the Editor and the Jagrafess, and later the Game Station and the [[ArcWords Bad Wolf corporation]].

* BadassNormal: While "normal" is not the best word that could be used to describe someone like Davros, his genius is on-par with the Doctor's despite coming from a planet that's only barely above Earth's technology. At their height, his creations--the Daleks--''nearly destroyed'' [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens the Time Lords]], who were top dogs of the universe during that time.
* BaitTheDog: He seems like he was legitimately going to reform in ''The Magician's Apprentice'' as he was dying but only used this to sucker the Twelfth doctor into both reviving him and creating Dalek time Lord hybrids using his regeneration energy.

* DarkLordOnLifeSupport: In "The Magician's Apprentice" and 'The Witch's Familiar".

* EvenEvilHasStandards: In "Genesis of the Daleks", he's quite upset when the Daleks kill Nyder, and when they move to kill his only other loyal supporters too, he is shocked and tries to think up reasons for why the Daleks ought to let the men live. Though it's downplayed and subverted in that eventually he doesn't really care about his men later as he doesnt even mention them later.

** One-sided with the Doctor and eventually subverted. On a few occasions, he has put aside his threats and seriously tried to engage the Doctor in talks of science, philosophy etc. Probably because the Doctor is the only man he's met who is on his level, intelligence wise. The Doctor, however, has nothing but loathing and contempt for him throughout his lives, until the Twelfth Doctor, who's moved to show him kindness and compassion... at which point Davros viciously stabs him in the back having planned the whole thing from the start to take advantage of him.

* HopeCrusher: He tried to push the already guilt-stricken Doctor to the DespairEventHorizon in hopes that he can turn him into a man willing to kill Davros' younger self, willing to commit genocide against the Daleks at last... all to prove his own belief that the Doctor and his compassion are wrong and have an ultimate victory over his nemesis.

* IconicSequelCharacter: One of the most recognisable and iconic villains in all of the ''Whoniverse'' and one of the contenders for ArchEnemy of The Doctor and he debuted in season 12.
* InSpiteOfANail: At the end of ''The Witches Familiar'', Doctor ''saved'' Davros as a young child, and told him the value of mercy... and he still turned out an utter bastard. That one bit of mercy saved Clara's life, though, in spite of what Davros would become. It also goes a way to explaining Daleks like [[Recap/DoctorWhoS34E2IntoTheDalek "Rusty"]] and why they need a MoralityDial to stay evil.

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: From his perspective, he think he's doing a service to the Kaleds by replacing them or transforming them into the Daleks, and believes that their OmnicidalManiac tendencies will bring a end to war. In reality he's motivated by [[AGodAmI a god complex]] and [[EvilCannotComprehendGood cannot fathom an actual peaceful solution]].

* TheUnfettered: There is absolutely nothing he's not prepared to do to ensure the survival of the Daleks.

** Happens again in the New Series. In "Journey's End" he's last seen on an exploding Dalek saucer spitefully rebuffing the Tenth Doctor's offer to save him. Seven years later in the Twelfth Doctor era, in "The Magician's Apprentice" he pops on Skaro without any explanation.