Doctor Who: The 10 Most Important Planets In The Series
Doctor Who sees the titular time-traveler embark on endless escapades across millions of dangerous worlds. While The Doctor has visited so many planets across the series thus far, some have absolutely stood out as being vitally important to the galaxy and indeed to the franchise itself. Without these planets, major story arcs or elements of the universe might be very different.
Sometimes fans don't even get to see the planets themselves, but they hear about them so many times that their significance is hard to ignore. A couple of these locations are also forever linked to a species of alien that has caused trouble for The Doctor and allies throughout Doctor Who.
The Judoon are considered to be a part of the intergalactic space force supposedly keeping peace throughout the Universe. The Shadow Proclamation is really the hub of that activity, the top of the chain of command. It's an intimidating location although technically not a planet.
The Proclamation, who are keeping track of everything happening throughout the universe, has decided to set up shop on a series of asteroids that have been connected together. It's one of the most dangerous places to visit considering the amount of authority and power held within the region.
Earth has become a second home for The Doctor. It's factored into so many storylines throughout the show and fans have seen the planet's destruction time and time again. There have been parallel Earths and those that have been overtaken by alien invasions.
Time and time again humanity (and the Silurians) persevere, defended by groups like U.N.I.T. who have sought to protect Earth from the incoming threats. Earth certainly holds plenty of secrets of its own but the planet has produced some of The Doctor's best companions.
Gallifrey is the home planet of the Time Lords and the location that The Doctor largely grew up in. It's one of the most influential locations in all of existence thanks to the power of the regenerating Time Lords themselves, but it's also deeply corrupt and fell during the Time War.
The return of Gallifrey meant big trouble for the galaxy, which didn't know how to react to this interfering people. Yet, their second destruction was even more heartbreaking for The Doctor, with the remaining Time Lords getting turned into Cybermen! It's a planet of history and will continue to influence The Doctor's journey.
The Cybermen are easily one of the best monsters within the Doctor Who franchise. They have been relied upon to create scares in countless stories and although audiences will be used to the modern incarnations of the robotic beasts, fans of the classics will recognize the return of the Mondasian Cybermen.
Mondas is their planet of origin and this is briefly shown during the earlier days of Who. It was previously a twin to Earth but became dislodged. The planet has created a legacy of destruction with the Cybermen infecting every area of the universe. They seemingly never die and The Doctor has made a mortal enemy out of them.
If the Cybermen are one of The Doctor's major nemeses then the Daleks are even more important. They are the arch-enemy to the Time Lords and have waged war on The Doctor for decades. They originate from the planet Skaro which recently made a comeback.
It's a location of great misery and pain, where the mutated species first began to develop their horrific technology of mass destruction. Notable members of their hierarchy include the highly intelligent Davros who helped to create the race now known as Daleks and used Skaro as a base once more.
When humans do eventually begin to move out into the cosmos they create New Earth, a futuristic version of the planet audiences are familiar with. It's packed with state-of-the-art technology and appears to be a kind of utopia, but there's a darkness within.
Poverty, famine, and disease have continued to plague the world and it seems that even with a New Earth no one can quite get it right. Regardless, it still tries to be an influence in the larger universe and is home to some incredible innovation, but it certainly comes with a cost.
The Library is exactly as it suggests. It's a planet that is completely full of books, keeping records of fiction and indeed the history of the universe itself. For The Doctor, the Library holds terrible memories; it's where he met River Song for the first time and witnessed her death.
Featuring the one-off Doctor Who villains known as the Vashta Nerada, these flesh-eating entities are absolutely terrifying. Remove those creatures though and the Library really is a one-in-a-million planet with a strong legacy of informing the universe and sharing works of significance.
Mars seems almost unimportant considering it's supposedly void of life and Earth is within its same solar system. However, The Doctor has had some incredible adventures on the planet, surviving plenty of near-death experiences alongside other human exploration teams, as they battled a being known as The Flood.
Mars is also home to a species that many thought to be extinct. The Ice Warriors were once the dominant species within the system but had supposedly died out. They could one day look to conquer the universe again, with Mars as a crucial base to launch from.
Akhaten was only featured once on Doctor Who but in the context of those who live near it, it's really quite important. The planet is host to a sentient god-like parasite that feeds upon the memories and lives of those that come to pay tribute. It's a dangerous beast and The Doctor sought to defeat it.
The planet has a long history of cult-like worship and has become a focal point for festivals within its system. Its destruction would have been a turning point for the galaxy, as the absence of such a powerful force would certainly have major consequences moving forward.
Sontar is one of the planets that fans never really see fully on-screen and yet it's home to the clone race known as the Sontarans. This legion of warriors is determined to take the galaxy in any way they can. They don't care about the death and destruction, only the victory.
With war in their blood, it's no surprise that Sontar is a brutal planet that few would wish to visit. Even so, it's one of great strength and it's likely never been invaded or conquered before! As Doctor Who continues to show fans new locations, Sontar should really get its time to shine.