The Martian Ice Warriors — a classic throwback enemy introduced during Patrick Troughton’s 2nd Doctor — are finally coming back to Doctor Who. It seems that the “new kind of Ice Warrior” that writer Mark Gatiss promised back in January will be none other than the Empress of Mars herself.
The latest preview teaser, straight from BBC, depicts the Doctor on Mars with some human Victorian soldiers (How did they get there?) discovering what looks like a Martian Ice Warrior sarcophagus.
The Doctor says, it’s “not just any tomb, this the tomb of an Ice Queen.” As the Doctor explains, sarcophagi such as these were sometimes part of a “complex hibernation system,” which means that this small group of humans might be in some serious danger if they do tamper with it — which will inevitably be exactly what happens.
Doing so will reveal the titular Empress of Mars herself.
The Empress of Mars is certainly a "new kind of Ice Warrior."
This will be the first time the Ice Warriors return to the show since 2013’s “Cold War” in which the 11th Doctor and Clara encountered one on a Soviet submarine in 1983. Now, Doctor Who will show us what they’re like on their home turf.
Check out the teaser right here:
“Empress of Mars” airs Saturday, June 10 at 9 p.m. Eastern on BBC and BBC America.
After that, there are only two more episodes before “The Doctor Falls” in which the Doctor will regenerate into his 13th incarnation, as played by a still unannounced actor — or actress.
