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Character Options is excited to announce the release of a brand-new, online exclusive, Doctor Who collector figure set, The Ruins of Skaro featuring Daleks and Movellans! Fans can get their hands on this thrilling new release from today at www.character-online.co.uk.
Inspired by the 1979 Episode; Destiny of the Daleks, this new three figure online exclusive presents
the two main antagonists in that classic story, The Movellans and the Daleks. The striking and
beautiful Movellan robot figures each come with a blaster accessory, whilst the Dalek figure is pre-
loaded with bombs. As expected, the set comes in special window packaging with unique diorama
printed insert.
About the Destiny of the Daleks (1979) Episode
In the story, The TARDIS has brought the Fourth Doctor and his fellow Time Lord, Romana to a barren radioactive planet. Unknown to them this is Skaro, birthplace of the Daleks, and the city ruins around them are the scarred remains of the old Kaled city. They see a spacecraft descend and bury itself into the ground nearby but when they approach, they are attacked by high energy weapons. Escaping the weapons’ fire, they explore further into the city where soon the Doctor becomes trapped under falling
masonry. Going for help across the unstable ground, Romana falls down a shaft and is soon
captured by a patrol of Daleks!
It is soon revealed that the Daleks are waging an endless Space War against a race of humanoid robots called Movellans, and need to find their creator, Davros to help them break the impasse. After a deadly chase through the underground ruins, Davros is indeed found and revived by the Daleks. Realising the Daleks plans, and that the Doctor has beaten the Daleks on numerous occasions, the Doctor is targeted by the Movellans for the exact same reason…to help them defeat the Dalek battle computers! Davros learns that the Movellans have the Doctor and orders the last surviving Daleks to be loaded with bombs to try and destroy the Movellan ship before it can take off.
In the Episode the aesthetically beautiful Movellan robot humanoids are a stark contrast with the
rag tag assemblage of battered Daleks. In this war, the Daleks are on the back foot against an aggressor that’s better armed, better organised, and frankly better looking, and things are not going to plan. The contrast is clearly demonstrated in the detailing of the figures within the set.
Al Dewar, Creative Director, commented: ‘I have been looking forwards to this release for a long time as this story is a huge, huge favourite of mine. Speaking as a lifelong fan of Doctor Who, I love it! There is the Fourth Doctor with Romana, a cameo by a sick K9, plus brilliant robots and psychotic mutants!
We know that at the time the Dalek props were in a desperate state but that plays nicely into
the plotline that the Daleks are losing a prolonged Space War against an adversary that’s
equally as good as they are! I mean … if these were the best assemblage of Daleks they could
spare to go rescue Davros then what is the rest of the fleet like?
And then Wham! These characters called The Movellans, that seem to have no flaws and move
with such grace, suddenly turn up and seem to be even more logical and on point than the
Daleks .. until we discover they are in fact robots. The genius of the story for me is we know the
Daleks are ruthlessly logical creatures with all emotion removed and they are suddenly on the
back foot and almost desperate. That realisation that without the ‘emotive human factor’ they
are no better than robots themselves, isn’t lost on them. It presented a very different Dalek
storyline and being shot in such a desolate location, both Daleks and Movellans really stand
out!
Personally, I find it hard to see the Movellans as villains; they were a real revelation ahead of
their time; with a multicultural, multi-gender command crew, that on paper just seemed so
cool and in control. These creatures outperformed the battered bunch of Daleks at every turn.
Take the Doctor and Davros out of the equation and the Daleks were doomed!
So, it’s great to add these fabulous, classic series figures to the Character Option’s Doctor Who
line up. We tried to do the aesthetics of the characters justice, so they have some neat features
to help keep that elegant, streamlined look. And the contrast of shiny silver and white is
fabulous with a little bit of Skaro mud thrown in for authenticity.
To complete the trio is a long- awaited figure in the form of the ‘Bomb’ carrying Dalek. This
edition has the correct number of explosives around the waist and the colour is matched to the
previous B&M Destiny release. They represent what was an iconic sequence in the story with
the battered Daleks heading towards the Movellan ship.
For a story that has a mixed reception on its release, I believe that fans such as myself
appreciate its uniqueness and its well-deserved place in Doctor Who history. The air of gloom
given to the planet Skaro, the melancholy soundscape, the rich trope of characters has resulted
in a story that holds up well all these years later. I hope that the collectors will really
appreciate the effort and time put into this set and I can finally stop hiding the Movellans
under my desk.’
The Ruins of Skaro Online Exclusive set will be available to purchase for £39.99 including post and
packaging at www.character-online.co.uk. This is a limited number run and will be restricted to
just two sets per order.