Ice Warrior

The Ice Warriors are a fictional extraterrestrial race of reptilian humanoids in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The Ice Warriors hail from the planet Mars, wearing bio-mechanical suits of armour in order to protect themselves from attack and temperature fluctuations. They first appeared in the 1967 serial The Ice Warriors where they are encountered and fought by the Second Doctor. Following this appearance, the Ice Warriors re-appear several more times on-screen, acting in multiple different roles, including as allies and antagonists. The Ice Warriors have appeared in a large number of spin-off material since their debut.

The Ice Warriors were created by Brian Hayles, who was interested in the idea of life on Mars at the time of their creation; he was additionally inspired by the discovery of a mammoth preserved in a block of ice. At the time of the Ice Warriors' debut, the Doctor Who production team was seeking new recurring antagonists, and the Ice Warriors were brought back due to their popularity from their first encounter. Hayles decided, for their appearance in the 1972 serial The Curse of Peladon, to make the Ice Warriors allies and not antagonists in order to deceive the audience; he further decided to make them antagonists again in the 1974 serial The Monster of Peladon to accomplish the same effect. Following that serial, the Ice Warriors did not appear on-screen again until 2013's "Cold War".

The Ice Warriors' physical appearance was initially designed by Martin Baugh, who was inspired by their name. The design was influenced by crocodiles, unlike the original script, which cited the Ice Warriors as cyborgs, which Baugh did to avoid overlap with antagonists the Cybermen. The original Ice Warriors were constructed of fibreglass. A later design for a leader of the species, dubbed the Ice Lords, would feature a less armoured appearance, being portrayed primarily via a jumpsuit and cape instead of fibreglass. The Ice Warriors' later appearance in "Cold War" would see little changes to the core design, with it remaining largely faithful to the original.

The Ice Warriors have been received positively since their debut, being fondly remembered as one of the series' most iconic antagonists despite the large gaps in appearances. The Ice Warriors have received commentary and analysis, including in regard to the appeal of their design and their role in the two Peladon serials.