Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The horror of the Cybermen is that they say it kindly. Upgrade is a word from software updates and sales brochures, and Doctor Who turned it into a threat: they are not killing you, they are improving you. Fans quote it whenever a phone, a console or a boss offers a mandatory improvement, and the flat, echoing delivery is among the easiest voices in the show to imitate.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Doctor WhoShow the scene
The Cybermen's cold promise is heard throughout the revived series. In "Doomsday" (series 2, episode 13, 2006), Cybermen from the parallel world of Pete's World have swarmed into Torchwood Tower in London, and the Cyber-Leader orders the Sphere Chamber quarantined and "emergency upgrading" begun on the captured staff, including Rose's mother Jackie. The Tenth Doctor learns what upgrading means: the brain is removed and put into a suit of armour. The line is repeated in series 10's "The Doctor Falls" (2017), where a Cyberman tells a victim they will not be harmed and will be upgraded.
Sources (4)
- Springfield! Springfield!: Doctor Who s02e13 transcript (Doomsday)Sphere Chamber and corridor scenesReference checked
- Tardis Wiki: Doomsday (TV story)PlotReference checked
- Tardis Wiki: Cyber-conversionIntroductionReference checked
- Springfield! Springfield!: Doctor Who s10e12 transcript (The Doctor Falls)Late sceneReference checked
Context reviewed
