Tropes: Earth Invasion

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1

We’ve just added the trope ‘Earth Invasion’ to the site. There’s actually a surprisingly small number of stories which are actually invasions of Earth.

What stories do you think we should include in the trope.

So far for Doctors 1-3:

The Dalek Invasion of Earth
The Tenth Planet
The Invasion
The Seeds of Death
The Ice Warriors
Spearhead from Space
Terror of the Autons
The Claws of Axos
Day of the Daleks

I’ve debated in my head about the two Yeti stories - do they count? What other stories are definitely Earth invasions (qualifying that as from an ‘outside’ threat).

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2

Pyramid and Lie of the Land definitely count, but does Extremis?

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3

There’s loads in NuWho, unless I’ve misunderstood the assignment:

  • Rose
  • The Unquiet Dead maybe
  • The Christmas Invasion
  • School Reunion?
  • Army of Ghosts / Doomsday
  • The Runaway Bride
  • Daleks in Manhattan / Evolution of the Daleks
  • The Sound of Drums?
  • The Fires of Pompeii
  • The Sontaram Stratagem / The Poison Sky
  • The Stolen Earth
  • The Next Doctor
  • Planet of the Dead maybe
  • The End of Time, the Master is invading
  • Vampires of Venice
  • The Impossible Astronaut / Day of the Moon (if the Silence count as invaders. I think they do)
  • Closing Time
  • The Power of Three (the year of the slow invasion!)
  • The Angels take Manhattan
  • The Snowman
  • The Bells of Saint John
  • The Day of the Doctor
  • Deep Breath
  • Flatline
  • The Zygon Invasion / Inversion
  • The Return of Doctor Mysterio
  • Extremis / PatEotW / Lie of the Land
  • The Witchfinders
  • Resolution?
  • Spyfall?
  • Nikola Tesla
  • Ascension of the Cybermen / Timeless Children?
  • Revolution of the Daleks
  • War of the Sontarans
  • Legend of the Sea Devils
  • Rogue

I’m classing it as any time an alien comes to earth with the intent on taking over / invading. I supposed it could be narrowed a lot of you’re only thinking of huge invading armies.

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4

I think there’s a lot to debate in that list. Are the Chuldurs invading in Rogue? Their primary objective doesn’t seem to be control of the Earth.

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I don’t think any of the Weeping Angel stories àre invasion stories either. Certainly not Manhattan.

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6

I think so. The Great Intelligence is from beyond the Earth. The Abominable Snowmen is very localised and small scale, but it IS the beginnings of an invasion. As for Web, London has to be evacuated. It’s still early stages but it’s a lot more advanced and wider in impact than its predecessor.

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I’m inclined to agree. Manhattan is used as a farm for human livestock, but they seem to have no wider plan.

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8

Chuldur come closer. They discuss wider plans. They don’t wish to rule Earth, but they wish to ruin it. They discuss taking control so they can forment war and discord. Invasion doesn’t have to be purely to occupy. It could be for plunder or other such selfish reasons. I think the Chuldur plan gets very close to this.

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9

Granted. It’s to entertain themselves (at our expense). But these lines indicate a desire to control and destroy…

Parliament first. Then royalty. I can be king.

And we can start wars with the French and the Spanish and the Portuguese and everyone who doesn’t look British.

And bloodshed.

The resource they are plundering is us. Our deaths for their amusement.

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10

Definitely, in my opinion. They are basically attempting to colonise Earth. Their modus operandi may be unusual, but it is an invasion in a pretty classic sense.

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11

Yes, an invasion… a paradoxical one FROM the future of the human race!

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12

Currently working on Four’s stories.

Do The Seeds of Doom and Horror of Fang Rock count as Earth Invasion stories?

You know, bearing in mind @shauny’s list above for the modern series, there are a surprisingly low number of bona fide ‘Earth Invasion’ stories in the classic series.

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13

Looking at Fifth Doctor too

The only contenders I have are

The Visitation
Earthshock
Warriors of the Deep

Thoughts?

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14

I really don’t think any 6 or 7 stories count for Earth Invasion. On to the modern series now.

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