CRYONS: CAT-WHISKERED TROOPERS

Species: Cryons

Home Planet: Telos

First Appearance: Attack of the Cybermen (1985)

Biological Type: Humanoid

First Performing Actors: Sarah Berger, Esther Freud, Sarah Greene, Faith Brown

Notable Individuals: Rost, Threst, Varne, Flast (Attack of the Cybermen)

Notable Appearances: Attack of the Cybermen

Notable Affiliations: Lytton (Attack of the Cybermen)

Notable References: AUDIO: The Carrionite Curse

Behind-the-Monsters

• An original idea that did not make it into the final scripts for Attack of the Cybermen would have seen a whole colony of Cryons living inside Halley's Comet.

• The designs of the Cryons went through some changes. Producer John Nathan-Turner suggested giving the Cryons, wisps of hair in order to conceal the noticeable join between the mask and the actor's skin.

• Originally the Cryons were going to be male, but due to the scripts having a predominant male cast of characters, director Matthew Robinson changed them to female. Robinson was especially concerned about the lack of female characters.

Culture

• The Cryons lived under the surface of Telos and in lower temperatures - below freezing - as being exposed to higher temperatures, was lethal. A Cryon exposed to such temperatures would boil and steam until they died.

• The Cryons were typically a societal group of aliens, working together to dispose of Cybermen and reclaiming Telos for themselves.

Technology

• The Cryons had advanced technology especially in refrigeration technology. This technology attracted the Cybermen to Telos, who then abused the Cryon's technology, to freeze thousands of Cybermen in hibernation.

• The Sixth Doctor gave Flast a sonic lance, which she knew who to use, so they at least had experience with such technology.

• They also possessed technology which allowed them to contact individuals on far away planets. The Cryons were able to contact Lytton on planet Earth, and they also knew of the Time Lords and Gallifrey.

  
  

Weapons

• Cryons carried small blaster-like guns which were able to stun and kill Cybermen.

• The Cryons also used an white powder, Vastial to wipe out Cybermen. Under lower temperatures, Vastial was harmless; but exposed to temperatures of 15 degrees it would combust and explode. The resulting explosion could kill a Cybermen.

  
  

Unanswered Question: How Did the Cryons contact Lytton and when did they do so? And who did they figure out he was not human, and what could they have said to him to make him, help them take down the Cybermen?

Fear Factor Score: 2/10 (Menacing)