The 10 scariest monsters from Doctor Who’s classic and modern era
By Becky Kukla
7. The Flood
As seen in “The Waters of Mars.”
The first human colony to exist on Mars, Bowie Base One, encounter one of the most insidious and relentless monsters ever to exist in the Who universe.
Soon after the Doctor arrives on Mars, a deadly virus begins to pick off residents of the Bowie Base One, one by one. At first, it’s not clear how the virus is being transmitted. But upon discovering the source of the colonizers’ water supply — a thousand year old ice-field reaching to the core of the planet — it becomes clear that there is something in the water: a viral infection, the Flood’s only desire is to take over bodies of water. On accidentally learning about Earth, the Flood attempts to infiltrate the crew and hitch a ride back to our watery planet.
Not only are the effects of being infected by the Flood really scary (inability to speak, cracked dry lips and skin around the mouth and water leaking from all over the body), the idea of water being the villain is a terrifying thought. Water makes up about 60 percent of the human body and we need it to survive. Just one drop of infected water is enough to turn humans into what are essentially zombies.
The Flood are not the only monsters to appear in this episode, however. “The Waters of Mars” reveals a darker side to the Doctor as he realizes that there are no Time Lords left to hold him responsible for his actions. This is perhaps the Doctor’s darkest day, and truly solidifies him as a monster himself.