Doctor Who’s Latest Classic Villain Change Tells You Exactly What The New Spinoff Will Be Like

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As a lifelong Doctor Who fan, I’ve always enjoyed seeing the classic villains return, but it’s interesting how they’ve been updated over the years. They’ve tackled some big things – the Daleks finally conquering stairs was a funny moment! – and even explored the backstory of characters like the Master, suggesting Time Lord interference played a part in their evil. We even saw Davros without his chair! It makes sense they’d need to refresh these villains who first appeared decades ago, but honestly, some of these changes have worked much better than others, in my opinion.

The Sea Devils are a classic Doctor Who monster that the show hasn’t quite gotten right since its 2005 revival. First appearing with the Third Doctor, they returned in the 2022 episode “Legend of the Sea Devils.” While the show did a good job of keeping their original look, the episode simplified these once-complex and intelligent creatures, portraying them as a predictable threat with technology that conveniently served the plot. Essentially, these new Sea Devils felt like the name and appearance were all they had left of their former selves.

The Sea Devils are back in the new Doctor Who spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, but with a major update. The creatures have abandoned the name “Sea Devil,” which they now consider offensive, and now identify themselves as “homo aqua.”

Doctor Who Changing The Sea Devils’ Name Makes Perfect Sense

When these aquatic creatures first appeared in 1972, humans (and the Doctor) only referred to them as “Sea Devils.” This wasn’t an official name – it was more of a nickname used because they didn’t know what the creatures actually called themselves. However, because the episode was titled “The Sea Devils,” the name became widely known among viewers of Doctor Who.

The name “Sea Devils” became officially part of Doctor Who lore in the 1984 story “Warriors of the Deep.” The Silurian warrior Icthar referred to them as “our Sea Devil brothers,” establishing the term within the show’s continuity. While initially only used by the Doctor, his companions, and the Silurians themselves, the fact that Sea Devils are related to Silurians cemented the name as canon.

In the story “Legend of the Sea Devils,” Doctor Who started to move away from consistently calling the creatures “Sea Devils.” When the Doctor referred to one of them as a “Sea Devil,” it angrily replied, “land parasite!” This exchange hinted that “Sea Devil” wasn’t the name the species used for itself, but rather a name humans had given them based on the few times they’d been seen over the years.

The Silurians could have originally learned the insult from humans, which is why it kept being used. Some Sea Devils may have considered it offensive, while others – like the ones in “Warriors of the Deep” – seemed to accept it, either reluctantly or because they thought it sounded impressive.

According to Russell T Davies, “Sea Devil” is considered “racist” in The War Between the Land and the Sea, and given Doctor Who‘s history with the creatures, that makes complete sense. The so-called Sea Devils have never embraced their name like the Daleks or Cybermen embrace theirs, and watching “The Sea Devils” back, it feels like the species’ was never really intended to be officially known as “Sea Devils” any more than the Doctor is meant to be known as “Doctor Who.”

As a long-time Doctor Who fan, I’ve always appreciated how the Silurians sparked important discussions about prejudice. And the Sea Devils really build on that legacy. The original ‘Doctor Who and the Silurians’ story from 1970 was fascinating because it showed humans and the Silurians trying to find common ground, even though there were troublemakers on both sides. It really delved into themes of prejudice, mistrust, and even racism. What stuck with me most was the ending – UNIT just casually bombed the Silurians’ base while they were hibernating! The Doctor was horrified, and honestly, the story made me feel appalled too – it really forced you to question what happened.

Changing The Sea Devils’ Name Tells You Exactly What Doctor Who’s New Spinoff Will Be

The controversy surrounding the term “Sea Devil” hints at the deeply political direction of “The War Between the Land and the Sea.” The story promises to be a challenging one, pushing both the characters and the audience to confront difficult realities about environmental damage and the dangers of unfairly judging another species.

The Sea Devils – also known as homo aqua – haven’t always been friendly in past episodes of Doctor Who, so both sides will likely be wary in the new spinoff. Unlike the main Doctor Who series, which usually has a clear distinction between good and evil, The War Between the Land and the Sea promises a more complex and morally gray world.

This new series feels a lot like “Doctor Who and the Silurians,” though it benefits from a larger budget and more scenes involving water. However, this actually demonstrates that the showrunner, Russell T Davies, isn’t pushing a specific political agenda. These kinds of social issues have always been a core part of Doctor Who – remember when Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart ordered the killing of sleeping Silurians? It’s been a theme long before that, too.

This time, the big question is whether humans and the aquatic species, known as homo aqua, can actually reach a lasting understanding. In past encounters with the Silurians and Sea Devils on Doctor Who, the Doctor always managed to prevent disaster, but never found a way for everyone to live together peacefully. Now, by insisting they not be called “devils,” homo aqua is making it clear this is a crucial issue, and a simple truce probably won’t be enough to solve the current problems.

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2025-11-07 16:19