Fabula
Object
Object

Cyberman Communication System

A Cyberman communication system (alternatively referred to as a 'communication unit' or 'communication device') that Ben seizes and manipulates in Snowcap Base's Radiation Room and tracking room. In the Radiation Room, Ben lunges at the system and disconnects it with swift, decisive pulls on cables or switches, severing surveillance feeds that tracked movements for both humans and Cybermen. In the tracking room, Ben activates the device to lure Cybermen into a radiation trap during the crisis on Mondas. The device is revealed by Barclay after a corridor ambush involving radioactive rods and features a compact, helmet-integrated design that emits a mechanical hum when activated. Its use shifts the humans' strategy from defense to counter-victory, drawing the Cybermen back to the base despite warnings of risk, ultimately sealing their fate as Mondas disintegrates.
3 appearances

Purpose

Relay surveillance data and communications between Snowcap Base humans and Cybermen

Significance

Ben's sabotage defies Barclay's caution and Dyson's compliance, escalates passive resistance into open rebellion, blinds both sides to enemy actions, and exposes fractures in team unity while advancing Ben's risk-taking leadership.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

3 moments
S4E8 · The Tenth Planet Part 4
Ben sabotages Cyberman communications

The Radiation Room's communication system is the linchpin of this event—a fragile nexus of wires, switches, and screens that serves as both a lifeline and a liability. Ben's decisive sabotage of this system is the turning point: in one swift motion, he severs the Cybermen's surveillance feed, plunging the base into strategic darkness. The system's destruction isn't just a tactical move; it's a symbolic rejection of the Cybermen's control. Before the event, the comms system was a double-edged sword, allowing the team to monitor their enemy while also exposing their own movements. After Ben's action, it lies inert—a casualty of his defiance, but also a potential weakness, as the team loses their only real-time intelligence on the Cybermen's next steps.

Before: Functional and active. The communication system is fully operational, displaying surveillance feeds of both human and Cyberman movements. It serves as a critical tool for monitoring the enemy's actions and transmitting ultimatums.
After: Severed and non-functional. The system is disabled, its screens dark and its channels silent. The Cybermen can no longer spy on the humans, but the humans also lose their ability to track the Cybermen's movements.
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S4E8 · The Tenth Planet Part 4
Ben Lures Cybermen to Their Doom

The Cyberman communication device is the pivotal tool Ben uses to lure the Cybermen back to the tracking room. Barclay provides it, and Ben activates it without fully understanding its mechanics, relying on instinct and desperation. The device emits a signal that draws the Cybermen, setting the stage for their final confrontation. Its role is both functional (as a lure) and symbolic, representing the humans’ ability to turn the Cybermen’s own technology against them.

Before: In Barclay’s possession, unused but recognized as a potential tool for communication or deception.
After: Activated by Ben, its purpose fulfilled as the Cybermen are lured back and subsequently disintegrate.
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S4E8 · The Tenth Planet Part 4
Mondas Collapse and Cybermen Defeat

The Cyberman Communication Device is used by Ben to lure the remaining Cybermen back to the base. By activating the device, Ben exploits the Cybermen's reliance on their communication network, drawing them into a trap where they are neutralized by the radioactive rods. The device's use is a critical strategic move, ensuring the Cybermen are gathered in one location for the humans' ambush. Its activation marks the final phase of the humans' counterattack.

Before: Retrieved by Barclay and given to Ben for use in luring the Cybermen.
After: Deactivated along with the Cybermen, as their power source is severed by Mondas' collapse.
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