The Hubris of Control

Through the entire narrative, Vaughn embodies a calculated obsession with power, believing he can control both the Cybermen and his own destiny. His defiance towards warnings and the Doctor’s pleas reveals not just arrogance, but a fear of irrelevance. Vaughn’s control delusion is dismantled by the Cyber Planner themselves, who expose his lie: Cybermen obey no one. His downfall isn’t just a failure of morals, but a failure to understand the limits of his power—a hubris that mirrors classic villainy in genre storytelling, where control is always an illusion.