Toybox REVIEW: Doctor Who History of the Daleks #12 Set

Release Date: December 2022 

RRP: £24.99

Although Genesis of the Daleks definitely took centre stage in the Winter 2022 Doctor Who B&M exclusive range, it wasn't the only Dalek story to be featured. In addition to the two Genesis-themed sets Character Options also released History of the Daleks #12 - based on 1979's Destiny of the Daleks. The opening story to the show's 17th series, it saw the Fourth Doctor and the newly-regenerated Romana arrive on Skaro, where the Daleks have returned to search for their long-forgotten creator Davros - who they hope will be able to turn the tide in their long war against the Movellans.

History of the Daleks #12 comes in the same revised packaging that was introduced with the ninth entry in the range – removing the plastic window from the front of the box as well as the plastic tray and cardboard diorama, replacing the latter elements with a fixed bubble and standard backdrop. The artwork is the same blue/off-white TARDIS pieces seen across the current Doctor Who toy line, keeping the consistency its had for a good few years now. On the back of the box you'll find a rather lengthy bit of text covering both the synopsis and behind the scenes of Destiny of the Daleks, and then to remove the toys themselves you will need to pry the plastic bubble off of its backing card.

Standard Destiny of the Daleks Dalek figures were previously available in a story-themed set in 2011, with a Suicide Dalek also available as part of a special Fourth Doctor set in 2009. This pair have had quite the overhaul though, making them more screen accurate than ever. Perhaps the most significant of these additions is a brand new eyestalk piece, which not only adds the correct amount of discs (in the right shade of blue) but also a new, completely flat lens piece. Not only is this considerably more accurate than the previous moulded versions, but there's far less chance of sloppy paintwork too. Other changes include a new, more accurate shade of grey as well as other little deco changes to represent specific props used in the story - this particular Dalek for example has ribbed dome lamps, lacks an oval shape between its appendages and has a partly silver fender. Another significant deco change is the extensive "battle damage" Character have given to the paintwork, covering both the hemispheres and fender in all manner of scratches. This is because by this point in Doctor Who history the Dalek props were in pretty awful condition, and the ones in Destiny of the Daleks absolutely look it. It works for the story since they're locked in the middle of a war and have had their forces depleted, but it's still a pretty sorry sight. When it comes to the toys themselves though, this kind of attention to detail is incredible.

Much like the Genesis of the Daleks set the two Daleks included feature some pretty significant deco and moulding differences, highlighting the variety there was between the props that were used during the 70s. This second Dalek sports the moulded oval in the middle of the chest (painted black), as well as a copper coloured ball joint on the gunstick, black band horizontal band around the midsection and an all-black fender. But perhaps most significantly this figure also sports the dome lamps introduced with sets 11 and 12, featuring hemisphere lights surrounded by a solid black band. Whereas on the Genesis figure the lights were simply moulded in transparent plastic, the addition of the black band really makes them stand out here. The figure also features all the other bells and whistles present on the other variant, such as the new eyestalk and extensive battle damage/wear and tear deco. It, along with the other Dalek, looks absolutely fantastic, with Character putting in far more effort than I would have expected on a standard Destiny of the Daleks drone.

Articulation on the Daleks is business as usual, which I seem to have written on this blog so many times now but there's always the chance this is the first review someone is checking out. In which case each figure features a 360-degree rotating dome, pivoting eyestalk and ball jointed appendages. The base has three wheels installed to glide across smooth surfaces in proper Dalek fashion. It's pretty much everything you could want out of a classic Dalek figure, because it's pretty much everything the props themselves were capable of.

While it is a bit of a shame that both Davros and a suicide Dalek were omitted from the set (although either could definitely show up again soon, and it makes sense not to release two similar Davros figures so close to each other), History of the Daleks #12 more than makes up for it with the level of effort Character Options have put into these two seemingly ordinary Dalek drones. If the revised colouring and new eyestalk weren't enough to convince you, the clear differences between the two variants as well as the extensive "battle damaged" paintwork really amplify the screen-accuracy of these releases - making them look as terrible as the actual Destiny of the Daleks props did, but in the best way possible. While in most scenarios Destiny of the Daleks is never going to triumph over its critically-acclaimed predecessor, this is one where case where it definitely rules over Genesis.