Sci Fi Log #13: Don't Blink

For this log, I’ll be discussing some interesting creatures from the world of Doctor Who. These creatures are called the Weeping Angels. The Weeping Angels are an alien race of predatory creatures, resembling stone statues. They were first introduced in the 2007 episode of the show "Blink", making repeat appearances in "The Time of Angels"/"Flesh and Stone" (2010) and "The Angels Take Manhattan" (2012) as well as cameo appearances in "The God Complex" (2011) and "The Time of the Doctor" (2013). Since their initial appearance, they have been nominated as one of the most popular and frightening Doctor Who monsters.

"Red light!"

Steven Moffat, the writer and producer of Doctor Who, attributes their appeal to childhood games, such as Red Light, Green Light. According to The Doctor, the Angels are almost as old as the universe, and no one really knows where they came from. They are the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life-forms that ever lived. The creatures are very unusual predators, because they don't kill their prey themselves. Their usual way of feeding is to consume time paradoxes - with just a single touch, a Weeping Angel can send anyone into the past to a point before their own birth, and can then feed off the "potential energy" of the years which that victim would have lived in the present. The Doctor describes the Angels as "the only psychopaths in the universe to kill you nicely", because their victims are uninjured and may live out their lifespans, but only in the past.

In their usual form, Weeping Angels resemble human-sized stone statues in the form of winged angels in draped clothing. Apart from the wings, their standard form is similar to humans (having two arms, two legs, two eyes), even when they are infiltrating worlds on which the inhabitants differ from this form. Generally their facial features are bland and serene. However, as they close in on their victims, they transform to look more horrific, bestial and demonic with wide-open mouths, vampiric fangs and clawed hands.

"Green li--WAUGGH!!!"

When they are not being observed, Weeping Angels can move very quickly and silently. Their speed allows them to cover large distances LITERALLY in the blink of an eye (FRIKIN EERIE, RIGHT?) However, when they are being observed, they become "quantum-locked", occupying a single position in space and becoming stone. In this state, they are frozen and become difficult to destroy. They cannot suppress this reaction. If two Weeping Angels were to look at each other at the same time, they would be trapped in stone form permanently until an outside force moves them apart. To prevent this, they often cover their eyes while moving, which makes them look as though they are weeping.

In conclusion, the Weeping Angels of Doctor Who are some pretty creepy and scary creatures. If I were you, I would watch my back around any statue you come across. You never know, right? As the Doctor said, don’t turn your back on it, don’t look away, and DON’T. BLINK. Good luck………