| “ | You should kill us all on sight. | „ |
| ~ One of the Silents |
| “ | Silence will fall | „ |
| ~ The Silence catchphrase |
The Silents are a genetically engineered species from Doctor Who which believe in a religious order known as The Silence. In essence, the Silents embody the fear of the unknown (or more accurately the unknowable) as their ability to make those who see them instantly forget make them invisible to all but the most clever of minds. They serve as the main antagonists in the sixth series, as they had bigger plans and were more powerful than anyone else.
History
The Silents started out in Earth's distant future as Confessional Priests — genetically engineered by a military organization known as the Church of the Papal Mainframe. When the Papal Mainframe received a signal from Trenzalore, it created a barrier to keep other races like Daleks and Cybermen from entering though all races were nervous to venture to the source due to the dread it posed. When the Eleventh Doctor translates the signal, translated as the oldest question "Doctor Who?", a siege begins with the Papal Mainframe reaffirming their faith to "silence will fall" with the intent not to allow the Doctor to speak his name as it would bring back the Time Lords with a new Time War as a consequence. They are described as parasites, for they have no need to create their own technology, instead using what other species create from their suggestions.
While the main body of the church served to keep the Doctor's enemies at bay, a chapel of the chruch under Madame Kovarian decided to venture into the Eleventh Doctor's past. However, as seen when they first blow up the Doctor's TARDIS, the chapel caused the cracks in time and space from which the Time Lords' signal originates from. Furthermore, revealed to have influenced mankind's development in the process such as the moon land, the second attempt on the Doctor's life by the Kovarian Chapel's Silents using River Song only ensured that Doctor is able to reach Trenzalore. The Silents loyal to the Papal Mainframe remained behind and later aid the Doctor when the siege becomes a full blown war lasting centuries.
Trivia
- they are based on the Greys from modern culture / UFO folklore.
- The Silents bear a resemblance to the famous Buffy monsters, The Gentlemen - as well as familiar psychological tricks that have become a staple of modern Doctor Who.
- They also bear a strong resemblance to the Grey Gentlemen, as they manipulate humanity and make them forget them afterwards.
- Their appearance is very similar to Slender Man. The both wear suits, have grey/white skin, and faces with little to no facial features.
- In "The Time of the Doctor", it is revealed that the Silents were originally genetically engineered to serve as confessional priests for the Church of the Papal Mainframe, as they are able to subconsciously influence behavior and allow members of the Church to confess their sins without remembering it afterwards, probably avoiding feelings of guilt and embarrassment.