One of the most lethal killing machines in the universe, according to the Third Doctor. He and Sarah Jane Smith encountered one in the Death Zone on Gallifrey. It inhabited a cave on the far side of the mountain which loomed over the Dark Tower, tomb of Rassilon. This cave contained spare weapons, though it had many built-in. These included spears, a sword and razor sharp throwing discs. It moved with lightning speed, causing it to appear to vanish as it moved.
In appearance, it had a sleek silver body with a featureless mask. It may have been left over from the ancient war games instituted by Rassilon, or a recent arrival brought into the Zone by President Borusa using the Time Scoop.
The Doctor and Sarah witnessed a party of Cybermen wander into its territory. It quickly destroyed them all. The distraction allowed them to escape, the Doctor taking some steel rope from its cave with which to reach the top of the Tower.
Played by Keith Hodiak. Appearances: The Five Doctors (1983).
- Hodiak Hampden Sears (1950 - 2025) was a Guyana-born actor and dancer.
- He featured in the movies An American Werewolf in London, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Full Metal Jacket and Revenge of the Pink Panther, whilst TV roles included The Chronicles of Narnia and Are You Being Served?.
- The robot's origins are obscure, and the name doesn't help. Is it a robot created by Raston Warriors, or a Warrior Robot created by the Rastons? Or indeed a quite distinct autonomous robotic race?
- The non-fiction BBC book The Monster Vault claims that the name Raston derives from "Rassilon Automaton", suggesting they were created specifically for the Death Zone.
- Ironically, the costume was a reused version of the Cyberman sentinel androids seen in Earthshock.
- The Robot was a late addition to the script, replacing a sequence set in a village populated by Autons.
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