N is for... Nimons

A race of huge bull-headed bipedal creatures, the Nimons were intergalactic parasites. One of their number would insinuate themselves with a victim planet by offering its people whatever they most wanted - wealth or domination over others. Tributes would be called for as payment - energy crystals composed of radioactive hymetusite and a number of young people upon whom the Nimons fed, draining them of their life-force. 

The crystals would be used to power a transportation system that would be used to allow the rest of their race to invade in force. Artificial black holes would be created which their egg-shaped travel pods could pass through.

Once a planet had been drained of all life and resources the process would begin again as one of their kind would travel on to the next target world. They described this as "The Great Circle Of Life".

The planet Skonnos sought to regain its old military might and its leader Soldeed entered into a bargain with the lone Nimon. Tributes were sought from the planet Aneth, an old enemy of Skonnos which they had previously conquered. The final batch of young people were forced into the Nimon's lair, accompanied by Romana, taking the hymetusite with them. She used one of their travel pods to visit Crinoth - the ravaged planet which the aliens were about to abandon.

More of the Nimons arrived on Skonnos, and Soldeed realised too late that he had been tricked. He triggered a chain reactor in the lair's nuclear reactor as he died. The Doctor was able to trap the main force of Nimons on the dying Crinoth, whilst the creatures already on Skonnos perished as their base exploded.

Played by: Robin Sherringham, Bob Appleby, Trevor St.John Harker. Voiced by: Clifford Norgate. Appearances: The Horns of Nimon (1979/80).

• The Nimons - and the story as a whole - were inspired by the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.
• Dancers were cast, but found their movements severely limited due to the heavy headpieces and tall platform shoes (mimicking hooves) which they had to wear.
• It was originally intended that the heads were actually helmets, with their real head within. This was cut for budget reasons.
• The Minotaur in The God Complex was said to be a cousin of the Nimons.
• Clifford Norgate also provided vocals on The Leisure Hive.
• The plural is Nimons, as is evident from dialogue. Many fans think it to be simply Nimon, but this is due to there only being a single individual for much of the story - "the Nimon" / "Lord Nimon".