2011

Doctor Who

The Silence are a species of aliens introduced in the 2011 Doctor Who episode, "The Impossible Astronaut." They are characterized by their tall, slender bodies, long fingers, and distorted, alien faces with deep-set eyes. They are priests of the Order of the Papal Mainframe.

What makes the Silence particularly terrifying is their unique ability to be instantly forgotten after being observed. A person can clearly see and remember the Silence while looking at them, but as soon as they look away, all memory of the encounter vanishes. This is the basis for their name.

The Silence are responsible for manipulating humanity throughout history, influencing key events from behind the scenes. Their motives are complex and largely focused on preventing the Doctor from answering the oldest question in the universe "Doctor Who?" This is because the answer may lead to universal destruction or they fear the consequences if he does respond.

Their origin is tied to the Alliance, a group of the Doctor's enemies who sought to trap him in the Pandorica. A splinter group then broke away and evolved into The Silence. The Silence became a formidable and mysterious threat to the Doctor and the universe.