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Eric Klieg

arrogant ruthless ambitious cunning unstable
Eric Klieg directs the Telos expedition as master logician from the Brotherhood of Logicians and co-leader with Kaftan. His intellect fuels a relentless drive to command the Cybermen and conquer Earth. Arrogant and ruthless, he discards human lives, betrays expedition head Parry, and manipulates allies like Toberman. Klieg scorns emotion for cold logic, forging opportunistic pacts that mask his unstable hunger for supremacy. He clashes with the Doctor over moral limits, his betrayals exposing a fragile grip on power.
46 appearances
Logical Sciences and Cybermen Expedition
Also known as: Klieg, Mister Klieg

Eric Klieg's Journey

A timeline through the narrative

46 moments
S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Explosive breach into Telos tomb

Ambitious and defiant, with a sense of triumph at the discovery of the doors.

Klieg, the ambitious co-funder, reminds Hopper of his financial compensation, reinforcing his disregard for safety concerns. His sharp mathematical mind is focused on the strategic implications of the discovery, and …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Expedition breaches Telos tomb entrance

Calculating and observant, his financial leverage and ambition aligning him with Parry’s goals while his caution sets him apart from the team’s outright recklessness.

Klieg, the balding German co-funders, stands slightly apart from the group, his sharp mathematical mind evident in his cryptic remark about Hopper’s pay. His presence is a reminder of the …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Doctor defies expedition to open tomb

Determined but increasingly uneasy, torn between ambition and the need for safety.

Parry leads the expedition, reluctantly accepting the Doctor’s help after the electrocution. He defends his authority against Klieg and Kaftan’s challenges, but his determination to unlock the Cybermen’s secrets is …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
The Doctor exposes the tomb’s secrets

Assertive and calculating; her financial leverage is a tool to shape the expedition’s actions, and she is unwilling to compromise on her terms.

Kaftan offers a monetary incentive (50 pounds) to the first person to open the tomb doors, asserting her financial control over the expedition. She refuses to allow Toberman to risk …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Toberman breaches the tomb doors

Hostile and impatient, driven by ambition and distrust of the Doctor's motives.

Klieg is openly hostile toward the Doctor, suspicious of his motives, and dismissive of his help. He challenges Parry's leadership and aligns with Kaftan's financial leverage, pushing to enter the …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Death sparks expedition distrust and standoff

None (post-mortem), but his death embodies the expedition’s desperation and the cost of their ambitions.

The anonymous volunteer is the tragic catalyst of the event, lured by Kaftan’s fifty-pound reward to attempt opening the electrified doors. His death serves as a stark warning of the …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Doctor neutralizes tomb defenses

Skeptical and wary, with underlying frustration at the group’s disregard for safety.

Hopper draws his gun on the Doctor and Jamie upon their arrival, expressing skepticism about continuing the expedition. He advises Parry to abandon the mission after the electrocution but ultimately …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Doctor demonstrates Cyberman expertise

Suspicious and defiant, with a growing sense of ambition and paranoia.

Klieg expresses suspicion of the Doctor’s knowledge of Cyberman technology, arguing with Kaftan about monitoring the Doctor and his companions. He refuses to join Parry’s group, choosing instead to stay …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Doctor undermines Klieg while Parry divides the team

Wary yet determined, balancing her need for control with the expedition’s urgent goals.

Kaftan stands near the central hatch, her demeanor authoritative and distrustful. She insists on monitoring the strangers (Doctor, Victoria, Jamie) and assigns Toberman to guard her. Her dialogue is firm …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Doctor warns against Cybermen activation

Ambitious defiance giving way to stunned realization—his success in solving the sequence is short-lived as the tomb’s systems react violently, forcing him to confront the consequences of his actions.

Klieg dominates the scene with single-minded ambition, his fingers moving swiftly over the levers as he solves the mathematical sequence. He dismisses the Doctor’s corrections with smug satisfaction—‘Why, thank you’—before …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Doctor’s Warning Ignored, Power Surge Triggered

Defiantly triumphant, driven by the thrill of solving the puzzle and the desire to prove his superiority over the Doctor. His excitement borders on arrogance, and he is entirely focused on the immediate success of his actions, dismissive of any warnings.

Klieg dominates the scene, his fingers moving with mathematical precision over the levers as he inputs the sequence the Doctor reluctantly provides. His face is alight with triumph as the …

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S5E1 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 1
Klieg Accuses Doctor of Sabotage

Hostile and calculating—his frustration with the hatch’s failure is quickly channeled into a personal attack on the Doctor, masking his own desperation for control.

Klieg dominates this scene with a calculated shift from technical frustration to psychological manipulation. He begins by dismissing Parry’s concerns about the hatch (‘Wrong lever’) before pivoting to accuse the …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Sabotage Traps Crew, Mission Forced Forward

Determined and wary; his focus on survival and security is unwavering, even as the group's obsession with the tomb grows.

Hopper reveals the rocket sabotage and refuses to allow anyone on board until the saboteur is found. He provides anoraks and food to the crew, emphasizing the need for survival …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg Cracks the Tomb’s Code

Obsessively triumphant, his success in deciphering the code fuels his confidence—he is blind to the consequences, driven solely by the need to prove his logic and the Brotherhood’s superiority. There is no room for doubt or fear in his mind.

Klieg obsessively works to decipher the tomb’s code, defies Parry’s authority, and successfully opens the hatch to the lower chambers. His triumphant declaration, 'I've done it!', marks the pivotal moment …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Cybermen tombs revealed as existential threat

Coldly calculating with a undercurrent of anticipation

Klieg delivers his chilling analogy of the tombs as a 'gigantic honeycomb' and the Cybermen as 'bees waiting the signal,' his voice calm but laced with sinister intent. His suggestion …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg proposes reviving the Cybermen

Coldly triumphant, masking his eagerness behind a veneer of logical detachment. He is fully aware of the danger he is advocating for but views it as a necessary means to his end.

Klieg stands slightly apart from the group, his demeanor calm and calculating as he delivers his chilling metaphor comparing the tombs to a ‘gigantic honeycomb.’ His dialogue—‘Like bees waiting the …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg reveals hidden controls

Coldly triumphant, masking his excitement behind a facade of logical detachment

Klieg stands apart from the group, his demeanor unnervingly calm and composed. He produces a set of controls with a slight smile, claiming they can reopen the hatch. While the …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg sabotages the tomb controls

Feigned calm masking deep satisfaction; his logical facade barely conceals his triumph as his plan advances unnoticed.

Klieg stands apart from the group, his demeanor eerily calm as the others panic. He seizes the moment to direct their attention to the hidden controls, his voice smooth and …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg murders Viner to revive Cybermen

Coldly detached and single-minded, his obsession with witnessing the Cybermen's revival overriding any sense of humanity or remorse.

Klieg, his face a mask of cold determination, draws his gun and shoots Viner without hesitation as he interferes with the defrosting controls. His actions are methodical and unrepentant, driven …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg murders Viner to revive Cybermen

Coldly focused and emotionally detached, his actions driven by an uncompromising logic that views human life as expendable in the pursuit of his goals.

Klieg is the cold, calculating instigator of the event, his actions driven by an unyielding logic that prioritizes the revival of the Cybermen above all else. He draws his gun …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Kaftan Traps Crew and Reveals Betrayal

Not directly present, but his influence is felt through Kaftan’s actions and dialogue, reflecting his cold, calculating nature.

Klieg is referenced indirectly by Kaftan as the mastermind behind the plan to keep the hatch closed. His influence looms over the scene, as Kaftan acts as his proxy, ensuring …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg triggers Cybermen resurrection

Confident, cold, and calculating, with a sense of triumph as his plan unfolds.

Klieg stands triumphantly in the cavern, revealing his alliance with the Brotherhood of Logicians and his plan to harness the Cybermen’s power for Earth domination. He confirms his sabotage of …

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S5E2 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 2
Klieg reveals Cyberman alliance

Coldly triumphant, his fanaticism masking any hint of remorse or doubt as he embraces his role as the Cybermen’s resurrector.

Klieg stands with an air of cold triumph, his posture rigid and his voice dripping with logical detachment as he reveals his true motives. He speaks with precision, justifying murder …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Hopper risks descent into Cybermen tomb

Unseen but implied to be coldly determined, focused on achieving his goal of controlling the Cybermen at any cost. His absence from the scene underscores his role as a puppet master, pulling strings from afar.

Klieg is referenced indirectly by Kaftan, who mentions his orders to keep the hatch closed until he gives the signal. His ambition to control the Cybermen and dominate the galaxy …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Doctor leads desperate escape through smoke

Ambitious and detached, with a cold disregard for the group’s survival and a focus on his own power.

Eric Klieg moves right, away from the group, during the escape. His detached actions foreshadow his later ambition to control the Cybermen, revealing his reckless logic and disregard for human …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Hatch closure traps Cybermen and allies

Not applicable (off-screen), but inferred as fearful or enraged, given his predicament.

Klieg is also absent from this event but is mentioned by Hopper as still trapped in the tomb. His absence is a deliberate narrative choice, highlighting the group’s moral compromise. …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Cyber Controller orders passageway guard

A mix of fear and cunning—he is terrified of the Cybermen, but his knuckles rapping against the hatch betray a desperate hope that he can still turn this situation to his advantage.

Klieg’s presence at the top of the ladder is a study in contrast to the Cybermen’s cold efficiency. He knocks gently on the hatch, his actions a mix of fear …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Klieg’s Failed Rescue and Imprisonment

Panicked and defensive, clinging to his belief in his own superiority even as his failures are exposed.

Klieg knocks frantically on the hatch for rescue, emerges demanding it be closed, and reveals Toberman’s capture by the Cybermen. The Doctor exposes his delusional belief that he could have …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Hopper imprisons Klieg and Kaftan

Frustrated and humiliated, but still clinging to the belief that his logic could have prevailed.

Klieg climbs out of the hatch alone, his demeanor defeated as he reveals Toberman’s capture by the Cybermen. His admission—‘If I’d only been in a stronger position to bargain with …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Klieg claims the Cybergun for power

A heady cocktail of triumph and barely suppressed panic—he is exhilarated by the Cybergun’s potential but acutely aware of the fragility of his position. His confidence is performative, masking the fear that this weapon, like all tools of power, may ultimately consume him.

Klieg, his face set in a mask of cold determination, seizes the Cybergun with the urgency of a man who has found the key to his destiny. He examines it …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Klieg's fragile authority and Cybermen fear

A volatile cocktail of fear, ambition, and triumph—his initial hesitation ('You haven’t seen those vile things') gives way to giddy power ('I shall be master'), but the undercurrent of sadism ('a pleasure') reveals a man who has crossed into tyranny. His emotional state is unstable, teetering between vulnerability and violence.

Klieg’s arc in this event is a study in unraveling ambition. He begins with cautious logic ('Excellent. A small X-Ray laser'), testing the gun as a tool for dealing with …

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S5E3 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 3
Klieg’s sadistic weapon test proposal

A rapid descent from fearful hesitation to sadistic arrogance. His emotional state is unstable, oscillating between vulnerability and delusions of grandeur, with Kaftan’s words acting as a catalyst for his transformation.

Klieg begins this event with visible hesitation, his grip on the Cybergun tentative as he test-fires it at the metal wall, the molten residue a stark reminder of its power. …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Klieg’s violent consolidation and the Doctor’s warning

Coldly triumphant, his actions driven by a twisted sense of logic and superiority, untouched by empathy or doubt.

Klieg stands dominant over the group, his posture rigid with authority as he wields Parry’s gun. He shoots Callum with cold precision, his voice devoid of remorse as he justifies …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Klieg defies the Doctor and summons the Controller

Drunk on power and unchecked ambition, his emotional state is one of cold detachment, masking a fragile grip on reality as he teeters on the edge of his own downfall.

Klieg, the architect of the expedition’s descent into chaos, shoots Callum and silences Parry with brutal efficiency. He hands Parry’s gun to Kaftan, dismisses the Doctor’s warnings, and forcibly opens …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Cybermen defy Klieg and unleash Toberman

Rage and humiliation, masking a deep-seated fear of irrelevance as his control over the situation evaporates.

Eric Klieg, his face twisted in frustration and arrogance, demands to speak to the Cybermen Controller, only to be met with a crushing dismissal. His voice is sharp and insistent, …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Klieg traps the Doctor and takes Victoria hostage

Coldly triumphant, his confidence masking the fragility of his alliance with the Cybermen.

Klieg orchestrates the power play, negotiating a temporary alliance with the Cyber-Controller to revitalize them in exchange for Earth’s conquest. He dismisses Parry’s moral objections with cold pragmatism, forcibly separating …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Victoria reveals Cybermen’s second weapon

Panicked and humiliated, his overconfidence shattered by Victoria’s revelation, leaving him scrambling to regain control.

Klieg, initially overconfident in his plan to bargain with the Cybermen, is visibly shaken by Victoria’s revelation. His demeanor shifts from arrogance to panic as he realizes the expedition’s ignorance …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Klieg’s retreat from Cybermen confrontation

A mix of panic and humiliation—his ego is bruised, and his fear of the Cybermen is now palpable.

Klieg’s demeanor shifts dramatically in this moment. Initially, he exudes confidence, insisting the Cybermen will ‘have to agree to our plan.’ But Victoria’s revelation about the second weapon triggers a …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Cybermen seize control and betray Klieg

Coldly calculating, his fear masked by a feigned vulnerability, revealing a man willing to betray anyone to achieve his goals, even as the world around him collapses into chaos.

Klieg, initially confident in his plan to control the Cybermen, is violently attacked by Toberman under the Controller's command. He feigns unconsciousness as the Doctor and Toberman prepare to descend …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Toberman’s Breaking Point and the Controller’s Fall

Coldly determined, his focus narrowed on seizing power and control, unfazed by the violence and betrayals around him.

Klieg feigns unconsciousness as the Doctor and Toberman prepare to descend into the tombs, seizing the opportunity to steal the Cybergun from the table. He slips away unnoticed, his ruthless …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Klieg’s Betrayal and the Doctor’s Descent

Deceptively calm, masking his ruthless ambition and opportunism as he seizes the moment to betray the group and pursue his own agenda.

Klieg feigns unconsciousness while secretly observing the group, then seizes the Cybergun and descends into the tombs to betray the group and attempt to control the Cybermen for himself. His …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Doctor exposes Klieg’s delusions

Euphoric triumph masking deep instability, descending into unhinged grandeur before the Doctor's psychological blow shatters his facade.

Klieg violently reverses the cryostat levers, awakening the Cybermen as he declares his intent to command them. He orders the Doctor and Jamie against the wall, reveling in his delusional …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Doctor exposes Klieg’s delusional grandeur

Euphoric and unhinged, masking deep insecurity with bravado—his emotional state oscillates between triumphant arrogance and fragile vulnerability as the Doctor’s words strip away his facade.

Klieg stands triumphantly in the cavern, his back turned to the stirring Cybermen as he reverses the cryostat levers, believing he can now control them after the Controller’s death. He …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Hopper’s Reluctance and Victoria’s Provocation

N/A (Off-screen; inferred as coldly determined, oblivious to the moral cost of his actions)

Klieg is mentioned off-screen but his presence is a specter haunting the Central Chamber. His descent into the tombs to command the Cybermen is framed as a reckless gambit, his …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Klieg’s execution by Cybermen

Initially triumphant and mocking, shifting to sudden terror and shock as the Cyberman attacks, culminating in a violent, silent end.

Eric Klieg delivers a defiant, arrogant monologue declaring his supremacy over the Cybermen and humanity, only to be abruptly seized by a Cyberman mid-speech. The Cyberman brutally beats him to …

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S5E4 · The Tomb of the Cybermen Part 4
Toberman’s sacrifice and cryostat reactivation

Rageful and dismissive, masking deep insecurity about his own intellectual inferiority to the Cybermen, culminating in shock and terror as he is killed.

Klieg, in a final display of arrogance, boasts about his intelligence and the Cybermen’s supremacy, only to be brutally silenced as a Cyberman grabs and beats him to death. His …

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Affiliations

Brotherhood of Logicians
member
Earth Intellectual Supremacy through Cybermen Weaponization

Eric Klieg is explicitly described as representing the Brotherhood of Logicians along with Kaftan. He is a leading figure in the organization and aims to enforce their logic by seizing Cybermen power.

Professor Parry's Archaeological Expedition to Telos
member
Archaeological Excavation of Cybermen Sites on Telos

Klieg is described as directing the Telos expedition as co-leader with Kaftan. He is a key member of the Professor Parry's Archaeological Expedition to Telos and drives strategy, even though his ambition and betrayal of Parry ultimately undermine the expedition's original purpose.

Across the Seasons

How this character reads at season scale

Season 5 · planet

Eric Klieg directs the Telos expedition as master logician from the Brotherhood of Logicians and co-leader with Kaftan. His intellect fuels a relentless drive to command the Cybermen and conquer Earth. Arrogant and ruthless, he discards human lives, betrays expedition head Parry, and manipulates allies like Toberman. Klieg scorns emotion for cold logic, forging opportunistic pacts that mask his unstable hunger for supremacy. He clashes with the Doctor over moral limits, his betrayals exposing a fragile grip on power.