• Captain Jack
• Gwen
• Owen
• Tosh
• Ianto
Notable Characters;
• Mark Lynch- Estate agent with a Weevil captive in his house
• Rhys- Gwen's boyfriend
Detailed Plot;
Sensational. A really great episode confirming to me that Random Shoes was a one off in what has otherwise been a phenomenal first season. Combat was an action packed, thrilling episode with a very good and interesting plot. I also saw emotions riding high as well as a recognisable enemy or villain(s) for the first time since They Keep killing Suzie.
It began with the usual introduction but it added a brief bit more showing how Owen was affected by Dianne's leaving in Out of Time. It seemed clear it would play a role in this episode. It immediately sprang into action with a Weevil, cornered by Jack and wall, attempted to be captured by Torchwood. But they failed as the Weevil scrammed Jack and briefly escaped.
Gwen and Rhys were seen together in Cardiff having a meal, but Gwen just didn't seem interested. Jack, by chance, was close by and on her night off he needed her help. Rhys was outraged and made quite a scene and Gwen, rightly, was majorly offended by the tone and language used. Gwen left with Jack and they were chasing the Weevil now in a deserted multi-story car park. They sighted the Weevil but before they could capture it themselves, masked men appeared and kidnapped the alien monster in the back of their van. Who were these mystery men?
Torchwood were surprised and when searching for answers at the hub there were a number of cases reported that would be Weevil caused. There had been and still was a wave of Weevil attacks. The anti-Weevil spray was now not working either, the Weevils were becoming immune- they were evolving.
Owen had been called numerous times on his phone by the team members but he didn't answer. He was depressed it seemed. The same could be said for Rhys now as he was home and Gwen left a message on the phone, but he seemed more annoyed than depressed and listened to the message before quickly deleting it. Owen, in a bar drowning his sorrows in alcohol, was confronted by a bit of a dick head in all honesty, the bar girl's boyfriend and he attempted to start a fight. But Owen just embarrassed him and quickly took control. He continued to ignore calls from Torchwood though.
Gwen had now found out about Owen's relationship with Dianne from Tosh, it didn't seem things between them were over after all as Gwen didn't seem happy. Back at the hub and in the Torchwood cells, the Weevil captured in Everything Changes was seen weeping and howling. Owen had mentioned previously that he believed Weevils had low levels of telepathy. So whoever these mystery kidnappers were, they were causing pain to the Weevils. This didn't go down well with Jack, he was angry and now determined to find the masked van drivers.
Tosh had managed to track the van and CCTV footage was quickly out of action upon the arrival of the van and its inhabitants. They'd arrived at a warehouse near the docks. Jack and Tosh knew there was something really suspicious and went to the docks in search of answers. They found a dead body and it had Weevil marks. The dead man's phone rang and Jack answered, they told him not to mess with things he didn't understand. But nobody understood more clearly. Jack was irate and made a threat he wouldn't fail in delivering. He was going to hunt down the masked cowards. Jack quickly instructed Ianto to trace the call but it was blocked.
Owen had now eventually answered his phone and Jack needed him in. He was to analyse the dead body and he revealed that humans had inflicted damage to the man prior to the Weevil attack. Whoever these people were they were using the Weevils as a perfect murder weapon, no trace and no recognisable DNA.
Gwen had to do the job she found hardest and report to the dead man's wife of his killing. Owen was in no mood for consoling though and seemed pissed off, and in being that pissed Gwen off. Any relationship they had was agreed to be over there and then. Owen left the SUV and Gwen stormed away telling him he was a wanker on times.
But Owen's work wasn't over now, not by a long way. The team needed Owen to act in a cover story to find the owner of the warehouse and ultimately the people causing pain to the Weevils. Whoever the van owners were obviously knew the warehouse was empty so they had connections with an estate agent as it was for sale.
When Owen arrived at the estate agents, it was clear that Mark Lynch was more than just a state agent. He was definitely hiding something and when asked about the warehouse where the dead body was found, he quickly claimed it had just been sold but Tosh confirmed to him via headpiece that he was lying. Owen used a device on his computer and now everything he searched for could be seen by Torchwood. The fake website set up about Owen's dock trading business was genius by Tosh and her plan worked perfectly. The number displayed was her own and it seemed Mark was suspicious about Owen, but now a little convinced.
Jack now wanted Gwen to go home, to continue to have a life and not lose that. Jack went to a hospital with Ianto to a victim who had wounds that had all the evidence of a Weevil attack. The victim wasn't in a great state of kind and didn't give much away, but he claimed how 'everyone' was killed. Everyone? Jack seemed confused. But now he had a plan. He wanted to release a Weevil into the streets of Cardiff!
They would guide the Weevil to be kidnapped and then track the Weevil and find their men. It seemed logical but cruel, and Tosh didn't like the idea nor treatment of the alien. The Weevil was released and the SUV followed close behind before the being took a pedestrian only route. Jack followed on his feet.
Meanwhile, Owen met with Mark in a bar to discuss further about his buying options. But due to events of the previous night, talk didn't last long as the guy who was embarrassed brought some friends with him. A bar fight ensued but Owen took control again. It was the same result as the night before.
Torchwood, hidden, saw the Weevil being taken and now it was time to track the masked men down. A signal was obtained. While this was occurring, Owen was welcomed back into Mark's home and Mark claimed my opening quote. It was similar to the warning given by Suzie three episodes prior, it seemed a season alias of sorts.
Rhys was home as Gwen arrived in. Gwen sat Rhys down and told him all about Owen and their sexual doings. But she had also drugged Rhys with the amnesia pill. She was extremely selfish at this moment. She wanted his forgiveness, she craved it. Gwen was desperate.
Back at Mark's house and Owen found himself wondering alone upstairs. A door was locked, but Owen opened with some sort of unlocking device or method. It was dark but the lights were on and a chained Weevil scared the life out of Owen. Mark seemed to have no knowledge about the Weevils and thought it could be a scientific experiment gone wrong or the future of the human race where all that's left is rage. He sickeningly used the Weevil as a punch bag, Owen cried out for him to stop delivering blow after blow. Owen now wanted to know the connection between Mark, the van and Dan Hodges (the man found dead in the warehouse). He mocked the police once more before Mark revealed that Dan was one of their group members but was killed.
Gwen, greatly upset with her shaming actions, went to the hub and was alone. Meanwhile, the SUV was tracking the Weevil, but then danger struck for them as their plan crumbled. The tracker was found unattached to the Weevil. Their trace was gone, as was the Weevil. Owen, now taken to a location with Mark, was close to the van that originally kidnapped the Weevil at the beginning. They were entering a house and there seemed to be a great number of members. Gwen, still alone and upset, was shocked to hear the phone of Dan alert. A message was sent, by a member who presumably didn't know of his recent death, of a postcode. Torchwood now knew their destination and they were picking Gwen up on the way after she informed Jack.
Owen was taken within the location and it was like a mob. The atmosphere present of a hometown hero competing in his own residence. But the atmosphere was ignited with rage. The people seemed extreme. The building, known to be empty, seemed to be the home of a deranged extreme sport. Weevil cage fighting. People payed to put their lives at risk, in the thousands, and the person who lasted longest won the jackpot of combined entry fees. Mark revealed how it was here that Dan was attacked, an attack he welcomed as he apparently didn't want to come out of the cage. Owen was disgusted and wanted it stopped, but Mark knew his whole persona was an act. He held Owen at gunpoint and forced him into the cage with the Weevil. The gun was lowered and Owen agreed. He was going to play the extreme sport.
As the door locked, Torchwood stormed the location and it did seen Owen had a plan but the gun sounds sparked the Weevil into attack and it mauled Owen. Mark claimed the make do dock business trader had no fear. Torchwood stopped the games and the attendees were forced to leave. However, Mark locked himself in the cage and welcomed the Weevil mauling. Unlike Owen, Mark wouldn't be saved.
Owen was in hospital but he'd be alright suffering from a few wounds. He claimed how he didn't want saving from Torchwood and explained the rush he felt. Jack though was taking no shit, and wanted Owen in work tomorrow.
Owen, in the hub, wanted to be alone with the Weevil recaptured by Torchwood. He made a weird noise and the Weevil was affected. Owen knew how to scare a Weevil, was that his plan in the cage? It seemed so. The episode finished and Owen had much knowledge of the Weevils.
My analysis;
Combat was an enthralling episode filled to the rafter with action, thrills and spills. I'm looking forward to seeing where this episode leaves the relationship of Gwen and Rhys and also how Owen will be in the near future. Mark was an interesting villain and his complete lack of remource was chilling. The thought of being in a cage with a Weevil is terrifying, a fascinating idea of a gamble! As the season draws nearer to the end with just two episodes remaining, I look forward to the penultimate episode and then the finale!
Rating; 10/10- I loved it!
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