Torchwood #13: End of Days

Torchwood Team;

• Captain Jack

• Gwen

• Owen

• Tosh

• Ianto

Notable Characters; 

• Bilis- Intent on causing chaos 

• Abaddon- Son of the Beast imprisoned beneath the rift 

Detailed Plot;

End of Days was a phenomenal season finale! The plot directly following on from the events of Captain Jack Harkness was really good and the whole story was just really well done. It was a great concept and definitely warranted being the season finale as it more than lived up to the sensational standard set in season one. If this is a sign of things to come then season two should be brilliant! But for now, here's my review and thoughts on the finale; 

Like the few episodes prior, there is a brief add on to the usual introduction and here it gives a recap of what happened in Captain Jack Harkness. As the episode stares Gwen is seen with Rhys in bed at their home. It seems the conflict seen in Combat has been forgot about. Jack rings Gwen and tells her to turn on the news. 

There're UFOs above the Taj Mahal and there's also reports of historically dressed men. There is also religion references and that's when my opening quote is heard. Was this the end of days? 

Back at the hub and Owen notices how the jar in which the Doctor's hand is in is losing power. What did that mean for Jack? With talk of what was happening, more religion was referenced with a referring of Abaddon. People from around the world were pointing their fingers at Torchwood, blaming them and asking them how they'd fix it. Torchwood ran some results and they found out something bad. The hub was the centre of the happenings. Things were spreading everywhere from the hub epicentre. Time was seeping across the planet, and it was all thanks to Owen for opening the rift. Jack revealed he had no plan and that he didn't know what to do. He'd have to follow in the footsteps of his right kind of Doctor, he'd improvise. 

Jack assured the team that it was not the end of the world. He was certain. He did come from the future after all. Jack was angered and determined and made a subtle reference to the sexual relations of Gwen and Owen. 

Andy, Gwen's former partner that we hadn't seen for a while now, called and told her how he had a Roman soldier captive. Andy was confused and refused to believe what he couldn't comprehend. Jack entered the Roman's cell in order to temporary drug him so they could keep him sealed in the hub. Gwen told Andy it'd be alright, the situation, but he knew her and her reassuring smile didn't fool him. She feared the worst. 

Owen and Tosh visited a hospital and there were more people than usual. It was completely sealed and the doctors and nurses were in full body proof clothing. Diseases from all over time were seeping through the rift. The Black Death was here. The plague had arrived in 21st century Cardiff. The doctors and nurses relied on Torchwood, they wanted this fixed. Owen told the hospital to be ready, ready for every disease in history. 

Tosh saw her Mother, a projection, and she told her that something was coming and she's have to do something. But what? Jack explained how the team couldn't mess with the rift further, enough damage had already been done. Gwen, now saw Bilis and he said he was sorry. Why were members of the team seeing projections? 

To add to the seeping of time, there were now many Weevils on the loose. The species seemed affected and it was questioned whether they were time sensitive. Torchwood had captured a number of historical people, too many by the looks as now the Torchwood vaults were full. They'd need to go further down the hub to more cells, somewhere that hadn't been used before. Ianto now saw his projection, Lisa, in human form. No longer a Cyberwomen. Flashbacks of Cyberwomen were seen. Lisa said how there was 'only one way to stop' the seeping of time. She wanted the rift open. 

After seeing the flashbacks the team wanted some help, they wanted Jack to lead them. But Jack claimed how there was no solution and that they couldn't fix what had happened. Conflict aroused between Jack and Owen and the latter questioned Jack's identity, he wanted to know who he was. In the midst of the conflict, Jack fired Owen from Torchwood. Gwen was angered and demanded the team stick together. They needed to find the solution. Jack wanted each member's complete and utter trust. But Owen didn't give that to Jack, and he left. He knew somehow he'd get the amnesia pill and forget all about Torchwood. This was a shocking moment. Owen claimed how nobody left Torchwood intact. He left the hub, and along with Gwen he was distraught. 

After Gwen told Jack of the projection she saw, the pair headed to Bilis' shop. Within were dozens of clocks and antiques. Bilis could easily step across time zones and he claimed it to be a curse as he could see the whole of history. Surely that would be a privilege? Bilis though said that Torchwood needed to fully open the rift in order for it suck back what it's leaked. But Jack couldn't put millions of lives at risk, it was a dilemma. Could lives be put up risk in order to return people to their respective time zones and restoration to be restored? 

Jack was annoyed, and wanted Bilis to come back to the hub. He threated him at gunpoint, but the mystery man temporal shifted into another time zone. As the Torchwood members left, Bilis returned as Gwen was leaving and Jack already gone. It was a trap. Gwen questioned his 'sorry' projection earlier. And he showed her. He took her hands and showed her an image, the future, and Rhys was dead. Gwen rushed out and headed straight for home. Rhys was okay, it hadn't happened yet, and she said to him that they had to go. She wasn't taking any nonsense and used a taser gun to knock him out. She was protecting him, the projection was in her home so she needed him out of there. 

In a bar, Owen, trying to get over his sacking, is drinking. And there is where he saw his vision projection; Dianne. She seemed lost, Owen seemed shocked that he could touch her. She seemed real. She told him to open the rift in order to bring her back. But she soon disappeared. Somebody had a plan, using the people and vulnerabilities that make Torchwood members weak. Bilis wanted the rift open. 

Rhys was now seen in a cell, he was both confused and angry. The team were very understanding of Gwen wanting him safe and she then talked about how real the vision felt. But then the Torchwood power went out. A security breached enabled Rhys' cell to be unlocked, he wandered out and was approached by Bilis who'd shifted into the hub. He brutally stabbed Rhys resulting in his death. He was left to die and as Bilis shifted out of the hub, the power was back and Gwen found her boyfriend dead and bloody. She was distraught, as was Jack. 

Rhys was on the medical table in the hub now, and it was Gwen who demanded she would be the one to tell his family. She was responsible for Rhys. She claimed how at Torchwood everybody ends up alone. This was a sad and emotional moment. Gwen wanted Rhys to be brought back, she was desperate calling for the destroyed resurrection glove or using the rift to go back in time. She was absolutely distraught.

Owen now returned to the hub and questioned the suffering of people that he had caused in the previous episode. He claimed he was going to fix it, he was going to open the rift! And the team were on Owen's side. They disobeyed Jack's orders and just like the projections had wanted, they planned on opening the rift. Jack was annoyed, and he believed it a trap. He even went as far as pointing a gun at his Torchwood teammates. This was all very serious. The rest of the team were a united front. Jack, one by one, mocked the members and after the reference to Gwen having sex with Owen, Gwen smacked Jack and that resulted in Owen picking up the gun. After more mocking, Owen shot Jack! He claimed he was sick of doubters. This was a massive shock! 

The newly united front though planned on opening the rift continuing their plans. They needed the eye records of each member, including Jack, to open the rift fully. All necessary functions had been carried out and the rift was open! What would happen now was a mystery. 

Jack resurrected but he was too late. There was a beam from the fountain, the rift was open. The infrastructure of the hub was in danger and parts were collapsing. They needed to get out, and the team did while helping Jack. Cracks were seen on the Cardiff streets and Bilis was seen, saying how 'he's coming from out of the darkness.' He talked of something improsoned beneath the rift. The son of the Beast. A giant appeared. It was Abaddon! He came to feast on life. The world would die beneath its shadow. 

People were scurrying around Cardiff and as they were surrounded by Abaddon's shadow, people were killed on instant. Bilis appeared and claimed his work was done. He left, but the mystery of him lingered and wasn't explained which I think was better off. Jack was feeling the affects of death and he told the team to take him to an open space. He claimed that if Abaddon feasts on life, then he was an all you can eat buffet! A pretty humorous remark in an extremely serious circumstance! 

The open space was found, and Gwen went with Jack. But he told her to leave. Jack taunted Abaddon and gained the demon's attention. Abaddon came in search of a feast, the shadow hurt Jack but he wasn't dying on instance. It was like torture. It looked as though life was being taken but Jack wasn't dying. But Jack soon took control, and pushed the source back into Abaddon, he'd had enough to eat! The buffet was closed. Abaddon was destroyed. He'd had more than he could handle. Jack though was passed out on the floor. Had Abaddon taken all the life from Jack? Was he finally dead? Gwen was distraught. 

But after the death of Abaddon and the closure of the rift. Time was reverted and things were back to normal. In the hub, Jack seemed dead and the team were certain. He was ice cold and there were no life signs. Gwen though wanted to sit with the apparent corpse. She was there with him, waiting, patient. The team watched on and were upset. Gwen was still there, after days, it didn't seem Jack was coming back. 

But Gwen believed in her Captain. She touched his hands, kissed him, anything, hoping for a spark of life to return. She walked away from the body, and 'thank you' was heard. He was alive! The smile on Gwen's face was priceless. Jack was back. 

He returned to the main area of the hub and the team were there confronting with joy. They loved their Captain. Jack hugged Tosh, kissed Ianto and forgave Owen who broke down after what he'd done. Jack was their leader after all. He always had been, the projections just got to the other members too much and Rhys' death pushed them over the edge. 

Jack revealed how the rift was closed, but would now be more volatile than ever. Something great leading into the second season! Gwen asked Jack if he'd had any visions, but there were none. She asked what tempt him to have open the rift, he replied the 'right kind of Doctor.' He wanted to return to the TARDIS. 

With Jack alone. The Doctor's hand in jar started bubbling, was it a sign? The sound of the TARDIS was heard! The hub was greeted by wind from the materialisation, it must be refuelling as it did in Boom Town. Jack was gone. He headed for the Doctor in what we knew was the lead into Utopia and the season 29 triple part finale. The team were alone and they noticed Jack was taken. He'd gone. The team were confused. What would they do without Jack?

My analysis; 

To conclude now with my thoughts, I really thought End of Days was sensational. It was a wonderful finale with a great plot! The conflict between the team was interesting and I think in turn will unite them even more. The mystery of Bilis being left unsolved I am a fan of as it just adds more to his devious and mysterious character. Why was he serving Abaddon? Speaking of which, I thought Abaddon looked mightily impressive and I liked how his shadow resulted in death. A killer weapon. Jack destroying the demon was a thrilling end. Backtracking a little, I thought the threat of every disease in history appearing along with people from the past was brilliant. And with Jack leaving for the Doctor and leading into Utopia, I think that's excellent and I wonder when the aftermath of Last of the Time Lords and Jack's return will come into play in season 2, a season I'm very excited to watch! 

Rating; Great concept, easily 10/10.