Torchwood #15: Sleeper

Torchwood Team;

• Captain Jack

• Gwen

• Owen

• Tosh

• Ianto

Notable Characters; 

Beth- Burglary victim with a hidden twist

Mike- Injured burglary victim

Sleepers- Main enemies

Detailed Plot; 

Sleeper begins with a very eery feel to it and the background music is responsible for this and it does it in a great way. An unknown couple are asleep in the middle of the night and they suspect they are bring burgled. The burglar is seen, masked, but the camera spans down and we don't get to see what happened, only hear it. It sounded like there was a very alien effect. 

A burglar (it's revealed there were two) is seen dead on the road below the couple's flat having fallen from the fifth floor, the broken glass evidence of that. Torchwood arrive and in comical fashion the police still don't like Torchwood and the authority they've got. It was very interesting how the women, Beth, was scarless and safe, whilst her husband was wounded and the burglars both dead. The other had been visibly stabbed. Just what had happened inside the flat? All signs pointed to Beth being the cause, but how could she possibly have done it? 

Gwen and Owen were in the hospital in which Mike was being attended to. Was there a third party that caused the devastation in the flat? Owen didn't think so and suspected Beth undoubtedly, almost too certain, and to me he was basically assuring the viewer it was her. Gwen suspected it was Mike who was protecting his wife but the evidence didn't really make much of a case for that. It turned out that one burglar, the stabbing victim, was still alive. Gwen was to stay with him overnight despite his unconsciousness. Suddenly, the burglar woke, told Gwen 'keep the women in the flat away from me' very worriedly and died. It was a shock! 

Beth was now in Torchwood custody and Jack was angered at her. He too was adamant she was the cause and this to me again confirmed to the viewer that Beth had caused the incidents, it was just a matter of time until she was found out for certain. Beth though seemed legitimately certain she hadn't done anything that night. Ianto briefly flirting with Jack in the hub was comical and shows how much the pair's relationship has grown since Cyberwomen. 

Tests were to be ran on Beth and whilst in the process, the hub's lights were affected, similarly to an earlier incident in the hospital. It was found out that Beth had an electromagnetic field around her! Jack was categorically certain it was her, and that she was alien. Once Beth saw the hub insides for proper, she was astounded! Testing was to continue in the medical bay with Owen carrying them out. However, when trying to inject a needle into her, it snapped, and then again. He tried a knife, and that to snapped! Beth's skin was unbreakable. What the hell was she? 

She was put in the cell next to the Weevil the team still had captive, but even that monstrous being seemed scared of Beth! The mystery deepened. It now seemed Beth didn't know of what she truly was, but she could still be hiding something. Nothing was certain. Jack though was 100% sure she was an alien. The mind probe test was next.  

The test was carried out by a helmet of sorts with Tosh controlling how deep into the consciousness the device would delve. It could find anything that was hidden, although the team hadn't used it properly last time (unseen) and resulted in somebody's head blowing up! The device was in fruition and it was causing mass amount of pain to Beth, but Jack was adamant that something was hidden and demanded it go deeper until something was revealed. Jack was going to get what he wanted. Beth's magnetic field was increasing as the probe delved deeper. Suddenly, Beth reverting from utter pain to soft calmness. The skin on her arm literally opened up and revealed what seemed like a controlling device. Tosh explained how the probe had gotten out a hidden compartment, and that Beth couldn't of known about it. So she was telling her version of the truth at least. Interestingly, this now confirmed to Jack who she was and why she was here. Still in a possessed form, Beth was speaking, but just repeating the same thing in some foreign language. Simply her name and rank according to Jack. 

Jack revealed that she was a Sleeper agent, but that little was known about the alien race as they never left survivors to tell any stories. He explained how the race produce fake memories and thoughts, whilst just watching and sitting, gaining information and due to their intelligence knowing everything. Yes, everything about a planet! 

Beth was completely clueless she was an alien and she reverted back from the Sleeper stance to her norm. Worryingly, and almost certainly, Beth wasn't the only Sleeper out there. Torchwood showed Beth the video of her alien speaking and she was effected greatly. It was she who killed the burglars in her Sleeper form, an act of self preservation. Jack explained how she couldn't be fixed, and that once the races had all the information they required, they'd activate and the invasion would begin. 

Torchwood couldn't even consider letting Beth go, activation could occur at any time. There was question of freezing her, it seemed logical. Beth had a horrific flashback of her killing the burglars, her real memories, as a Sleeper, were coming to the foreground. Her real history was approaching. Activation wasn't far away. Jack knew what had to be done. The human race was binding over everything- Beth had to be frozen. She quickly agreed to protect others and once she was frozen, the magnetic field around her was gone. 

Another random couple was seen in their home, but a new Sleeper killed the male at the door in front of his wife and children. A sickening act. It seemed it was time for the invasion. More people were activating, conveniently close to one area. Why would a race hoping to wipe out the planet stay together in one city? That didn't seem to make sense to me. Nonetheless, danger was on the cards. 

Beth was seen in her frozen state... and woke up! She was soon gone and the lights were out. She knew everything about Torchwood, security codes, pass-locks, the lot. Her Sleeper form was extremely clever, and fooled the readings and the Torchwood team. She could simulate the lot. I admired that. It was interesting though and it seemed that the human form of Beth was still battling for control. She knew everything about the hub and could've sent it into lockdown, but she didn't. She simply made it dark. She had another agenda, and that was with her husband Mike. She was seen at his bedside in the hospital and was explaining how she had to go away from him in order to protect him. Love at its very best! It wasn't clear though if she was fully activated, but for the time being at least she had become so. Her arm impressively transformed into a giant blade and stabbed Mike. Beth had killed her husband. The Sleeper had a weapon system within, and was killing randomly. Jack and Gwen were quickly at the hospital but danger was spreading. Sleepers were on the loose! They were stabbing, murdering and in one case blowing up a bank! They were getting the pieces in place for their invasion- killing important people and collapsing important buildings. Pipe supplies were also being damaged. Interestingly, it seemed all the Sleepers were linked as one cell and were activating together. Beth though wasn't included as the freezing had turned her off, but the alien within was still partially in control. Beth, proving she at least in her mind was human, was helping the team, showing her human instinct. 

The Sleepers though had now shut down all the phone networks, communication was out. Well, almost out. Jack and Gwen got through to hub via radio and communication links were back! It was revealed how two Sleepers had been killed causing their own destruction in destroying others. But that didn't matter as they were all one cell. It was revealed one Sleeper remained, and he was heading for a mind shaft. Why exactly? 

Tosh effortlessly hacked into the military, out of bounds even to Torchwood, and explained how there were ten secret nuclear warheads. If they weren't stopped then it was all over. I can clearly see the destruction it would cause if ten warheads were set off, but I'm certain there would be millions, probably billions of survivors so I didn't see the threat as planet threatening as the episode intended, but of course I could see the devastation it would cause. 

Thinking the end was nigh, Owen comically suggested a threesome between himself, Tosh and Ianto. Brilliantly Owen. His wish was however denied. The lone Sleeper was at the army area and with ease killed the militant guards. He was indestructible. Time was against Jack, Gwen and Beth who were closing in in the SUV. The warheads were waiting to be let off, but the SUV arrived and sadustscllt ran over, well, through the Sleeper. The forcefield and transmitter was down. The warheads had been stopped, too simply for my liking. But the Sleeper was still trying to kill what he could, and an explosion countdown was initiated. The saviour trio ran and just about made it to safety. The Sleeper had destroyed itself. 

Whilst all danger was thought gone, Beth could feel the Sleeper within herself. She thought she was too dangerous and was frightened of the thought of her being fully activated. Gwen was alone with her, and to Gwen's dismay, she activated. The blade was holding Gwen hostage, not killing, showing signs of a vital attack, the other four members of the team shot Beth dead, saving Gwen. It seemed she wanted death, she'd got it. The Sleepers were gone.

Jack asked Gwen the date she was to be married, he just wanted to make sure she still lived her life as the young gorgeous Welsh girl she was. And she planned to. 

My analysis; 

Overall, this was a good episode but I have been critical in some aspects. I thought the idea of the Sleepers was fantastic and loved the thought of them praying and waiting until they had knowledge of everything. The weapon and control system of their arms was sadistically excellent. I liked the ending of this with the team uniting as one to protect Gwen, not taking any risk of her life being over. Jack showing he was undoubtedly back and leader was excellent I thought, showing his complete priority was the protection of a Earth and its people. The flirting between Jack and Ianto was pretty comical and will lead to something soon, I'm pretty sure. However, as I mentioned, although I recognise the danger the Sleepers presented, I don't think it was as bad as intended with the claim that Earth would be no more if the warheads hit. I'm certain that wouldn't be the case. 

Rating; 8/10- all the right ingredients, just not mixed quite efficiently!