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Captain Jack? EXPLORING THE ENIGMA OF CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS

DrWho — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:31:46 +0000

I thought that it would be fun to examine the enigma that is Captain Jack Harkness, now that we've seen him in action in not only five Doctor Who episodes, but now in Torchwood on top of that.

Jack is a 51st Century kind of guy, with no sexual orientation. If it's got a pulse, he'll sleep with it! When we first meet him in "The Empty Child" two parter, he's also a bit of a loner - travelling alone with only his faithful ship's computer for computer. It's no wonder that at this time he's a little self absorbed. Wouldn't you be if you had nobody else for company?

The man also likes to dabbles in the past - not only literally, but metaphorically too. During his trip back to 1941, his exploits also cause the downfall of humanity - but Jack's too busy talking about previous conquests (interestingly, a pair of Executioners!) to really care. Even as far forwrd as "Everything Changes" Jack still loves sitting with friends discussing his past - and fabricating elements as a little ego boost. It's understandable though, isn't it, for a man who's lost two years of his memory to want to cherish the memories he's currently got. Of course he's going to want to talk about the memories he's made since his memory-wipe - because if he doesn't; if he stops for one second, the true sadness of his mental-rape will devour him.

What exactly though did happen during those missing two years? We know little information currently - with the promise from Russell T Davies one day revealling the truth to us. In the meantime, we can only speculate that Jack worked for the Time Agency at the time - and possibly saw something he shouldn't have. Perhaps he did something that somebody else didn't agree with? Or was the memory wipe enforced by himself? Did Jack do something so horrible that even he wants to forget? The truth will be known...

One of the most important events in Jack's life happens at the very end of "The Empty Child" - he meets the Doctor; a being who not only grants him access to the TARDIS (and saves his life in the progress) but shows him the right side of humanity. Jack is transformed during his travels with the Doctor and Rose Tyler; from intergalatic conman, to nothing less than a hero. This transformation is never more obvious than in the book "The Deviant Strain". There, Jack has the option of leaving behind an essentially disabled girl, who's never going to live her life properly ever again, when a group of aliens attack. Only he doesn't - because, despite the danger to himself, he carries her to safety; not because the Doctor told him too, but because Jack recognises for the first time that it's the right thing to do, and wants to. Ultimately, it's this newfound humanity which kills Jack Harkness...

Standing before a parade of Daleks, Jack refuses to stop fighting. By "The Parting of the Ways" he's grew to love the Doctor and Rose, and would do anything to protect their lives - including dying to protect them. The pair mean so much more to Jack now than just companions. Having spent time with them, he now feels part f their family; and willingly sacrifices himself for them...

Only he nots granted that right, because bad wolf Rose Tyler brings him back, as Jack would say, from the dead. Jack lives again, but at a cost: his new family within the TARDIS knowingly leave him behind. We learn in last year's Jack-less Children in Need special that the Tenth Doctor knows that Jack is still alive, but simply chose not to return to him. Like he did with his grandaughter Susan before, the Doctor is chosing Jack's destiny for him - and that's one of the reasons why we hear so much about Jack being angry with the Doctor, because Jack doesn't work like that - he's his own man, and makes his own decisions. The next time he comes into contact with the Doctor, you can bet that Jack's going to have a few strong words to say...

The next days (?) weeks (?) years (?) in Jack's life are a complete mystery. John Barrowman has hinted that Jack may have used the "transdimensional surfboard" from "Boomstown" to travel through the rift back to 21st Century Cardiff (ironically, the one place he thinks the Doctor will turn up next) but the big question is: how long did he spend in the year 200,100 before he decided to return?

It's likely that Jack would have tried (at least for a while) to live like the Doctor had prophecised in the Children in Need Special: he would have tried to help re-build Earth following the Dalek invasion, and attempted to settle down (without a time machine for the first time in his life) in one time zone, stuck forever. It's also likely that it's during this time that he learned about his immortality: his lack of death, and lack of any real resolution in his life.

All of this and more may have been enough to push Jack to desperate measures - to use the transdimensional surfboard in the Rift to return him back to Cardiff, 2006. Or perhaps earlier...? We have no idea when Jack arrived in Cardiff, but we learn in "Day One" that his team mates know very little about him - a suggestion that he's worked there much longer than them? After all, he is their boss - and that's not a position one earns ovr night. Especially not in an organisation headed up by the Queen!

We also have no real clue when Torchwood is set. If "Aliens of London" happened 12 months after "Rose" we can place events in March 2006. "Boomtown" is then set six months after, presumably in September 2006 - with the Christmas Invasion happening in Christmas 2006. That means that Doomsday couldn't have happened any earlier than 2007 - and from what Jack said in "Everything Changes" it looks like the Cybermen/Dalek invasion happened a while ago. So, is Torchwood set at the backend of 2007? Or early 2008? More importantly, will we ever find out?!?

So, anyways, back on subject: Jack. He's tuck here on Earth, desperately looking for the Doctor - because (despite his anger) still wants to travel with the man again; and he also wants answers. Who brought him back, and why? Is his eternal life a legacy of the TARDIS...or something more mysterious, like the Time Lords themselves? It never was established who the Bad Wolf was. TARDIS or Time Lord? Either way, they've got a lot to answer for.

And that's why Jack's working at Torchwood. Not only can he act the hero with them, but they can assist him in his attempts to find the Doctor again. Jack can't ever rest now: because with the Doctor he's seen some fantasic things, and he wants a taste of that lifestyle again. Essentially, Jack's in the same boat as Sarah-Jane Smith was in last season's "School Reunion" - clinging onto his past with the Doctor, because he never got a goodbye, and never asked to leave the TARDIS for good in the first place.

And until the Doctor returns, Jack won't stop waiting..

Captain Jack? EXPLORING THE ENIGMA OF CAPTAIN JACK HARKNESS is a post from: torchwood.tv

torchwood death

DrWho — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:19:54 +0000

torchwood death

all about torchwood,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,?

About the show
In one epic story told over five nights the new series, to be broadcast for the first time on BBC One later this year, promises to be Torchwood's greatest adrenalin-fuelled, high octane adventure yet.

Torchwood: Children of Earth re-joins Captain Jack (John Barrowman), Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles) and Ianto Jones (Gareth David-Lloyd) who are still coming to terms with the death of two of their closest friends. Despite their pain, they have a job to do.

This time they are faced with their fiercest threat to date - one which throws the future of Torchwood and the entire human race spiralling into danger. They battle against the odds but do they stand a chance of saving mankind?

omg omg omg i can't wait!!!
Sounds so exciting !!!!

I've been waiting ages for it to come back on i didn't know when it was coming back on but i'll wait and find out, i'm not giving up on one of my favourite shows!

:O
It was shocking when Owen and Tosh die it was so sad i didn't want them to go, at least Gwen still there she's my fav.

can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!!!

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torchwood death is a post from: torchwood.tv

torchwood captain jack

DrWho — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:33:12 +0000

torchwood captain jack

when did captain jack join torchwood?

According to the recent episode "Fragments" he was first recruited by Torchwood in the late 19th century (1890s?) after being interrogated by Torchwood about his various references to "The Doctor" in converstaions and about his immortality.

These events must have occurred just after his return to earth form Satelliet 5. he apprently tried to get back to the early 21st century, but overshot the time period by over 100 years. So he had to wait all that time to find a version of the Doctor that coincided with himself.

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torchwood captain jack is a post from: torchwood.tv

torchwood captain jack

DrWho — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:05:56 +0000

torchwood captain jack

Will Captain Jack Harkness on Torchwood be able to understand the Weevil now that he been in the Doctor Tardis

If the Time vortex thing gets in your head when you been in the Tardis does this mean that Jack will be able to understand the Weevils
Yes but the last time he was in the Tardis was many years ago

Good question. Maybe if he tried to talk to the Weevil while the Tardis was still around, he could understand it, because the telepathic circuits of the Tardis would translate for him. I doubt whether he would be able to with the Tardis gone though. Maybe he should have asked the Doctor to have a go at communication with the Weevils. A bit of a missed opportunity there perhaps.

The bigger question for me is - how was Owen able to communicate with the Weevils? There's definitely something odd going on there.