In 1965, Jack was picked to hand over a busload of children to the 456. He thought he was chosen because of his immortality, but actually, it was because people figured that he wouldn't care. He did care, of course, and vividly remembers trading in twelve children in the 456's "protection racket". If he hadn't done it, the Earth would have been devastated by a strain of Indonesian flu they had no cure for. Jack had already lived through The Spanish Flu — he couldn't bear to see the Earth suffer like that again.
When Jack walks back into the Hub, Clement — the boy that got away — recognises him from every single nightmare he's ever had since that night. He promptly shoots Jack dead and breaks down crying. Gwen manages to calm him down.
The governments of Earth, and UNIT, now have to decide what to do. Frobisher tries to bargain with the 456, but the counter-offer of a few dozen failed asylum seekers from refugee camps is deemed unacceptable by the aliens. The children are now all chanting the exact number of sacrifices that each nation needs to make. Prime Minister Brian Green makes the decision to exempt everyone present at the meeting from having to give up their children. Home Secretary Denise Riley MP finally suggests giving up children from lesser schools, knowing full well that it's the most horrible decision of her life. Lois is still meekly recording it all.
The 456 allow one cameraman in a protective suit into the container. Three distinct life forms are detected inside... one of which is an emaciated, hairless child, hooked up to the 456 through a mouth mask. It's one of the children from 1965, now ageless and tethered to the 456 forever. This is what would happen to every child given to the aliens.
Frobisher and Jack talk on the phone, and Jack learns that his daughter and grandson have been kidnapped. He threatens to kidnap Frobisher's own wife and children in return, but Frobisher knows that Jack never would.
Ianto's sister and her husband have set up a makeshift daycare for the neighbourhood's children. They charge money, because times are just that tough. Ianto calls them and lets them know bits and pieces of what's going on.
Prime Minister Green tells Frobisher that the government will not be blamed. The children will be said to be taken for vaccinations to prevent more chanting. The government, people will think, was simply tricked. Frobisher still hasn't slept, hasn't eaten, hasn't been allowed to explain things to his family, and has found himself helplessly agreeing with everything on his path. But he knows that as long as he agrees, his own children will be safe.
The Torchwood team determines that Lois' footage gives them leverage to blackmail the cabinet, and force their way into Thames House. Lois finally speaks up, meekly at first, then with more conviction. She reveals that she works for Torchwood, and that everything said in the room has been recorded. Meanwhile, Rhys runs off with the laptop, ready to press "send" on the blackmail if the government should decide to go through with the sacrifice of millions of children. Agent Johnson finds Gwen, but Gwen shows her what's going on, and Johnson promptly does a complete Heel–Face Turn.
Ianto and Jack try to destroy the 456, but the aliens release a gas attack and a high-pitched radio signal that kills Clement. Everyone in Thames House is affected by the gas, and all the doors are locked. Dekker escapes death by putting on the protective suit. Ianto, however, is dying. He says a tearful goodbye and an "I love you" to Jack, who can't say the same thing. Jack kisses Ianto's dead body on the lips, then dies beside him.
Jack resurrects as Gwen enters the Thames House after the virus has been purged. Soldiers have lain out the casualties for identification. What happens next is the most tear-inducing moment of the series. Gwen and Jack gaze upon their fallen friend Ianto who is now wracked with pallor, and obviously not coming back to life like Jack. Both Gwen and Jack cry uncontrollably in extreme grief, having lost another Torchwood member. Gwen tearfully, says, "There's nothing we can do." The two surviving Torchwood operatives are emotionally shattered.
Tropes:
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: For all of Jack's words and declarations of offense against the 456, the minute Ianto reveals that he has breathed in the lethal virus released by the 456, Jack is willing to walk things back.The 456: You said you would fight.Jack: Then I take it back, all right? I take it all back. But not him!
- And I Must Scream: The poor child hooked up to the back of the 456 is bald, immobile, emanciated, ageless, and seemingly still conscious even after more than four decades. This would be the fate of 10% of the world's children if they are given up.
- Badass Boast: Ianto delivers one on Jack's behalf when facing the 456 together.Jack: When people find out the truth, you will have over six billion angry human beings taking up arms to fight you. That might be a fight you think you can win, but at the end of it, the human race in defence of its children will fight to the death. And if I have to lead them into battle, then I will.Ianto: You've got enough information on this planet, check your records. His name is Captain Jack Harkness. Go back a hundred and fifty years and see what you're facing.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Even when his dying love is telling him how much he loves him, Jack is unable to say it back.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: Ianto dies in Jack's arms after the 456 unleashes a lethal virus in the building they're in. Jack soon follows, knowing that he won't be reunited with his lover in death but instead inevitably come back to life.
- Downer Ending: By the end of the episode, Jack's plan to defeat the 456 has gone horribly wrong, leading to the deaths of everyone in Thames House. This includes his boyfriend Ianto.
- Dramatic Irony: The deal in 1965 was done to get an anti-virus for the Indonesian Flu that was going to mutate, which the world had no cure for, and was seen as a fair deal. Ianto and the rest of the MI5 Building is killed by a lethal virus the 456 pumps across the building, despite Jack's plea for them to release an anti-virus and let Ianto live.
- Dying Declaration of Love: Ianto says "I Love You" to Jack just before he dies from the virus released by the 456.
- Everyone Has Standards: So far Agent Johnson has shown total ruthlessness and Blind Obedience towards the state, but even she's appalled to learn that the cabinet are willing to sacrifice children to the 456.
- Heel–Face Turn: Agent Johnson, when confronted with the recordings that Torchwood had of the cabinet willing to sacrifice millions of children, becomes visibly shocked and essentially joins the side of Torchwood, if a bit too late.
- Internal Reveal: Lois finally reveals that Torchwood had been recording their meetings, and are going to make things public if they don't let Ianto and Jack speak to the 456, lest there be an outrageous scandal.
- Last Kiss: After Ianto dies, Jack gives him a final kiss before succumbing (albeit temporarily) to the same virus that killed Ianto.
- Last Moment Together: This episode sees the 456 inflict a virus on the couple Jack and Ianto which proves lethal within minutes. Whilst Jack can revive from the virus, Ianto can't, and their final moments are spent with Ianto finally telling Jack that he loves him (although Jack doesn't say it back), assuring him that their time together was good while it lasted and asking Jack to not forget him. Despite this, "House of the Dead" has Jack be able to see Ianto one more time in the form of a ghostly recreation created by Syriath. Ianto calls him out for seemingly dragging him back to say goodbye, but nonetheless choses to commit a Heroic Sacrifice to both save Jack from flinging himself into the void between worlds and prevent Syriath from making it into Cardiff. This time, Jack finally tells Ianto that he loves him, which Ianto reciprocates before dying for good.
- Last Request: Ianto asks Jack to not forget about him before he dies. Jack agrees to honor his request, although Ianto's last words have him express his belief that Jack will have forgotten all about him within a thousand years.
- Never Grew Up: Played for Horror with the children previously given to the 456 in 1965 - they certainly haven't aged since then, but this lack of growing up takes place in the context of them being permanently tethered to the 456, bald, emaciated, and unable to move.
- Wham Episode: Ianto, one of the key players of the series, does not survive the episode, succumbing to a virus released by the 456.
