Exit Wounds

"Okay. So, if you're seeing this I guess it means I'm well, dead. I hope it was impressive, not crossing the road or an incident with a toaster. I just wanted to say, it's okay. It really is. Jack, you saved me. You showed me all the wonders of the universe and all those possibilities and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Thank you. And Owen, you never knew, I love you, all of you. And... I hope I did good."

Writer: Chris Chibnall
Format: TV
Broadcast: 4th April 2008
Series: Torchwood 2.13

Featuring: Captain Jack, Gwen, Owen, Tosh, Ianto

Synopsis

When the villainous Captain John Hart returns to abduct Captain Jack Harkness whilst unleashing a wave of destruction and terror upon an unsuspecting Cardiff, it's up to Gwen, Ianto, Owen and Tosh to save the day. Meanwhile, Captain Jack is forced to face some demons from his past...

Verdict

Exit Wounds is a phenomenal finale of the second season of Torchwood. A destructive and emotional plot with a heartbreaking climax. Continuing straight on from Fragments, Captain John returns in damaging style. If we thought he wrecked havoc in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, what he caused to Cardiff here was ruthless and shocking. 15 separate but simultaneous explosions in strategic positions to the capital city. Cardiff was left helpless but this caused Gwen's brilliance to shine through astronomically. I liked the banter between Andy and Rhys, an unsung highlight. The brotherly reunion of Jack and Gray wasn't as expected. Gray would never forgive his brother and after finding out that Jack would never die, he wanted his brother to suffer for letting go of his hand, as seen in Adam. His plan of burying Jack 20ft underground in 27AD, right underneath where Cardiff would be built over the following 2,000 years - Jack would be the heart of the city so to speak, just repeatedly suffocating on a mouthful of dirt every time he revived. A ruthless plan of revenge by Gray. John's clever trick of the 'sentimental' ring allowing Torchwood of 1901 to dig Jack up and freeze him until 2008, where he brilliantly knocked for his release, was very clever. Once Jack returned, he knew he was to blame for Gray's childhood being destroyed and accepted that. John's coming back to help Jack once the detonator was detached from his skin was fantastic and showed that he wasn't all that evil and had feelings for Jack. I loved how the Torchwood team took control of Cardiff and attempted to keep the city from any further destruction. As if the explosions weren't bad enough, Weevils were on the loose and the nuclear plant was on the verge of meltdown. Owen was dealing with the meltdown whilst John triggered the Weevils to leave the streets. Owen and Tosh talking to each other, at their final moments, was heartbreaking and incredible emotion. They should have got that date. Tosh being shot by Gray was a shock and the scene of Owen running, not in time, to escape the meltdown was saddening. The man already dead would watch his body decompose at the hands of radiation. A hero's death, saving Cardiff, just like Tosh. She bled to death after struggling to get the communicator to reach Owen and talk him through the prevention of the meltdown. Once Jack, Gwen and Ianto returned to the Hub and found out what had occurred, they were devastated. A devastating episode, fit for a finale. Torchwood has been changed dramatically - Tosh and Owen are dead and the cast has been significantly changed. I look forward to seeing how the next series pans out with a new aspect to the Torchwood team. But Exit Wounds was all about Tosh and Owen who did good, heroically dying saving Cardiff.

Rating: 10/10