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Faithful

New enemies, the Faithful, debuted in this episode

'The Faithful' was the second episode in the DWO mini-series 'Torchwood: The Fence'. It was published on 25th September 2011 and was written by Jockie. It was notable for introducing new villains, the Faithful, and also featured the death of a long-running supporting Torchwood character.

Synopsis[]

With the government now against them, the new Torchwood team are forced to hide right under the authorities' noses, but it is clear they cannot evade capture forever.

Prime Minister Henry Cratchett has called for his most loyal followers, the Faithful, to return to London in order to seek out the fugitives - ruthless and unforgiving, the Faithful will stop at nothing to find the freedom fighters, but beneath their smiling skeletal masks, do these menacing figures have a different motivation for finding Torchwood?

Meanwhile, the team itself face a very dangerous mission as they must delve right into the heart of the Houses of Parliament in order to find the answers they so desperately need. For Jack, it is an opportunity to keep an eye on flirtatious new recruit, Domitila, whilst Gwen faces a much more personal battle. It does seem, however, that their risky task could leave the team with a lot more questions and a potential tragedy...

Plot[]

Following the explosion, Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), Bryce Owen (Joseph Morgan) and Jenny Cratchett (Rita Simons) flee the scene. Bryce leads them to an abandoned Bureau de Change building and Jack is questioned on his ability to cheat death.

In Parliament, Ruth Herridge (Annette Badland) informs Henry Cratchett (Bill Nighy) that Bryce and Jenny are still at large, but that Jack was killed in the explosion. She also states that prisoner Mary Cooper (Sharon Morgan) claims not to have seen her daughter, Gwen (Eve Myles), for two years. Cratchett says that Gwen will not abandon her daughter, Anwen, which leads Herridge to argue that Cratchett feels relief over the fact Jenny was not killed.

Jack uses Bryce's laptop to send Cratchett a message, alerting him that he survived the explosion. Cratchett believes it is a hoax but demands that his servants, the Faithful, arrive in London by morning. Herridge starts to wonder if Cratchett is losing his control over things. Meanwhile, Gwen and Rhys (Kai Owen) are heading to London. Gwen is upset when she hears about Mary's capture on the radio, which does not mention Anwen's name.

In London, the Faithful march through the streets, with skull-like masks on, prompting panic in the city. Cratchett states that they are a precautionary measure to capture a group of vigilantes in the city. Jenny watches them arrive through the window of their hiding place, whilst Gwen and Rhys also notice them as they too arrive in London. Underneath the Houses of Parliament, Cratchett and his aide, Brendan Rose (William Roache), watch as the Faithful gather.

Up above, Jack and Jenny arrive at Parliament, with Jenny using her ID card to sneak them in. As they do, Domitila (Penelope Cruz) pulls up outside. In the basement, Jack and Jenny watch as Cratchett addresses the Faithful, announcing that 'Cleansing' is about to begin and stating that permission has been granted for the vigilantes to be executed. However, he states that he wants 'the woman' alive, although Jack is unsure whether he means Jenny or Gwen.

Jack realises the Faithful are heading out onto the streets, putting Gwen in danger. Jack manages to phone and warn her but the Faithful have already located her and Rhys and give chase. Meanwhile, Domitila walks into the Houses of Parliament, claiming to be the Spanish Ambassador. However, her true identity is discovered almost straight away and she is chased and shot at by the Faithful. She escapes into the basement, where she bumps into Jack and Jenny. Domitila manages to shoot several of the Faithful but more arrive, chasing them through the basement and into the Houses of Parliament.

Gwen and Rhys finally locate the Bureau de Change building and manage to lose the pursuing Faithful in a crowd of people. Meanwhile, Cratchett has every exit out of the city monitored. Jack, Domitila and Jenny run through Parliament and Domitila shoots at the fire alarm, before setting fire to the corridor, trapping the Faithful. The Parliament building is evacuated due to the fire and, in the chaos, the three of them manage to escape. However, Cratchett is suspicious and deduces that Torchwood must have started the fire.

The new Torchwood team convenes at the Bureau de Change building and Jack questions Domitila about who she is. She reveals that the outside world is living in fear because 'something is coming', whilst also stating that the perception that the Fence was erected as punishment is incorrect. Domitila also says that the construction of the Fence has been erased from her mind, leading Jack to fear the aliens are involved. Domitila suggests that the best way to find out is to infiltrate Parliament themselves.

Domitila slits the throats of several Faithful members and the team use their outfits to get into Parliament. Jack, Gwen and Domitila head into the basement to try and find Mary and Anwen, whilst Jenny and Bryce attempt to break into Cratchett's office. Meanwhile, Cratchett attends a meeting on the increase in population, where he suggests that Cleansing should start right away, despite Herridge pointing out it is supposed be the final option. Herridge eventually relents, on the condition that her family is exempt from taking part in Cleansing, though Cratchett states that everyone will be assessed fairly. Defence Secretary Donald Drymen (Ralph Fiennes) co-ordinates the Faithful to set up Cleansing.

Jenny and Bryce arrive in the Houses of Parliament and Jenny swipes her card to get into Cratchett's office, alerting the building to her arrival. Immediately, members of the Faithful are sent up to remove her. In the Bureau de Change basement, Rhys is alarmed when he hears the window smashing above - the Faithful have arrived to search the building. Elsewhere, Gwen locates a prison cell with one occupant but the three of them are accosted by a large group of the Faithful. Jack tries to reason with them but they repeat, in unison, the words. 'Give her to me'.

Upstairs, Jenny types in her father's password - the name of her mother - into his computer. She tells Bryce how her mother walked out on them a year ago, whilst Bryce tells her his mother is dead and his father is in a care home. The two begin to bond over their troubled families. Bryce is then alarmed to see the Faithful have reached their floor, but Jenny has not yet finished downloading the contents of Cratchett's computer. Bryce cancels the donwnload when it is only 75% done, arguing that he won't let Jenny die in here.

In the Bureau de Change building, Rhys emerges and fabricates a story to get rid of the Faithful, showing them the ID of Peter Evans (Simon Gregson). They accept his story and leave. In the basement underneath Parliament, Gwen notices that some of the Faithful are children, which state they require 'permission'. The trio make their escape and arrive at the cells, where Gwen is reunited with her mother. However, there is no way of opening the cell before the security guards and Faithful catch up with them. Gwen refuses to leave but Jack drags her away.

As they escape, Cratchett and Brendan arrive in the basement and Cratchett furiously interrogates Mary about Torchwood's whereabouts. When Mary refuses to tell him, he shoots her twice in the chest. Gwen witnesses this just as they turn the corner but Jack pulls her back. As Mary lies dying, she tells Cratchett he has made the biggest mistake of his life.

Bryce and Jenny run into an alleyway, narrowly avoiding capture by a group of guards. After their escape, they kiss passionately. They reunite with the others at their hiding place and Jenny gives Jack the data they managed to retrieve from Cratchett's computer. Files on his computer make reference to 'the Final Solution', leaving Jack and Gwen horrified. At the same time, Cratchett appears on television, saying that the entire population will be assessed, with those unable to contribute anything to society being taken to be 'cleansed'...

Cast[]

  • Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
  • Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
  • Domitila - Penelope Cruz
  • Bryce Owen - Joseph Morgan
  • Henry Cratchett - Bill Nighy
  • Jenny Cratchett - Rita Simons
  • Ruth Herridge - Annette Badland
  • Donald Drymen - Ralph Fiennes
  • Brendan Rose - William Roache
  • Rhys Williams - Kai Owen
  • Mary Cooper - Sharon Morgan
  • Voice of the Faithful - Silas Carson

Reception[]

The episode received an AI of 98.9.