Torchwood newsflash: Ianto Jones dead?
OMG! The evil alien invaders, the 456 decided to show Jack Harkness that they're serious about wiping out the human race. They release an airborne virus within the Thames House building that Jack and Ianto are inside.
It's a classic show of strength, but it's too late to evacuate. Ianto realises that things are dire and he and Jack say their goodbyes to each other. Ianto echoing the theme that Jack's daughter mentioned at the start of the series - Jack will outlive everybody that he loves.
And slowly, Ianto dies in Jack's arms. It's sad, romantic and tragic all at once. After Ianto dies, Jack falls victim to the virus as well and dies for a short while.
Is there any hope for Ianto coming back? The only thing I can think of is that Jack kissed him on the lips. Hasn't Jack saved lives that way in the past? I don't know. After the loss of Owen and Tosh at the end of the last series, losing Ianto is as painful for fans as it probably was for Jack! Torchwood become a team of two.
Are you hoping Ianto will be resurrected, or is he permanently dead?
Comments
I certainly hope he's coming back.
I won't be buying the DVDs or supporting the show or the next two Doctor Who specials in any way if they've killed off one of the few queer lead characters on television. John Barrowman once said "The pink pound is powerful." Well, I hope Russel T Davies doesn't get a shilling from here on out if he actually did something this offensive. I'm not even sitting in suspense for tomorrow night. I'm disgusted with the whole thing.
Oh, just because he is queer,
Oh, just because he is queer, he can't be killed off. I think your acting like a god damn child if that's the reason your not going to watch the show. We are all upset, not because the character was queer, but because of the character himself and the role he played in the show.
I think you're being a little
I think you're being a little narrow minded here. This wasn't a queer character dying in a vaccuum. This was about the only queer character in a relationship in sci-fi tv/cinema who just became "another dead queer," just like all the other dead queers in television and cinema. Because there's two types of homosexual characters in television: the inoffensive, single sexless queer who's played for laughs and the tragic queer who has gay sex and suffers terribly for it as all queers must suffer.
I'm sure it's great to be in the heterosexual majority and see heterosexuals in all kinds of relationships across the board and if a heterosexual in a relationship dies you can say "That was very sad" and move on. You're right, I'll just move on to my other shows showing queer relationships not bogged down in "queer issues" but representing queer people in action/adventure oriented stories.....Oh wait. Those other shows /don't exist/.
Even better, Ianto was fridged. Just like the girlfriends of superheroes everywhere, he's Jack's latest personally motivating tragedy. (Feel free to google "women in refrigerators" if you're also lucky enough not to pay personal attention to this trend because your gender is the heroic lead.) His character was thrown away into a trope mostly reserved for women that will give Jack plenty of Angst and Woe while conviently keeping him trapped in a cycle of immature relationships. That's exactly the show I want to watch.
It's absolutely silly to think that Ianto being both queer and dead are completely unrelated. Was it Russell T Davies saying "Heeeey, production companies! I may be sleeping with a man but I'm not totally married to gay issues! I'm not afraid to kill queer characters! Later, Whoniverse!"? You know, I've seen that happen a few too many times to have the optimistic attitude that Ianto's death was completely not politically motivated.
After giving up on self-hating gay cinema, Torchwood gave me hope for a realistic portrayal of queer people in day to day life. No, we don't fight aliens, but we also don't sit around and angst about queer issues all day. We mostly go to work, come home, kick back, and occasionally sex up our gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgender partner. Sometimes as firefighters and policepeople or in the military where we serve but aren't officially welcome we're even real life heroes. Not in television or film or comic books. If you're unlucky enough to have homosexual sex, there, you're doomed to misery.
But then, as they say, "Who cares about the death of a gay super hero, anyway?": http://perrymoorestories.com/content/hero.asp?id=superheroes
Don't even /pretend/ to tell me this isn't part of a trend.
not obsessed?
I am sorry, but as an out bi woman this smacks of serious gay angst. Jack was in love. It made no difference that he was in love with a man, and as ianto explained to his sister, he fell in love with a PERSON not a GENDER. The death of somone as signifcant as ianto in Jacks life will be somthing that has an impact on him forever. It would have been just the same if it had been a women who died in Jacks arms. Him dying was a part of the storyline, a narative twist. If you want to scream 'homophobia' at everything that ever happens to gay people in tv or film, it will become imposible to have any gay/bi/trans characters because of the way people like you respond. The Jack/Ianto relationship was just that, a relationship. The only reason it was any different to any other relationship was because Jack cannot die. If you want to have a parade every time there is a gay relationship anywhere go ahead, but any prejudice you have experienced is an issue for you, and while I'm very sorry you have clearly been a victim of too much of this, do not read more into things in a tv drama than are there.
Well Said!
I almost hit reply to say almost the same thing, glad I didnt and read your reply first.
Spot on!
:)
I haven't experienced any
I haven't experienced any particularly intense prejudice as an out queer. I've been blessedly free of that, and my gay male friends have pretty much lived happy and well adjusted lives whether in our out of committed relationships. The problem is, we don't have any gay/bi/trans characters in media, not because of how "people like us" respond but because of a deeply engrained media tradition of what's an appropriate role for queers. We don't get to watch any number of queer characters in a diverse catalog of roles: we get to watch the inoffensive queer, or the tragic soon-to-be-dead-or-heartbroken queer.
You can blame me for picking on Torchwood's trite, cliché writing for following this trope in a series that came so close to being groundbreaking (especially after listening to months of interviews and articles promising the relationship would continue to develop and unfold and we'd 'really like' where it was going). However, I hardly see where it's overreacting or angsting to point out that Ianto is, now, another dead, tragic queer in a media history of dead, tragic queers for which there are really very few alternative storylines.
Who Needs Love?
Torchwood, in my opinion, is the best of the best. Within the sci-fi genre Torchwood has mirrored many day-to-day issues that we all face in the 21st century.
Just because Jack can not die, does not mean he doesn't need, nor deserve love and devotion. Ianto Jones was the perfect person to make Jack real to the viewers, not just an anomaly. Ianto found himself drawn to Jack in ways that are beyond words and together they showed that, as ably said by Sasha, "love is with a person not a gender". That is something that the world needs to see and learn, whether they know it or not.
To the writers, producers, etc of Torchwood -- please bring Ianto Jones back. Jack needs him and so do the rest of us.
Ianto Jones Dead?
Queer? Honestly if that's the first thing that comes to your mind about Ianto than your NOT a fan of torchwood, and a little closed minded at that! ( trying to be kind) The show has lost so musch over the past seasons that it was a puch to see King Ianto die. Have hope they might bring him back... Long live the KING!!!
Now who will bring me my tea?
Me too, i no longer want the
Me too, i no longer want the DVDs. I am so upset with the BBC killing off Ianto Jones. I really hope that somehow he comes back to life.
I understand where you're
I understand where you're coming from with Ianto, yes he was a great character, and yes he will be missed on the show by everyone who watch it. The killing off of the character is in no way offensive. Russel T Davies was the one who created a gay character in Doctor Who - Captain Jack Harkness. He was also the one who created torchwood, which features or featured 2 gay leads. Killing off the character is offensive. why the hell would RTD want to offend his own community. He's gay himself remember.
And, oh, if only the standard
And, oh, if only the standard in gay cinema wasn't to have almost every movie have a really depressing ending. Then I'd have a lot more movies to watch and wouldn't have any compliants (not that there aren't some fun queer films out there, in the minority, "Imagine Me And You" comes to mind). Believe me, the culture of self-loathing among gay artistes-with-an-e added more bodies to the "another dead queer" trope than any other group. What I'm asking for Davies as in a man in a long term relationship and Barrowman as a man in a committed relationship is why do we have to continue watching this misery play out when this is not how people live and about as predictible as it comes?
(Aside, of course, from gay artistes trying to prove they're not too gay to have a career in the mainstream and aren't held down by their queer notions, which RTD might have to tell me to my face isn't going on with him for me to completely believe it. Yeah, having seen that trend play out among gay writer/producers has me a little jaded.)
I mean, looking at the actual episode Ianto's death did nothing for the plot or the fight against the 456. Jack told the government he had it, proceeded to show he was as ignorant as anybody else, provoked the enemy, got Ianto killed and then angsted about it. The scene was tailored towards giving Jack even more woez and painz -- not moving the series forward. More or less, RTD killed off Ianto for the sake of killing off Ianto no matter what his motivations were. "You know what this episode needs? Random character death through written-in incompetence. I love random character death!"
You're an actual douche!
You're an actual douche! seriously it's people like you who provoke homophobia not stem it! Jesus I mean just because Ianto was gay doesn't give him a free ticket - pass go and collect 200 gay points! get a grip seriously! Ianto was my favourite character but he was killed for plot development, not because he was gay.
I'll be happy to have it
I'll be happy to have it explained to me how Ianto's death advanced the plot with the 456. Fresh off the death of two other Torchwood members, I think we all remembered Torchwood can be a dangerous job. If his death served any purpose other than to add extra emo and woe to Jack's character (which he was already dripping with) I'd be very happy to listen to a counteragument. I believe I've made detailed statements about why Ianto's death contributes to an extremely negative canon of queer film and television, but if there's anything that sets it apart from every other instance of the same I'd also be delighted to have my mind changed.
fan??
if you are a true fan then u would no that ianto isn't even gay. It is just jack! so stop moaning and no all the facts before u start shouting accusation about RTD killing of a gay character-who isn't even gay!
While still patiently waiting
While still patiently waiting for an explanation of how Ianto's death advanced the plot or is outstanding from any other "another dead queer" story of angst, I do want to point out that "queer" consists of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and characters. Believe me or take a look around, yourself, but there's not even close to enough of them in mainstream media for us to differentiate at this juncture when they're all subject to the same cliche storylines and tropes.
Plot device
In my opinion, Ianto's death on Torchwood was a good plot device. Because it's obvious that the entire five-episode series was all leading up to concurrent events that cause Jack to leave earth - thus ending Torchwood Cardiff. Although you could argue otherwise, I think if Ianto had been there to help Jack through the killing of his grandson he might not have left and his grief wouldn't have been so dire - or he might not have left so aruptly. It should also be considered that Ianto's death caused Torchwood to 'give up', handing control over to the government: if Ianto had survived, they would have tried something else and still felt there was hope. After the dual deaths of two important people, Jack really seemed 'dead' inside, and maybe he wouldn't have been able to make that tough decision to kill his grandson if Ianto had been there whispering in his ear. Also, Ianto's death showed Jack that 'standing up' and 'being the good guy' can often result in tragedy, something Ianto pushed him to do.
As for Ianto being killed because he had a relationship with a man, that's not how I see it. The makers of Torchwood have been wanting to kill Ianto for awhile (remember Owen's whole 'walking in death' storyline?', it was originally going to be Ianto's), also it might have been the decision of the actor, or maybe they are going to bring him back (I know RTD *LOVES* Gareth David-Lloyd)? Who knows. Personally, I don't see tv in terms of 'gay' and 'not gay' couples, I just see couples. You're allowed to your opinion, but it comes down to the fact that no one really knows for sure until someone irrefutable (like the actor or RTD) says so. I just know that I will miss Ianto, he was my favorite. RIP.
You're stupid.
I support gay people like you wouldn't believe, but that's stupid. Just because he's gay, he can't be killed off? People like you aren't gaining equality for gays, you're just being prejudice. Gay people want totally equal rights, not special treatment.
Im praying he'll be
Im praying he'll be back.
What a load of tosh if he doesn't. =(
I'm lead to Believe...
I think that Ianto will most certainly not be dead. After several minutes panicking, I've done my research and after checking iMDB, It reveals that Gareth David-Lloyd is staring in the final episode. My hope is that they somehow bring back Ianto. If that isn't the case, It means he appears as a dead body or in a flashback. But again, I'm hoping he's back.
SPOILER DAY FIVE
SPOILER FOR DAY FIVE
Prepare to be dissapointed.... I sure as hell am. Day five was the worst, i dont think RTD will have much fanbase support after this.
I'm through with Torchwood if
I'm through with Torchwood if they've killed off Ianto for good.
I hate RTDs writing with a passion - and DW's better off without him. If only he'd leave Torchwood as well.
The above's a FaceBook group in protest at Ianto's death btw.
But oh I cried. A lot >_<
First Tosh and Owen now this
OMFG
I cried so much too, i'm not watching it if he really is dead ><
I'm getting friends to confirm it while its on lol.
Its not faaaiirr. He was my favorite character. He CAN'T be dead ):
I'm gutted
I'm gutted =[
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52074814948&ref=mf
I found the above facebook group about him though - up about five minutes after the episode ended by the look of it >_<
But he better not be gone for good... he can't be. Can he? =[
I feel like someone just tore my heart out and stomped on it.
I really hope he does come back. My mind keeps flashing to crazy things, like the "Ianto is a Timelord" theory, because Ianto Jones is like the Welsh version of John Smith, according to many (but if he was a timelord in human form, he'd still be dead without his Timelord powers, right?). Then, as mentioned in prior comments, the kiss. I'm hoping that Jack somehow transferred life energy to Ianto through his kiss... I mean, that's what he did in episode 4 of season 1, right? That was NOT the "breath of life", that was a KISS. There was no breathing going on. And then... well, who knows? Owen was brought back to life, Jack can't die... Torchwood and the Whoiverse in general is kind of an anything goes zone.
The thing is, it's plausible that he would die. I mean, yeah, there would only be two original members of Torchwood. But Rhys takes on a huge role this season. And there's Lois (or however her name is spelled). And Ianto has grown so much since season one. He's had a brilliant character arc, a lot of which happened during the last four episodes. It's very possible that the writers would kill off Ianto because his character didn't need any more time to grow. (However, I think he could have helped Jack's character development more, but again... Jack has changed a lot since the last season. Who knows?)
If he's dead (and not pulling a Jack Harkness), I will continue watching Torchwood. But my heart will break with every second. Ianto was my favorite character all the way through. He helped me get through the pain of Tosh, my second favorite, dying along side Owen. What would I do without him?
really hope he does come
Ah but Ianto does have a fixation on his stopwatch does he not :) Maybe his Time Lord essense is in the stopwatch! Yes I to am a fan of the time lord theory!
I am in agreement that Ianto
I am in agreement that Ianto needs to be returned to the show, I was thinking alternate universe Ianto what is the rift for if we cannot bring Ianto back.
Ianto :'(
I love Ianto Jones and am saddened by his death (yes he's fictional I know).
But ways in which to bring him back?
THERE'S AN ANTI-VIRUS!
Alot of people on every other board are stating that maybe the infected are in comas.
Screw RTD!
What the bloddy hell is wrong with RTD!?!?
First it was Owen and Tosh, neither of whom were really developed to their full potential, and still their deaths hurt. Now it's Ianto, who quite frankly is one of the best characters in the Whoniverse, and for what? A little more cheap tragedy right after what we had in the Series Two finale?
Does RTD really hate the fans that much? Or is he just so in love with his preferred characters that he feels some compulsive need to kill off his less favourite ones?
All I can say is that they just lost on Blu-Ray sale.
Jack's Kiss
If memory serves Abadon drain jack of life then Gwen's Kiss revived him i don't remember Jack saving someone with a kiss of his own.
I think they proberbly mean
I think they proberbly mean in the cyberwomen episode where Ianto is knocked down by Lisa, then Jack kisses him and he wakes up.
suspended animation
Maybe it wasn't a virus that kills, But one that make it look like they are dead but just in suspended animation.
Maybe it wasn't a virus that
Maybe it wasn't a virus that kills, But one that make it look like they are dead but just in suspended animation.
I refuse to believe it till the last episode finishes
I was in complete and utter shock when they did that. I can't believe RTD would let them kill of a character that popular, he must know that most of the fan base is women who adore him.
I'm not beliving he's dead till the credit roll at the end of day five, RTD had better not have killled him or I think he'll soon find he's lost nearly half the fan base. Because to be blunt i like Gwen, but i don't watch the show for her.
I'm hoping that kiss will have revived him, but what about the virus in 1965? If it's the same one as back then it's possible that could be the answer. But i guess i'd have to really think if i'd watch anymore because i love Gareth and don't think the show would be as good without him.
I knew this was going to
I knew this was going to happen. They pulled a Whedon on me. I can't seem to like a fictional character without them being killed off. It always happens to my favorite! I hope his death isn't for good... that they find a way to bring him back.
Oh, I knoow, that's how I
Oh, I knoow, that's how I felt! It's a total Whedon...
But I think it's worse than either when Wash died, or even Charlie on Lost. I loved neither as much.
And you argue the reasons for killing him alday, and vow to not give RTD any cash if he's dead. I've other reasons:
Simply put, who wants to watch Torchwood with only Jack and Gwen. Gwen is the worst character on the show and Jack...well, this will be angst Jack, who doesn't sound like he'll be an interesting Jack!
No new member could compair to Ianto's charm and charisma!
Please no.
I don't doubt they could kill him, but I hope that this is somehow reversed. I am in love with Ianto and have been since day one. He was my favourite from the very first episode, and I nearly cried when they had the story arc about his cyber-woman, but then he fell for Jack and my heart went mental. I've loved the Ianto/Jack arc for the beauty of it. Ianto's the reason I could keep watching after Owen and Tosh, whom I also loved. Owen was probably my second favourite with Tosh a close runner-up, but now that Ianto is gone, I don't know if I can keep on. I may, but my heart is hurting and I feel lost. It's like I lost a real person... I just feel so much pain. I actually bloody cried!
I refuse
I refuse to believe that they would kill off Ianto Jones solely for the purpose of motivating Torchwood. I mean, Ianto has been a big part of series 3, and in the development of on Jack Harkness. There are many theories, as well, going around that he is coming back, and I really hope they are right.
If they decided to kill Ianto Jones for sure, then in all honesty, I have lost respect for the show, and will not really watch it. Killing one character is seeable; two is push it, but three, and all so close together is ridiculous. If this is how they want the show to go, then why watch it? Soon they'll find a way to kill off Gwen, and every time a new character comes onto the show, they'll find a way to kill that character as well. I mean, hell, with the way things seem to be going, they'll even find a way to really kill off Jack Harkness.
Now, to be honest, I'm not trying to be a drama queen. It's not only because Ianto was gay that I would stop watching the show, but for the blatant disregard to fans. People were devastated by the death of Owen and Tosh, and although death is ness Cary in a show to continue it, it is not needed every other flipping episode. This writing is despicable, and if they see these characters as throw-always to simply do as they please... well let’s just say people are growing tired of this act very fast.
All I can say is, the death better be rectified in the last episode, of the fan base for this series will fall drastically.
IANTO LIVES
IANTO LIVES
???????
HOW DO U KNOW?
I hope hes alive!
Really...?
Where did you hear that? I hope it's true though!
You didn't know? Dude, RTD
You didn't know? Dude, RTD got so annoyed at the fans during a convention that he let it slip that Ianto's a Time Lord.
How? He asked if anyone understood the significance of Ianto's stopwatch and how that was the reason why he added it in the first place. Add two and two together and the mystery's solved.
Iantoo );
I can't even watch day 5. ):
I would probally cry all the way throuugh.
I hopee they bring ianto backk.
If they dont i wont be watching the show
i cantt without my favourtie iantoo.
PLEASE BRiNG HiM BACKKKKKK !!!!!!!!!¬!
i hate to be a buzz kill but
i hate to be a buzz kill but GDL is touring with his band and had said in multiple interviews prior to the airing that he needed time away. DO NOT BLAME RTD. just don't forget if jack has his way he'll be frozen with the rest so that could lead to a return ex. suzy.
NO!!!
Ianto just can't die!! I can't bare it! First Tosh and Owen, now this!!
It just isn't right... There HAS TO BE A WAY TO BRING HIM BAAAAAACCKK!!!! *crys*
NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
NOOOOOOOO!!!!! I am a die-hard Torchwood fan- I have the boxsets, the books, i evn write my own QUIZZES on it I love so much!
SO HOW CAN THEY DO THIS TO US!!!!??????
It's so unfair, first Tosh, then Owen, now Ianto. My friend who i introduced to Torchwood just last year, is BAWLING at the thought of no more Ianto, and so is my other die-hard fan of a mate.
RTD has just lost most of his fan base. First he kills us with Tosh and Owen, now Ianto. Why not Rhys? (No-one likes him), or that LOIS HABIBA (however you spell her name) because she is really getting on my nerves- WE KNOW WAT YOUR NAME IS ALREADY!!!!
RIP Tea-Boy, you will be sadly missed.
BUT NEVER STOP HOPING!!!!! KEEP DREAMING OF SUSPENDED ANIMATION AND COMA THEORIES!!!!!
I oughta clock you on the head!
Rhys is bloody awesome. Don't you dare claim that no one likes him, cause alot of people bloody well do! Everyone knows Gwen constantly kicks the poor guy around regarding her job and he adjusted to it like any sensible bloke. He's damn hilarious to boot as well!
And Lois is not a bad character at all. Frankly, she reminds me of a less experienced Martha Jones, something RTD was aiming for anyways when her actress had to decline a part in the series. I kinda like her, but I refuse to invest my emotions on her if RTD continues killing off people left and right.
Don't go badmouthing characters when they don't deserve that treatment.
Now would you kindly shut your trap?
Ianto Jones
I am hoping that it turns out he's not dead. I can understand the feelings of people saying that is it because he plays a gay character however i would hope that it isnt the reason. I think Ianto is a brilliant character and the chemistry with Jack has just really started to be a big part of the show and it seems stupid to stop that now.
On another side i can see Lois becoming a new torchwood member for the next series lets just hope Ianto will be there.
I hope he cums back i was
I hope he cums back i was crying when he died
Torchwood now a team of three Jack Gwen & Rhys
Cum back plz
I was crying at the end of it oh well we'll have 2 wait till later on 2 c
has anyone actually watched
has anyone actually watched all series Iantos not gay and doesnt exactly belong to the "pink pound" Jacks his one off experiment and if anyone was watching Ianto actually states this to his sister that its about jack not the fact he a bloke.
and this is from a str8 bloke who watches it for the story, Anyone remember Ianto's half Cyberman Girlfriend and I get the feeling Ianto's not dead if compare say tosh and owens death to Ianto's it wasnt exactly gripping in the same way.
The one missing subplot is which one of torchwood is gonna go rogue and turn supervillan.
Guess day 5 will only tell, but shame martha jones or mickey didnt show up at the end to help save the day. for that matter the all time plot hole of if the world was really in that much danger wouldnt the doctor show up to save the day appears again. He would have been way better at laying guilt card on jack.
Jacks obviously gonna be arround for the death of the doctor when that 14 year old matt whatever takes over from the doctor! which is probably about the same time I stop watching in protest of them making such a critically bad choice and choosing such a poor successor.
Would have been great if the bomb had made jacks body regenerate as a big mass of skin known as the face of bo.
Post new comment