Analysis of "SkyPoint"
SKYPOINT
Okay then. There has been a little debate about the relationships presented in “SkyPoint”, so I thought I'd go through and analyse how they are presented and my interpretation of them. I'm only going to look at the Gwen/Rhys, Janto and Gwack relationships here.
This analysis does contain spoilers for those of you unfortunate enough to not yet have had the opportunity to read the new books, but here we go.
GWEN/RHYS
-
"Gwen Williams.
That was going to take some getting used to." (p7)
-
These are the opening lines of the book, reminding us straight away that Gwen is now married to Rhys, and also positioning us timeline wise post-"Something Borrowed". The marriage is important throughout the novel, just as it is in the following novel "Almost Perfect".
The lines also let us know that Gwen hasn't been married long enough to be used to her married name, and we know from the series and later on in the book that she eventually keeps her maiden name except on official documents.
-
"Rhys loved delivering surprises. It was one of the things she loved about him. The biggest surprise of all had been how he had put up with everything she had brought to their relationship since she'd seen that Weevil in the hospital corridor and run into Jack Harkness for the first time. And that was why she loved Rhys most of all. Because he loved her, would do anything for her, and accepted so much that no other man ever could." (p10)
-
Again from the opening chapter, we see Gwen analysing her relationship with her husband, acknowledging that he is the man for her and knowing that, despite everything, he's going to stick by her.
It is part of many fan debates about "liking Gwen" that her treatment of Rhys has been appalling, and here we see her acknowledging that and stating this is why she loves him "most of all", including over Jack. This is not saying Rhys is the only man she loves, but he is her main man and the one she loves the most and has chosen.
-
"Rhys didn't put his life on the line every day to save the world from savage alien creatures washed onto Cardiff's inter-dimensional shoreline by a rift in time and space. He managed trucks and drivers for Harwood's Haulage. Oh, he knew about the aliens - he'd run into one or two in recent months - but he'd left the Men in Black routine to Jack, Owen, Toshiko, Ianto - and, of course, Gwen herself. They were Torchwood. Nevertheless, it was Rhys that was her hero." (p10-11)
-
I find this to be a key quote in the novel, even for being so early on. It has the exposition element of reminding readers of everyone's place within Torchwood which is essential for anyone not familiar with the show, but it goes further than that.
We see Gwen sprouting out the technobabble that confused her so much in "Day One", showing us how Gwen has become part of the Torchwood world and now speaking the language that would confuse most outsiders.
At the same time, we see her comparing her world, the Torchwood world, to the normalcy of Rhys' job, but not in a negative way. Gwen loves that normalcy, the 'every day/real life' element Gwen herself is losing the longer she is with Torchwood.
We also see yet another link back to "Something Borrowed". Despite all of Torchwood's efficiency, their weapons and the nature of their job, Gwen still sees Rhys as her hero. In "Something Borrowed" we see Jack give Gwen's hand to Rhys, telling them "the hero always gets the girl", and it is clear here that it is Rhys, no one else, that Gwen sees as her hero.
-
"The blonde girl in the short black dress uncurled her legs and smiled at Rhys, and Gwen felt a pang of something. Not so much jealousy as proprietorial supremacy.
Rhys is mine, love, signed and sealed, so you might as well put those legs away, for all the good they'll do you." (p14)
-
It's clear from this passage that Gwen is fully comfortable and stable in her relationship with Rhys, and is later delighted when Rhys does ignore the blonde girl's advances. She isn't worried about Rhys stepping out on her, and at the same time is proud of being married to him.
To me, this proves that Rhys is not a "second choice" but rather Gwen's first choice, and that she loves the fact she is married to him. Admittedly, they are newlyweds and things haven't gone bad yet, but right now at this time Gwen is proud to be Rhys’ wife and would gloat about the fact if she had the chance.
-
"God she hated it when Rhys made her smile when she didn't want to." (p17)
-
I love this quote. There aren't many people in the world that can make you just smile when you are trying so hard not too, and usually it is someone who knows you or you connect well with. Gwen and Rhys clearly have a connection, and at this point of the novel Gwen isn't agreeing with Rhys over something, yet he still is so charming and lovable that he can win that smile that no one else seems to be able to with his quirky comments.
-
"'This is madness, Rhys,' she whispered. 'It's beautiful, yes, I know. But we just can't afford any of this. We're just wasting this man's time.'
Rhys looked into her eyes, touched her cheek. 'I know,' he said softly. 'Maybe not now. But one day. Soon. You and me, this is what we want, isn't it? The best we can get.'
Gwen smiled at him and squeezed his hand. 'I've already got that.'"
-
Again, we have yet another moment where Gwen is stating, out loud this time, that Rhys is her first choice and that there is no one better for her. She's not just saying it to please him either, but rather the moment shows the love and understanding between them. Also, its clear Rhys wants to give Gwen the best of everything, but Gwen is already content with what they have and doesn't want anything more.
Even when the scene ends, you can sense that Rhys knows that something is off and tries to find a reasonable explanation, and Gwen understands the way he is thinking and kisses him before telling him she has to go back to work. This scene is again very reminiscent of "Day One", with Gwen and Rhys going about their everyday business as a couple, only to have Gwen dragged back to Torchwood.
-
"'I'm coming, too,' said Gwen.
But Jack shook his head. 'No you're not. First day back at work after your honeymoon? You're going back home to Rhys, cook him dinner or go buy fish and chips. Watch TV. Make-believe life is ordinary just once more. For his sake.'
Gwen thought about arguing, and then thought about Rhys. Life was never going to be ordinary, but Jack was right, she owed it to Rhys to pretend it was. If only tonight." (p26-27)
-
Again, we see another throwback to the series, with Jack wanting Gwen to hang onto what she has. Jack clearly wants Gwen to have a normal life, and knows Rhys represents that. At the same time Gwen knows that she will never have a normal life, but still wants Rhys to have that normal life, something, it would seem, Jack also wants for Rhys.
Rhys has, in effect, become the representation of normal life to Jack as well as Gwen, so Jack encourages Gwen to maintain her life with Rhys, even reminding her of her recent marriage.
-
Another key moment is when Gwen finally calls Rhys to let him know that she is going to keep the name Cooper rather than take on her married now. Gwen pauses in the middle of her conversation which we can only see her side of, and when Jack questions Gwen about what Rhys said, she tells us Rhys' response was "Yeah, I know that, love" (p59), further demonstrating how well Rhys knows his wife.
-
After this the story becomes fast-paced Torchwood action, and we don't see/hear from Rhys again for the remainder of the book, but the strong few moments in the opening half establish the Gwen/Rhys relationship as an incredibly strong one, and in effect sabotaging any chance that the fanon Gwen/Jack ever had in the book (sorry Gwack fans).
I like the Gwen/Rhys relationship as it shows the development of the couple, and demonstrates just how much Gwen relies on Rhys to be her connection to reality. And, just maybe, Rhys might be Jack's (and the teams) connection too.
***
JANTO
Unlike "Pack Animals" and "Almost Perfect" which are Janto heavy, “SkyPoint” allows us a little bit a breather from the relationship because the story focuses primarily on Tosh/Owen. Despite this, there are a couple of little moments to keep the Janto fans happy, and also add further evidence to my argument that Gwen (like Martha) is a Janto fan.
-
"And Jack and Ianto were still around, somewhere, doing something - albeit probably more recreational." (p25)
-
This is the very first mention of Janto within “SkyPoint”, which appears in Chapter Three when Tosh is reflecting back upon the people within Torchwood. She lists Gwen as unique as she is the only one with "a life to go to", with Tosh and Owen “stuck at the Hub” and Jack and Ianto "around."
The quote also has the benefit of telling us that everyone in Torchwood are now fully aware of Jack and Ianto's relationship and not just suspecting that it exists as they once did.
On the very next page we find out that Tosh's suspicions about what Jack and Ianto were up to is correct, only now we are looking through Gwen's eyes.
-
"He was buttoning the last couple of buttons on his blue service shirt as he asked and, as Gwen quickly ran through the events of SkyPoint, she saw Ianto Jones appear. He was as discreet as the tailored suit on his back, and the only hint of any connection between Jack's buttons and Ianto Jones was the latter’s momentary adjustment of his tie as he glanced into the reflective surface of an inactive monitor." (p26)
-
It's very, very clear what Gwen was thinking they were up too, and it is also a good scene to show that Jack and Ianto will take any opportunity they can to have some "alone time". And, unfortunately, once again they have been interrupted by Gwen. As this is prior to "Adrift" Gwen is yet to see them 'doing it', yet is already thinking about it. "SkyPoint" isn't as graphic or direct in regards to Gwen's thoughts about Jack and Ianto, but its still there.
-
Chapter Eight is particularly good for Janto, as we have a look at the development of the relationship between Jack and Ianto, Ianto's background, and how good his coffee is. It reflects back on the fact that Jack had had little time for Ianto when he'd realised Ianto was from Torchwood One, and had thought Ianto a stalker before letting him have a job.
Later though, we have the following lines:
-
"He had earned his stripes since then and no one really thought of him as the office boy anymore. He was a lot more than that, especially to Jack." (p69-70)
-
Given the lack of character development and background time Ianto has been given on-screen, it's always good to see it within the books. Again, "SkyPoint" is really just rehashing information we have already been given or seen, but it is good to see it in print.
It is unclear exactly whose POV this sequence is from, because at one stage it seems to be Jack's while at another it is almost like it is Ianto's. At another point in the scene (the very next page), we even see it from Owen’s POV. This is one of the problems I had with this book - the jumping of POV. It makes it really hard to understand just what is coming from whom.
-
"Ianto nodded and climbed into the elevator cabin. Andrew glanced at him appreciatively, then caught Simon's look. Ianto just hoped that it was a very fast ride to the ground.
He saw Jack wink at him as the doors closed on the elevator cabin and it began to descend." (p147)
-
I should really have pointed out that Ianto doesn't appear much in the book (nor does Jack, actually), but what moments we are given are worth it. Ianto, in particular, has a brilliant moment in the elevator which I won't go into.
Anyhow, this passage I found interesting. We see Ianto being checked out by at least one of the gay couple at SkyPoint, which Jack notices. Rather than seeing a jealous Jack, we instead see an amused Jack while Ianto gives the impression of being slightly uncomfortable by the situation.
Interestingly, this is how I always saw their relationship. While Jack is a shameless flirt, Ianto is a more reserved man who seems to prefer to fade into the background rather than be the centre of attention. This leads to why Jack is amused by the situation - either he is amused by Ianto's reaction as he can sense that Ianto is uncomfortable, or he is in his own way telling Ianto "yes, you are hot, and they've noticed". Then again, it could be both.
-
"Simon and Andrew sat opposite Ianto, their arms looped together. It looked casual but he knew they were each taking comfort from the contact. He thought about Jack, and hoped he was all right.
He caught himself, and smiled. Like Jack wouldn't be all right." (p167)
-
While Jack is busy doing half a dozen things, Ianto is trapped which gives him time to think about a great many things. This passage gives away a couple of little things regarding Janto. For example, simply seeing Simon and Andrew makes Ianto think about Jack, and it makes the reader wonder if maybe, just maybe, Jack and Ianto just sit and take comfort in one another at times.
We are given a moment in the Captain's Blog where, after the events of 'Adrift', Jack writes that "After Gwen had gone home, I just held on to Ianto for a couple of hours, as tightly as I could." Both the Captain's Blog entry and the quote from "SkyPoint" show us that there is no way that Janto is based purely on sex anymore, and that it has become something so much more.
We also find the quote reminding us there while Ianto is mortal; he knows that, no matter what happens, Jack can't die. He catches himself thinking about Jack as 'ordinary', and has to remind himself that Jack will be fine no matter what and takes quiet comfort in that.
Just after this Simon's spots Ianto's smile and questions it, to which Ianto doesn't reply because "He didn't want to share Jack with them." (p165) Despite knowing Jack is okay and that he and Jack comfort each other, it is clear Ianto still isn't fully comfortable with telling people about their relationship. We see the public dance in "Something Borrowed" as their first public display of affection, but despite this Ianto still isn't comfortable with sharing with strangers. We aren't given an explanation why, and it is hard to work out an exact reason.
-
"Instead, he tried to think of something that would make the last few moments more bearable. He thought of Jack." (p180)
-
In this passage, Ianto believes he is about to die and starts thinking of something other than death and pain, and his mind automatically goes toward Jack. There has been some people within the fandom that believe that if placed in this situation Ianto's thoughts would be of Lisa, but in "SkyPoint" this isn't the case.
Clearly Ianto uses Jack as a source of comfort now, again showing development in their relationship. Unfortunately, as with all the books, we aren't given an insight into Jack's views on their relationship.
That quote is effectively the last moment on Janto in the book, because Ianto disappears until the final chapter and Jack is way too busy to be thinking about any relationships save for a small comment where he is thinking about how many times he's died and how he remembers all his lovers.
Again, there isn't much Janto is this book as there is in "Pack Animals" and "Almost Perfect", but what there is enough to suggest that yes, they are definitely together, their relationship is definitely not just about sex anymore, and that the team know about them.
***
GWACK
Nope, not leaving you out. There are a few little moments in "SkyPoint" that should at least bring a smile to your face, but unfortunately for Gwack fans any real chance of using "SkyPoint" as evidence of a relationship between Jack and Gwen is destroyed particularly by the Gwen/Rhys element of the book rather than the Janto one.
This, basically, means that no matter what the scene could say, it is competing heavily with the early chapters of the novel where it is firmly established that the only man Gwen is truly happy with and considers to be the best is Rhys, not Jack. Sorry guys.
Anyway, I'll still go through and analyse the scenes, but because of the Gwen/Rhys I can only explore them as Jack/Gwen friendship.
-
"Marriage, he thought, was good for her. She was lovelier than ever.
'You know,' he told her, 'Rhys is a lucky man, Mrs Williams.'" (p58)
-
This is the first moment that has any real hint of Gwack. Jack is lost in his own thoughts and broken out of them by Gwen's arrival, and immediately thinks how her marriage has done her good. Clearly Jack wishes the best for Gwen, something we've been clued into several times during the course of the show, and thinks that her finally marrying Rhys has helped her.
It is interesting that it is when Jack calls Gwen "Mrs Williams" that it’s the last straw for Gwen as she immediately calls Rhys to tell him that she's keeping her old name even as she is holding Jack's gaze. It is something that has been plaguing her from the start of the novel, and the scene is a silent 'never call me that again' toward Jack leading him to calling her "PC Cooper" soon after.
Also, on the same page we get this:
-
"And maybe that was what Jack needed. Confirmation that she was happy, that she had done the right thing little over two weeks ago." (p59)
-
This is even more evidence that all Jack really wants for Gwen is for her to be happy, which, unfortunately for Gwackers', can be interpreted as the Father/Daughter element of their relationship rather than as lovers. Jack is clearly happy with Gwen's choice of Rhys.
-
"'I'm okay,' she said at last.
Jack continued to hold her tight.
'I said I'm all right, Jack.'
"I know,' he said. 'But you know me - any excuse.'
'I'm a married woman now, Captain Harkness,' she said playfully, and escaped his arms.
He looked at her as the wind did things with her hair, and she looked beautiful. In all his years and travels, there hadn't been many women that compared to Gwen Cooper.
She saw him looking and felt uncomfortable in his gaze. He saw it, and stooped down to get her gun." (p206-207)
-
Now this is an interesting little scene. I think the first thing to do is to put it into context - the enemy in the book has just tried to gas Gwen and Jack, causing Gwen to almost kill Jack, but he has shot out a window and is holding her out so she can breath fresh air to clear her head which is where the quote starts.
Jack was clearly concerned about the welfare of one of his team, something Gwen recognises. Then, to ease the situation Jack makes his "any excuse" comment to lighten the tension given Gwen had just tried to kill him, and Gwen playfully joined in. This is more a conversation between friends who both know Jack is an insatiable flirt.
Then we see Jack admiring Gwen. We know that Jack is attracted physically to Gwen, and thinks a good deal of her. But the wording is what has caught me - "there hadn't been many women that compared to Gwen Cooper". Jack could have easily said 'there hadn't been many', but by using women he has limited his demographic by ruling out the men and aliens. Yes, maybe Gwen is unique to the women he has known, but clearly it is just amongst the women.
Then we have Gwen becoming uncomfortable by the way Jack is looking at her. Earlier books and even early in the TV series, we wouldn't have seen this. Clearly, now Gwen is married, she isn't as comfortable with other men looking at her, including Jack.
She is, no doubt, aware that Jack cares about her, but doesn't seem interested any longer in things going any further than playful banter. This seems to be the norm now for post "Something Borrowed", and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in future books, audio books and Season Three. We already have "Lost Souls", which was more Gwen/Ianto than anything else, which caught a lot of people out - Jantoers and Gwackers alike.
-
"She lost track of how long she stood there, her back to his body, waiting for him to stir.
When he touched her shoulder, she jumped.
'I told you not to look,' he said with a smile, and that old twinkle in his eyes.
His eyes. Thank god he had eyes.
He saw her staring, wordless, and Jack felt a coldness close around his heart.
He ran a finger down the side of his face. 'Hey, everything is all right, isn't it?'
Gwen nodded smiling. 'Oh, yes. Perfect.'
All the same, Jack took his torch and checked his reflection carefully in one of the big SkyPark windows.
'Don't do that to me,' he said." (223-224)
-
Okay, not as direct a scene as the one prior, but there is still an element here. Again, context - Jack just died an extremely gruesome death and Gwen was forced to watch, mainly because he died so she could access part of a building that was booby trapped.
Anyway, it is clear that seeing him die, and seeing his body, has knocked Gwen for a six. She is not handling it, even though she knows that Jack is going to be fine. And when Jack comes back, he knows that Gwen is completely out of it, and it scares him to see that, knowing that he did that.
It could be seen that Jack is scared that Gwen has gone into shock and shut herself down after witnessing what happened to him, even though he did clearly tell her not to watch. He doesn't want to lose her: a) because he needs her to focussed at the moment because a lot of lives are on the line, b) because she is a valuable member of the team in his eyes and he can't afford to lose another, and c) because he doesn't want to have to take her to Rhys like that.
When he says "don't do that to me", it could be interpreted as him telling her not to scare him about there being something wrong with his looks, but I see it more as telling her not to scare him in regards to her fazing out on him. He is worried about her, but in this sense I believe it to be strictly professional and a half warning.
-
A little later on we see Gwen decide not to let Jack take on the enemy alone, putting herself in danger to go with him. I'm not going to bother quoting that moment, on p225-226, because we are simply seeing Gwen being her stubborn old self, and Jack wanting to argue with her but knowing not to bother because he's worked with her long enough, known her long enough, to know better.
We also see Jack admitting to himself that he is worried about Gwen on p233, but again it is in the same sense as above - strictly professional. He is acknowledging that it is too late for him to change his mind about allowing her to join him, but at the same time knowing she would have come anyway even if he had said no.
-
"'Oh my god, Jack!'
Jack reached out and grabbed Gwen's hand.
'Just stay calm,' he said." (p234)
-
I just want to advise people not to read too much into this scene. Firstly, it is not unusual for Jack to grab Gwen's hand to comfort her, particularly in situations where she is panicking or upset, and in this case if she panics she could get herself killed.
Secondly, I need to point out that Jack has also done this to Tosh in the past, the most recent case being "Meat" when the space whale was going mad and almost crushed them, and Tosh and Jack were trapped together. It is just in Jack's nature to take someone's, usually a woman and one he knows well, hand to comfort and calm them down in extreme situations, which is exactly what is happening in this situation. There is nothing more to it.
-
Now, that's it as far as Gwen and Jack are concerned in the novel, because the rest is all action and then the book ends rather abruptly. As already pointed out, the Gwack of "SkyPoint" is incredibly heavily overshadowed by the Gwen/Rhys. I'm sorry, Gwack fans, but the problem is Phil Ford and the way the novel was written.
If anything, "SkyPoint" contains the most possible Gwack scenes out of the three new novels, but after "Something Borrowed" Gwack has just disappeared/faded away. I guess it's just going to be a waiting game to see what happens next.
***
Conclusion
Those are the three main relationships that are most important to this thread. "SkyPoint" is by far primarily Tosh/Owen, as I would estimate that 85% of the book goes toward them, with the rest mainly going to Gwen/Rhys, with a side dish of Janto and a sprinkle of Gwack.
I could analyse the Tosh/Owen in the book, but please don't make me, because it will take a while. I can do it later on if I really must, but not until I have more time... which probably won't be until mid-December.
So, in summary:
Gwen/Rhys - very strong, very established, cannot be argued against, and they are 100% devoted to each other.
Janto - there is a tiny bit in the book, but nothing to get excited about.
Gwack - you can read between the lines and take things out of context if you really must, but it's practically knock dead by the Gwen/Rhys.
There we go. I know some people won't be happy by all this, but that's what I've got. Thus concludes my first little essay about “SkyPoint”.
Okay then. There has been a little debate about the relationships presented in “SkyPoint”, so I thought I'd go through and analyse how they are presented and my interpretation of them. I'm only going to look at the Gwen/Rhys, Janto and Gwack relationships here.
This analysis does contain spoilers for those of you unfortunate enough to not yet have had the opportunity to read the new books, but here we go.
GWEN/RHYS
-
"Gwen Williams.
That was going to take some getting used to." (p7)
-
These are the opening lines of the book, reminding us straight away that Gwen is now married to Rhys, and also positioning us timeline wise post-"Something Borrowed". The marriage is important throughout the novel, just as it is in the following novel "Almost Perfect".
The lines also let us know that Gwen hasn't been married long enough to be used to her married name, and we know from the series and later on in the book that she eventually keeps her maiden name except on official documents.
-
"Rhys loved delivering surprises. It was one of the things she loved about him. The biggest surprise of all had been how he had put up with everything she had brought to their relationship since she'd seen that Weevil in the hospital corridor and run into Jack Harkness for the first time. And that was why she loved Rhys most of all. Because he loved her, would do anything for her, and accepted so much that no other man ever could." (p10)
-
Again from the opening chapter, we see Gwen analysing her relationship with her husband, acknowledging that he is the man for her and knowing that, despite everything, he's going to stick by her.
It is part of many fan debates about "liking Gwen" that her treatment of Rhys has been appalling, and here we see her acknowledging that and stating this is why she loves him "most of all", including over Jack. This is not saying Rhys is the only man she loves, but he is her main man and the one she loves the most and has chosen.
-
"Rhys didn't put his life on the line every day to save the world from savage alien creatures washed onto Cardiff's inter-dimensional shoreline by a rift in time and space. He managed trucks and drivers for Harwood's Haulage. Oh, he knew about the aliens - he'd run into one or two in recent months - but he'd left the Men in Black routine to Jack, Owen, Toshiko, Ianto - and, of course, Gwen herself. They were Torchwood. Nevertheless, it was Rhys that was her hero." (p10-11)
-
I find this to be a key quote in the novel, even for being so early on. It has the exposition element of reminding readers of everyone's place within Torchwood which is essential for anyone not familiar with the show, but it goes further than that.
We see Gwen sprouting out the technobabble that confused her so much in "Day One", showing us how Gwen has become part of the Torchwood world and now speaking the language that would confuse most outsiders.
At the same time, we see her comparing her world, the Torchwood world, to the normalcy of Rhys' job, but not in a negative way. Gwen loves that normalcy, the 'every day/real life' element Gwen herself is losing the longer she is with Torchwood.
We also see yet another link back to "Something Borrowed". Despite all of Torchwood's efficiency, their weapons and the nature of their job, Gwen still sees Rhys as her hero. In "Something Borrowed" we see Jack give Gwen's hand to Rhys, telling them "the hero always gets the girl", and it is clear here that it is Rhys, no one else, that Gwen sees as her hero.
-
"The blonde girl in the short black dress uncurled her legs and smiled at Rhys, and Gwen felt a pang of something. Not so much jealousy as proprietorial supremacy.
Rhys is mine, love, signed and sealed, so you might as well put those legs away, for all the good they'll do you." (p14)
-
It's clear from this passage that Gwen is fully comfortable and stable in her relationship with Rhys, and is later delighted when Rhys does ignore the blonde girl's advances. She isn't worried about Rhys stepping out on her, and at the same time is proud of being married to him.
To me, this proves that Rhys is not a "second choice" but rather Gwen's first choice, and that she loves the fact she is married to him. Admittedly, they are newlyweds and things haven't gone bad yet, but right now at this time Gwen is proud to be Rhys’ wife and would gloat about the fact if she had the chance.
-
"God she hated it when Rhys made her smile when she didn't want to." (p17)
-
I love this quote. There aren't many people in the world that can make you just smile when you are trying so hard not too, and usually it is someone who knows you or you connect well with. Gwen and Rhys clearly have a connection, and at this point of the novel Gwen isn't agreeing with Rhys over something, yet he still is so charming and lovable that he can win that smile that no one else seems to be able to with his quirky comments.
-
"'This is madness, Rhys,' she whispered. 'It's beautiful, yes, I know. But we just can't afford any of this. We're just wasting this man's time.'
Rhys looked into her eyes, touched her cheek. 'I know,' he said softly. 'Maybe not now. But one day. Soon. You and me, this is what we want, isn't it? The best we can get.'
Gwen smiled at him and squeezed his hand. 'I've already got that.'"
-
Again, we have yet another moment where Gwen is stating, out loud this time, that Rhys is her first choice and that there is no one better for her. She's not just saying it to please him either, but rather the moment shows the love and understanding between them. Also, its clear Rhys wants to give Gwen the best of everything, but Gwen is already content with what they have and doesn't want anything more.
Even when the scene ends, you can sense that Rhys knows that something is off and tries to find a reasonable explanation, and Gwen understands the way he is thinking and kisses him before telling him she has to go back to work. This scene is again very reminiscent of "Day One", with Gwen and Rhys going about their everyday business as a couple, only to have Gwen dragged back to Torchwood.
-
"'I'm coming, too,' said Gwen.
But Jack shook his head. 'No you're not. First day back at work after your honeymoon? You're going back home to Rhys, cook him dinner or go buy fish and chips. Watch TV. Make-believe life is ordinary just once more. For his sake.'
Gwen thought about arguing, and then thought about Rhys. Life was never going to be ordinary, but Jack was right, she owed it to Rhys to pretend it was. If only tonight." (p26-27)
-
Again, we see another throwback to the series, with Jack wanting Gwen to hang onto what she has. Jack clearly wants Gwen to have a normal life, and knows Rhys represents that. At the same time Gwen knows that she will never have a normal life, but still wants Rhys to have that normal life, something, it would seem, Jack also wants for Rhys.
Rhys has, in effect, become the representation of normal life to Jack as well as Gwen, so Jack encourages Gwen to maintain her life with Rhys, even reminding her of her recent marriage.
-
Another key moment is when Gwen finally calls Rhys to let him know that she is going to keep the name Cooper rather than take on her married now. Gwen pauses in the middle of her conversation which we can only see her side of, and when Jack questions Gwen about what Rhys said, she tells us Rhys' response was "Yeah, I know that, love" (p59), further demonstrating how well Rhys knows his wife.
-
After this the story becomes fast-paced Torchwood action, and we don't see/hear from Rhys again for the remainder of the book, but the strong few moments in the opening half establish the Gwen/Rhys relationship as an incredibly strong one, and in effect sabotaging any chance that the fanon Gwen/Jack ever had in the book (sorry Gwack fans).
I like the Gwen/Rhys relationship as it shows the development of the couple, and demonstrates just how much Gwen relies on Rhys to be her connection to reality. And, just maybe, Rhys might be Jack's (and the teams) connection too.
***
JANTO
Unlike "Pack Animals" and "Almost Perfect" which are Janto heavy, “SkyPoint” allows us a little bit a breather from the relationship because the story focuses primarily on Tosh/Owen. Despite this, there are a couple of little moments to keep the Janto fans happy, and also add further evidence to my argument that Gwen (like Martha) is a Janto fan.
-
"And Jack and Ianto were still around, somewhere, doing something - albeit probably more recreational." (p25)
-
This is the very first mention of Janto within “SkyPoint”, which appears in Chapter Three when Tosh is reflecting back upon the people within Torchwood. She lists Gwen as unique as she is the only one with "a life to go to", with Tosh and Owen “stuck at the Hub” and Jack and Ianto "around."
The quote also has the benefit of telling us that everyone in Torchwood are now fully aware of Jack and Ianto's relationship and not just suspecting that it exists as they once did.
On the very next page we find out that Tosh's suspicions about what Jack and Ianto were up to is correct, only now we are looking through Gwen's eyes.
-
"He was buttoning the last couple of buttons on his blue service shirt as he asked and, as Gwen quickly ran through the events of SkyPoint, she saw Ianto Jones appear. He was as discreet as the tailored suit on his back, and the only hint of any connection between Jack's buttons and Ianto Jones was the latter’s momentary adjustment of his tie as he glanced into the reflective surface of an inactive monitor." (p26)
-
It's very, very clear what Gwen was thinking they were up too, and it is also a good scene to show that Jack and Ianto will take any opportunity they can to have some "alone time". And, unfortunately, once again they have been interrupted by Gwen. As this is prior to "Adrift" Gwen is yet to see them 'doing it', yet is already thinking about it. "SkyPoint" isn't as graphic or direct in regards to Gwen's thoughts about Jack and Ianto, but its still there.
-
Chapter Eight is particularly good for Janto, as we have a look at the development of the relationship between Jack and Ianto, Ianto's background, and how good his coffee is. It reflects back on the fact that Jack had had little time for Ianto when he'd realised Ianto was from Torchwood One, and had thought Ianto a stalker before letting him have a job.
Later though, we have the following lines:
-
"He had earned his stripes since then and no one really thought of him as the office boy anymore. He was a lot more than that, especially to Jack." (p69-70)
-
Given the lack of character development and background time Ianto has been given on-screen, it's always good to see it within the books. Again, "SkyPoint" is really just rehashing information we have already been given or seen, but it is good to see it in print.
It is unclear exactly whose POV this sequence is from, because at one stage it seems to be Jack's while at another it is almost like it is Ianto's. At another point in the scene (the very next page), we even see it from Owen’s POV. This is one of the problems I had with this book - the jumping of POV. It makes it really hard to understand just what is coming from whom.
-
"Ianto nodded and climbed into the elevator cabin. Andrew glanced at him appreciatively, then caught Simon's look. Ianto just hoped that it was a very fast ride to the ground.
He saw Jack wink at him as the doors closed on the elevator cabin and it began to descend." (p147)
-
I should really have pointed out that Ianto doesn't appear much in the book (nor does Jack, actually), but what moments we are given are worth it. Ianto, in particular, has a brilliant moment in the elevator which I won't go into.
Anyhow, this passage I found interesting. We see Ianto being checked out by at least one of the gay couple at SkyPoint, which Jack notices. Rather than seeing a jealous Jack, we instead see an amused Jack while Ianto gives the impression of being slightly uncomfortable by the situation.
Interestingly, this is how I always saw their relationship. While Jack is a shameless flirt, Ianto is a more reserved man who seems to prefer to fade into the background rather than be the centre of attention. This leads to why Jack is amused by the situation - either he is amused by Ianto's reaction as he can sense that Ianto is uncomfortable, or he is in his own way telling Ianto "yes, you are hot, and they've noticed". Then again, it could be both.
-
"Simon and Andrew sat opposite Ianto, their arms looped together. It looked casual but he knew they were each taking comfort from the contact. He thought about Jack, and hoped he was all right.
He caught himself, and smiled. Like Jack wouldn't be all right." (p167)
-
While Jack is busy doing half a dozen things, Ianto is trapped which gives him time to think about a great many things. This passage gives away a couple of little things regarding Janto. For example, simply seeing Simon and Andrew makes Ianto think about Jack, and it makes the reader wonder if maybe, just maybe, Jack and Ianto just sit and take comfort in one another at times.
We are given a moment in the Captain's Blog where, after the events of 'Adrift', Jack writes that "After Gwen had gone home, I just held on to Ianto for a couple of hours, as tightly as I could." Both the Captain's Blog entry and the quote from "SkyPoint" show us that there is no way that Janto is based purely on sex anymore, and that it has become something so much more.
We also find the quote reminding us there while Ianto is mortal; he knows that, no matter what happens, Jack can't die. He catches himself thinking about Jack as 'ordinary', and has to remind himself that Jack will be fine no matter what and takes quiet comfort in that.
Just after this Simon's spots Ianto's smile and questions it, to which Ianto doesn't reply because "He didn't want to share Jack with them." (p165) Despite knowing Jack is okay and that he and Jack comfort each other, it is clear Ianto still isn't fully comfortable with telling people about their relationship. We see the public dance in "Something Borrowed" as their first public display of affection, but despite this Ianto still isn't comfortable with sharing with strangers. We aren't given an explanation why, and it is hard to work out an exact reason.
-
"Instead, he tried to think of something that would make the last few moments more bearable. He thought of Jack." (p180)
-
In this passage, Ianto believes he is about to die and starts thinking of something other than death and pain, and his mind automatically goes toward Jack. There has been some people within the fandom that believe that if placed in this situation Ianto's thoughts would be of Lisa, but in "SkyPoint" this isn't the case.
Clearly Ianto uses Jack as a source of comfort now, again showing development in their relationship. Unfortunately, as with all the books, we aren't given an insight into Jack's views on their relationship.
That quote is effectively the last moment on Janto in the book, because Ianto disappears until the final chapter and Jack is way too busy to be thinking about any relationships save for a small comment where he is thinking about how many times he's died and how he remembers all his lovers.
Again, there isn't much Janto is this book as there is in "Pack Animals" and "Almost Perfect", but what there is enough to suggest that yes, they are definitely together, their relationship is definitely not just about sex anymore, and that the team know about them.
***
GWACK
Nope, not leaving you out. There are a few little moments in "SkyPoint" that should at least bring a smile to your face, but unfortunately for Gwack fans any real chance of using "SkyPoint" as evidence of a relationship between Jack and Gwen is destroyed particularly by the Gwen/Rhys element of the book rather than the Janto one.
This, basically, means that no matter what the scene could say, it is competing heavily with the early chapters of the novel where it is firmly established that the only man Gwen is truly happy with and considers to be the best is Rhys, not Jack. Sorry guys.
Anyway, I'll still go through and analyse the scenes, but because of the Gwen/Rhys I can only explore them as Jack/Gwen friendship.
-
"Marriage, he thought, was good for her. She was lovelier than ever.
'You know,' he told her, 'Rhys is a lucky man, Mrs Williams.'" (p58)
-
This is the first moment that has any real hint of Gwack. Jack is lost in his own thoughts and broken out of them by Gwen's arrival, and immediately thinks how her marriage has done her good. Clearly Jack wishes the best for Gwen, something we've been clued into several times during the course of the show, and thinks that her finally marrying Rhys has helped her.
It is interesting that it is when Jack calls Gwen "Mrs Williams" that it’s the last straw for Gwen as she immediately calls Rhys to tell him that she's keeping her old name even as she is holding Jack's gaze. It is something that has been plaguing her from the start of the novel, and the scene is a silent 'never call me that again' toward Jack leading him to calling her "PC Cooper" soon after.
Also, on the same page we get this:
-
"And maybe that was what Jack needed. Confirmation that she was happy, that she had done the right thing little over two weeks ago." (p59)
-
This is even more evidence that all Jack really wants for Gwen is for her to be happy, which, unfortunately for Gwackers', can be interpreted as the Father/Daughter element of their relationship rather than as lovers. Jack is clearly happy with Gwen's choice of Rhys.
-
"'I'm okay,' she said at last.
Jack continued to hold her tight.
'I said I'm all right, Jack.'
"I know,' he said. 'But you know me - any excuse.'
'I'm a married woman now, Captain Harkness,' she said playfully, and escaped his arms.
He looked at her as the wind did things with her hair, and she looked beautiful. In all his years and travels, there hadn't been many women that compared to Gwen Cooper.
She saw him looking and felt uncomfortable in his gaze. He saw it, and stooped down to get her gun." (p206-207)
-
Now this is an interesting little scene. I think the first thing to do is to put it into context - the enemy in the book has just tried to gas Gwen and Jack, causing Gwen to almost kill Jack, but he has shot out a window and is holding her out so she can breath fresh air to clear her head which is where the quote starts.
Jack was clearly concerned about the welfare of one of his team, something Gwen recognises. Then, to ease the situation Jack makes his "any excuse" comment to lighten the tension given Gwen had just tried to kill him, and Gwen playfully joined in. This is more a conversation between friends who both know Jack is an insatiable flirt.
Then we see Jack admiring Gwen. We know that Jack is attracted physically to Gwen, and thinks a good deal of her. But the wording is what has caught me - "there hadn't been many women that compared to Gwen Cooper". Jack could have easily said 'there hadn't been many', but by using women he has limited his demographic by ruling out the men and aliens. Yes, maybe Gwen is unique to the women he has known, but clearly it is just amongst the women.
Then we have Gwen becoming uncomfortable by the way Jack is looking at her. Earlier books and even early in the TV series, we wouldn't have seen this. Clearly, now Gwen is married, she isn't as comfortable with other men looking at her, including Jack.
She is, no doubt, aware that Jack cares about her, but doesn't seem interested any longer in things going any further than playful banter. This seems to be the norm now for post "Something Borrowed", and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in future books, audio books and Season Three. We already have "Lost Souls", which was more Gwen/Ianto than anything else, which caught a lot of people out - Jantoers and Gwackers alike.
-
"She lost track of how long she stood there, her back to his body, waiting for him to stir.
When he touched her shoulder, she jumped.
'I told you not to look,' he said with a smile, and that old twinkle in his eyes.
His eyes. Thank god he had eyes.
He saw her staring, wordless, and Jack felt a coldness close around his heart.
He ran a finger down the side of his face. 'Hey, everything is all right, isn't it?'
Gwen nodded smiling. 'Oh, yes. Perfect.'
All the same, Jack took his torch and checked his reflection carefully in one of the big SkyPark windows.
'Don't do that to me,' he said." (223-224)
-
Okay, not as direct a scene as the one prior, but there is still an element here. Again, context - Jack just died an extremely gruesome death and Gwen was forced to watch, mainly because he died so she could access part of a building that was booby trapped.
Anyway, it is clear that seeing him die, and seeing his body, has knocked Gwen for a six. She is not handling it, even though she knows that Jack is going to be fine. And when Jack comes back, he knows that Gwen is completely out of it, and it scares him to see that, knowing that he did that.
It could be seen that Jack is scared that Gwen has gone into shock and shut herself down after witnessing what happened to him, even though he did clearly tell her not to watch. He doesn't want to lose her: a) because he needs her to focussed at the moment because a lot of lives are on the line, b) because she is a valuable member of the team in his eyes and he can't afford to lose another, and c) because he doesn't want to have to take her to Rhys like that.
When he says "don't do that to me", it could be interpreted as him telling her not to scare him about there being something wrong with his looks, but I see it more as telling her not to scare him in regards to her fazing out on him. He is worried about her, but in this sense I believe it to be strictly professional and a half warning.
-
A little later on we see Gwen decide not to let Jack take on the enemy alone, putting herself in danger to go with him. I'm not going to bother quoting that moment, on p225-226, because we are simply seeing Gwen being her stubborn old self, and Jack wanting to argue with her but knowing not to bother because he's worked with her long enough, known her long enough, to know better.
We also see Jack admitting to himself that he is worried about Gwen on p233, but again it is in the same sense as above - strictly professional. He is acknowledging that it is too late for him to change his mind about allowing her to join him, but at the same time knowing she would have come anyway even if he had said no.
-
"'Oh my god, Jack!'
Jack reached out and grabbed Gwen's hand.
'Just stay calm,' he said." (p234)
-
I just want to advise people not to read too much into this scene. Firstly, it is not unusual for Jack to grab Gwen's hand to comfort her, particularly in situations where she is panicking or upset, and in this case if she panics she could get herself killed.
Secondly, I need to point out that Jack has also done this to Tosh in the past, the most recent case being "Meat" when the space whale was going mad and almost crushed them, and Tosh and Jack were trapped together. It is just in Jack's nature to take someone's, usually a woman and one he knows well, hand to comfort and calm them down in extreme situations, which is exactly what is happening in this situation. There is nothing more to it.
-
Now, that's it as far as Gwen and Jack are concerned in the novel, because the rest is all action and then the book ends rather abruptly. As already pointed out, the Gwack of "SkyPoint" is incredibly heavily overshadowed by the Gwen/Rhys. I'm sorry, Gwack fans, but the problem is Phil Ford and the way the novel was written.
If anything, "SkyPoint" contains the most possible Gwack scenes out of the three new novels, but after "Something Borrowed" Gwack has just disappeared/faded away. I guess it's just going to be a waiting game to see what happens next.
***
Conclusion
Those are the three main relationships that are most important to this thread. "SkyPoint" is by far primarily Tosh/Owen, as I would estimate that 85% of the book goes toward them, with the rest mainly going to Gwen/Rhys, with a side dish of Janto and a sprinkle of Gwack.
I could analyse the Tosh/Owen in the book, but please don't make me, because it will take a while. I can do it later on if I really must, but not until I have more time... which probably won't be until mid-December.
So, in summary:
Gwen/Rhys - very strong, very established, cannot be argued against, and they are 100% devoted to each other.
Janto - there is a tiny bit in the book, but nothing to get excited about.
Gwack - you can read between the lines and take things out of context if you really must, but it's practically knock dead by the Gwen/Rhys.
There we go. I know some people won't be happy by all this, but that's what I've got. Thus concludes my first little essay about “SkyPoint”.