My favourite Gwen Cooper moments...

[fajrdrako]

We all know a lot of Torchwood fans don't like Gwen Cooper. And some fans compare and contrast her to Ianto - as if it's an either/or choice, we can like one or the other, but not both. I liked both of them, and loved their different relationships with Jack, and loved the way they cared about each other, without jealousy, even though they both loved Jack. They quite rightly never saw themselves as rivals for Jack's love, so why should they be rivals for the love of the viewers?

This is a bit of self-indulgence for myself: the moments when I most love Gwen Cooper. It isn't that there haven't been times when she's made me roll my eyes and think "Gwen, Gwen, why did you do that? You released the serial killer Susie for what reason, exactly?" But Gwen's idiosyncrasies just make me love her all the more.

This photo-essay might be taken as illustration the reasons I do. Let me count the ways.

1. From "Everything Changes": She's wearing her police uniform, all wet in the Cardiff oestrogen-filled rain:
   
   
   
   
2. From "Everything Changes": when she's working on a mystery late at night, and showing her legs, all distracted and underdressed.
   
   
   
   
3. From "Day One": when the sex-alien pheromones get the better of her:
   
   
   
   
4. From "Ghost Machine": Gwen gets cuddly and distracted with Jack and a gun.
   
   
   
   
5. From "Out of Time": Young Emma needs wise moral advice about sexual behaviour in the 21st century. Gwen is totally flummoxed - and not through lack of experience.
   
   
   
   
6. From "Combat": Owen has rudely dumped her, things are iffy with Rhys, Jack is goodness-knows-where and not even pizza is consolation enough:
   
   
   
   
7. From "End of Days": Jack washes the blood off Gwen's hand:
   
   
   
   
8. From "End of Days": Gwen attacks Jack: "What the fucking good are you?"
   
   
   
   
9. From "End of Days": Gwen stays with Jack's body for days, even though it looks as if he'll never come back again:
   
   
   
   
10. From "End of Days": Gwen gives Jack the kiss of resurrection.
    
    
    
    
11. From "End of Days": Gwen is the only one who can get Jack to talk about the Doctor.
    
    
    
    
12. From "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang": After all the grief Captain John has given her, Gwen hits him. Hard.
    
    
    
    
13. From "Sleeper": Gwen and Ianto are friends. Really, really friends. They both love Jack, but that brings them together rather than driving them apart.
    
    
    
    
14. From "Meat": Gwen lies to Rhys, and kisses him:
    
    
    
    
15. From "Meat": Then she fights with him:
    
    
    
    
16. From "Meat": Then she takes him to the Hub - proud of him, proud of it, and two halves of her life come together:
    
    
    
    
17. From "Meat": Then she tells him the truth, and kisses him:
    
    
    
    
18. From "Reset": Gwen and Martha wonder why neither of them ever had sex with Jack:
    
    
    
    
19. From "Something Borrowed": Weaponry in the bride's bouquet:
    
    
    
    
20. From "Exit Wounds": She takes on Captain John. Again!
    
    
    
    
21. From "Exit Wounds": At the Cardiff police station, Gwen keeps it together when the world is falling apart:
    
    
    
    
22. From "Children of Earth - Day One": She bravely leaves Wales. Farewell forever!
    
    
    
    
23. From "Children of Earth - Day Two": She fights the killer paramedics and escapes:
    
    
    
    
24. From "Children of Earth - Day Two": She uses her magic sonic pen again:
    
    
    
    
25. From "Children of Earth - Day Five": She and Jack look at the stars.
    
    
    
    

Note: Entry cross-posted to my Dreamwidth journal, my LJ, and house_of_cooper. Given that screencap sources are disappearing at an alarming rate, I think it might be wise not to name or thank my sources, but I hope they understand the depth of my gratitude.