Children of Earth Day Four
Listen, I don't mind character deaths if they are done correctly: if they further the story, or are for a good reason -- like heroism (I'm thinking Wesley Wyndham-Price here). But this?
THIS WAS FUCKING STUPID.
His death was worthless. Jack had only encountered the 456 once; he had no idea what they were using the original 11 children for; he had no real information about their technology; he had no idea how they were mind-controlling the children across the Earth, AND YET HE GOES IN THERE AND THREATENS TO SHOOT THEM WITH A GUN?
Oh, and he also takes the most vulnerable member of the team with him to face said unknown alien threat? Gwen was a police officer after all. As lovely as Ianto is, he's not trained in anything but tea and crumpets, really.
That was the dumbest plot device..."Let's bring the guy who can easily be killed along with the guy who can't possibly die and THREATEN THE SUPER-POWERFUL ALIEN CREATURES!"
Way to go, Jack.
I think the government dudes were right in trying to keep Torchwood out of the proceedings. They did nothing but fuck everything up. "Torchwood is the expert on aliens." Yeah? Really?
Perhaps a little more research was required before you went in there and "stood up to them," Jack. There was a reason the governments and military of the UK and the US *and UNIT* were going to negotiate. That's because THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE WAS UNDER THREAT.
So instead the writers decided to plot-device their way into getting Ianto killed by having Jack throw his dick around.
And poor, sweet, ruined for his entire life because of Jack Clement? I hated that too.
Fucking stupid.
And if they do bring Ianto back (which I really don't think is going to happen) I will feel much more offended by the manipulation than the original death in the first place. This is like Cyril O'Reily from Oz all over again.
I'm more angry than sad. I don't even feel like watching Part 5.