Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)

Synopsis
Torchwood is defenceless, and Gwen Cooper stands alone. As anarchy prevails, an ordinary council estate becomes a battleground for the future of the human race.

Plot
As Jack and Gwen mourn the loss of Ianto, the government plans to give the 456 the 10% of the children. Operations begin. Jack speaks with Frobisher, telling him that Gwen should be dropped off back in Cardiff for a rest. The team realise that they may as well give up trying to stop the government, because the 456 will be taking the children soon anyway. As a result of this, Jack's daughter Alice and his grandson Steven are released from captivity, while Gwen is taken home by the government and her good friend Andy.

UNIT Colonel Oduya consults with the 456 Ambassador, and discovers the reason for the alien wanting the children. It plans to use the chemicals in their bodies for drugs - because, in the creature's own words, the chemicals "feel good". The government are horrified to learn this, but they still have to go on with the deal.

As the government take the children to the rendezvous points, Jack is locked up. In a meeting with the Prime Minister, Frobisher learns that the government wants to use his children for propaganda to say that the children are being taken for injections - as a result of this, his daughters will both have to be taken away to a rendezvous point. Furious and devastated, Frobisher returns home with a gun and, unwilling to have his children used as drugs by the 456, shoots both of his daughters, along with his wife and himself. At the same time, Frobisher's PA Bridget Spears goes to see Lois, who has also been locked up.

Meanwhile, Gwen and Rhys, with Andy, tell Ianto's sister of her brother's death. They help her and her husband, Johnny, to take the children under their care and hide them from the soldiers coming to collect them. The government discover that they only have 80% of the children the 456 was looking for. Oduya consults with the creature once more, but it states that it must have 100% of the products. Panicking, the government takes full force to round up all of the children. The soldiers start to raid homes including the estate on which Ianto's sister lives. To buy some time for Rhiannon, Gwen, Rhys and the children, Johnny starts a riot with the local residents against the soldiers.

Jack is broken out of jail and works with Johnson to try and defeat the 456. They need a child to reverse the brainwaves which the 456 used to kill Clement; despite his daughter's pleas, Jack decides to use Steven as he is the nearest child. Gwen films a video with Rhys about her knowledge of the Doctor just before a group of soldiers close in on them. Just before the children are taken by the 456, Jack manages to reverse the wavelength, making all the children on Earth scream in unison once more - this time directed at the 456. Overloaded by the psychic screams transmitting into its brain, the Ambassador explodes and disappears from the tank. However, being the centre of the transmissions was too much for Steven's brain - he too died as a result of it.

Back at Downing Street, the Prime Minister decides to blame the recent events on the Americans. Seeing that he wishes only to save himself, Bridget reveals when she went to see Lois, she also retrieved the contact lenses and has been recording everything since and she will make the recording public. After the Green threatens to have her arrested, Home Secretary Denise Riley tells him otherwise and hints that she will force Green to resign and succeed him herself.

Six months later, Rhys and Gwen, now awaiting the birth of their child, meet up with Captain Jack on top of a hill. Jack tells them about how he has ruined his own life on Earth, as well as the lives of many other people living there. Gwen pleads with him not to do anything drastic, but he doesn't listen. With his wrist strap now repaired, Jack flies off into space to start a new life elsewhere. In tears, Gwen and Rhys head back down the hill to carry on with their own lives.

Cast

 * Captain Jack Harkness - John Barrowman
 * Gwen Cooper - Eve Myles
 * Rhys Williams - Kai Owen
 * Lois Habiba - Cush Jumbo
 * Alice Carter - Lucy Cohu
 * Mr Dekker - Ian Gelder
 * Steven Carter - Bear McCausland
 * Bridget Spears - Susan Brown
 * John Frobisher - Peter Capaldi
 * Colonel Oduya - Charles Abomeli
 * Johnson - Liz May Brice
 * Brian Green PM - Nicholas Farrell
 * Denise Riley - Deborah Findlay
 * Andy Davidson - Tom Price
 * Anna Frobisher - Hilary Maclean

Production crew
to be added

Story notes

 * This episode concludes the Children Of Earth series.
 * Even though Colonel Oduya was in this episode he was not credited.

Ratings
to be added

Myths

 * The Doctor was rumoured to appear, however, he was only mentioned by Gwen when she was recording a message.
 * Speculation started over Ianto's death in TW: Day Four with many fans believing he may be resurrected, however, this was not the case.
 * It was rumoured that Gwen would die, however she did not.

Filming Locations
to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

 * With Torchwood gone, who is keeping the rift in check? Gwen's still around - she may build a new team. UNIT seem to know Torchwood, and perhaps the purpose of their location, they could manage the rift. However, nobody's said anyone is watching it.
 * With Day Five being set on a Saturday (if the newspaper Ianto picked up is anything to go by), then why are the children at school? Obviously the government told them to but why would they go? Wasn't the paper picked up at the end of Day two? It could be next day's paper being delivered early - making day 5 Friday

Continuity
to be added

DVD and Other releases
to be added