Mary Cooper

Mary Cooper was the mother of Gwen Cooper, the wife of Geraint Cooper, the mother-in-law of Rhys Williams and the maternal grandmother of Anwen Williams.

Before Miracle Day
She was born some time prior to 1947. (TV: Ghost Machine) Her daughter was born on 16 August 1978. (TV: Children of Earth) When Gwen was young, Mary took her to G.R. Owen's as a treat, but Gwen hated the place. (AUDIO: Department X)

In her encounter with the quantum transducer, Gwen instigated a flashback of her and Rhys leaving to attend Mary's 60th birthday party. (TV: Ghost Machine) Later that year, when Gwen took Emma-Louise Cowell into her and Rhys' home claiming her to be her aunt's step-daughter, Rhys checked with Mary and discovered this to be the latest in a series of lies Gwen had been telling him. (TV: Out of Time) At the time of her daughter's wedding, Mary was living in Swansea. Mary attended Gwen's wedding. After seeing Gwen, who unbeknownst to Mary was actually impregnated by an alien Nostrovite, Mary was happy at the prospect of a grandchild — particularly because she believed it would shock Brenda. Although Mary was not privy to the nature of Gwen's job, she was caught up in the adventure when she was threatened by the Nostrovite who had assumed the guise of Brenda. Despite Gwen and Rhys proclaiming that they would not keep secrets from each other in their marriage, Mary's memories, as well as those of the other wedding guests, were erased by Jack Harkness using retcon. Mary forgot about the whole ordeal, which her daughter felt to be "for the best". At the end of that day, she was seen sleeping against Brenda, perhaps an indication that the two would manage to put aside their differences. (TV: Something Borrowed)

During the 21st century Dalek invasion, Gwen told Rhys to tell Mary to take her pills and go to sleep. (TV: The Stolen Earth) When investigating a man connected to the 456 going by the alias "Timothy White", Gwen commented that her mother used to shop in the chain store of the same name. (TV: Children of Earth: Day One) At some point prior to Miracle Day, Gwen informed Mary of the true nature of her job with the Torchwood Institute. (TV: The New World)

Miracle Day
On Miracle Day, Mary accompanied her husband to the hospital after he had had a heart attack, and met her daughter, son in law and her granddaughter Anwen for the first time since she was born. Mary asked Gwen for information about the Miracle, though she didn't get any answers as Gwen didn't know what had happened. (TV: The New World) After they were released from police custody, Mary shared her home in Swansea with son-in-law Rhys and granddaughter Anwen. When Geraint was taken to Cowbridge Overflow Camp, Mary encouraged Gwen's rescue mission with Gwen's Torchwood team, also collating all the information she could find about the camps. (TV: The Categories of Life) Shortly after Geraint was rescued, Mary was kidnapped along with the rest of Gwen's family, and used as leverage in an attempt to force Gwen to turn in Jack Harkness. (TV: The Middle Men) However, after Esther Drummond got in contact with Andy Davidson, Gwen's former colleague, he came to the family's rescue with a South Wales attack team. (TV: Immortal Sins) Mary's category-threatening experience resulted in her telling Gwen not to give up in her Torchwood quest, and to "go and get the bastards" responsible for the Miracle. (TV: End of the Road)

Gwen was later deported from the USA, and, as her own home was partially destroyed, returned to her mother's home with the rest of her family. Two months later, Mary, still hiding her category 1 husband, had her house searched, Mary breaking down in tears after having been forced to physically restrain Geraint to prevent him making noise. When the house was searched a second time, Mary was refused entry. She later signed the forms releasing her legally dead husband, who was taken back to the Cowbridge overflow camp in preparation for incineration. (TV: The Gathering) After Gwen helped to reverse the Miracle, Mary had a final chance to say goodbye to her husband by telephone as her son-in-law Rhys gained a police visa. (TV: The Blood Line)

After Miracle Day
Mary babysat Anwen when Gwen and Rhys travelled to North Wales to visit Bryn Offa Residential Home. She was surprised when Anwen began speaking fluent Welsh, but Gwen told her not to phone a doctor and that she had probably learnt it at school. (AUDIO: Forgotten Lives)

She was shot and killed by Ng, an alien possessing the body of Gwen. (AUDIO: Aliens & Sex & Chips & Gravy) Mary's funeral was later attended by Ng and her son-in-law, Rhys. Ng allowed Gwen to say goodbye to her mother. (AUDIO: Orr)

Personality
Gwen had a more frosty relationship with her mother than she did with her father Geraint. At her daughter's wedding Mary was seen to be somewhat of a snob, nagging her husband Geraint and taking pleasure in scoring points against Rhys' mother Brenda Williams. (TV: Something Borrowed) After Mary met Gwen for the first time since her exile, she teased Gwen about her "frugal" lifestyle, asking if she'd been feeding Anwen lard. (TV: The New World) Upon returning to Wales, and her mother, Gwen made a joke about America's superiority in allowing people to divorce their mothers, which evoked a sense of discord between the two. Mary liked to dress Anwen in a way that displeased Gwen, who saw the exclusively pink outfit as frivolous. (TV: The Categories of Life) When Gwen spoke to Rhys at the Colasanto residence, Mary told him to tell her daughter that she wasn't available to speak personally because she was watching TV even though she wasn't. (TV: End of the Road)

Although the relationship between Gwen and Mary was at times strained, Mary actively encouraged her daughter's missions during Miracle Day. (TV: End of the Road, The Blood Line) She showed a softer side when she had to rely on her daughter for emotional support after restraining Geraint in the basement, sobbing onto her shoulder. (TV: The Gathering) When Gwen was in Shanghai attempting to put an end to Miracle Day, Mary told Gwen not let anything happen to herself. (TV: The Blood Line) Even when held hostage by an alien Nostrovite, Mary not only remained calm but actively encouraged her daughter not to give herself up, showing a willingness to sacrifice herself for Gwen. Gwen had no intention of submitting herself, however; as soon as the alien released Mary, Gwen shot it several times with a gun hidden in her wedding bouquet and Mary hugged her daughter in thanks. (TV: Something Borrowed)

She also enjoyed looking after Gwen's daughter Anwen. (TV: The New World, The Categories of Life, The Blood Line)

Behind the scenes

 * It was initially suggested by Russell T Davies that Andy Davidson be the one who was killed by "Not Gwen", but James Goss and Scott Handcock felt it would be too much, as the character is very much loved by the whole team and the fans, and so Mary was killed off in his place. (BFX: Aliens Among Us 3)