Oswald Danes

Oswald Danes was a convicted murderer, rapist, paedophile and former teacher; he was not ashamed of himself for what he had done or what he is, even taking enjoyment in people's comments towards him. After being freed from prison by legal loopholes, Oswald decided to become PhiCorp's spokesman for their medicines by persuation of Jilly Kitzinger to gain protection from people who still wished him dead. Eventualy, he met with Torchwood and helped them in their plan to return humanity's mortality, as he had grown tired of his new life and wished to die. He willingly killed himself and the Mother, hoping to have an enjoyable afterlife, even in Hell.

Execution
In 2006, he raped and murdered twelve-year-old Susie Cabina. At his trial, he said "she should have ran faster." He was sentenced to death, and executed by lethal injection. He survived, the first to experience the Miracle at the very beginning of Miracle Day. Because his sentence was technically carried out, his lawyers successfully advanced a force majeure argument, apparently flavoured with Fifth and Eighth Amendment implications, which induced the reluctant Governor of Kentucky to parole him. (TW: The New World)

Rise to fame
He thereafter made an appearance on WWCN in which he broke down and cried, apologising profusely for his crimes. This shifted opinion in his favour — opinion which had been solidly against him when he departed Montrose Hill State Penitentiary. Public relations guru Jilly Kitzinger offered her services to him, but he declined, saying that he didn't need representation. (TW: Rendition) After being beaten by two police officers, Oswald accepted Jilly's offer, and attended a meeting at PhiCorp. He agreed to promote PhiCorp efforts to sell drugs without prescriptions. PhiCorp offered him bodyguards.

Captain Jack Harkness broke into the studio where Oswald was going to appear on television. Oswald admitted his repentance was an act; the murder and rape of Susie Cabina had been the best moment of his life. Jack inferred Oswald wanted to be executed, but Oswald had his bodyguards punch Jack in the stomach and escort him out of the building. Out on the street, a woman approached Jack and asked if he'd seen or touched Oswald, implying he was some kind of deity. Oswald addressed the nation, promising them new drugs and laws. He stated this was a new era for mankind, before asking them just one thing, "Walk with me." (TW: Dead of Night) Soon afterward Ellis Hartley Monroe began preaching a contrasting message, calling for the segregation of those who should be dead and the 'living': "Dead is Dead". Her campaign gained media attention, surpassing Oswald. On one occasion he was supposed to give a press conference in front of a hospital where the worst medical cases were abandoned, only to find Ellis there and giving her own conference. To upstage her, Oswald entered the building to comfort the patients and pledge his help for their plight. The reporters turned their attention to him, especially when he held up an abandoned baby and promised a comfortable life for her. Ellis lost favour in the public's eye and disappeared soon afterwards. (TW: Escape to LA)

Oswald was hired to speak at the Miracle rally in Los Angeles. It became clear that not everyone had forgiven him when bottles were thrown at his car. He was again approached by Jack, who asked for his help in exposing PhiCorp, reading a prepared statement by Jack instead of his speech by Jilly. In return he would make sure that Oswald got his wish and died. Upon stage, however, he ignored Jack and Jilly, and started an improvised rant about humanity evolving into everlasting angels. The audience cheered and chanted his name. (TW: The Categories of Life)

Oswald was quoted that he believed the Categories of life policy was a good idea. (TW: Immortal Sins) Soon after, he asked Jilly to hire a prostitute for him. The prostitute offered to act like a young girl for him. Oswald bristled; he wanted a a proper dinner date. She refused and said he would be a "Category Zero" soon. Oswald demanded Jilly tell him what Category Zero was. She admitted it was a new system. Criminals like Oswald would soon be incinerated as it was the only sure way to kill someone now. He attacked Jilly and went on the run. (TW: End of the Road)

Self-exile and death
After two months, Oswald turned his attentions to Jack, learning of his ties to Gwen Cooper. He escaped to Wales, and entered her household in disguise. He was recognised when he picked up baby Anwen and was beaten by Gwen with a saucepan and tied up. He had information useful to the team in locating the Blessing. Rhys wanted to kill Oswald for his crimes and the threat he posed to Anwen. Oswald was a paedophile who was not ashamed of his crimes. He found Gwen calling him a monster flattering, which made Rhys even angrier. He insisted he accompany Jack and Gwen to Shanghai. It was in Shanghai that he, Jack, and Gwen discovered the importance of Jack's blood and the "call" of "the Blessing". (TW: The Gathering)

After hearing from Gwen, Jack and Oswald entered the warehouse in Shanghai with her. They found explosives which they strapped to Oswald's chest to hold the families hostage. Oswald watched as the Miracle was negated by Jack's blood, causing Jack's death. He grabbed the Mother, waiting for Gwen and Jilly to escape before blowing her up. Jack came back to life and escaped with them. Before he blew her up, the Mother said that he was going to Hell. Oswald gleefully agreed and vowed to hunt down Suzie Cabina there.

Oswald detonated the explosive, killing himself and the Mother, burying the Blessing in rubble. (TW: The Blood Line)

Casting and characterisation
When the character was first announced, some questioned the morality of featuring such a character in a science fiction action series.[8] Pullman's casting as Danes was announced on the 15 December 2010.[9] Prior to his role as Danes, Pullman was best known to audiences through his portrayal of the President of the United States in Independence Day. When Pullman asked executive producer Julie Gardner why the production team sought to cast him in role, she replied that it was because he was perceived as "America's sweetheart", which he interpreted to mean they were looking to destabilise viewers.[10] Torchwood's creator, Russell T Davies, noted that upon expressing an interest in casting Pullman, he was told "you haven't got a chance."[11] Though Pullman was aware of Torchwood—having had a friend who'd "evangelized" the series—he hadn't watched the series before being cast.[12] Upon reading the scripts, Pullman comments that he was impressed at how well the series "knows itself" and the strength of each character's individual voice.[13] In an Interview with Zap2it he remarked that he thought he was given the best role in the series.[12] Pullman noted that he was prepared for the role having played other troubled characters in the past and re-iterated that it was the writing that attracted him to the part adding "I don’t think I could do a child murderer just for a child murderer’s sake".[8]

io9 felt the character to be a cross between Freddy Krueger and Jesus. Commenting on the christ comparison, Pullman feels that his character is sort of the "doppelganger of Jesus or something." He stated of Danes "It's like he's been out in the desert, and he comes back in, and there is a certain kind of way in which he still has pride."[13] SFX described Oswald's journey as one from a Hannibal Lecter type character to a Billy Graham or messianic figure. Pullman observes that Oswald's failure to die "becomes the pivot for a whole world that has changed"; his character is an intelligent one who knows he can provide a message people want to hear.[8] Discussing Oswald's fall from grace, series writer Jane Espenson explains that "humanity doesn't seize on heroes for the longterm", and that Oswald's descent from fame was a way to make his arc more realistic. Though Oswald dies helping the Torchwood team, Espenson remarks that "we didn't want to outright redeem this horrible, horrible man" commenting that his death is intended as "redemption and comeuppance both."[14] The Independent's Neela Debnath observed that whilst the character of Danes had "become likeable in an odd-sort of way" his last scenes "reiterated just how despicable he was" and that it was the right time for him to depart the cast.[15]

Behind the scenes

 * During pre-production of Torchwood: Miracle Day, this character's name was reported as "Oswald Jones". (DWM 427)
 * Bill Pullman was once considered to play the Master in the 1996 TV movie of Doctor Who.
 * Despite his death in the series, Pullman has expressed intrest in reprising his role as Danes in a future Torchwood episode