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{{Infobox Story | {{Infobox Story SMW | ||
|image =The House of the Dead.jpg | |image = The House of the Dead.jpg | ||
|range = BBCTWAD | |||
|number in range = 7 | |||
|series = [[BBC Torchwood audio dramas|BBC ''Torchwood'' audio dramas]] | |series = [[BBC Torchwood audio dramas|BBC ''Torchwood'' audio dramas]] | ||
|number = | |number = 7 | ||
|main character = [[Jack Harkness|Jack | |main character = [[Jack Harkness|Jack]], [[Ianto Jones|Ianto]] | ||
|enemy = [[Syriath]] | |enemy = [[Syriath]] | ||
|setting = [[Cardiff]], [[March]] [[2010]] | |setting = [[Cardiff]], [[March]] [[2010]] | ||
|writer = | |writer = James Goss | ||
|director = [[Kate McAll]] | |director = [[Kate McAll]] | ||
|publisher = | |||
|publisher = | |release date = 13 July 2011 (Radio 4) | ||
|release date = | |format = | ||
|format = | |production code = | ||
|production code = | |isbn = ISBN 978-1-4458-6095-4 | ||
|isbn =ISBN 978-1-4458-6095-4 | |prev = Submission (audio story) | ||
|prev | }}{{you may|The House of the Dead|n1=the haunted pub}} | ||
}} | |||
{{you may|The House of the Dead|n1=the haunted pub}} | |||
'''''The House of the Dead''''' was the third in the ''[[Torchwood: The Lost Files]]'' mini-series. It aired the week after [[Series 4 (Torchwood)|Series 4]] started airing on [[Starz]]. To date, it is the last radio drama of ''Torchwood'' to be broadcast. | '''''The House of the Dead''''' was the third in the ''[[Torchwood: The Lost Files]]'' mini-series. It aired the week after [[Series 4 (Torchwood)|Series 4]] started airing on [[Starz]]. To date, it is the last radio drama of ''Torchwood'' to be broadcast. | ||
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== Plot == | == Plot == | ||
A [[ | A [[séance]] is being held at [[The House of the Dead]] pub in Wales, where people have gathered to witness their loved ones return to them. [[Ianto Jones]] is currently situated at the pub, waiting for [[Gwen Cooper]] to arrive. As [[Evadne Wintergreen|Mrs Wintergreen]] conducts her seance, several objects of furniture are sent flying, and the letters "JAC" are spelled out on a [[Ouija board]], announcing the arrival of [[Captain Jack Harkness]]. | ||
Jack warns the patrons at the pub to leave and for Wintergreen to stop the seance. They do not comply. He embraces Ianto with unusually strong feeling and they assess the situation at hand. A fuse goes out in the pub, prompting Barry the barman to go change it. Jack follows him with a flashlight and tries to reason with Barry to call off the contact with the ghosts, but Barry is too wistful to cut short the last night his haunted pub will ever enjoy business. Barry is upset by the thought that the pub is going to be torn down soon, and this may be their last chance to speak with loved ones they have lost. He has also kept the bar open in memory of his departed wife. Jack's insistence against the seance prompts Barry to ask for his torch; he then clubs Jack over the head with it. Ianto comes down to find Jack and helps him recover from the sneak attack. Jack informs Ianto that [[Syriath]], an entity from the oldest universe of all, one before time itself, is waiting on the other side, just beneath the Cardiff Rift. The contact Wintergreen keeps making could allow her to cross over into the living world if she continues to reach out. | Jack warns the patrons at the pub to leave and for Wintergreen to stop the seance. They do not comply. He embraces Ianto with unusually strong feeling and they assess the situation at hand. A fuse goes out in the pub, prompting Barry the barman to go change it. Jack follows him with a flashlight and tries to reason with Barry to call off the contact with the ghosts, but Barry is too wistful to cut short the last night his haunted pub will ever enjoy business. Barry is upset by the thought that the pub is going to be torn down soon, and this may be their last chance to speak with loved ones they have lost. He has also kept the bar open in memory of his departed wife. Jack's insistence against the seance prompts Barry to ask for his torch; he then clubs Jack over the head with it. Ianto comes down to find Jack and helps him recover from the sneak attack. Jack informs Ianto that [[Syriath]], an entity from the oldest universe of all, one before time itself, is waiting on the other side, just beneath the Cardiff Rift. The contact Wintergreen keeps making could allow her to cross over into the living world if she continues to reach out. | ||
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Jack tosses the box to Ianto, who was led by Gwen to think it was a bomb. Though Ianto panics, Jack calmly tells him to open it. It is just a box of pebbles and coal. However, it does contain a small detonator. Jack intends to stir up a cloud of dust, but it will be laced with rift energy. All the stones of Wales have been embedded with the power of the Cardiff Rift, something the Cardiff council discounts as radon deposits. The explosion will set off a reaction only effective between the crossing of two worlds. When Syriath attempts to escape the rift by pulling in the pub, Jack will detonate the stones and close the Cardiff Rift- forever. Ianto's father returns before Jack and his son. Jack compliments his partner in loving manner, as does his father. Despite the warm comments, Ianto's father once again makes demands not to prevent Syriath's exodus, because it would mean that he, his wife, nor [[Owen Harper|Owen]], [[Toshiko Sato|Tosh]], or any other loved ones they've lost will be allowed to return to the living world. When these ultimatums do not faze Jack, Ianto's dad proclaims that Syriath will win, and Jack knew he would find Ianto waiting for him at the pub. He concludes his arguing with a final, stinging point: would he allow Ianto, someone who once died, to die again? He gives up and parts ways with them, saying goodbye to his son. | Jack tosses the box to Ianto, who was led by Gwen to think it was a bomb. Though Ianto panics, Jack calmly tells him to open it. It is just a box of pebbles and coal. However, it does contain a small detonator. Jack intends to stir up a cloud of dust, but it will be laced with rift energy. All the stones of Wales have been embedded with the power of the Cardiff Rift, something the Cardiff council discounts as radon deposits. The explosion will set off a reaction only effective between the crossing of two worlds. When Syriath attempts to escape the rift by pulling in the pub, Jack will detonate the stones and close the Cardiff Rift- forever. Ianto's father returns before Jack and his son. Jack compliments his partner in loving manner, as does his father. Despite the warm comments, Ianto's father once again makes demands not to prevent Syriath's exodus, because it would mean that he, his wife, nor [[Owen Harper|Owen]], [[Toshiko Sato|Tosh]], or any other loved ones they've lost will be allowed to return to the living world. When these ultimatums do not faze Jack, Ianto's dad proclaims that Syriath will win, and Jack knew he would find Ianto waiting for him at the pub. He concludes his arguing with a final, stinging point: would he allow Ianto, someone who once died, to die again? He gives up and parts ways with them, saying goodbye to his son. | ||
After hearing this ominous revelation, Ianto defensively asks Jack what his father meant. Jack reluctantly explains to him that he is not living, as he would think he is. Ianto died six months ago in his arms. Ianto turns troubled and hurt by the things he has learned, asking if he had a funeral, if he was allowed to rest in peace, and if his death was Jack's fault. Jack reminds him they both died after they were exposed to an alien virus released by the [[456 ambassador]]. Ianto starts to think Jack is making light of his death and grows impassive toward the man he once cared about. Jack defends himself by saying he only wanted to see Ianto one more time. He expected Syriath to create at least a reflection of who Ianto was, but she outright recreated him by using his own feelings for Ianto to make him real. It has become impossible to even look at him, which makes Ianto tearful, now convinced this ordeal was never about him, but only Jack. He also convicts Jack of going to see him just to get a few nice words and gratefulness. Jack regrets that he is forced to outlive anyone he meets and endears, but regardless, he works so hard to remember them and never forget who they were. He also recounts that he came back to life knowing the world is empty. Every time he dies, he wakes up alone. | After hearing this ominous revelation, Ianto defensively asks Jack what his father meant. Jack reluctantly explains to him that he is not living, as he would think he is. Ianto died six months ago in his arms. Ianto turns troubled and hurt by the things he has learned, asking if he had a funeral, if he was allowed to rest in peace, and if his death was Jack's fault. Jack reminds him they both died after they were exposed to an alien virus released by the [[456 ambassador]]. Ianto starts to think Jack is making light of his death and grows impassive toward the man he once cared about. Jack defends himself by saying he only wanted to see Ianto one more time. He expected Syriath to create at least a reflection of who Ianto was, but she outright recreated him by using his own feelings for Ianto to make him real. It has become impossible to even look at him, which makes Ianto tearful, now convinced this ordeal was never about him, but only Jack. He also convicts Jack of going to see him just to get a few nice words and gratefulness. Jack regrets that he is forced to outlive anyone he meets and endears, but regardless, he works so hard to remember them and never forget who they were. He also recounts that he came back to life knowing the world is empty. Every time he dies, he wakes up alone. Ianto tells Jack he didn't ask to come back; Jack answers that neither did he. However, Ianto is too disheartened to sympathise with Jack. He never thought the last thing he would say to him would be this, but it is not to see him again. | ||
Finally sick of dealing with the pain, Jack decides to attempt a final death that will seal his fate. When Syriath exits the rift, he will trip the detonator and take her with him. Ianto knows Jack cannot die, but Jack has decided on the next best thing- eternal oblivion, lost between worlds forever, and it couldn't be a better way to go. Jack thinks there is nothing left to see in the living world now that he's witnessed the return of Ianto. Ianto, surprised to see Jack reacting with such compassion toward him, tells Jack they can just go, follow his dad's words and leave, leaving Syriath as someone's else's problem. Perhaps Ianto will not vanish, but survive in the real world after they cross the threshold of the pub. The two decide to leave the House of the Dead and run. Jack leaves the House of the Dead and looks back to see Ianto remaining within - it was a trick to get him to leave. So Syriath may never torment the universe, Ianto has chosen to stay behind and blow up the Rift, a final death in lieu of Jack's endless purgatory. Although Jack pleads with him anew not to die, Ianto declares he has to go. Jack fully and properly tells Ianto something he never got to say. He sweetly tells his partner, "Ianto Jones, I love you." Ianto reciprocates his statement, "And I love you too, Jack." He affixes his attention to the Rift as Jack stands from afar. "Right, then. Best get a move on. Goodbye, Jack!" Ianto sets off the detonator, taking out Syriath, the entire Cardiff Rift, and himself in the blast. | Finally sick of dealing with the pain, Jack decides to attempt a final death that will seal his fate. When Syriath exits the rift, he will trip the detonator and take her with him. Ianto knows Jack cannot die, but Jack has decided on the next best thing- eternal oblivion, lost between worlds forever, and it couldn't be a better way to go. Jack thinks there is nothing left to see in the living world now that he's witnessed the return of Ianto. Ianto, surprised to see Jack reacting with such compassion toward him, tells Jack they can just go, follow his dad's words and leave, leaving Syriath as someone's else's problem. Perhaps Ianto will not vanish, but survive in the real world after they cross the threshold of the pub. The two decide to leave the House of the Dead and run. Jack leaves the House of the Dead and looks back to see Ianto remaining within - it was a trick to get him to leave. So Syriath may never torment the universe, Ianto has chosen to stay behind and blow up the Rift, a final death in lieu of Jack's endless purgatory. Although Jack pleads with him anew not to die, Ianto declares he has to go. Jack fully and properly tells Ianto something he never got to say. He sweetly tells his partner, "Ianto Jones, I love you." Ianto reciprocates his statement, "And I love you too, Jack." He affixes his attention to the Rift as Jack stands from afar. "Right, then. Best get a move on. Goodbye, Jack!" Ianto sets off the detonator, taking out Syriath, the entire Cardiff Rift, and himself in the blast. | ||
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* [[Barry (The House of the Dead)|Barry]] - [[Bradley Freegard]] | * [[Barry (The House of the Dead)|Barry]] - [[Bradley Freegard]] | ||
* [[Ianto Jones' father|Mr Jones]]/[[Tony (The House of the Dead)|Tony]] - [[John Francis Harries]] | * [[Ianto Jones' father|Mr Jones]]/[[Tony (The House of the Dead)|Tony]] - [[John Francis Harries]] | ||
* [[Helen (The House of the Dead)|Helen]] - [[Lucy Davis]] | * [[Helen (The House of the Dead)|Helen]] - [[Lucy Davis (actor)|Lucy Davis]] | ||
* [[Ness]] - [[Moira Quirk]] | * [[Ness]] - [[Moira Quirk]] | ||
* [[Late Arrival]] - [[Shelley Rees]] | * [[Late Arrival]] - [[Shelley Rees]] | ||
== | == Worldbuilding == | ||
* [[Cardiff | * [[Cardiff Council]] believes the Rift energy is a deposit of [[radon]]. | ||
* [[The House of the Dead]] is a [[pub]] built in the [[15th century]] on [[ley line]]s, inside an old [[stone circle]], on top of a crack in the [[Cardiff Space-Time Rift]]. | * [[The House of the Dead]] is a [[pub]] built in the [[15th century]] on [[ley line]]s, inside an old [[stone circle]], on top of a crack in the [[Cardiff Space-Time Rift]]. | ||
* Ianto's father says that the others who have died that Ianto care about would return, including [[Glenda Jones|his mother]]. | * Ianto's father says that the others who have died that Ianto care about would return, including [[Glenda Jones|his mother]]. | ||
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* Although promoted, along with the other two ''Lost Files'' stories as taking place prior to ''[[Series 3 (Torchwood)|Children of Earth]]'', the story actually takes place between the mini-series and ''[[Series 4 (Torchwood)|Miracle Day]]''. | * Although promoted, along with the other two ''Lost Files'' stories as taking place prior to ''[[Series 3 (Torchwood)|Children of Earth]]'', the story actually takes place between the mini-series and ''[[Series 4 (Torchwood)|Miracle Day]]''. | ||
* [[Gwen Cooper]] does not appear in audio, though [[Eve Myles]] does portray the character's voice for the story; instead it is Syriath impersonating her voice to Ianto. This is justified, given the fact that this audio occurs six months after the events of ''[[Children of Earth]]'', and Gwen was now in her second trimester of pregnancy. She would not be able to participate in Torchwood affairs, as it held the potential to threaten her baby's well-being. | * [[Gwen Cooper]] does not appear in audio, though [[Eve Myles]] does portray the character's voice for the story; instead it is Syriath impersonating her voice to Ianto. This is justified, given the fact that this audio occurs six months after the events of ''[[Children of Earth]]'', and Gwen was now in her second trimester of pregnancy. She would not be able to participate in Torchwood affairs, as it held the potential to threaten her baby's well-being. | ||
* Jack is seen wearing the right-handed [[resurrection gauntlet]] on the promotional cover for this story, but both gauntlets were previously destroyed by Torchwood. This one was shot to pieces by [[Toshiko Sato]] to stop [[Suzie Costello]] from reviving in ''[[They Keep Killing Suzie]]''. Likewise, Gwen Cooper does not actually appear in this story; Syriath poses as her voice. The use of the gauntlet prop in the photograph could be a framing device associated with the theme of the dead coming back to life. | * Jack is seen wearing the right-handed [[resurrection gauntlet]] on the promotional cover for this story, but both gauntlets were previously destroyed by Torchwood. This one was shot to pieces by [[Toshiko Sato]] to stop [[Suzie Costello]] from reviving in ''[[They Keep Killing Suzie (TV story)|They Keep Killing Suzie]]''. Likewise, Gwen Cooper does not actually appear in this story; Syriath poses as her voice. The use of the gauntlet prop in the photograph could be a framing device associated with the theme of the dead coming back to life. | ||
* The music that plays as Jack recounts Ianto's death to him is a more solemn variation of [[Murray Gold]]'s "Death Of Toshiko" track that plays when she passes on in ''[[Exit Wounds]]''. | * The music that plays as Jack recounts Ianto's death to him is a more solemn variation of [[Murray Gold]]'s "Death Of Toshiko" track that plays when she passes on in ''[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]''. | ||
=== Download and CD release === | === Download and CD release === | ||
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* Jack says Ianto died 6 months ago, placing this during [[March]] [[2010]], just before Jack leaves Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[Children of Earth: Day Four (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Four]]'', ''[[Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Five]]'') | * Jack says Ianto died 6 months ago, placing this during [[March]] [[2010]], just before Jack leaves Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[Children of Earth: Day Four (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Four]]'', ''[[Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Five]]'') | ||
* Ianto asks if he got a funeral. He is given a proper burial in [[COMIC]]: ''[[Shrouded (comic story)|Shrouded]]''. | * Ianto asks if he got a funeral. He is given a proper burial in [[COMIC]]: ''[[Shrouded (comic story)|Shrouded]]''. | ||
* Ianto's father says that the others who have died that Ianto and Jack care about would return, including [[Owen Harper|Owen]], [[Toshiko Sato|Toshiko]], and [[Lisa Hallett|Lisa]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Cyberwoman]]'', ''[[Exit Wounds]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Lost Souls (audio story)|Lost Souls]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Children of Earth: Day One]]'', ''[[Children of Earth: Day Five]]'') | * Ianto's father says that the others who have died that Ianto and Jack care about would return, including [[Owen Harper|Owen]], [[Toshiko Sato|Toshiko]], and [[Lisa Hallett|Lisa]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Cyberwoman (TV story)|Cyberwoman]]'', ''[[Exit Wounds (TV story)|Exit Wounds]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Lost Souls (audio story)|Lost Souls]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[Children of Earth: Day One (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day One]]'', ''[[Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Five]]'') | ||
* The Cardiff Rift is sealed forever, thus concluding one of the major concerns for Torchwood Three's operations. Without the increased presence of alien activity in Wales as a result of its closing, Torchwood Three loses its biggest premise to remain active. This contributes to Jack's reasons to disband the branch. ([[TV]]: ''[[Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Five]]'') | * The Cardiff Rift is sealed forever, thus concluding one of the major concerns for Torchwood Three's operations. Without the increased presence of alien activity in Wales as a result of its closing, Torchwood Three loses its biggest premise to remain active. This contributes to Jack's reasons to disband the branch. ([[TV]]: ''[[Children of Earth: Day Five (TV story)|Children of Earth: Day Five]]'') | ||
{{BBCTWA}} | |||
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[[Category:Torchwood radio dramas]] | [[Category:Torchwood radio dramas]] | ||
[[Category:2011 audio stories]] | [[Category:2011 audio stories]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in Cardiff]] | [[Category:Stories set in Cardiff]] | ||
[[Category:Stories set in 2010]] | [[Category:Stories set in 2010]] | ||
[[Category:Stories that use | [[Category:Stories that use Murray Gold's Torchwood radio theme]] | ||