The Three Families

The leaders of (from left) the Frines, Costerdane, and Ablemarch families make a deal over Jack Harkness. (TW: Immortal Sins)

The Three Families (also known as The Families) were a powerful organisation descended from three different families who systematically manipulated the human race over the 20th century for their own purposes. It is believed one family was centred on politics, one had entered into the economic world, and the other had gone into media. (TW: The Gathering)

History

In 1928, Little Italy, men belonging to the Ablemarch, Costerdane and Frines families purchased the immortal Jack Harkness, and were able to take samples of his blood. He later escaped their custody, thanks to the man who had first kidnapped him, Angelo Colasanto. (TW: Immortal Sins) His Granddaughter later stated the families refused to work with Colasanto, due to his homosexual relationship with Harkness. Despite this, he would keep a close eye on the families, and Harkness throughout his life. (TW: End of the Road)

Through the 20th Century, the Families would remain hidden, acting through companies such as PhiCorp, but would manipulate events on a global scale. Their influence was so large that they were able to alter and erase data on a global scale. All factual reference to the families disappeared. (TW: End of the Road)

In 1998, when technology had developed so numerous records could be analysed quickly, they found people living within a two-mile radius of the Blessing in Shanghai lived the exact average lifespan of the rest of the world. This allowed the Families to discover and gain control of the Blessing, a secondary pole running through the centre of the Earth, connecting Shanghai to Buenos Aires. (TW: The Middle Men, End of the Road, The Blood Line).

Having discovered the Blessing, the Families set about planning to cause, and control what would come to be known as The Miracle, stopping people from dying throughout the entire planet.

They caused the Miracle in 2011, by introducing the immortal blood of Harkness into the Blessing at both ends simultaneously. This was only the beginning however, as they planned to use their influence and wealth to control the human race. The same day, they sent an email to the Central Intelligence Agency consisting of just one word, "Torchwood". They later erased all records of Torchwood Institute. (TW: The New World)

Through PhiCorp, they employed both Jilly Kitzinger and Oswald Danes to use Danes' own media influence.

In September of that year, they intended to seal the Blessing by collapsing the underground caves at each end, stopping anyone from interfering with it again, and negating the Miracle. This was interupted by members of Torchwood, and the CIA. After a stand off between the two sides, Harkness and Rex Matheson released Harkness' blood (now mortal due to the Miracle) into the Blessing again, reversing its effects.

"The Mother" of the Families was subsequently killed by Oswald Danes, who blew up himself and the Shanghai complex while holding onto her. The Families didn't see this as a defeat, more as a trial run and had a Plan B. (TW: The Blood Line)

Influence

As owners of the pharmaceutical company PhiCorp, The Families were able to produce and stockpile vast quantities of painkillers. This would make them excessive profits throughout the Miracle and could do so without PhiCorp COO Stuart Owens learning of the Families' existence. His own subsequent attempts to research who was manipulating his company were largely fruitless.

The family had moles in high ranking organisations, including at least three within the Central Intelligence Agency.

Members and Employees

• Frines (TW: Immortal Sins)
• Costerdane (TW: Immortal Sins)
• Ablemarch (TW: Immortal Sins)
• Blue-Eyed Man
• Oswald Danes
• Brian Friedkin
• Lyn Peterfield
• Jilly Kitzinger
• Charlotte Wills
• The Young Man
• The Mother
• The Cousin
• The Families also owned PhiCorp, and by extension its employees, such as Stuart Owens, also worked for them.