Lisa Hallett was an employee at Torchwood Tower in London at the time of the Battle of Canary Wharf. She was partially upgraded by the Cybermen and was hidden in the Archive of Torchwood Three by Ianto Jones without anyone else knowing. Lisa's Cyberman reconditioning was too advanced for her to be reverted back to her original human form, and Ianto's refusal to accept this led to innocent casualties when Lisa escaped captivity.
Biography
With Torchwood One
On 26 March 2005, Yvonne Hartman advised Ianto Jones to ask Lisa out. (AUDIO: One Rule)
Like many other Torchwood staff, Lisa was taken to be upgraded into a Cyberman. However, the Cyber-conversion process was not completed, leaving her mostly human, but with numerous cybernetic implants. Her boyfriend Ianto helped her escape the ruins of Torchwood One and took her to Cardiff. (TV: Cyberwoman) He talked Jack Harkness into hiring him at Torchwood Three. (TV: Fragments) Taking advantage of Torchwood's cavernous Hub headquarters in Cardiff Bay, Jones found a remote room where he kept Lisa while he surreptitiously tried to restore her full humanity. (TV: Cyberwoman) He hid her in the Archive, in a chamber originally set aside for the remnants of Operation Goldenrod. He didn't like other members of the team looking around. (PROSE: Slow Decay)
As a Cyberwoman
Dr Tanizaki, a cybernetics expert, was brought in by Ianto to attempt to help remove the Cyber-implants. Unfortunately, his efforts instead caused the implants to become fully active, largely suppressing her original personality and causing her to embark on the Cybermen's mission to upgrade humanity. Hallett unwittingly killed Tanizaki while trying to Cyber-convert him, and then told Ianto that her desire was to become superior, just like the Cybermen. Ultimately, she escaped her chamber in the Hub and Jack and the others learned of her existence. She killed Annie Botchwell, a Jubilee Pizza delivery girl, and transplanted her brain into Annie's body in a last-ditch attempt at balancing humanity with Cyber-perfection. When it became clear that Lisa's original personality had been irreparably corrupted and destroyed, she was killed by the other Torchwood Three personnel. (TV: Cyberwoman)
Legacy
Lisa reappeared as a "spirit" who urged Ianto to open the Rift. This was merely an illusion projected to Ianto by Bilis Manger. (TV: End of Days) Later, Ianto had to endure another impersonation of Lisa during the incident at CERN in Switzerland. (AUDIO: Lost Souls)
Syriath, through an illusion of Ianto Jones' father, claimed she would resurrect Torchwood Three comrades and loved ones who had died, such as Lisa. (AUDIO: The House of the Dead)
Abilities
Lisa was able to electrocute people with her hands and used a wrist-mounted blaster, much like a fully converted Cyberman. She was also much stronger than a normal human being, being able to effortlessly lift someone off the ground by the throat, throw them several feet away and even hold her own against an attacking Pterodactyl. Her armor plates granted her bulletproof durability, causing projectiles to simply ricochet. However, the exposed parts of her body were still vulnerable to being shot or stabbed with a sufficiently sharp object. (TV: Cyberwoman)
Behind the scenes
- In Torchwood Magazine, it is suggested in an interview with Gareth David-Lloyd that Lisa is the reason Ianto Jones wears suits rather than the casual clothes he did the first time he met Jack. David-Lloyd states that Ianto wears his suits as a way of masking his true personality, and his intentions to find a cure for Lisa. However, once the death of Lisa comes about, David-Lloyd explains that Ianto becomes much more comfortable in both his suits, and his team.
- Character Options released a Lisa Hallett figure as part of their line of Torchwood action figures.