Theory:Torchwood television discontinuity and plot holes/Dead Man Walking

You are exploring the Discontinuity Index, a place where any details or rumours about unreleased stories are forbidden.
Please discuss only those whole stories which have already been released, and obey our spoiler policy.

This page is for discussing the ways in which Dead Man Walking doesn't fit well with other DWU narratives. You can also talk about the plot holes that render its own, internal narrative confusing.

Remember, this is a forum, so civil discussion is encouraged. However, please do not sign your posts. Also, keep all posts about the same continuity error under the same bullet point. You can add a new point by typing:

* This is point one.
::This is a counter-argument to point one.
:::This is a counter-argument to the counter-argument above
* This is point two.
::Explanation of point two.
::Further discussion and query of point two.

... and so on. 

• Why would Jack need to bring Owen back for the alien morgue if Torchwood had the device that can unlock any lock in under 45 seconds?

He needed an excuse for bringing him back. The alien morgue may also have been an exception to this device.

• Death had claimed 13 souls as it killed Jack when Owen changed and released it. Jack is seen reviving in the SUV. Death should have not been able to have been stopped by Owen as it had killed 13 times already.

It didn't steal Jack's soul, merely one of his infinite number of lives.

Looking at other victims, it's obvious that more than mere killing is required.

• When Owen flashed to the darkness we are able to see that there is a source of light as we can see him. There is also a source of gravity as he is standing and able to move about freely. And finally there is an atmosphere as you here sound.

What we see is Owen's perception.

It would be somewhat boring to show that "realistically". In the same way, night time scenes usually have more light than what is really around at night. This allows the audience to actually see what's going on.

• If Owen is dead, how was he able to drink the beers? When Owen was brought back he still had the chest wound from where he got shot; so how come the alcohol didn't just seep out of the wound?

Given that he could move and speak, it seems he still has muscle control, making swallowing possible. As for the wound, there is no guarantee that it pierced his food pipe or stomach, so the beer wouldn't necessarily leak out. It is later established he can't digest the beer and he has to stand on his head to expel it back out of his mouth.

Chest wound - not a hole in his stomach.

• Owen was able to fight death, because he was dead. Jack was also at the hospital, so why did Owen not get Jack, lock Tosh and the others out and both Jack and Owen fight death?

Even if Owen had thought of it, there wasn't sufficient time - nor would he necessarily have thought that Jack would be invincible to Death.

There's a difference live forever and dead forever.

• When Death begins to possess Owen during his embalming process, Cybermen schematics are clearly shown hung up on the wall. Why does Torchwood have Cybermen schematics in their autopsy room?

It has been repeatedly noted that the Doctor is not always there to defend the Earth. After the Battle of Cannary Wharf, it would be logical to keep a blueprint of the layout of the Cybermen should they begin another invasion.

• If Owen’s bodily functions have stopped (can’t digest food, can’t heal injuries, etc) why is it that a) his skin hasn’t gone pale with the lack of blood flow, and b) his body never starts decomposing?

• Martha Jones screamed on the Gauntlet. Why? She can fight back. Why did she panic when her first instinct must be to fight as all Africans must?