TW 2x12 and the canon it creates and conflicts with....

[donutsweeper]

I *liked* this episode.

But it gave me many head-scratching issues with canon.  Owen's age, for one and his years working in the field and whatnot are all wonky given he supposedly died at age 27.  But, not surprisingly, I'm going to look at the issues brought up with Jack (a lot of this I mentioned in torchwood_meta, which is an incredible comm and everyone should participate in the discussion there) but anyway:

We know Jack was killed on Ellis Island in 1892. According to Utopia "...shot through the heart, and then I woke up. Thought that was kind of strange." So we can assume that's his first death he's aware of. Therefore the first part of the flashback presented in this episode must occur after Ellis Island. It takes about three weeks to sail across the Atlantic in those days (judging from the ship manifests from 1892 which list departures and arrivals). But suddenly, he's in Cardiff, waiting by the rift for the Doctor? And had been living there (and dying there) for at least 6 months and it is still the 1890's  (we know that because Tarot Card Girl said he'd have to wait through the change of two centuries). When did he return to Wales? And why? Why would he have left in the first place? And do you really believe that Jack would be so careless to spill so many secrets around in bars that Torchwood could have overheard? The man's been a Time Agent and conman. He'd know how to keep things closer to the vest than that. And there is also the little matter of his instant believing of what Tarot Card Girl told him, wouldn't he have found the timing of her proclamation a little suspicious?

It also appears he's stayed working for TW3 the whole time since his "recruitment", but he wasn't in the WWI picture of the TW3 team that took Tommy. We've been told he fought (and died) in WWI and WWII- would the Torchwood Institute we've seen in this episode really have allowed him to leave to fight? Especially since they didn't seem to trust him- even the typed and early computer notes about him seem to imply he was barely trusted and continually spied upon.

He tells Ianto he's from the 51st century: just comes straight out and blithers on about 51st century hormones. There is also apparently a massive file (if not entire drawer of files) about him somewhere. Yet no one in "Day One" has a clue about his background.

And... apparently he's been using the name Captain Jack Harkness this whole time? That would have made the real Jack's WWII experiences a little complicated. And why would have the information about Jack's 1941 London blitz disappearance still be in the records for Gwen to find in "Everything Changes?"

We can also look at Jack's healing ability.  He comes back from the dead while still impaled by the bottle (however unlike his reanimation after being shot by Susie and Owen he does not reabsorb the blood from the bottle injury).  He does not heal instantly from Owen's punch, but does from the Weevil bite.  Inconsistencies within the same episode.  *sigh*

I'm not sure where I'm going with any of these comments, and I might add more to it later, but it's just some random canon issues I'm trying to wrap my mind around.

Comments

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

LMAO! Well, I did write crack during a class, once.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I'm so proud of you!

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Hee. I was having difficulty not laughing while writing the thing, though. It was amusing.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

drawing attention to yourself when not paying attention (in staff meetings or class) is not a good thing

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Definitely not.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

it makes the next time you're going to misbehave that much harder

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

LOL...don't I know it.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

although I'm beginning to suspect people might know our halos are crooked

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

They're certainly catching on at work.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

can you blame them?

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Well, no, considering how often I talk about Barrowman...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

you say that likes it's a bad thing...

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

It's not bad to me...but they do hear a lot about Barrowman. I bet if I used visual aids they wouldn't complain one bit.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*points to icon* here you go!

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

I should attach that to my name tag...

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I have no problems with that

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

I don't think anyone would.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

well there is your weirdo roomie...

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

True. At least I'd weed out the non-human among us.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

there is that.

does this work?

Jack was there, kneeling next to Logan. “Look at me.” Jack stroked Logan’s cheek before taking his friend’s chin in his hand. He slowly lifted Logan’s face until Logan had no choice but to look him in the eye. “You haven’t changed. Not in any way that matters.” Jack leaned over, pulling Logan into a long, deep kiss.

Logan pulled back. “Jack, I can’t ask you to...”

“To what?” Jack interrupted, grabbing onto the wheelchair before Logan could wheel himself away. “To make love to a beautiful man?”

Logan refused to meet Jack’s eye. “You know what I mean.” He slammed his fist onto his lap. “These useless legs.” When he continued his voice was barely above a whisper. “I’m broken.”

“This,” Jack gestured to the wheelchair, “this doesn’t change who you are.”

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Eeee! I love it.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Yay! Now if only I can get them out of the main room and into the bedroom....

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

*prods them*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

adding to the last paragraph...

“This,” Jack gestured to the wheelchair, “this doesn’t change who you are.” His fingers danced over Logan’s chest, tweaking a nipple through the shirt. “You’re still one hell of a sexy man, Logan Cale, don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. And if things are a little different in the bedroom now?” Jack shrugged. “I have no problem with that.”

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Hee. I can't see Jack having a problem with anything in the bedroom.