End of the Road (Torchwood)
Torchwood uncovers the Families' conspiracy and a null field transmitter.
"End of the Road" is the seventh installment of *Torchwood: Miracle Day*, the fourth season of the British sci-fi series *Torchwood*. It aired in the US on Starz on 26 August 2011, and in the UK on BBC One on 1 September 2011. The story centers on the Torchwood team uncovering a plot by three families to use Jack Harkness’s blood to trigger the "Miracle"—a global event that halted human death—and their efforts to keep a dangerous alien device out of CIA possession.
The team reaches the Colasanto estate, where Jack finds Angelo, his former lover, now elderly and comatose after a long life spent seeking immortality’s secrets. Angelo’s granddaughter, Olivia, reveals that the "Families"—three mob bosses who bought Jack in 1928—created the Miracle using his blood. Jack insists his immortality doesn’t work that way, but acknowledges much of his blood was taken during captivity. Angelo once tried to join the Families but was rejected due to his homosexuality. A CIA team led by Brian Friedkin captures everyone, but Rex exposes Friedkin’s treason by transmitting his gloating to superior Allen Shapiro via I-5 contact lenses. Cleared, Jack and Gwen agree to work with the CIA to find the Families, but Friedkin kills himself and Olivia with a suicide bomb. As Jack says goodbye to Angelo, alarms signal a change in Angelo's condition—but he remains comatose, not dead, and is later shown alive.
Meanwhile, Oswald asks Jilly for a prostitute, wanting something normal, but the woman rejects him, saying he’s worshipped as a celebrity but hated as a man, and will soon be a "Category 0." Jilly explains a new law will classify criminals like him as Category 0s and send them to modules. Enraged at being used by PhiCorp, Oswald attacks Jilly, but she fights back. Later, a Family representative shoots Oswald, and takes Jilly to meet the Families. Esther learns her sister wants to volunteer as a "Category 1" and, ignoring Jack’s pleas, reveals a detail about Angelo’s room. Removing floor panels uncovers a device. After Shapiro orders Gwen deported, Jack identifies it as a Null Field transmitter, interfering with the morphic field behind the Miracle. He reluctantly helps disable it for transport to CIA headquarters.
Quick Facts
- Number
- 39
- Serial Name
- End of the Road
- Show
- TW
- Cast
- John Barrowman – Captain Jack Harkness / Eve Myles – Gwen Cooper / Mekhi Phifer – Rex Matheson / Alexa Havins – Esther Drummond / Kai Owen – Rhys Williams / Bill Pullman – Oswald Danes
- Director
- Gwyneth Horder-Payton
- Writer
- Story: Ryan Scott / Teleplay: Ryan Scott & Jane Espenson
- Producer
- Kelly A. Manners
- Executive Producer
- Russell T Davies · Julie Gardner · Jane Tranter · Jane Espenson (co-executive) · Vlad Wolynetz (co-executive)
- Composer
- Murray Gold
- Production Code
- 108
- Series
- Miracle Day
- Length
- 55 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In Dallas, Oswald asks Jilly for a prostitute but only wants dinner; she rejects him, warning he will become a 'Category 0'. Oswald attacks Jilly, but she fights back. Jilly is later met by a representative of the Families, who shoots Oswald. Esther discovers a null field transmitter under Angelo's floor. Jack explains it is alien technology that interferes with the morphic field behind the Miracle, and that it likely came from the Torchwood Hub. Jack modifies the transmitter to target sound, then begs Rex and Esther to help him escape to protect the future. He takes a critical piece of the technology. An agent shoots Jack; Rex knocks the agent unconscious, and Esther drives Jack away. Gwen is on a plane leaving the US for the UK.
Reader's Guide
End of the Road is a pivotal episode in Torchwood: Miracle Day, advancing the main plot by revealing the Families' role and the nature of the Miracle. The episode answers many questions while presenting new ones, as noted by reviewers. The HD Room praised the plot progression and character moments, while Den of Geek highlighted the multiple storylines. In the UK, the episode drew 3.5 million viewers (15% share). Dan Martin observed that after weeks of similar episodes, Miracle Day finally seemed to come into its own with a tidal wave of answers, though many were nonsense. The episode sets up the conclusion of the Oswald and Jilly story arc and leaves the Torchwood team scattered, with Jack wounded and on the run, and Gwen deported. The discovery of the null field transmitter and Jack's decision to remove a critical component underscore the episode's themes of sacrifice and protecting humanity from dangerous technology.
Did You Know?
- Jack Harkness modifies the null field transmitter to target sound so he can converse secretly with Rex and Esther.
- Angelo Colasanto actually dies in the episode, unlike everyone else under the Miracle.
- The null field transmitter is alien technology that likely came from the Torchwood Hub, buried after the events of the third series.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens in End of the Road?
The Torchwood team uncovers a conspiracy by three Families to exploit Jack Harkness's blood to activate the Miracle, the event that stopped all human death. They also race to stop a dangerous alien device from being seized by the CIA.
Who is Angelo in End of the Road?
Angelo is Jack Harkness's former lover, whom the team encounters at the Colasanto estate in a comatose state after having lived a full, long life.
What is the null field transmitter in End of the Road?
It is a dangerous alien device that the Torchwood team works to keep out of CIA hands during the events of the episode.
When did End of the Road air?
The episode premiered on Starz in the US on 26 August 2011 and on BBC One in the UK on 1 September 2011.
Why is End of the Road significant in Torchwood: Miracle Day?
As the seventh episode of Season 4, it is the point where the team fully learns the scope of the Families' plot to use Jack's blood to trigger the Miracle globally.
More in Torchwood episodes 1-24
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