January 27, 2020
Time Agent. Torchwood Leader. Poster boy for the Boeshane Peninsula. Over his (very) long life, Captain Jack Harkness has been many things. And now he’s back in the Doctor’s life, and he’s keen to meet this very different Doctor! But where to start?
Here’s a breakdown of the highlights of Captain Jack’s time with the Doctor, missing out on a flirtation or two!
1. An explosive entrance (and almost exit!)
The Captain first met the Doctor and Rose Tyler in the middle of the London Blitz – right in the middle! On an invisible spaceship by Big Ben, Captain Jack and Rose waltzed, and later the Doctor danced! Together the three of them were able to save the world from being converted into re-animated gas mask figures.
2. Joining Team TARDIS
After almost blowing up his ship in order to save the world in World War Two, Captain Jack hitched a ride with the Doctor and Rose and continued travelling with the two for many more adventures… including fighting rebellious Slitheen trapped in Cardiff!
3. Saving the universe from the Daleks
Jack even helped the Doctor defeat the Daleks in the year 200,100! With the Daleks plotting to use television to take over the human race, Jack helped make one final stand against the Doctor’s nefarious foes, even though facing them meant certain death…
4. Coming back to life
Or was it? It turns out he was saved by Rose Tyler! In order to save her friends, Rose broke into the TARDIS’s console and absorbed the Time Vortex, gaining a colossal amount of power. Enough to bring Captain Jack back from the dead… permanently!
5. Leading Torchwood
Waiting for the Doctor can take a whole lifetime… and even longer when you’re immortal. Knowing that the Doctor would eventually come to Cardiff to recharge the TARDIS, Jack waited there for a grand reunion. But what else to do whilst you wait? An organisation of the British government named Torchwood took attention in Captain Jack, and after one hundred years he became head of Torchwood.
6. Tagging onto the TARDIS for a ride
The Doctor did eventually return to Cardiff, with a very different body. Captain Jack hitched a ride, literally, on the side of the TARDIS, propelling it into the far, far future, a trillion of years from our time. Thank goodness he did, because the Doctor and new companion Martha Jones would need his help in the Doctor’s darkest hour…
7. Defeating the Master
After evading the Time War in the far-flung future, the Master returned to present time in the Doctor’s TARDIS to seize control of the Earth in disguise as prime minister Harold Saxon. Captain Jack helped Martha and the Doctor bring the universe back to the correct timeline and defeat the Toclafane, the remnants of humanity’s future.
We also learnt that Captain Jack would live for a long, long time, and would meet the Doctor again in New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York, as the Face of Boe! More on that later…
8. Saving the universe with the Doctor’s family
Captain Jack faced the Daleks again… and this time, he needed some assistance! In order to avert disaster, all of the Doctor’s friends grouped together to save the universe. They even got to fly the TARDIS together and towed Earth back to the Milky Way… talk about a family reunion!
9. Coming back into the Doctor’s life
Captain Jack is now back! And this time he has an important message for the Doctor - if only he can get her. He’s met Graham, Ryan and Yaz, and who knows? He may cross paths with the Doctor once again…
10. Giving his all to save New New Earth
We know that Jack’s story eventually has an end. In the year 5,000,000,000,000, Jack has lived through millions of lifetimes, becoming the Face of Boe. He used the last of his life energy to free the future humans trapped in the underground motorways of New New Earth and to show them the light, and to pass on another message to the Doctor… “You are not alone.”
Want to re-live all those moments from the lives of Captain Jack Harkness? You can watch them all here!
See Captain Jack in action in Doctor Who: Fugitive of the Judoon now.