Ianto again

[beccaelizabeth]

If I had more brain cells working I'd drabble this, but: Ianto in 1-04, revelation of background, that he was in Torchwood Tower when the Cybermen took it, that he found Lisa and got her out.
I've read people being awed at the mad skillz demonstrated, wondering how he evaded the cybermen, writing nifty adventure stories where he struggles through the battlefield to reach her.

When the Cybermen take humans to be upgraded, they stand them in lines and make them wait their turn.

Isn't it most logical that when they took Lisa, Ianto was standing right behind her?

Comments

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

That certainly sounds likely to me. I think he was just very, very lucky in the timing - they got to her, they didn't get to him.

Very like Yvonne and Jackie Tyler, standing next to each other - Yvonne was transformed, Jackie escaped.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods*
exactly who I was thinking on

though I doubt he'd agree about the 'lucky' part sometimes

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Ianto probably wouldn't always agree about the 'lucky', but given that he gets to sleep with Jack... I'd call him 'lucky' on more than one count!

I would add that even so, I find his actions with regard to the Cybermen and Lisa to be heroic.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods*

[louiex.livejournal.com]

That's obscenely tragic then, to have to not only know that this was happening but to potentially watch. Its been a long time in my scurrying through fandoms to find canon-hints for a character to be put through SO much SO young by comparison to those around him.

Now I'm not going to be able to get that image out of my head o.o

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

Yeah, now I'm going to be picturing that too (must go find something else to replace it). Sometimes I wonder if the writers drew straws to see which character would be the designated hurt person.

What impresses me is that he keeps it together about 99% of the time - I can think of four times he's been visibly upset (Lisa, cannibals, dead Jack's coat, shooting Owen). Each time, he does what he can and goes on. I'd be in a home.

[louiex.livejournal.com]

I know! It worries me that all this internalization is either going to kill him young or drive him crazy. I remember the first reactions to Cyberwoman were a lot of people thought he was over acting the drama of it (GDL I guess more than Ianto) but its like you said, we only see him crack in these few moments and its like the flood gates have blasted open a little window to peek into all this hurt that suits and coffee have been covering up. Personally, I thought it wasn't fair to call it too much as its the first we've seen beyond him being the humanoid coffeemaker and filing system.

By far? My favorite character on TW (Jack not counting because everyone loves Jack :D) because there's just SO much to work with even within the lines of canon. And I have to agree with the drawn straws, he gets an awful lot of that short stick, doesn't he?

[beccaelizabeth]

I didn't like it being called over acting because really, unless they go into total catatonic shock, really upset people can and probably will be a very miserable wreck looooong before the kind of only on TV stresses Ianto got.

[louiex.livejournal.com]

Seriously, I can only think the reason would be for that response is the cool/calm background Ianto to the very emotional and wracked with a-survivor's guilt (most likely) and b-post traumatic stress disorder (while caught up in this fractured fairy tale of trying to save Lisa) was too big of a leap without any gradual lead up.

But then again, that was the whole point of him hiding everything about himself.

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

I hated when people said that he was being too emotional - I challenge them, have your boss hold a gun on you and tell you to kill your girlfriend, and then have the boss kill HER, and I think you'd be more than a little sniffy.

People like these James Bond type heros who never show much emotion - I like TW because when they get upset, they GET UPSET. They yell awful things at each other, they cry and eat pizza, they go out and do something dumb (Weevil Fight Club). That's more like the people I know.

[louiex.livejournal.com]

I know, not everyone is a terminator. Even Jack got rather emotional in Cyberwoman and he was the one holding the gun! TW does have that grand human element where they're not perfect and most of the stuff they deal with was usually started by their own mistakes.

I still want to know the canon a-to-b set up of how it went from leaving him in the basement a wreck to coming in the next day to get the nod of begrudging forgiveness from Jack. Lord I love this show but their vagueness is going to be the death of me!

[beccaelizabeth]

one way of generating plot: "What's the worst thing I can do to him now"
... Ianto is apparently a great plot generator

[louiex.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I think Chibnall has this love/hate for Ianto :D Puts in these random kisses for him but he's got to suffer first to get to those moments.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods*

I need a 'needs a hug' icon for Ianto

[darthhellokitty.livejournal.com]

:-)

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Er. I'm currently writing a Ianto-at-Torchwood-One story, and that idea makes a lot of sense. Do you mind if I use that idea? I'll happily credit you as inspiration.

[beccaelizabeth]

Feel free. Like I said, it seems the sensible interpretation to me. I've got no monopoly on logic :-)

[crystalshard.livejournal.com]

Great, thanks :)

[randomalia.livejournal.com]

I think you're exactly right. It seems likely he was able to take advantage of the timing when all the conversions were interrupted thanks to the Doctor and co. So I suppose he would have been next, if not for them.

[beccaelizabeth]

*nods*

[faded-memories.livejournal.com]

I've read people being awed at the mad skillz demonstrated, wondering how he evaded the cybermen, writing nifty adventure stories where he struggles through the battlefield to reach her.

Care to rec any of these adventure stories? Because I'd be interested in reading them, even though you've got a very good point about the line. That makes me want to write fic.

[beccaelizabeth]

I, er, may have been being sarcastic about the 'nifty' part.
I was mostly thinking of throwaway paragraphs of background in Jack/Ianto porn, and nothing specific or particular.
no good at recs, stories mulch together in my head.

[faded-memories.livejournal.com]

I, er, may have been being sarcastic about the 'nifty' part.

That's okay, because my first thought was, "Uh, what fics is she reading?" to which aerynvala replied, "Demand answers." :D

I was mostly thinking of throwaway paragraphs of background in Jack/Ianto porn, and nothing specific or particular.

It's very sad that I have no problems believing that people would write stuff like that (huge stuff that needs explaining, and retelling, and actual emotional connections) in a fic that's really only meant to showcase the porn. :_(