Countrycide ( TV story ) Countrycide was the sixth episode in the first series of " Torchwood " . It continued to push the boundaries of an after - watershed timeslot and contained strong graphic elements beyond the family - friendly archetypes of " Doctor Who " . The episode is interesting for its almost complete abandonment of science fiction al elements . It has no alien s , no display of Jack ' s superhuman abilities and no technology beyond what was reasonably available in the year the episode was broadcast . However , it doesn ' t " entirely " turn its back on its sci - fi roots , since the characters initially fear that the strange goings on in rural Wales are the result of the Cardiff Rift . Regardless , it is considered the least fantastical televised episode in the DWU since the sci - fi - lite adventure " Black Orchid " . In terms of the ongoing " Torchwood " narrative , it was important for advancing Gwen ' s burgeoning sexual fling with Owen , which evolved into a stint of cheating on her lover Rhys Williams . Of perhaps more long - lasting impact was the fact that it gave a clear indication of Tosh ' s attraction to Owen , and his diffidence towards her — a theme that would pick up steam in the latter half of series 2 and form the emotional basis of their final scene . Synopsis . Concerned that the space - time rift is spreading , Torchwood investigates a series of gruesome deaths located in a small village in the Brecon Beacons . What sort of creature could cause such shocking injuries ? Stranded without communications or equipment and isolated from one another , the team confronts a terrifying enemy . Plot . A woman is on the phone with her dad when she loses signal . She stops her car when she sees something resembling a body laid out on the road . Taking with her a baseball bat , she ventured outside to see if he ' s okay . As she nears the corpse , she realises it ' s actually a football in a hoodie . She sees a flash out of the corner of her eye , and runs back to her car . Her car ' s not starting , her car keys are gone , and her mobile ' s not working . Someone from the outside unlocks the doors , and begins to pull her out of the vehicle . She screams out of sheer terror . The Torchwood team responds to reports of 17 people missing in the same 20 - mile radius in the Brecon Beacons using the last mobile phone signal from the last disappearance as their starting point . After stopping at a rural hamburger stand , they begin to set up camp . During friendly chatter , Owen reveals that his last kiss was with Gwen , prompting the others to get more details . Owen and Gwen quickly go off to get firewood , Gwen scolding Owen for revealing the kiss , when they suddenly see two hooded figures through the tree s . They try to chase them , but instead find a corpse . As the team investigates it to determine the cause of death , they hear their SUV start and drive off without the team . Ianto tracks the vehicle to a nearby village ; Jack believes that the corpse was a lure to make them come to the village , and warns the team to be alert as they split up to investigate . Jack , Gwen and Owen search the pub and nearby homes to find two further corpses , each stripped to the carcass much like the first . Other than that , the homes are deserted , save for one young man named Kieran who accidentally shoots and wounds Gwen with a shotgun , believing " they " had come back for him . Jack tries to calm Kieran down , but the man insists the only way to protect themselves is to barricade themselves in a building . Jack orders his group to the pub to create a defensive position while Owen tends to Gwen ' s wound . They learn from Kieran more about the victims , still unsure if they are dealing with alien s from the Rift . Suddenly , though , as they discuss possibilities , the lights go out and movement comes from both outside the pub and from within the pub ' s cellar . The diversion prevents them from keeping Kieran from being dragged away , and Gwen and Owen try to follow against Jack ' s orders . Jack stays behind to interrogate Martin , the man he shot from the cellars . Gwen and Owen come across a police man named Huw , who says that he is there for the town meeting that night . The man directs the two towards one of the lit buildings in the village . Meanwhile , Toshiko and Ianto attempt to find the SUV , but are both quickly captured . They awake in a cellar full of old clothes , shoe s and a refrigerator full of human body parts ; Toshiko realises they are to be food for their captors . The cellar door opens , and a scared woman named Helen enters the room holding a shotgun to the two , learns from them of the other Torchwood members , and then tells them that she cannot help them ; she has been asked to collect the two for the " Harvest " which happens every ten years . They are taken into a kitchen filled with body parts and corpses . Toshiko quickly realises that Helen is acting , and that she and others are cannibals . A man named Evan begins to handcuff them to be prepared for butchering . Ianto headbutts Evan , allowing Toshiko to escape , pursued by Evan . Evan catches up to Toshiko and starts strangling her , but before he can choke her to death , Owen and Gwen , along with Huw , show up to stop him . Evan looks unconcerned as Huw reveals himself to be Evan ' s nephew , and the two lead the three Torchwood members back to the village at gunpoint . Just before Ianto is cut open and bled , Jack , having learned of the villager ' s intent from Martin , bursts through the building on a tractor , and disables the assembled villagers . They spare Evan ' s life to try to learn the truth : that every ten years , the village target travellers passing through the area , and butcher them . When Gwen demands to know why , Evan simply whispers to her , " ' Cause it made me happy . " which Gwen finds to be highly disturbing . The surviving villagers are taken into custody by the police . After returning to Cardiff , Gwen looks outside the windows of Owen ' s flat and thinks about how she cannot share any of her Torchwood experiences with anyone , including her boyfriend Rhys . Owen then appears behind her , and reassures Gwen that she " can " talk to " him " . They kiss in the nude , and begin a long - lasting sex ual relationship .