Joanna Carew Joanna Carew was the founder and M . D . of First Valley Computing . She was in her eighties when she was diagnosed with a terminal heart disease , but was granted more time to live through the intervention of an entity lurking in outer space , a nameless individual deemed Fitzroy by those who encountered him , in exchange that she would do his bidding . Her actions kept her alive for a few more weeks , but she ultimately caused her own death by trying to enact Fitzroy ' s visions . Biography . Joanna had spent a long period of her life directing First Valley Computing as a successful leader . However , when she reached old age , she found it harder to find the energy for her duties at work . Her unusual exhaustion led her to seek out help from doctor s , who discovered her failing heart and gave her little time to live . As her disease progressed , Carew grew weaker and had to leave her position of authority . Joanna remained at home tended to by her niece in lieu of a hospital , which would be of no use at the knowledge doctors could not save her from dying . She knew it put a burden on her niece to care for her when she had children of her own . Carew felt like a child now that she was unable to do anything for herself . Because of this , she checked herself into Ivyday Nursing Home at her own behest to receive 24 - hour care . When Carew ' s condition hit its lowest point , she lacked the energy to even read , and instead spent her days listening to radio broadcasts late into the night . It was during these broadcasts that Fitzroy first contacted her over the radio , along with several other residents of Ivyday . He promised to rescue her from death under the terms that she helped him settle on the Earth . In order to do this , Carew and the residents who Fitzroy restored from near - death began a plot to revert Earth ' s technology back to the Dark Ages to remove the electrical interference blocking Fitzroy from emerging onto the planet . Those that refused , such as Rhys Williams ' s uncle Bryn Williams , had what life was left taken from them . Unwilling to die , she accepted the restoration of her health . Carew resumed her post at First Valley and secretly began working on a virus to sabotage power stations on a worldwide level . This would disable all technology connected to the stations and allow Fitzroy clearance onto Earth . Responding to the power failures occurring as the virus was tested , Torchwood Three began working to resolve the issues , leading officer Gwen Cooper to investigate Carew personally . She approached the woman during a midday jog hazily posing as a journalist and enticed Carew to take them to her workplace for further answers . However , Carew quickly saw through the subterfuge and Gwen revealed her connections to Torchwood . Miss Carew grew annoyed with Gwen ' s prodding and sent her away at the threat of security throwing her out of the building . Gwen returned later that night and broke back into the facility , where she found Carew at work on the virus in privacy . Carew was now sick of her intrusions and used her own strength to wrestle Gwen into submission , then tied her up and held her captive . Rhys , noticing Gwen ' s unusually long abscence from home , checked her internet history and concluded she would be investigating First Valley . He arrived at the building , found Gwen , and released her , while Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones tracked down Fitzroy ' s communications from an antique radio . After learning about Fitzroy ' s plan , they met up with Gwen and Rhys at First Valley . As Fitzroy directed , Carew climbed to the transmission tower of her building , where she would affix a transmitter to broadcast the virus . Gwen tried to climb up after Carew , which distracted her and caused the elderly woman to fall . She dropped to the ground , suffering fatal injuries . Faintly conscious , Carew remarked she felt she was in a trance for the past few weeks , and it was futile to fight death , as it was a fight no one wins . Gwen tried to comfort the woman in her final moments and keep her from slipping away , but Carew died quietly where she had landed . Fitzroy ceased communications on Earth , having been thwarted by Torchwood , but Jack predicted he would return and try to settle down again . ( AUDIO : " The Devil and Miss Carew " ) Personality . Joanna was a reserved woman who did not like to speak about her past . She had outlived all of her lifelong friends and saw growing old as an unpleasant experience . She also preferred to be addressed as " Miss Carew " rather than her personal name . She liked being able to run First Valley Computing , but the tedium of business meetings began to wear on her as she grew ill . After having her life force replenished , Joanna was quick to make sure she remained fit and began vigorous exercise . She loathed to be patronised , one of the reasons she admitted herself into a nursing facility . Joanna regretted being conscripted by Fitzroy . She considered it like selling her soul to the Devil , but since he had saved her life , she was obligated to serve him . After receiving new life from Fitzroy , Carew gained incredible strength . She was able to overpower Gwen in a scuffle , causing her to quip that Carew was like a " Supergran " . More prominently than anything , she dreaded death , making her feel helpless . However , when the time came for her to die , she made her peace and accepted it as a necessity . ( AUDIO : " The Devil and Miss Carew " )