The Three Families The Three Families ( also known as the Families ) were a powerful organisation derived from three different families : Frines , Costerdane , and Ablemarch . They systematically manipulated the human race over the 20th century for their own purposes . It was believed that one family was centred on politics , one had entered into the economic world and the other had gone into media . ( TV : " The Gathering " ) According to Jack Harkness , the Families were actually being controlled by the Committee , a group of aliens from the planet Erebus . ( AUDIO : " Forgotten Lives " ) History . In 1928 , Little Italy , men belonging to the Ablemarch , Costerdane , and Frines families purchased the immortal Jack Harkness and took samples of his blood . He later escaped their custody , thanks to the man who had first kidnapped him , Angelo Colasanto . ( TV : " Immortal Sins " ) Colasanto ' s granddaughter Olivia Colasanto later stated the families refused to work with Colasanto because of his homosexual relationship with Harkness . Despite this , he would keep a close eye on the families and Harkness throughout his life , up until he slipped into a permanent coma . ( TV : " End of the Road " ) Through the 20th Century , the Families would remain hidden , but would manipulate events on a global scale . Their influence was so large that they altered and erased data on a global scale . All factual reference to the families disappeared . ( TV : " End of the Road " ) In 1998 , when technology had developed so numerous records could be analysed quickly , they found people living within a two - mile radius of the Blessing in Shanghai lived the exact average lifespan of the rest of the world . The Families discovered and gained control of the Blessing , a secondary pole running through the centre of the Earth , connecting Shanghai to Buenos Aires . ( TV : " The Middle Men " , " End of the Road " , " The Blood Line " ) In 2007 , a family agent kidnapped Jack Harkness and took him to Chernobyl , testing his immortality several times along the way . The agent removed a significant quantity of Jack ' s blood before the appearance of Gwen Cooper allowed Jack to kill the agent . The Families subsequently used retcon gas to erase Jack and Gwen ' s memories of the experience . ( WC : " Web of Lies " ) Having discovered the Blessing , the Families set about planning to cause and control what would come to be known as the Miracle , stopping people from dying over the entire planet . They caused the Miracle in 2011 by simultaneously putting Harkness ' immortal blood into both ends of the Blessing . This was only the beginning however ; they planned to use their influence and wealth to control the human race . The same day , they sent an email to the Central Intelligence Agency consisting of just one word : " Torchwood " . Harkness erased all records of the Torchwood Institute and all of its living members to protect Gwen Cooper . ( TV : " The New World " ) Through PhiCorp , they employed Jilly Kitzinger to tell history the way the Families wanted . In September of that year , they intended to seal the Blessing by collapsing the caves at each end , stopping anyone from interfering with it again and rendering the Miracle permanent . This was interrupted by members of Torchwood . After a standoff , Harkness and Rex Matheson released Harkness ' blood ( now mortal due to the Miracle ) into the Blessing again , reversing its effects . The " Mother " of the Families was subsequently killed by Oswald Danes , who blew up himself and the Shanghai complex while holding onto her , in Buenos Aires Rex Matheson killed the " Cousin " by throwing him down into the Blessing . The Families didn ' t see this as a defeat , more as a trial run ; they had a Plan B . ( TV : " The Blood Line " ) Before Miracle Day , their plot was discovered by conspiracy theorist Miles Mokri . Miles ' best friend Nick was an agent to a rival group to the Families who wished to snatch the key to the Miracle from the Families so that his own group could get the power the Families had . Using clues left by Miles , Holly Mokri found the key to the Miracle : vats of Jack ' s blood stored on Comey Island by the Families in case the Miracle was negated . With the vats of blood , the Families could restart the Miracle if something happened . The blood was destroyed by Holly which prevented the Families from ever using it in the future . ( WC : " Web of Lies " ) Influence . The Families were able to operate without the PhiCorp CEO , Stuart Owens , learning of their existence . His own attempts to discover who was manipulating his company were largely fruitless . The family had high - ranking moles in many organisations , including at least three within the Central Intelligence Agency . ( TV : " The New World " , " End of the Road " ) Members and employees . The Three Families originated from Frines , Costerdane and Ablemarch . ( TV : " Immortal Sins " ) During the outbreak of the Miracle , key members of the Family included The Cousin and The Mother ( TV : " Escape to LA " , " The Gathering " ) Other members during this included : Brian Friedkin ( TV : " Rendition " ) , the Gentleman ( TV : " Escape to LA " ) , the Blue - eyed man ( TV : " The Categories of Life " ) , the Young Man ( TV : " The Gathering " ) and Charlotte Wills . ( TV : " The New World " , " The Blood Line " ) During the events of the Miracle , the Families recruited Jilly Kitzinger , who was later asked to participate in their " Plan B " . ( TV : " End of the Road " , " The Blood Line " )