Rendition ( TV story ) Rendition ( sometimes called Renditions ) was the second episode of the fourth series of " Torchwood " . It demonstrated that Jack had lost his immortality , and showed that there were other forces at work , trying to prevent him and Gwen from investigating the Miracle . The Miracle is also researched to learn just how much humanity is affected . Though no - one can die , even when dismembered , they will still age . Worse , people that should die from diseases will serve as incubators for virus , allowing them to grow stronger . Eventually , this will drain the world of all it ' s medicine , leading to total Hell on earth . Synopsis . Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper travel to America by plane . Rhys Williams is left behind in England . Jack is poison ed en route , while Esther Drummond discovers more about Torchwood Three and those seeking to stop her . Vera Juarez attends a conference and learns there will be even more ways for the human race to run itself to painful extinction . Oswald Danes appears to a national audience , winning , of all things , sympathy . Plot . Rex and his security escort arrive Heathrow Airport with Jack and Gwen , finding fellow CIA agent Lyn Peterfield has been sent to help him , much to his annoyance . She tells him that they had better hurry up as both the Brittan and the U . S . are asking questions about this . They police force Gwen and Jack towards the plane , with Jack telling Gwen not to resist as it will only amuse Rex . Rex has also taken Jack ' s vortex manipulator . However , Rex stops Rhys from boarding the plane , explaining that only members of Torchwood , Rex orders him to be taken back to Wales with Anwen . Rhys tries lying that he ' s a secret member , but is not believed , being taken to the van with Anwen . Gwen yells threats and swears at Rex and Lyn , telling her family that she will be back . Oswald Danes , newly released convicted rapist and murderer , is interviewed on TV . Before the interview , Oswald takes most of the food for the people at the station , to a female production assistant ' s disgust . She tells him that she wants him to die . On the air , he is questioned about the kind of person he is . At one point , he is shown a picture of Susie Cabina , his victim . Asked what he would say to Susie ' s mother if she ' s watching , Oswald is stunned , but mumbles something . When asked to repeat himself , Oswald says that he ' s sorry for what he did , breaking down into a sobbing fit as he apologises for the person he is . Esther and other CIA agents watch on the TV . Charlotte Wills notes that she ' s not buying the act . However , Esther tells her that they should have some sympathy as the Miracle has only made life harder for people like him . Oswald and a police officer enter a lift . Jilly Kitzinger congratulates him on his performance , certain he was acting . Jilly offers her card , but Oswald makes a point of tearing it up outside the lift after he had received news of another interview . Jilly , still trying to win Oswald over , explains if Satan walked the earth , he would need representation . However , Danes counters , by saying if Satan DID walk the earth , " He would truly be working in PR . " On the plane , Gwen and Jack catch up ; she ' s angry that he took so long , thus putting Anwen in danger . However , Jack easily counters most of her angry comments by asking , " Did you miss me ? " ; she does . Gwen then goes on to say that she thought the next time they met would be like a fairy tale ; she ' d be an old woman and he ' d still be the same . Rex interrupts them , asking what Jack ' s vortex manipulator is . Not answering , Jack asks if anyone is investigating morphic field s , going on to explain the basics of it . He then decides to make fun of Rex , pointing out that the beeping coming from his manipulator means he has low sodium levels and needs salt . Rex calls Dr Vera Juarez , who confirms this diagnosis ; Rex asks for salty Pretzel s . Dr Juarez attends a conference in Washington , D . C . She learns the scope of the problems that the Miracle is causing . People still age and can be critically injured ; a fellow doctor compares it to the Greek story of Tithonus . She overhears that skin cells will continue to grow as old cells die and the Miracle is species - specific to human s . Germs will become resistant to medicine as they have an eternity to feed on bodies and grow stronger . Vera also learns food and medical supplies will drop rapidly and the ever growing population could become a big problem . Meanwhile , Esther talks to Brian Friedkin about the malware ( unable to remember that Jack released it to keep Gwen safe ) , saying she wants to follow up on it as investigating unusual programs are kind of her passion ; she mentions that she also works closely with Rex , when prompted by Friedkin . After she leaves , Friedkin examines Esther ' s file to see if she is valuable or expendable . Receiving an e - mail from Lyn - " investigate morphic fields ? " - Friedkin pulls out a red phone and texts the message . A single word comes back - " Remove " . He e - mails the message to Lyn . On the plane , Jack asks for a Coke . Saying that she ' ll supervise , Lyn heads after one of the flight attendants , Danny ; she tells him to ask Rex what he wants , giving herself an opening to slip arsenic into Jack ' s drink . Danny tells her that Rex has had too many pain killers to want a drink ; she hands him the Coke for Jack and cup of water for Gwen . Jack and Gwen talk about what she was up to ; she planned on planting roses . Once Jack drinks his poison , Lyn smiles to herself . Moments later , Jack gets up , noting he doesn ' t feel well . Rex takes him to the bathroom , where he begins vomiting repeatedly . Mocking him , Rex hopes Jack isn ' t airsick as it would be ironic , given he dresses like a pilot . Jack sees his reflection , reminding Rex that he told him that somebody has been trying to eliminate the moment the Miracle began . Rex is amused , wondering if that means food poisoning ; Jack counters any disease could kill him as his body has not developed any immunities to anything given his immortality meant he never needed it . Rex quips Jack ' s immortality has left him a hypochondriac Back at the CIA , Esther discovers Rex ' s account has been deleted from the CIA database after she sees agents she doesn ' t know in Rex ' s office , altering his computer . At her station , Esther discovers that her own password no longer works ; she receives a call from her bank , asking about investment options . To her horror , Esther discovers she ' s received a lot of money from a Chinese bank account , framing her as a double agent . She steals Charlotte Wills ' ID and car keys , fleeing the building ; she sets up false leads to buy herself time . Upon reaching the exit of the parking garage , she sweet - talks the guard into letting her pass . On board the plane , Danny informs Gwen and Jack that there wasn ' t enough time at Heathrow for a handover of medicine . Gwen points out that Danny gave Jack a drink , and now he ' s feeling ill ; however , she then realises that Lyn went to supervise him , finding the idea someone needs to be supervised pouring a drink ridiculous . When Lyn points out Gwen ' s blaming everyone now , Gwen retorts " It ' s either you or the big , gay steward ; so my money ' s on you . " Danny insists that he ' s not gay . Rex asks for Lyn ' s purse , but she refuses ; he takes it by force and finds a bag of pills . Gwen points out she was right , but Lyn says it ' s medicine , Gwen and Rex try having Lyn take one to prove it isn ' t poison ; she admits it ' s indeed poison , but she runs a lot of agents who would sometimes need poison . When asked what she gave Jack , Lyn remains silent ; Rex handcuffs her to her seat . Jack asks for the pills , identifying each one and asking for his symptoms . Realising he ' s been given Arsenic , Jack mentions a Slovenia n boyfriend of his that took some for better skin ; Rex is confused by this as such a habit only happened in the 1800s . Rex calls Vera at the conference , convincing her that Jack is the only mortal man left in the world and he ' s in danger of dying from arsenic and the only things they have to work with are chemicals on a plane . The group comes up with a plan to save Jack : improvised EDTA . When they attempt to inject Jack with the antidote , Lyn breaks frees of her cuffs and kicks the syringe away . Gwen confronts Lyn , who insults her by calling her English ; Gwen proudly declares she is Welsh then punches Lyn out cold and injects Jack with the EDTA , causing him pain at the cost of curing him . A relieved Rex handcuffs Gwen again . Jack , Gwen , Rex and Lyn arrive at Dulles , Esther has been trying to contact Rex . She tells him about his office and her account . Having been given a key by one of the corrupt agents Friedkin sent , Lyn slowly unlocks her handcuffs . Rex notices via a text message that he has also been " bribed " , and received even more money than Esther . Thinking on his feet , he babbles an excuse from the 456 amendments , which supposedly enforce him to remove Jack and Gwen ' s handcuffs , basing it on one important principle . Confused , Gwen asks what he means . Rex replies : " bullshit " , promptly striking one guard in the face - the three fight off the agents . Still distrustful , Gwen and Jack race off . Rex goes to follow but is surprised by Lyn , who beats him to the floor . He recovers , snapping her neck . Vera and Esther arrive in cars outside the airport . Rex regroups with Jack and Gwen , informing them they need him since they are trapped in America now . The three exit the airport and get into Esther ' s car . Vera drives off . Lyn , with a twisted neck , stumbles in front of their car , surviving because of the Miracle . She tries to harm them , but falls over , making Vera run over to assist her . The four drive off . Panicking , Esther wonders what ' s happening . Calmly , Gwen says , " Welcome to Torchwood . " Story notes . Filming locations . " to be added " Home video releases . This episode was released worldwide in a box set containing all ten episodes of " Torchwood : Miracle Day " . In the United Kingdom , it was released on Region 2 DVD and Region Free Blu - ray on 14 November 2011 . In Australia , it was released in Region 4 DVD and Region B Blu - Ray on 1 December 2011 . In New Zealand , the same sets were released on 7 December 2011 . In North America , it was released on Region 1 DVD and Region Free Blu - Ray on 3 April 2012 .