The Gathering ( TV story ) The Gathering was the ninth episode of " " . It advanced the story 2 months from the previous episode and presented an apocalyptic scenario as the economies of the world collapsed as a result of the Miracle Day phenomena . The Cooper family went out of their way to protect Geraint from being discovered and taken to the ovens for Category 1 disposal . Torchwood also had a direct interrogation with Oswald Danes , who attracted their wrath , but willingly approached them and gave them leads to Jilly Kitzinger ' s involvement with the Three Families . At the same time , Rex Matheson quickly worked to pinpoint the origins of the Miracle , not aware that a Family agent , Charlotte Wills , was manipulating the CIA toward defeat . Finally , a great revelation concerning the Blessing was made . This story was a landmark moment for former executive producer of " Doctor Who " , Russell T Davies , who had his very first in - universe role in a " Doctor Who " - related production , though a small one . His voice can be heard in the opening moments of the episode as a radio announcer , an easter egg for the viewing audience . Synopsis . The culprits of the Miracle are now known : The Three Families . Two months later , the world has further devolved into chaos , with everyone no longer caring about anyone other than themselves . The Category Ones are no longer a concern , with them all being burned without a care . At the same time , Torchwood continues looking into The Blessing , while Rex and the CIA look into finding a lead to the identities of the Three Families ' members . Plot . Two months have elapsed . Back at CIA headquarters , Rex is making progress trying to track down the Three Families . References to them are few and far between but he soon begins to think that there is a mole in the CIA . After her deportation back to the UK , Gwen has been working at keeping her father hidden from the government agents responsible for rounding up all Category 1 ' s . She has taken to stealing drug supplies from the local pharmacies , knowing she is being watched . Her and Rhys ensure others in the neighbourhood are able to use the pain killers to help their loved ones too . Esther and Jack are hiding in Scotland while he recovers from his gunshot wound . Esther remarks on how they should go even further north , suspecting the local local butcher is becoming suspicious of why she keeps needing blood . Jack remarks how Esther has hardened over the past two months . Esther puts a bag of Jack ' s blood in a freezer filled with other bags of his blood . Jack claims his blood is not what makes him immortal but Esther insists on storing it anyway . Meanwhile , Rex is back working for the CIA , doing everything he can on the inside to uncover the families bloodline . He learns from his superior , Shapiro , that cancer cells have become mortal , so he has resumed his old smoking habit since the risk of death has dropped dramatically . Eventually , he finds an old tale about a man who can ' t die . He theorises the man we inspired by seeing Jack die and that a family member was later killed . He informs the staff , who confirm the knife is still in the archives , meaning they can trace the blood on the knife to find the family ' s roots . Charlotte Wills offers to take the lead , which Rex agrees to . However , she comes back to Rex and Shapiro with no match . However , Rex is not ready to give up on it and insists Charlotte let him look into it on his own , which she hesitantly accepts . At home , the police do a surprise search on Gwen ' s house , looking for his father . Gwen feigns her father was taken and burned , with them unable to say goodbye . Despite their efforts , the police check the basement . However , because of Rhys creating a separate room , the police conclude Gerraint is not present and leave , the investigator insisting they will return . Oswald Danes , also on the run , eventually locates Gwen ' s home . He sneaks in as a delivery man . Gwen initially does not recognise him until her picks up Anwen . She takes her daughter back as Oswald rambles about why he is there . Enraged , Gwen attacks him with a frying pan . Rhys stops her , despite realising who Oswald is . Gwen goes to strike again but Rhys stops her , citing she can ' t go to jail for murder . Oswald thanks him but Rhys reveals he will kill him instead , rounding on him , daring Oswald to explain why he there before he tells everyone where he is . Oswald says he needs Jack Harkness . He reveals he knows Jack came to her weeks earlier , Gwen helping secure him and Esther in Scotland . Understanding such , Gwen covertly informs Jack , who drives down . A man across the street notes Gwen ' s activity . Gwen phones him , confusing the man . Jack appears behind him , holding him at gunpoint . He reveals they have met before and offers him a choice : take retcon and forget meeting Jack , or be shot and left a Category 1 . The man chooses the latter , soon falling unconscious . Jack pauses the man ' s surveillance before he and Esther enter Jack ' s house . Rex also connects with them via their laptop . Collectively , they soon discover a connection in two places , Shanghai and Buenos Aires , and set out to find the source of the Blessing . Jilly Kitzinger is already in Shangai , having been drawn into the secret families . With the help of Oswald and Rhys , Jack and Esther figure out that Jilly is being used to mistranslate news clips from before the Miracle regarding the destruction of blood banks , with Rex confirming the translations have been altered to change the meaning entirely . They changed a patient ' s line from " The Blessing saved my life " to " it is a blessing my life was saved " . As such , they deduce the families and the Blessing are in both Shanghai and Buenos Aires where Rex has tracked the possible location of a man who was in the cellar in 1928 when Jack was repeatedly killed . The man in Shanghai , who died before the Miracle after burning down the blood bank but not before living for awhile , is shown to have said that " the Blessing saved me " which causes them to realise its there but leaves them confused about why the one in Buenos Aires was blown up . However , their conversation is interrupted by the police barging in again , the investigator revealing they have brought heat sensors this time to ensure they don ' t miss anything . Jack briefly considers handing Oswald Danes to the police as a distraction but Danes protests Jack would be arrested as well for knowing him . Eventually , the police discover Gwen ' s dad in the basement and take him away despite Gwen and her mother ' s protests . The incident fuels Gwen ' s desire to combat the families even more . Rhys realises that the two cities are antipodes , exact opposites of the world and that the Blessing must run between them . Rex informs Shapiro he must go rogue on the mission to find the Families himself because he suspects there is a mole in the CIA . Shapiro reluctantly agrees , telling Rex to get in touch should he need anything . Splitting up , Esther , carrying her stockpile of Jack ' s blood , travels to Buenos Aires and meets up with Rex while Gwen , Jack and Oswald travel to Shanghai using old Torchwood connections after Gwen ' s father is taken away again . In Shanghai , the group discovers that Jack ' s blood is being mysteriously drawn from his wound into the ground , implying a connection between Jack ' s blood and the Blessing . 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 .