'Torchwood' week: The team's most pivotal moments

In preparation of the premiere of "Torchwood: Miracle Day," we continue "Torchwood" week with a discussion of the team's most pivotal moments.

These are the scenes that have defined the characters or the team as a whole. These will help newcomers discover important backstory and remind fans why they love the show so much.

"Everything Changes"

The death of Suzie

Suzie Costello is a member of the team who becomes too immersed in the alien world. Her death prompted Jack to invite Gwen to join the team. Her presence continued to loom large over Torchwood, as she returned in the episode "They Keep Killing Suzie." She represented the first major loss of the new Torchwood and reminded them of the internal dangers of their job.



"Kiss Kiss Bang Bang"

The appearance of Captain John Hart

As a time traveler, Jack is always the smartest person in the room. When his former partner, Captain John Hart, shows up, it presents Jack with a nemesis who can finally challenge him. John's appearance also reveals a little more about Jack's past. Plus it doesn't hurt that John is played by James Marsters.



"Adam"

The team shares its darkest secrets

When an alien changes the team's memories, they must each share a defining moment from their lives to fix things. This scene reveals that even though they work together and spend nearly all their time together, there's still things they don't know about one another.



"Reset"

Martha Jones joins Torchwood

Martha reappears to help out on a case and she and Jack reconnect about the events of "Doctor Who's" season three finale. It's a great reminder of the show's roots and how the universes are always connected.



"Exit Wounds"
Tosh and Owen die

It's arguably the most heartbreaking scene in "Torchwood" history. After a battle with Jack's unstable brother, Tosh and Owen sacrifice themselves saving the city. They were the couple that belonged together, but kept just missing each other. The moment is made even more devastating by the fact that Naoko Mori and John Barrowman have been friends for years. Just watch the look that Jack and Tosh share.





"Children of Earth"
Ianto dies

This is the most controversial scene in "Torchwood" history. While most fans were completely gutted over Ianto's death, it's worth noting that it does serve a purpose. It raises the stakes of how heartbreaking Jack's life is. He's so good at being the swashbuckling hero, it's easy to forget how painful it must be to constantly lose loved ones.



Jack sacrifices his grandson

Following Ianto's death, it becomes clear the only way to defeat the 456, is to use their own methods against them. Unfortunately, that means using a child to send a message and this will likely kill the child. The only child around is Jack's grandson, so he must sacrifice him to save the world.



There wasn't enough space to discuss every great "Torchwood" moment, but this small sampling of the emotional ups and downs of the show will help new viewers understand why Jack and Gwen are so broken.

Next time: Everything you ever wanted to know about Captain Jack Harkness.