| Ianto Jones | |
|---|---|
| Torchwood character | |
 | |
| First appearance | "Everything Changes" (2006) |
| Last appearance | Children of Earth: "Day Four" (2009) |
| Portrayed by | Gareth David-Lloyd |
| Shared universe appearances | Doctor Who (2008) |
| In-universe information | |
| Affiliation | Torchwood Institute |
| Home era | Early 21st century |
Ianto Jones is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who, played by Welsh actor Gareth David-Lloyd. A regular within the show, Ianto appears in every episode of the programme's first three series excluding the finale of series 3, as well as two crossover episodes of Torchwood's parent show, Doctor Who. Additionally, Ianto appears in Expanded Universe material such as the Torchwood novels and audiobooks, comic books and radio plays. Within the narrative of the series, Ianto begins as general support officer for Torchwood Three, a team of alien hunters stationed in Cardiff, and develops into an active field agent. Initially the regular character with the least screen time, Ianto's role expanded in response to growing cult appeal.
Reserved and efficient, Ianto was often used by writers to add humorous asides to the episodes' scripts. The character becomes the main romantic interest of Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), who is the lead male of the series. Established to have had heterosexual relationships prior to the series, Ianto's story forms a part of the show's ongoing exploration of human sexuality. Expanded Universe material develops on Ianto's sexual orientation and the nature of the relationship with Jack, describing Ianto as bisexual and his feelings for Jack as genuine love. Additionally, writers have used these other media to explore Ianto's characterisation; for example, some stories elaborate on Ianto's backstory, or provide insight into his feelings.
Beginning as a casual relationship, with little on-screen definition given, Ianto and Jack's relationship deepened over the first three seasons of the programme. The character's creator Russell T Davies chose to kill off Ianto in the third television series. Professional critics by and large gave the story extremely positive reviews. A number of fans, however, were upset by the death of the character, particularly with regards to the romantic storyline's abrupt ending. Artistically, Davies felt that the relationship's unexplored potential maximised the viewer's sense of grief. Subsequent to the departure, fans set up websites in the character's honour, petitioning the writers to resurrect him in future episodes of the series, raising money for charity. Torchwood writers and actors have expressed an unwillingness to reduce the weight of the death scene by bringing the character back, though David-Lloyd penned a Torchwood comic book wherein an alternative universe Ianto survives.