I *love* Countrycide, it's by far my favorite episode.

My favourite is probably Cyberwoman (android vs dinosaur -- how can you go wrong with that?) but Countrycide does run a close second. It's creepy, but it's got all of the characters being awesome in their own way, and that is a thing of beauty.

This could very well be canon. And I might've just turned it into my personal one, because I'm one to think that the leap in Jack and Ianto's relationship from I hate you and I want you to die a painful death and lots of things you can do with a stopwatch has got to be explained by the context of Countrycide.

I always attach a lot of significance to the start of the episode with the fairies, the way that Ianto's still around but nervous, the way Jack still reaches out to touch him, the way they're both snarking at each other in the boardroom (with the "I blame it on magic mushrooms" and "what you do in your private time" type response from Jack), because that's the start.

But I think Countrycide is the start of Ianto allowing himself to grieve, allowing himself to be less than the cut-out of the perfect impersonal servant: he calls the team on ignoring him in the conversation/questions, he lets Tosh see his fear -- and his self-sacrifice, his willingness to do what needs to be done (what will be best for both of them) despite his fear, that's very impressive.

Plus, y'know, the boy doesn't look bad sporting a couple of bruises.