Toshiko "Tosh" Sato (佐藤トシ子 Sato Toshiko?, IPA: [tɒʃiːkəʊ sɑːtəʊ])[1][2] is a fictional characterfrom the television series Doctor Who and Torchwood, played by Naoko Mori. She is a regular in the latter programme for the first two series, but actually first appeared in the Doctor Who episode "Aliens of London". In Torchwood, Sato is the
It is revealed in episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts" that Sato's parents were both in the Royal Air Force, and her grandfather worked at Bletchley Park, the World War II code-breaking facility.[8] Sato joined a government scientific think-tank after graduating from university, and is recruited by the Torchwood Institute to work with Jack Harkness three years before the series begins.[23] The episode "Fragments" depicts more fully the story of how Toshiko joined Torchwood; she is forced to steal the design plans for a "sonic modulator" from the Ministry of Defence, trading the finished design and prototype to an unnamed terrorist organisation in exchange for the freedom of her kidnapped mother. Captured by UNIT and imprisoned with an indefinite sentence and suspended human rights, she is later given a chance to escape captivity by Jack, in exchange for working for him as part of Torchwood Three for a minimum period of five years.[12]
Toshiko has a close relationship with colleague Owen Harper throughout the series. Mori suggested in an early interview that Sato has a crush on Harper,[24] also indicating that Toshiko has good working relationships with the rest of the team and in particular with Jack Harkness, although she is not afraid of expressing her opinions to him.[24]
The Sun newspaper had claimed all the members of Torchwood were bisexual.[25] Toshiko's own bisexuality is evidenced in episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts", when she begins a brief relationship with a female.[8] Torchwood's second series explores other sides to Tosh's personality, romances, her crush on Owen, and sheds some light on her original Doctor Who appearance.[26]
Speaking of the decision to kill off her character, Naoko Mori has commented that it "made sense because Tosh has been through so much. She's come a full circle and had her journey."[27] With regards her input on the death itself, she stated: "One of the things that I wanted to ensure was that it made sense, and that the connection between Owen and Tosh had the right balance. All through the series I didn't want it to come across as her being this stalker girl with a crush on Owen. I wanted it to be deeper than that, because as a colleague and as a human being she cared for him. I wanted their last conversation to be delicately and well put."[27] Mori has not ruled out the possibility of returning to the show at a later date.[27