Grace Blood

Grace Blood, whose alias was Grace Violet, is a fictional character in the television series Skins, and is portrayed by Jessica Sula.

Characterisation
According to her profile, Grace previously attended an all girl's school before enrolling in Roundview.

Initially presented as being very prim and proper, Grace eventually reveals her wilder side including her penchant for shoplifting and doing drugs. Much of the fifth series deals with Grace questioning her choices on whether she is comprising who she really is in order to be popular and to please her parents.

Eventually, she embraces her true self, as she strikes up a friendship with Franky Fitzgerald and Alo Creevey and becoming engaged to Rich Hardbeck, even though it insures the wrath of her best friend Mini McGuinness, the queen bee of Roundview and her parents (one of whom is Professor Blood).

It is also revealed that her father is Professor Blood, thus it was decided that when Grace was going to attend Roundview that she would be referred to as Grace Violet in order to keep their connection secret, as he felt that his position would be compromised if it was found out that he had a child attending Roundview.

She is also a firm believer in fairytales and happy-endings, something she partially attributed to the stories her mother had her read. She also wrote her own short fable, titled The Tiny Dancer and the Metal Man, which is inspired by her relationship with Rich.

Series 5
In "Franky", she is first seen witnessing Franky's crash in front of Roundview with her best friends Mini and Liv. Later, she, Mini, and Liv invite Franky to hang out with them at the shopping centre, where they do drugs and where Grace shoplifts. After an escape, Franky returns home with Mini, Liv, and Grace, and introduces them to her dads. Later, Mini discovers some humiliating pictures of Franky on "Friendlook", discovering that she was bullied mercilessly at her old school, to which Grace chastises her for being "naughty". Crashing Mini's party, Franky implores Grace and Liv to admit that they enjoyed their time with her, though the latter can only give a nervous shrug. Grace follows her, and recruits Alo and Rich to chase Franky in Alo's van. They catch up to her, and Rich grabs hold of her and takes her into the van. The four then head to a local swimming pool. There, they have some fun in the pool, united as a gang of their own, and Franky has finally found some true friends.

In "Rich", Franky recruits Grace to help Rich ask out "the Angel of Death", however Mini and Liv crash her ballet practice, and convince Grace not to talk to the "losers". Later, Grace shows up incognito to help Rich, who doesn't think she can pull it off because they are from two different worlds. Introducing her to metal music, he is still unconvinced and tells her so, making her angry and storming off. Later, she surprises Rich at a metal-club dressed as a metal-head, and actually knowing a lot about metal. They later share a romantic moment, however she leaves before anything happens. Later, Rich, having unsuccessfully asking out "the Angel of Death" is invited by Grace to the Napalm Death concert that he was originally going to go with "the Angel of Death". Accepting, they both go to the concert where Rich sees a new side of Grace and realizes that he likes her. The next day, he attempts to ask her out, but she stops him, saying that although she likes him, she was happy nothing happened between them, due to her friendship with Mini.

In "Mini", she and Franky designed the costumes for Roundview's fashion show, causing Mini to oust Grace, not only as a fashion designer, but as a friend. Later, she is seen saving the day with Franky by modeling her and Franky's designs on the runway. At the after party, she tries to talk to Mini but is ignored. She later sees Rich and after she admits that she and Mini are no longer friends, she tells Rich that she wants to date him, which prompts him to kiss her, beginning their relationship.

In "Alo", The gang goes to a pub after "rescuing" Alo, where they meet Grace and Mini, and who advise him to stand up to his parents. Later, Matty, Franky, Grace, Rich and Liv arrive and Alo begins a fight by dropping two flour bombs on them. During the fight, Rich and Grace kiss and share a moment. Grace suggests that they should have sex that night and Rich agrees. During Alo's party, Mini is stuck on the sofa with Rich and Grace, who are kissing. After they leave the party, they end up having sex.

In "Grace", we learn about her life at home, and it is revealed that she is the daughter of Professor Blood after she wakes up with Rich in her bedroom and fails at sneaking him out. When he meets Rich, he disapproves, and decides that she should move back to her old school, conditional on her getting anything below an 'A' in any further exams, but unbeknownst to her, he intends to send her back no matter how well she does. She, along with the rest of the generation's characters (including Alo who had mysteriously returned to college) then performed in the play 'Twelfth Night' and despite the fact that she did very well, Professor Blood still decided to send her back to her old school. Then, that night, after their relationship had potentially been ruined by Blood, Rich climbed the drainpipe into her room quoting Romeo's 'it is the East and Juliet is the Sun' speech from Romeo and Juliet, and he proposed to her. She accepted.

In "Everyone", The episode opens with Grace in her bedroom. She forges her father's signature on a marriage consent form and practises saying: "I do." Grace leaves her house but is stopped by Blood, who asks where she's going. She claims that she is going to Liv's to say goodbye to everyone, and Blood reminds her to be back by 1:00 so that they can go to Mayberry's. Before she goes, Blood hands her a brooch and says it is to mark "new beginnings". It emerges that the brooch is really a tracking device. Mini, Grace and Liv are getting ready when Franky arrives with a cake and a dress. Grace and Liv go out of the room and Mini and Franky change.

When they go outside, Grace is shocked by Rich's hair and strokes it. After Alo crashes their van on the way to the church, Nick arrives with some drugs and Grace is annoyed when Franky takes some. Suddenly, Nick notices an angel gliding along behind some trees - it's strapped to a car. The drivers agree to take Grace and Rich to the church and Alo promises that he'll get everyone else there. Meanwhile, Grace's parents have lunch and Blood is shocked when he looks at the GPS and sees that Grace has left Bristol. They rush off to catch her.

Meanwhile, Grace and Rich have an uncomfortable car ride as the New Age couple who are giving them a lift speak about their marriage. They eventually arrive at the church, but the vicar reveals that they have missed their slot. However, he hints that he can fit them in in an hour and Rich hands him some money. The vicar realizes that the rest of their party has not arrived and explains that they only need two witnesses. Grace insists that everyone will turn up but Rich decides to find two back-up witnesses just in case. He spots an old couple and Grace asks if they will be witnesses for them. The couple agree.

At the church, the vicar appears and Grace and Rich are disappointed that their friends haven't arrived. Grace asks Rich why he cut his hair and Rich insists that he didn't mean it to be so short, but adds that he looks the part now. Suddenly, Nick and Alo arrive and reveal that Blood is on his way. Nick agrees to play the part of a bridesmaid for Grace. The service begins but Blood storms in and announces that Grace has to come home with him, just as the others finally arrive. Blood is furious and announces that everyone is expelled, but Nick replies that he can't do that. Blood is scornful, telling him that "the mighty have fallen", but Nick admits that he has fallen. He adds that the others caught him because they are friends. He says that it is "screwed up" in the world and they are just doing their best. Blood refuses to take part in the wedding and leaves, telling Grace's mom to come with him. Grace's mother smiles at her daughter as she leaves. When they have gone, Rich asks Grace if they are going to get married. She tells him never to cut his hair again and Rich asks if things are good with them. Grace says they are and asks if they really need to change things. Rich suggests that she takes him to be her boyfriend and she agrees.

After their aborted wedding, the gang subtly crash another one, and Grace and Rich end the night dancing away.

Series 6
In "Everyone", Grace and Rich go to Morocco to see the gang. After Rich finds out they have penthouse suite (a room with no roof) Grace spends her summer with Rich. Grace along with the gang, gatecrashers at party nearby villa. Only the host to the villa Luke has been hiding drugs in the gangs villa. During a beach party a day later Grace sees Matty in his 4X4 and asks about his relationship with Franky only the interrupted by Liv to follow Luke and Franky as Liv believes Luke is dangerous. Matty, Liv and Grace follow Luke and Franky in a car in front, as high speed chase breaks out and Matty loses the control of 4X4, flipping the 4X4 off into a ditch. Matty regain consciousness and stares at Grace's blooded body as she lying face down on the bonnet, Matty freaks out and runs from the crash, only with Liv pulling out herself out the 4X4 and cradles Grace. Two weeks later in Bristol Grace is put in a coma from the accident, Rich tries to hand in her music coursework but it's rejected as Grace must finish it herself. Rich goes to hospital to see Grace only to be banned from seeing her, Rich gives Grace's coursework on CD to the nurse. the nurse puts on the CD and Grace's song "All Because of You" plays in her room.

In "Rich", Rich has been waiting for Grace to awake from her coma. Only Rich being banned from seeing her by Professor Blood which Rich can't stop thinking of her. Alo tries to get Grace of Rich's mind by starting a band, but Rich breaks into the hospital that Grace is staying in. He is caught by a nurse and Professor Blood, who mentions that he will be moving Grace to Switzerland. Rich pretends to leave the hospital but instead hides in the air vents and ends up falling through the cieling of Grace's room. Grace awakes and the two begin to kiss only to be interrupted by Professor Blood who gets security to throw Rich out. Rich tries to stop Blood moving Grace only to find the Blood household empty. He finds old film reels of Grace when she was young and watches them. Later Grace calls Rich and he asks her to meet him in Paris. Alo and Rich decide to have a gig at the Blood household to earn money so they can go to Paris with Liv and Franky. During the gig Rich sees Grace in the crowd and believes that Grace has come back to Bristol. Rich goes up to Grace's room only to find her in bed, and they have sex. The next morning, however, Rich wakes up in an empty bed, finding the house wrecked and empty. He hears his phone ringing, picks it up and answers a call from Grace, who mysteriously tells him that she has to go (and that he knows why) and that she loves him. When the call hangs up, Rich realizes that his phone is broken, and has actually been the entire time. He returns inside, shell shocked in his realization, and he sees David Blood has returned home. Rich heads back inside and sees Blood sitting on the stairs - this imposing, scary man reduced to someone curled up in a ball. He says that Grace "had to stay", before admitting the real reason he came back.

Death
Although Rich had seen Grace re-awaken, re-affirm their love, and come back to Bristol, in actuality, his visions of her were a result of Jungian Psychology, in order for him to deal with her being in a coma and eventually being moved by her family to another hospital in Switzerland. Blood reveals that due to the extent of her injuries, Grace (having never woken up) actually slipped into a vegetative state by the time she arrived in Switzerland. When informed by the doctors there that there was no possibility that she would ever wake up again, Blood decided to take her off life support.

Aftermath
After Rich (presumably) informed the rest of the gang that Grace had actually died, the group began to fracture.

By "Alex", Rich had not returned to school while Grace's death has put a large strain on the gang (especially Mini and Liv's friendship), which wasn't helped by the fact that the gang have not even talked to each other about Grace, as Liv accuses Mini of avoiding her so they can't talk about Grace. Later, when new kid Alex Henley shows up to the pub (at Liv's invitation), Nick tells him to stop asking questions about Grace, no matter how innocent. The gang is visibly distraught, drinking heavily and sitting silently at the pub, their way to try to deal with Grace's death.

A few days later, the school decides to hold a memorial for Grace, which causes the group to question whether they should go or not. Liv immediately shoots the idea down, stating that no one really knew her like they did, but Mini immediately gets defensive and snarkily asks when does Liv speak for everyone, and insinuates that Liv is attempting to replace Grace with Alex, which causes Liv to run away in tears.

She attempts to turn to Alex for comfort, asking him why Grace had to die, until he reveals that he is gay, causing Liv to lash out, her anger and hurt boiling over.

Liv ends up going alone to Grace's memorial, and is visibly annoyed when two of the students (male and female) begin to sing. A few moments after the singing begins, Franky and Mini show up and stand next to Liv. Getting angry, Franky interrupts the song, yelling that Grace hated the male student. Liv then grabs the male student's keyboard and smashes it. Angry, Liv asks the other students why they are even there, and then flashes them, to "give them something to wank over" before storming out.

Mini and Franky look on in awe, until Franky tells her that Grace would have loved that, to which Mini agrees.

Alex, in a way to make it up to Liv, invites the entire gang on the boat he rented. When asked why he did it by Liv, especially because he didn't know Grace, Alex says because he felt they all needed it.

Alex convinces Liv to try to talk to Mini, and when prompted Mini reveals the reason she doesn't want to talk to Liv is because it would be like acknowledging Grace was gone, as "it's not right without her".

Eventually, the gang finds out that Alex had brought his Gran on board to give her the final goodbye she wanted.

Alex eventually reveals that he knew Blood had banned the gang from going to Grace's funeral (to which Mini yells at him for saying her name, something she doesn't think he deserves to do) and that he wants to them to help him bury his Gran at sea.

As Alex says his last words, the gang is visibly moved to tears, thinking of Grace. Before Gran's coffin is pushed overboard, Franky tearily asks her that if she sees Grace, to tell her that they miss her, causing Mini to run off in tears.

In "Franky", Grace appears several times. Grace's appearances are actually not real and are just pieces of Franky's imagination.

In "Liv", Liv, still unable to deal with Grace's passing, continually sees her and talks to her, asking for advice.

In "Mini and Franky", Mini, while in the hospital, feels like her life is unraveling, calls Grace's phone and leaves her a message, asking what to do.

In "Everyone", Franky sees Grace at the pool party. Franky asks Grace what to do & Grace replies & tells her to stop running from her problems, & tell the truth. Rich sees Grace at the school pool, where they had their first romantic encounter. They dive into the pool together, share one final kiss, & Grace disappears forever.