Pandora Moon

Pandora Moon
General Information
Nickname(s):	Panda
Gender:	Female
Born:	December 6, 1992
Age:	14-15 (series 1 & 2) 16-18 (series 3 & 4)
Status:	Alive
Education:	Westfield College for Young Ladies (formerly) Roundview College (graduated) Harvard University
Occupation(s):	Student
Relationships
Family:	Angela Moon (mother) Elizabeth (maternal aunt) Professor Larbalestier (supposed father)
Romances:	Thomas Tomone (ex-boyfriend) James Cook (friend with benefits; formerly)
Friends:	Effy Stonem (former best friend) James Cook Katie Fitch Emily Fitch JJ Jones Naomi Campbell † Freddie McClair †
Series Information
First Appearance:	"Effy" (episode 2.07)
Centric Episode(s):	"Pandora" (episode 3.04)
Last Appearance:	Everyone" (episode 4.08)
Potrayed by:	Lisa Backwell

Pandora Moon is a fictional character in the television series Skins and is played by Lisa Backwell.

She is the only guest star from the "first generation" (Series 1 and Series 2) to be featured on the show as part of the "second generation" (Series 3 and Series 4).

Characterization

Pandora is initially shown to be naive and a bit immature, as a result of her over-protective mother's attempts to keep her safe from the world. She also often describes herself as "useless" to others and often (willingly) takes a backseat to Effy, whom she describes as her best (and only) friend.

Pandora is described as having "a sweet tooth for naughtiness" and lies to her mother about her activities with Effy and their friends. Although Pandora's mother has "banned" her from boyfriends, telling her that they're "bad", she meets and falls in love with a boy called Thomas in the third series. However, her first sexual encounter is with Cook, who "teaches" her how to have sex.

She enjoys Jeremy Kyle, Trisha, Harry Potter Puppets, and on her official about me page located on the Skins website, describes in length her love for caterpillars.

Character History

In Series 2, Pandora is first introduced in the seventh episode "Effy" as a new student in Effy Stonem's art class. Their art teacher instructs Effy to show Pandora around and although Effy is reluctant to get to know her, they later become friends. In effort to win Effy's friendship she does an odd act with a rope and a tree saying her mom had sent her to circus school. Pandora seems to not have had any other friends and constantly receives calls from her mother. She seems to have a bit of an infatuation with Effy's brother, Tony as she calls him "nice" and later throws herself on him after getting high on Spliff. She then passes out and Tony is forced to carry her home over his shoulder. She is later seen in bed with Effy, cuddled up to her and smiling while she's asleep.

Pandora is not seen again until Series 3, in which she becomes a main character.

Series 3

Pandora in Series 3

In "Everyone," Pandora and Effy enroll at Roundview college, and meet their new acquaintances. Pandora doesn't like her class -- hair and beauty -- and changes to Effy's, where she suggests she is also interested in philosophy.

In "Cook" Pandora decides she "loves drugs", much to Effy's surprise, and ends up eating a small bag of Cook's drugs at a party. Cook asks her if she wants to have sex, and although she thinks he's "beautiful", declines.

In "Thomas," she meets Thomas, a boy from the Congo, at a bus stop, who offers her doughnuts which subsequently make her ill, and then he carries her back to Effy's home. They later begin a relationship after she invites him over to her aunt's house for tea, where Thomas finds a large supply of marijuana. Later on she attempts to have sex with Thomas, but soon are interrupted by the abrupt arrival of his mother who, shocked at his behavior, decides to send him back to Africa.

In "Pandora," heartbroken over Thomas' departure, Pandora awaits for his return. Having slept over at Effy's the night before, she witnesses Jim and Anthea Stonem argue after he discovers his wife has been cheating. Pandora doesn't quite understand or know how to comfort the visibly upset Effy, but stays by her side no less. When Effy asks her why they're friends at all, Pandora explains it's because she won't have sex with her (Effy's) boyfriends, and because she'll do anything Effy says. Later, Pandora throws a pyjama party that, initially, would only involve her, her mother, Effy, Emily, Katie and Naomi , but it soon turns into a rowdy affair after Katie spikes a batch of brownies with drugs at Effy's approval. Distraught that the party is not what she had wanted (which would have been made up of Twister and "teaching" her about sex), and her mother's intoxication after the affects of the brownies, she locks herself into the bathroom for the entire night, stepping out only once to lash out at Effy about her behavior.

When the party ends, she discovers Cook rummaging through leftover alcohol, and reveals her disappointment regarding the party. When Cook asks her how to play Twister, she teaches him and the two have a fairly enjoyable time, but eventually their innocent encounter turns sexual when Cook offers to "teach" her about sex. The next morning Effy goes to Pandora's house to apologise about the previous night, but is shocked to see Pandora kissing Cook as he departs, and they soon have a confrontation. Pandora finally stands up to Effy, explaining that although she's made an attempt to understand Effy and her family as a friend, Effy doesn't know anything about her, and Effy morosely agrees. Moments later, Pandora and Effy are both shocked when Thomas returns from the Congo. Pandora cries in his arms as he embraces her.

Later on, in JJ's episode, when JJ visits Cook , he see's Pandora leaving. Cook reveals later on that they've been having an affair since Pandora's episode. Unknown to her, Cook also tells Thomas about their affair when he is high. Thomas, however, doesn't tell Pandora that he knows, waiting to see if she will ever tell him.

In "Effy", Pandora wonders why Thomas seems to be acting distant from her. Later, when an uninvited Cook crashes their camping trip, he revealing to everyone that he has continued sleeping with Pandora. When she tries to tell Thomas that Cook is lying, he yells at her, telling her he already knew. Deeply hurt, he walks away leaving Pandora in tears. Later, she turns against Effy when Katie tells everyone that she hit her with a rock, plus leaving her there in the woods (not knowing Katie's own involvement).

In "Katie and Emily", Pandora goes to the dance by herself, but still wants to reconcile with Thomas (having stopped her affair with Cook). After begging one more time for forgiveness, and telling him that she still loves him, Thomas reintroduces himself (as if they never met). This means that they are going to start over, thus Pandora and Thomas get back together.

Series 4

Pandora in Series 4

In "Thomas", Pandora is first seen dancing with JJ at rave being held at the club Thomas works at. She is present when the girl Sophia commits suicide. Although she and Thomas are back together, their relationship is becoming strained, because his mother doesn't like Pandora (thinking that she is corrupting her son). Thomas himself seems to question his relationship with her, as he feels she cannot identify with his culture and beliefs.

Not knowing that Thomas feels guilty about Sophia’s death and with accepting bribe money to keep silent, she is unsure why Thomas turns to religion and seems to be questioning what the gang does (telling her that drinking and sex isn't enough to make everything happy all the time). He eventually becomes attracted to the daughter of his church’s pastor, Andrea, and eventually sleeps with her, even though him and Pandora are not broken up.

After another confrontation, Thomas admits to cheating on Pandora and tells her that he wanted to. Deeply hurt, Pandora asks him why would he do something like that, to which he throws back in her face her affair with Cook the year before. Hurt and angry that Thomas brings it up whenever they have problems, tells him to leave. Later, Thomas, feeling extreme remorse for what happened, goes to her house and begs for forgiveness, hoping they can start over (like they did when Pandora asked for forgiveness about Cook).

Pandora, however, tells him to leave and slams the door in his face. She then goes into the kitchen, where Effy (who everyone though was still in Italy) told her she did a good thing, because Thomas needs to know what he did was wrong.  It should be noted, however, that Thomas was quicker both to confess his affair and to forgive Pandora for hers (despite his being out of resentment rather than naivete)

In "Emily", she is seen briefly at another party dancing with many guys, as her way to show a still grieving Thomas that she is doing good without him. When he tries to talk with her, she slaps him in the face, then kisses him and leaves, to his bewilderment.

In "Cook", she is shown to still be feeling hurt by Thomas' actions, and cries when JJ and Freddie attempt to console her (but inadvertently say the wrong things).

In "Katie", she is seen at the BBQ held in Naomi and Emily's house. She is hanging out with Effy and Naomi, but still seemingly ignoring Thomas, who is cheerfully burning the burgers with Freddie.

In "Freddie", she is a guest at Effy's "goodbye party", and tells Freddie to find Effy (who appears to have gone missing) because she is worried about her. Thomas again tries to talk to her but she slaps him, pushes him against the wall, and kisses him. She then leaves the party without another word. In "Effy", she is seen walking down the halls with a newly healthy Effy. They both go to the auditorium to get their A-Level scores.

Pandora gets a C in Philosophy, which she is okay with. She is later seen at the pub (used in the Series 3 promo trailer) with the rest of the gang celebrating getting their scores. However, she is confused and hurt when Effy tells everyone that grades don't matter, and that she is saying goodbye to everyone forever (not knowing that Effy's shrink has been manipulating her to forget all her friends so he can keep her).

In "Everyone", Pandora goes to visit Effy (along with Katie). They sing a song in honor of Effy's return to the gang (which Pandora composed). Later, she is seen to be cold to Katie, who she is jealous of due to her spending a bunch of time with Thomas (not knowing it is Thomas' plan to make Pandora jealous so he and Pandora can get back together). Later at Naomi and Emily's house, she overhears Thomas "teaching" Katie french for an interview.

However, unknown to them Pandora aced the rest of her A-Levels, including French thus could translate what Thomas was saying. Thomas, not knowing Pandora could understand him, was teaching Katie how to say dirty things in French, thus Pandora concluded that he didn't want her anymore and left in tears. Later, she sees that Cook's date had called the cops on the party at Naomi's house in retaliation for a fight with Cook, thus she gives the weed to Cook and tells him to run.

She later meets with Effy, JJ, Cook, and Effy at Freddie's shed. She finally tells Effy what she had been trying to tell her previously, that she is going to Harvard University for college on a history scholarship (as she did extra exams without telling anyone). At Freddie's shed party, she and Thomas awkwardly talk. Before she can say anything, he tells her that he is going to Harvard University on an athlete scholarship. Pandora grabs him hand and tells him that the news is exciting, as she decides not to tell Thomas and let it be a surprise. Their ending was left open and it was unknown whether they would reconcile or remain friends.

Relationships

Romantic Relationships

• Pandora Moon and Thomas Tomone - refers to the romantic pairing between Thomas Tomone and Pandora Moon, which spanned throughout Series 3 and Series 4. 

• Pandora Moon and Cook - refers to the romantic pairing between James Cook and Pandora Moon, which spanned throughout Series 3, although the pair remained friends in Series 4.

Friendships

• Effy Stonem - refers to the friendship between Effy Stonem and Pandora Moon, which spanned throught Series 2 and Series 4.

The Identity of Pandora's Father

Although the identity of Pandora's father is never revealed, it is strongly hinted to be Professor Larbalestier, a teacher who helps her on her homework in her Series 4 Unseen Skins episode.

In the episode, Pandora requests his help while revising History because she dislikes the subject. She states that the only reason she chose it was that if she ever met her father (who was a history professor and moved to America before Pandora was born), she would have something to talk to him about.

Professor Larbalestier reveals that he once moved to America and is shown to have many traits in common with Pandora such as describing things as 'wizzer' and loving peanut butter. Pandora is shown to have realised their similarities too, but when she goes back to the library, Professor Larbalestier is gone along with his books and plastic sheep.

External links

• Pandora Moon Series 3 Profile on the official E4 Skins site
• Pandora Moon Series 4 Character Blog on the official E4 Skins site
• Pandora Moon on Myspace