Pandora Moon

Pandora Moon
Skins character
First appearance	"Effy" (episode 2.07)
Created by	Bryan Elsley and Jamie Brittain
Portrayed by	Lisa Backwell
Centric episode(s)	"Pandora" (episode 3.04)
In-universe information
Occupation	Student

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

Characterisation

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

Series 2

Pandora is first introduced in the seventh episode "Effy" as a new student in Effy Stonem's art class. Although Effy is reluctant to get to know her, they later become friends. Pandora is not seen again until Series 3, in which she becomes a main character.

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 pajama 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.

In "Freddie", Pandora is seen sitting in class separately from Effy, but in "Naomi" it becomes apparent that they have are on better terms with each other. In "JJ" it is revealed that Pandora has continued her (sexual) relationship with Cook behind her friends' backs, despite her status with boyfriend Thomas. In "Effy", the eight episode of the series, while camping in a woods called 'Gobblers End', a gloomy Pandora describes vaguely to Effy her dissatisfaction in her relationship. Although Effy attempts to listen and help Pandora, Pandora refuses to open up and pretends to be okay. However, later, Cook disrupts their party (in which he wasn't invited) and reveals everyone's secrets, including that he's continued sleeping with Pandora. Effy is distraught, in which she thought it was only once, and Thomas confronts Pandora finally, after having known since Cook told him in "JJ". Thomas tells Pandora she's not the same, "good" girl he first met -- but a different person entirely, all before leaving. At the end of the episode Pandora is seen at the hospital with Freddie and Emily as she waits on Katie, who is injured after being hit with a rock by Effy. When Effy attempts to explain to Pandora what had happened, Pandora simply walks away, unable to look her friend in the eye.

External links

• Pandora Moon on the official E4 Skins site