Number Eight (Battlestar Galactica)

This article is about the characters from the reimagining of Battlestar Galactica. For the original characters, see Lieutenant Boomer and Lieutenant Athena.

Sharon Valerii / Number Eight,, also known as Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon 'Athena' Valerii Agathon, refer to a collection of humanoid Cylon characters on the television series Battlestar Galactica, a reimagining of the classic show of the same name. They are portrayed by Grace Park. Two prominent Number Eight copies named "Sharon Valerii" have served as Galactica pilots using the respective call signs "Boomer" and "Athena".

Versions

Many Number Eight copies have been seen in various Cylon-occupied areas and in leadership positions; two are featured as central characters. A multitude of Eights are found aboard the Basestar orbiting Kobol that Sharon "Boomer" Valerii destroys. Another Eight is shown as a Cylon leader when both main character Eights are elsewhere. More distinct characters have been eights than any other Cylon model.

Sharon "Boomer" Valerii

Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon "Boomer" Valerii is a Cylon sleeper agent programmed to believe that she is human. For example, she has been implanted with false memories of being raised on Troy by her parents Katherine and Abraham Valerii, who supposedly died in an accident that killed all the members on the mining colony. Whether or not Katherine and Abraham actually existed is unknown. In the time before the mini-series, Boomer and Chief Galen Tyrol are romantically involved, despite the fact that their relationship is against military protocol (she is an officer, he is enlisted). Due to her programming, she performs a number of sabotage actions (including bombing the Galactica's water tanks). She has no conscious memory of doing so. In time she begins to suspect something may be wrong with her. She even asks Gaius Baltar to administer a blood test to find out if she is a Cylon. Although his test demonstrates that she is in fact a Cylon, he decides to not inform anyone of his findings out of fear that she will kill him. She is greatly relieved for a while, but over time becomes increasingly aware that something is wrong with her, and even attempts suicide. Tyrol hides evidence that would implicate her in the water bombing, but later suspicious events cause him to break off his relationship with her.

Sharon's self-awareness is confirmed during the assignment resulting in the destruction of the basestar orbiting Kobol. While on board, she encounters several other Sharon models, but she refuses to believe she is a cylon, and personally sets the bomb. After returning to Galactica, she shoots Commander William Adama twice in the chest, putting him in a coma. She and Tyrol (suspected of being a Cylon because of his relationship with her) are put in the brig, interrogated and brutalized by Colonel Saul Tigh, who has taken command of Galactica in Adama's incapacity. Gaius Baltar ultimately forces her to tell him how many other Cylons were onboard by injecting Tyrol with a substance that stopped his heart, and refusing to administer the antidote. Sharon informs Gaius that there are eight Cylons in the fleet. She is shot and killed by Specialist Cally, who blames her for Tyrol's imprisonment; Cally herself is in love with Tyrol as is made clear in later episodes. Sharon dies in Tyrol's arms. Her last words are, "I love you, Chief."

In the episode "Downloaded", it is revealed that Boomer's consciousness has been downloaded into a new body. She still resists being identified with the Cylon cause. "Boomer" is viewed as a hero among the Cylons, but in this episode she and fellow Cylon Caprica-Six, transformed by their love for humans in previous incarnations, decide to try to persuade the Cylons that some of their actions against mankind are wrong. Because of her and Six's actions, she is, for a time, threatened with "being boxed" that is, to have her consciousness put into "cold storage" rather than downloaded into a new body when the current one is killed/dies. She is among the Cylons that find New Caprica and tries to show that humans and Cylons can co-exist, and functions as a member of the Cylon governing council that controls the puppet human government under President Gaius Baltar. She seems to have accepted herself as a Cylon and is fully integrated back into their society.

On a Cylon Base Ship, Boomer has been seen attempting to care for Athena's hybrid child Hera, who is mysteriously ill. She is frustrated by the child's deteriorating health and their inability to bond even though Boomer has "tried everything". Athena arrives on the Base Ship and determines that Hera would best be treated by a human doctor. Boomer accuses her of having planned to take Hera back to Galactica from the start. Boomer says that the failure of New Caprica has taught her that humans and Cylons can't co-exist and that they should go their separate ways, and thinks that Brother Cavil may be right that the Cylons aren't supposed to have children. She threatens to snap Hera's neck, but her own neck is snapped by Caprica-Six for endangering the future of the Cylon race.

Shortly thereafter, Valerii would once again resurrect. During the Battle of the Ionian Nebula, the Cylon Raiders became aware of the presence of the Final Five in the Colonial Fleet and in consequence ceased their attack. A Number One known as Cavil insisted that the Raiders should undergo a procedure to remove or at least reduce their sentience. He managed to rally the support of the Number Fives and the Number Fours; however, the Number Twos, Sixes and Eights voted against the procedure. In response to this, Cavil enlisted the aid of Sharon Valerii who broke the stalemate in favour of making the Raiders effective fighters once again. In turn, she became the first Cylon to ever vote against her own model (meaning that in a six-vote block, she cast an unheard-of seventh vote). Natalie (a Number Six model) demands that Cavil stop the Raider lobotomies. When Cavil refuses, Natalie calls in two Centurions, which then engage their weapons. Cavil orders the Centurions to leave, but they refuse the order. Natalie withdraws a device saying she has removed the Centurions' higher brain inhibitors and they are now able to reason. She told them what is happening to the Raiders and they have come to stop it. The Centurions then gun down Cavil and the other humanoid Cylons in the room.

It is not known if Valerii herself was symbolically executed by Natalie’s faction; however, she was present during Cavil’s resurrection and kissed him once he had composed himself. In response to Natalie’s use of force, Cavil devised a plot to eliminate the opposition Cylons (including Sharon’s own ‘sisters’). Cavil informed the Twos, Sixes and Eights that in order for the Number Threes to be resurrected, the Cylon fleet would need to make several jumps to what he calls the ‘hub’. Upon arrival at the location, the Basestars under the control of Valerii and Cavil attack the opposition Cylon ships. The Resurrection Ship was deliberately left behind so that any deaths that occur in the battle will be final. Boomer expresses doubt and sadness for the deaths of her " own sisters", and when Cavil says that the souls of the others will be looked after by God, she asks, "what about our souls?" Cavil replies, "We're machines, machines don't have souls."

Valerii was present at the resurrection of the Number Three model known as D’anna Biers. Shortly thereafter, the Cylon Rebels and pilots from the Colonial Fleet would attack the Resurrection Hub; the Rebels and humans are successful in rescuing D’anna from the Hub prior to it being destroyed. The fate of Valerii, as well as that of the Cylons who participated in the raid, is unclear as of the end of Season 4. She was not seen leaving the Hub before it was destroyed..

Sharon "Athena" Agathon

Another instance of Sharon, who is fully aware of her true nature, also appears in the series. This Sharon also seemed to possess memories of the experiences of Boomer (at least until the later episodes of the first season), including memories of her relationship with Tyrol. She expresses happiness for Tyrol and Cally, who eventually married each other.

Cylon-occupied Caprica

She first appears when she joins then-Lieutenant Karl 'Helo' Agathon after he is stranded on the Cylon-occupied planet Caprica. She pretends to be the "original" Sharon who had returned to help him, when in fact she is working with the other Cylons on an experiment to have him fall in love with her. While her intentions at the beginning of the experiment are strictly part of the Cylon plan, she eventually falls genuinely in love with Helo, and tries to help him escape from the other Cylons. Helo discovers her true identity when he sees another Number Eight copy on Caprica (who attempts to kill him but is shot by Sharon), but Sharon eventually convinces him that she loves him, and also reveals that she is pregnant with his child. This pregnancy is the first successful attempt at a humanoid-Cylon/Human Hybrid, and as a result is of great importance to the Cylons.

While on Caprica, Sharon and Helo encounter Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace, who realises that Sharon is a Cylon "copy" and attempts to shoot her, but is stopped by Helo. Sharon flees in Starbuck's captured Cylon Raider, casting doubt on her intentions. She returns later to aid Helo and a human resistance movement rescue Starbuck from a Cylon facility. Though only Helo trusts her, the group allows Sharon to accompany them as they rejoin President Laura Roslin's portion of the Colonial fleet, separated from Galactica.

Return to the Colonial Fleet

Sharon's life is again threatened upon her return to the Colonial fleet after William Adama's attempted assassination and Boomer's death. When Lee 'Apollo' Adama attempts to shoot her and Helo intervenes, then when Roslin orders her thrown out an airlock until she uses her knowledge of the Tomb of Athena on Kobol as leverage. She demonstrates her loyalty several times in defending the group from Cylon ambushes during the trip to the tomb, even though she is chained and not entirely trusted.

Sharon's reunion with other Galactica personnel on Kobol is also tense, as then-Commander Adama initially attempts to strangle her. Her relationship with Tyrol is complicated by the events involving Boomer, as well as her romantic involvement with Helo. Despite Adama's animosity, she saves his life by exposing a plot to kill him by one of terrorist/politician Tom Zarek's followers. She tells them, "I'm Sharon, but I'm a different Sharon. I know who I am. I don't have hidden protocols or programs lying in wait to be activated. I make my own choices, I make my own decisions, and I need you to know this is my choice." Still, she is imprisoned upon returning to Galactica and is treated as an enemy by all but Helo and Tyrol.

Sharon again demonstrates her loyalty when the Galactica is threatened by a Cylon computer virus, and uses her Cylon capabilities to instead turn the virus against the large approaching Cylon raider attack force, allowing the Colonial pilots to completely destroy the enemy. Although she performs this action, she seems conflicted and pained by its repercussions (mainly the subsequent slaughter of raiders). This event causes Roslin and Adama to re-evaluate their attitude towards her, and earns her significant trust. She makes several other valuable contributions to the human cause, offering intelligence and advice on various Cylon situations.

When the Battlestar Pegasus is reunited with the Colonial fleet and its commander, Rear Admiral Helena Cain discovers Sharon's presence, Sharon is turned over to Pegasus's "Cylon Interrogator", Lt. Thorne. Thorne beats Sharon and attempts to rape her (he does in the extended version), but is killed when Helo and Tyrol intervene.

Pregnancy and birth

Sharon's unborn hybrid child is threatened when Roslin orders the pregnancy terminated, outraging Sharon and Helo. Roslin later relents when blood from the fetus is found to be able to cure her terminal cancer. The pregnancy is allowed to continue, and in "Downloaded", Sharon gives birth to her child prematurely, via an emergency caesarean section. The daughter is named Hera. As the baby is deemed a risk to the Fleet if raised by her Cylon mother, Hera's death is faked by Dr. Cottle. The baby is given to a human mother to raise, unbeknownst to either Sharon or Helo. Told that Hera died from breathing complications, Sharon assumes that Hera was killed by the Galactica crew and attacks Dr. Cottle and turns on Helo. She later helps navigate a mission to rescue survivors on Caprica. Her loyalty is again called into question when she chooses not to inform the Colonials that one of the survivors is a Cylon.

Post-occupation of New Caprica

In Season 3's "Occupation", it is revealed that during the year-long gap between the events of seasons 2 and 3 Sharon and Helo were married, and Sharon took Helo's surname, Agathon. With the Galactica in need of pilots after the return of the Cylons, and having earned the full trust of Admiral Adama, Sharon is sworn in as an officer in the Colonial Fleet, regaining Boomer's rank of Lieutenant JG. She is sent back to New Caprica as the liaison between the Galactica fleet and the resistance effort on the ground as a precursor to an attempt to free the subjugated humans from the occupying Cylons. Adama explained that she was the ideal agent, since Centurions cannot tell her from any of the other Eights. Sharon infiltrates the Cylon Base, and is able to steal the keys for the civilian ships, thus making Adama's escape plan possible. When leaving with the keys, she encounters a D'Anna Biers, a Number Three, who informs her that her child Hera is still alive.

After the successful rescue of the colonists, Sharon gains a measure of acceptance among the Galactica's pilots. When Racetrack refers to her by the old call sign 'Boomer', she replies that 'Boomer' was somebody else. The other pilots in the rec room offer suggestions for a new call-sign. Many of them affectionately tease her for being a Cylon and suggesting names like "Tin Can" and "Titanium". "Hot Dog" suggests Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, and Sharon proudly accepts it.

Athena displays the ability to identify individual Number Eight copies, identifying Boomer (who shot Admiral Adama at the end of Season 1) when she arrives aboard Galactica to negotiate with Admiral Adama. When Colonel Tigh bars Boomer from the meeting, she repeats Number Three's message that Hera is still alive, but ailing, aboard a basestar. Adama confirms this information in a tense conversation with President Roslin. Both Athena and Helo express feelings of outrage that their child was stolen from them. Athena demands at the end of Season 3 episode 11, that she be able to see her daughter.

As there is no way that Adama would let her visit the Base Ship, Athena is shot by Helo and downloaded on the Cylon resurrection ship. A Six (who is presumed to be Caprica-Six) brings Athena to the room on the Base Ship where Boomer is caring for the child. Athena insists that Hera's illness could be cured by the human doctors on Galactica, a possibility that neither Six nor Boomer wish to consider. Athena and Boomer have a heated discussion on the fate of the child. Boomer expresses a desire to abandon the experiment entirely and kill the child. Before Athena can intervene, Six promptly kills Boomer for considering the death of the child. Before their actions can be discovered, Six whisks Athena and Hera to a raptor, and the trio escape to Galactica.

Athena's abilities as a pilot are recognized and she is given the most important missions for Raptor pilots. Sharon discovers that she, Hera, President Roslin and Caprica Six are all sharing the same recurring dream but are unaware of what it means. Athena served aboard the Demetrius, to help Kara Thrace try to find Earth.

Athena later shot and killed Natalie because she saw the Number 6 as a threat to Hera due to the dreams of the Opera House that she had been having.

Other Versions

• A copy joins a group of Twos, Fives, and Sixes at Ragnar Anchorage after Galactica and the fleet depart having stranded "Aaron Doral." This copy declares that the humans will be hunted down, and a Six replies, "By your command."
• A copy wearing a white coat at the Spaceport at Delphi, whom Athena kills before the other Eight can shoot Helo.
• Multiple naked copies aboard the basestar above Kobol, which Boomer was sent to destroy and upon which she learns her identity as a Cylon.
• A copy who sits in a movie theatre (with other Cylon models) and watches the footage sent from the Fleet by D'Anna Biers (it can be assumed that it is the same one that Athena shot because she wears the same coat as the above mentioned copy).
• Copies who act as "nurses" or "midwives," aiding the respective resurrections of Caprica Six and Boomer.
• Several copies on Cylon-occupied Caprica going through daily life in the episode "Downloaded", wearing a variety of outfits.
• Copies who are killed when Samuel Anders and Galen Tyrol detonate a bomb near a Cylon Heavy Raider.
• A copy who sits next to Boomer during a meeting on Colonial One (during the New Caprican occupation), when the suicide bombings are discussed.
• Multiple copies aboard the basestar that Caprica Six and Baltar inhabit.
• Multiple copies dying aboard a diseased basestar.
• A copy, dying from a disease aboard a basestar, who is taken captive by Galactica. Later, she and the rest of the Cylon prisoners are killed by Helo in an attempt to prevent genocide against the Cylons. This copy, despite calling Sharon a traitor, showed typical Eight concern for her and warned her to stay away due to the disease.
• Multiple copies who approach Athena on the rebel basestar, asking her to lead a rebellion against the Sixes. Athena expresses disgust with their typical Eight fickleness.
• A copy shot and killed by a Centurion while attempting to unplug the Hybrid. She is comforted by Anders in her final moments after Athena refuses to do so.
• The Eight copy partnered with Helo who had downloaded Athena's memories.
• The Eights in flight uniforms during the briefing for the attack on the Resurrection Hub.
• The dead Eights Helo sees aboard the Resurrection Hub.
• The Eight who collaborated with Felix Gaeta on New Caprica, and its role is revealed in the webisodes The Face of the Enemy.

Typical Eight traits

Unlike most other Cylon models, the Eights typically show a great deal of concern and affection. This affection is especially strong towards other Eights, who they often refer to as "sisters". The Eights tend to be the most naive of the models and often have difficulty understanding typical human emotional responses. The Eights also have a propensity for fickleness, often changing loyalties to better suit their own needs and desires. Moore has also commented that the Eight models are more likely to "shoot things they don't like".

Call sign origins

The call signs for both Sharon characters derive from the names of characters in the original Battlestar Galactica series. Boomer was the name (not the call sign) of a Viper pilot character played by Herb Jefferson, Jr. Sharon Agathon's call sign, Athena, in the original series was the name of Commander Adama's daughter Lieutenant Athena. Athena was the sister of Captain Apollo, with the duties of bridge officer, shuttle pilot, and occasional Viper pilot.

See also

• List of women warriors in folklore, literature, and popular culture

External links

• Number Eight at the Battlestar Wiki
• And Now, Direct From Battlestar Galactica – Boomer Talks To Eclipse Magazine
• Grace Park on Boomer & Battlestar Galactica
• Grace Park: Boomer Gets Ready to Rumble