Editing Number Eight

{{disline|"8" redirects here. For the Malaysian television station, see [[8TV]].}}
{{Character Data
|photo=eight.jpg
|seen= Miniseries
|actor= [[Grace Park]]
|cylon= y
|name= Sharon
|series=TRS
}}
"'''Number Eight'''" is one of the twelve [[humanoid Cylon]] models. She is the youngest in both fact and appearance and generally associated with the name "Sharon" when interacting with humans.  Eights are known for being more empathic and compassionate than the other Cylons. Humans have particularly been exposed to two specific copies, [[Sharon Valerii|Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]], a "sleeper" agent who served on board ''Galactica'' believing herself to be one of the human crew while unknowingly programmed as a saboteur and assassin, and [[Sharon Agathon|Sharon "Athena" Agathon]], who was assigned to seduce [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]] on the planet {{RDM|Caprica}}, but fell in love with him and defected to the human side, replacing Boomer as a Colonial officer on ''Galactica''. There are numerous other copies among the Cylon populace.

Two Eights (Sharon "Athena" Agathon, and an unnamed Eight referred to in script as "Sweet Eight") have demonstrated the ability to interface with Colonial computers by inserting a fiber-optic cable through an incision in her left hand into her arm ("[[Flight of the Phoenix]]", ''[[The Face of the Enemy]]'').  Whether other Cylon models share this capability is not yet known.

== Sharon "Boomer" Valerii ==
{{mainarticle|Sharon Valerii}}
'''Sharon "Boomer" Valerii''' is a copy initially planted as a "sleeper" agent in the [[Colonial Fleet (TRS)|Colonial Fleet]]. Implanted with false memories, she is unaware of her Cylon nature and serves for two years as Lieutenant Valerii on ''[[Galactica (TRS)|Galactica]]'', where she is assigned as a [[Raptor]] pilot and also engaged in a secret relationship with Chief [[Galen Tyrol|Tyrol]]. After the [[Fall of the Twelve Colonies|Cylon attack]], her underlying programming repeatedly emerges which leads her to unconscious acts of sabotage. Growing confusion about her true self results in a deep depression and a failed suicide attempt. After Valerii returns from a successful mission to destroy a Cylon [[basestar (RDM)|basestar]], she shoots Commander [[William Adama|Adama]] in the chest, wounding him critically. She is incarcerated in the [[brig]] and is shot and killed by Specialist [[Cally Henderson Tyrol|Cally]] while being moved to a specially-built holding cell.

[[File:bsg-valerii-1.jpg|224px|right|Athena (left), Boomer (right). |thumb]]

Her consciousness is downloaded and she is reborn in another body. Subsequently, she experiences severe problems integrating into Cylon society and long considers herself more human than Cylon. She eventually works together with [[Caprica-Six]] in an attempt to change Cylon popular opinion about humans and she emerges as one of the Cylon leaders jointly responsible for the end of the occupation of the [[The Twelve Colonies of Kobol|Twelve Colonies]] and later the Cylon occupation on [[New Caprica]]. Following the failure on New Caprica, Valerii abandons her hopes for coexistence with humans and she denounces her past on ''Galactica''.

Later she sides with Cavil in the Cylon Civil War and is the only Eight on his side. She is in a physical relationship with Cavil, and is even aware of the identities of the [[Final Five]] and that Ellen Tigh is being held prisoner within the Cylon fleet. She appears to defect and helps Ellen escape, but it's part of a successful plan to kidnap Hera Agathon, the daughter of the Eight called Athena. Boomer is put in the brig upon her arrival on ''Galactica'' despite her rescue of Ellen, but escapes by manipulating the emotions of her old lover Galen Tyrol. She tells Tyrol that despite everything, she still loves him and thinks about him often, even creating a [[projection]] of their dream home and a daughter for them. Knowing that the rebel Cylons plan to try and execute Boomer for betraying them, Tyrol knocks out another Eight and switches her with Boomer. Boomer then assaults and switches places with Athena, and kidnaps Hera so that she can be studied on [[The Colony]]. She seems to show some remorse for kidnapping Hera, who she bonds with on the trip to The Colony, and is the only one of Cavil's faction who shows her any compassion. Boomer gives Hera back to Athena and Helo during the [[Battle of The Colony]], saying that she owed Admiral Adama a favor and she has made what was probably her last choice. Boomer is then shot and killed by Athena.  With the [[Resurrection Hub]] destroyed, Boomer's death was final.

== Sharon "Athena" Agathon ==
{{mainarticle|Sharon Agathon}}
'''Sharon "Athena" Agathon''' is a copy first encountered by [[Karl Agathon|Karl "Helo" Agathon]], when he is stranded on {{RDM|Caprica}}. She is initially assigned to seduce him by impersonating Lieutenant Sharon Valerii, as part of a Cylon cross-breeding experiment. To facilitate her mission, this Sharon was given Boomer's memories at least up until the point of leaving Helo behind on Caprica. Unlike Boomer, she is always aware of being a Cylon. Sharon later turns against her people and helps Agathon escape the planet; pregnant with his child during that time. Helo, first shocked by her true nature, ultimately accepts her as the mother of his child and declares his love for her.

Once on ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'', she is imprisoned in the cell built for Boomer and long seen as nothing but a "[[toaster]]". She frequently provides intelligence and earns Admiral [[William Adama|Adama's]] trust by helping the Colonial Fleet escape peril several times. Sharon gives birth on ''Galactica'' to a daughter named [[Hera Agathon|Hera]], but President [[Laura Roslin|Roslin]] considers the Cylons' interest in the baby a threat to the [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]] and so has Doctor [[Sherman Cottle|Cottle]] fake the child's death and give her to [[Maya|a foster mother]]. Sharon eventually marries Karl Agathon and becomes a Colonial Raptor pilot with the callsign "Athena". She believes Hera to be dead for more than a year, unaware of her presence on [[New Caprica]] or her recovery by the Cylons during the exodus from that planet. After learning the truth during a confrontation with Sharon Valerii, Athena is able to regain her daughter from the Cylons with the help of [[Caprica-Six]].

Since her joining the Fleet she has become a trusted officer who is assigned the hardest of missions, at least one which being a Cylon helped her survive when it would be difficult for normal humans {{TRS|The Passage}}. She tells Helo at one point that she has to struggle to be accepted everyday because of her true nature as a Cylon, but despite that she remains loyal to the Fleet. When she learns that the Colonials plan to wipe out the whole Cylon fleet by unleashing the [[lymphocytic encephalitis]] virus, she says that she will keep her word nonetheless even if it means she's the last Cylon in existence. At one point she encounters several other Eight copies on the Rebel Basestar, who revere her since she was the first Cylon to say "no" to the overall plan and now has a child and a place among the humans. They ask her to lead a mutiny against Natalie and the other Sixes, whose leadership they blame for their current troubles; however, Athena refuses, saying that the other Eights disgust her. She explains that they should choose which side they are on and not cut and run when things get ugly, or else they'll never achieve any of the things they want for themselves.

Athena later is severely beaten by Boomer and locked, half-conscious, in one of the ship's bathroom stalls, having to watch as Boomer seduces Helo. Athena frees herself too late to prevent Boomer from kidnapping Hera. Athena seems to fall into a depression, basically ignoring her husband and stating that she doesn't think they'll find Hera alive even when a rescue is finally launched for her. Athena is part of the strike team that invades [[The Colony]] through Raptors and finds that Boomer has saved her daughter from dissection. Boomer returns Hera to her, but Athena refuses to forgive Boomer, saying that returning Hera doesn't absolve Boomer's various betrayals. Boomer agrees. Athena then shoots and kills Boomer for her actions. Athena, Helo, and Hera survive the [[Battle of The Colony]] and settle on the new [[Earth (RDM)|Earth]] to live out the rest of their days in peace.

==Other Copies==
[[File:Boomerraincoat Colonialday.JPG|thumb|170px|A Number Eight copy at the [[Delphi]] spaceport.]]
*Shortly after the [[Cylon Attack]] ends, an Eight in a pale blue tunic is one of four 'rebirth nurses' who greet [[Caprica-Six]] following her rebirth (this takes place at the same time as the events of the middle or end of the [[Miniseries]], but is seen in the much later episode "[[Downloaded]]").
*An Eight wearing a gray coat is witnessed by Helo at the spaceport at [[Delphi]]. She notices him and draws a gun on him, but is quickly shot by the Sharon with him.  This reveals to Helo that his Sharon is a Cylon {{TRS|Colonial Day}}.
*Multiple nude copies of the Eight model are present on the [[Basestar (RDM)|basestar]] over {{RDM|Kobol}} and confront [[Sharon Valerii]] outside the Raptor she has landed within the vessel, telling her that they love her and will see her again {{TRS|Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II}}. They are blown up along with the rest of the Basestar when the warhead planted by Valerii detonates. Despite having time to act, they do nothing to stop the warhead and apparently activate Valerii's Cylon programing once more as she later shoots Commander Adama without the usual trigger for her programing being present.
*An Eight is among a group of rebirth nurses, possibly the same one that midwifed Caprica-Six, who welcome the reborn Sharon Valerii. Valerii becomes hysterical after seeing and hearing this copy.
*A copy of Number Eight is seen at the end of "[[Final Cut]]," also wearing a grey coat like other Eights on Caprica, remarking in delight that the Sharon who escaped Caprica with Helo and Starbuck is still alive (and saying, "I told you" to the Number Five copy sitting next to her).
[[File:Eights.jpg|right|224px|Eights onboard a Cylon [[basestar (RDM)|basestar]].|thumb]]
*Numerous copies of Eight are seen on Cylon occupied Caprica throughout the episode "[[Downloaded]]".
*Several Eights are part of a group of humanoid Cylons blown up on New Caprica by a bomb planted by [[Samuel Anders]] and [[Galen Tyrol]] as they approach a group of Centurions exiting from a Heavy Raider which has just landed.
*Another Eight sits next to Valerii on ''Colonial One'' during the [[Cylon Occupation Authority]]'s discussion of the suicide bombing of New Caprica City's power station and the subsequent proposal that harsher measures be adopted. She does not speak during the meeting.
*An Eight, referred to in script as "Sweet Eight," seduces [[Felix Gaeta]] on New Caprica. She offers to check on and, when possible, rescue prisoners whom he cares about. Secretly aware that Gaeta is working with the human resistance, "Sweet Eight" saves a few token humans from Gaeta's lists and orders the remainder killed as being valuable to her human enemies. Much later, "Sweet Eight" kills everyone else aboard [[Raptor 718#Galactica Raptor|Raptor 718]] except Gaeta, including another Eight, in order to save oxygen for herself and Gaeta. Gaeta discovers this and she reveals her actions during the occupation of New Caprica. Gaeta then kills her {{TRS|The Face of the Enemy}}. [[Gaius Baltar]] was aware of her actions on New Caprica ("[[Taking a Break From All Your Worries]]"; confirmed in "The Face of the Enemy").
*An Eight can be seen practicing a Cylon version of [[Wikipedia:Tai Chi Chuan|Tai Chi]] in the episode "[[Torn]]" while nude.
*Another Eight is among the infected Cylons captured by ''Galactica'' as part of the Colonials' plot to infect the Cylon race with the virus from the [[Lion's Head beacon]]. She and the others are executed by Karl Agathon before the plan can be put into action {{TRS|A Measure of Salvation}}. Because no [[Resurrection Ship]] was in range, her death is final.
*The Number Eights in the episode "[[Six of One]]," with the exception of Sharon Valerii, are supporters of the Number Six [[Natalie]]. They are excited at the prospect of discovering the [[Final Five]] and vote with the [[Number Two|Two]]s and [[Number Six|Six]]es against the lobotomization of the [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raiders]].
*The Eights in Natalie's group decide that they need to mutiny and turn to Athena to lead the rebellion. She refuses and tells them they need to pick a side and stick with it. One is mortally wounded by a Centurion (which is then killed by Starbuck) while attempting to disconnect the Hybrid. She apologizes to Athena asking for forgiveness admitting that Athena was right. Athena doesn't grant it, but [[Samuel Anders]] holds her hand and comforts her as she dies {{TRS|Faith}}.
*Another copy works with Karl Agathon during the attack on the Cylon [[Resurrection Hub]]. When she gives him a massage like his wife does, he asks her about it and she say that she was curious about Sharon Agathon, so she downloaded her memories from the last time Agathon resurrected {{TRS|Rapture}}. This makes her Sharon Agathon to some extent, complete with an emotional attachment to Karl Agathon. She is aware that it is an awkward situation for Karl, but is still annoyed when he rebuffs her. Shortly after, she helps him by giving a speech to the reluctant Viper pilots that motivate them to trust the Cylons. During the battle she and Karl take a Raptor to the Hub to retrieve the unboxed [[Number Three]]. Afterwards, she is furious when she learns that the humans double-crossed them and have no intention of handing over the Three {{TRS|The Hub}}. In a deleted scene for the episode she is shot seconds after this revelation by a Cavil that was part of a boarding party. Helo kills the Cavil and goes to help her, but she's dead.
*A pilot Eight, referred to as "Hard Eight" in script, is aboard Raptor 718 when it becomes separated from the Fleet. While attempting to repair a loose connection using deckhand [[Brooks (RDM)|Brooks]]' pliers, she is fatally electrocuted, after which it is discovered that the insulation had been stripped from the pliers. "Sweet Eight" is later revealed to have stripped the insulation, intending to kill the deckhand in order to save oxygen {{TRS|The Face of the Enemy}}.
*Several copies work around ''Galactica'' applying the organic resin.
*Another copy is either knocked out or killed by Tyrol and used to replace Boomer so she could escape.
*Another copy has to forcibly restrain a Six who nearly gets into a fight with a human worker.
*Another Eight (or possibly the same one that restrained the Six) is mortally wounded during the hull breach on ''Galactica''. She asks to see Colonel Tigh, who she knows by this point is her "father," as the Final Five are the creators of the eight numbered models. Tigh visits this Eight on her deathbed and thus she is able to die with some peace.
*The remaining Eights who survived the [[Battle of The Colony]] presumably joined the human race with the rest of the Cylons.

== Character Conception and Development ==
The re-imagined version of Boomer was transformed from a [[Boomer (TOS)|male character]] in the [[Original Series]] to a female, Lieutenant {{callsign|Boomer}}. A pivotal change came at the suggestion of executive producer [[David Eick]], who proposed that she be a [[Humanoid Cylon|Cylon sleeper agent]]. The creative team felt this twist would be more effective because the character was first established as a "very human, very likeable character without there being any hint that she was hiding something."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=16}}</ref>

Actress [[Grace Park]] noted that in the [[Miniseries]], "Sharon is just the sidekick character/best friend who the main characters can go to and trust... and that’s why it’s such a shock when Sharon is revealed to be a Cylon [[Miniseries, Night 2|at the end]]."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=122}}</ref>

On the challenge of playing two distinct versions of the same model, Park explained that it wasn't confusing because they were "so clearly different." She described the [[Sharon Valerii|''Galactica'' version]] of Sharon as "vulnerable, emotional and... a very conflicted character," while the [[Caprica-Valerii|Caprica version]] was "completely manipulative and ruthless for the most part." She noted that she always "wanted to make sure they both had good and bad aspects."<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=122}}</ref>

Park's journey to being cast was a multi-step process. She originally auditioned for the role of [[Anastasia Dualla]]. The producers then asked her to read for {{callsign|Starbuck}}, and she became one of the final two actresses in consideration for the part before it went to [[Katee Sackhoff]]. She was then offered the role of Sharon.<ref group="Book">{{Cite book|author=David Bassom|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|year=2005|publisher=Titan Books|isbn=1845760972|page=124}}</ref>

==Notes==
*[[Ronald D. Moore|Ron D. Moore]] stated in an interview for ''TheFandom.com'', "There is no original human Sharon. The idea is not that there was likely an original human model that they were copied from. The idea was that these models of Cylon were sort of developed out of their own study of us. The Cylons on some level looked at humanity and said 'You know what? There's really only 12 of you.' If these are the 12, and sort of if you look at them they each represent different archetypes of what humanity is." This is contradicted however in [[No Exit]] when it is revealed that [[Cavil]] was created in the image of Ellen's father.
*The two notable Eights, [[Sharon Valerii]] and {{callsign|Athena}}, met for the first time in the [[Season 3 (2006-07)|Season Three]] midseason finale "[[The Eye of Jupiter]]". Before that, they were often in the same episode but never shared a scene.
*[[w:Valerii|Valerii]] is the male plural form of the Roman name of the family Valeria. Valerius is the singular form.
*Neither Eight with extended time with the Colonials refers to her lover by his first name on screen during the first two seasons. During that time, Sharon Valerii calls [[Chief Tyrol]] by "Chief" instead of "Galen," while Sharon Agathon uses {{callsign|Karl Agathon}}'s callsign, Helo. Ronald D. Moore explained in his blog that no one had ever really called Tyrol "Galen" before, and hearing Valerii say it during her death scene would have distracted from the emotional impact of her death. Moore compared it to the Seinfeld episode when Kramer's first name is revealed to be "Cosmo"; i.e. the viewers would be unused to Tyrol's previously unknown first name. As for Agathon, everybody usually just calls him "Helo". Sharon Valerii referred to Chief Tyrol by "Galen" for the first time while speaking to [[Cally]] in the Cylon Detention Center on [[New Caprica]], long after their romantic relationship had ended. Whereas Sharon Agathon calls Helo by his first name, Karl, in "[[The Woman King]]".
*''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'' producers [[Kevin Murphy]] and [[Jane Espenson]] have stated that one of various ideas for the future of the series discussed, but not finalized, by the writing staff was that [[Tamara Adama]] became the archetype for the Number Eight model.<ref>{{archivelink|live=No|url=http://www.capricatimes.com/the-caprica-times-exclusive-interview-kevin-murphy|title=''The Caprica Times'' Exclusive Interview: Kevin Murphy}}</ref><ref>[http://twitter.com/#!/JaneEspenson/status/66023637202903040 Tweet by Jane Espenson]</ref>

==References==
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