Amanda Graystone
| Amanda Graystone | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
|
Name |
{{{name}}} | |
| Age | ||
| Colony | Caprica | |
| Birth place | {{{birthplace}}} | |
| Birth Name | {{{birthname}}} | |
| Birth Date | {{{birthdate}}} | |
| Callsign | ||
| Nickname | {{{nickname}}} | |
| Introduced | Caprica | |
| Death | ||
| Parents | ||
| Siblings | Darius† | |
| Children | Zoe Graystone† | |
| Marital Status | Married to Daniel | |
| Family Tree | View | |
| Role | Plastic surgeon | |
| Rank | ||
| Serial Number | {{{serial}}} | |
| Portrayed by | Kassandra Kingsborough Paula Malcomson | |
| Amanda Graystone is a Cylon | ||
| Amanda Graystone is a Final Five Cylon | ||
| Amanda Graystone is a Human/Cylon Hybrid | ||
| Amanda Graystone is an Original Series Cylon | ||
| Related Media | ||
| @ BW Media | ||
| Additional Information | ||
| [[Image:|200px|Amanda Graystone]] | ||
Amanda Graystone was a successful Caprican plastic surgeon married to Daniel Graystone, the computer engineer who created the Cylons. She was the mother of Zoe Graystone.
Early Life[edit]
Amanda Graystone experienced tragedy early in her life when a car crash killed her brother Darius. Surviving the car crash took its toll on Graystone, causing her to have frequent hallucinations in which her brother appeared. The resulting nervous breakdown and suicide attempt sent Graystone to the Delphi Convalescent Institute, where she spent two and a half years recovering (CAP: "The Imperfections of Memory", "End of Line").
When she met a young Daniel Graystone, Amanda described herself as "crazy", though he proved to be a source of emotional stability for her. Following their marriage, Amanda unexpectedly became pregnant with the Graystones' only daughter Zoe. Graystone struggled through the pregnancy, coming at a time when Amanda was focused on building her medical practice. Though she loved her daughter, Amanda believed that her unhappy pregnancy and postpartum depression affected her relationship with Zoe and contributed to their frequent conflicts (CAP: "End of Line", "False Labor").
Following the birth of Zoe, the Graystones struggled through tough economic times and even a devastating fire that destroyed their first home. Still, the Graystones found success - Daniel making his way through the MicroCap company to eventually become CEO of Graystone Industries, and Amanda becoming a successful plastic surgeon (CAP: "Ghosts in the Machine", "There Is Another Sky").
Moving to a lavish new seaside estate, Graystone enjoyed playing tennis with her husband though her relationship with her daughter, Zoe, was difficult, even hostile (CAP: "Pilot", "Retribution").
Losing a Daughter[edit]
Fifty-eight years before the Fall, Graystone experienced an enormous loss when her daughter, Zoe, was killed in the MagLev bombing, perpetrated by Zoe's boyfriend Ben Stark. Devastated by the event, Graystone lost much connection with Daniel, drawing inward in mourning. Learning that Zoe herself may have played a part in the MLMT bombing, Graystone sought answers from her daughter's best friend, Lacy Rand who could only say that Zoe planned to find a new family on Gemenon (CAP: "Pilot", "Reins of a Waterfall").
Pressed by Global Defense Department Agent Jordan Duram during the investigation into the bombing, Graystone insisted that Zoe neither had radical political leanings nor even a boyfriend. At the bombing memorial service at Apollo Park, however, Graystone was approached by Natalie Stark - Ben Stark's mother - who confirmed the relationship and returned costume jewelery that had belonged to Zoe. Discovering that the jewelery in fact bore the symbol of the monotheist terror group the STO, Graystone was incensed. Grief stricken, Graystone chose to speak at the service, revealing to a stunned crowd that Zoe was a terrorist and responsible for the attack (CAP: "Rebirth").
With footage of the revelation played on networks all over the Twelve Worlds, Graystone resigned (or was fired) from her position at Caprica General Hospital and was met with mobs of angry protesters. Despite the ramifications and the conflict that arose between her and Daniel, Graystone admitted that she would do it again, saying that she truly believed Zoe was responsible for the bombing. In these revelatory moments, Graystone found the ability to come close to Daniel again (CAP: "Reins of a Waterfall").
As a result of Graystone's outburst at the memorial, the Graystones became hated figures. In response to the controversy, Daniel was forced to go on the Baxter Sarno television show to repair his family and company image. Watching her husband from offstage struggling to defend himself, Graystone burst onstage and joined in the debate, helping to portray Zoe as a normal - if troubled - young girl. On her way from the Sarno studio, however, Graystone was approached by a Sam Adama claiming to be Sarno's driver and offering her a ride home. In his car, Adama - an enforcer in the Ha'la'tha crime syndicate - proceeded to intimidate Graystone, making her fear for her life for the deaths of Adama's sister-in-law and niece in the bombing. Coming away unscathed, Graystone chalked the incident up to anger over the bombing, unaware of how close to death she may have been (CAP: "Gravedancing").
Coping with Loss[edit]
As the investigation into the bombing continued, GDD agents obtained a warrant to search the Graystone residence. Despite Graystone's protestations, Defense Department investigators removed most of Zoe's belongings, leaving only a few pieces of furniture behind (CAP: "Gravedancing).
- In a deleted scene from "Know Thy Enemy", Amanda disassembles the remaining furniture and contemplates turning Zoe's former room into a photography studio. Later in the episode as aired, photography equipment can be seen in the room, but it is not until "The Imperfections of Memory" that Amanda's interest in photography is mentioned.
Taking advantage of Graystone's grieving, Athena Academy Sister Clarice Willow - in secret an STO cell leader searching for Zoe Graystone's avatar - gained access to the Graystone's home, claiming to be returning books that once belonged to Zoe. With only a few pieces of tongue depressor art in Daniel's lab, Graystone was eager to have anything from Zoe's life and welcomed Willow. Bonding over Scorpian Ambrosia, the two women became fast friends, Graystone confiding in Willow (CAP: "Know Thy Enemy").
While on the street, Graystone witnessed a minor car crash and rushed to aid the injured. As a crowd assembled, Graystone was shocked to see what appeared to be her dead brother Darius among the onlookers. Pursuing the vision of her brother into a parking structure, Graystone found a poster depicting the bridge on which Darius was killed. Distraught over the vision, Graystone sought Sister Clarice's counsel (CAP: "The Imperfections of Memory").
With Daniel retreating into corporate politics, Graystone was increasingly left alone. Still haunted by the visions of Darius, Graystone began drinking heavily, mixing alcohol and prescription medications, and descended into a deep depression (CAP: "Ghosts in the Machine", "End of Line").
Confronted by Tomas Vergis about corporate espionage perpetrated by Daniel that resulted in the deaths of two men, Graystone was pushed over the edge. During their Eros Day dinner, Graystone challenged her husband over Vergis' accusation. Learning that it was true, Graystone walked out on Daniel, strolling to the Pantheon Bridge and jumping off (CAP: "End of Line").
Unvanquished[edit]
Surviving the fall into Caprican Bay, Graystone was rushed to a nearby hospital. There she refused to see her husband, but was comforted by Sister Clarice. Together, the two women took up residence in a cabin outside of Caprica City where Graystone recovered. Despite the relative peace of the cabin, however, Graystone was still tormented by the loss of her daughter and haunted by prescient dreams indicating Zoe's connection to the U-87 robot (CAP: "Unvanquished", "Retribution").
Walking with the use of a cane, Graystone met with GDD investigator Jordan Duram at a holocafe. There Duram revealed to Graystone that Sister Clarice was a member of the STO terrorist organization and likely responsible for the brainwashing and death of Zoe. At first skeptical, Graystone later began to see the connections and agreed to help Duram, sneaking back into her home and retrieving a gun from her closet (CAP: "Retribution").
Unable to find any evidence linking Willow to the STO in the cabin, Graystone pleaded with Sister Clarice to be allowed to live with her in her family home. Though Willow at first refused, she later acquiesced, bringing Graystone home with her - much to the objection of her wife Mar-Beth Willow. While Mar-Beth and Graystone at first butted heads, they ultimately moved past their differences, with Graystone even assisting in the birth of Mar-Beth's child (CAP: "Things We Lock Away", "False Labor").
Amanda-A[edit]
Estranged from his wife, Daniel Graystone struggled with life without Amanda Graystone, refusing to sleep in their bed and drinking heavily. As Daniel worked to regain control of his company, Graystone sought the aid of the Ha'la'tha crime syndicate, promising them substantial profits from the creation of the resurrection program - a product that would bring loved ones back from the dead in the Virtual World (CAP: "Unvanquished", "Retribution", "False Labor").
To this end, Graystone created a holographic avatar of Amanda as a test case. Basing it off of an existing holoband character template, the Amanda avatar was augmented with the personal journal entries of the Graystone Family, including Zoe's. Still, the avatar was unable to surpass her base programming which heavily emphasized sexuality and a desire to please. Instead of truly remembering the events of Amanda Graystone's life, the Amanda avatar would simply repeat passages from the journal entries (CAP: "False Labor").
Though she was not the "perfect copy" that the Zoe avatar had been, the Amanda avatar displayed some signs of true self awareness and appeared frustrated that she was not what Daniel had hoped she would be. Testing her responses, Graystone revealed to the avatar that he had been responsible for the deaths of two men working for the Vergis Corporation. Though it was a heated exchange, the avatar failed to react as the true Amanda Graystone would and - in a moment of defeat - Daniel choked her, causing her to derez (CAP: "False Labor").
| Spoiler follows, highlight to read. |
|---|
| Following the "awful derezzing incident" - as the Amanda avatar put it - Daniel Graystone made one final attempt to perfect the program. With the project predicted to take three months to complete, the Ha'la'tha's Guatrau gave Daniel only two weeks to show him promising results. Under enormous pressure, Graystone visited the Amanda avatar in V-World where she again made a concerted effort to behave as a fully realized person. Still, despite showing sarcasm, neuroses, and even anger, the avatar was unconvincing and Graystone deleted it and the backup copy (CAP: "Blowback"). |
Bringing Down the STO[edit]
As a confidential informant for Jordan Duram, Amanda Graystone used her position in the Willow home to pass information about STO operations to the GDD, frequently meeting with Duram in a Caprica City public park (CAP: "False Labor", "Blowback").
Misdirection[edit]
| Spoiler follows, highlight to read. |
|---|
| Though she had at least temporarily earned the trust of Mar-Beth Willow, Graystone again raised suspicion when she was caught by Mar-Beth spying on Clarice Willow. Caught in the act, Graystone quickly covered, telling Mar-Beth that she believed Clarice had relapsed and was once again using opium. Mar-Beth, however, was unconvinced (CAP: "Blowback").
Relating to Duram that Mar-Beth was her chief obstacle in fully infiltrating the Willow Family, Graystone convinced the GDD investigator to provide her with a listening device that could be planted in Clarice Willow's bedroom. Himself suspicious that a mole within the GDD might be funneling information to the STO, Duram at first refused to reveal the identity of his confidential informant to Director Gara Singh. However, after evidence in the MagLev bombing case, housed at the GDD, turned up missing, Duram decided to mislead Singh, providing information that implicated Mar-Beth Willow as the CI (CAP: "Blowback"). When Mar-Beth turned up missing - having been murdered and mutilated by Clarice Willow - the mole within the GDD was revealed as Director Singh himself; and Amanda Graystone's position as a confidential informant remained hidden (CAP: "Blowback"). |
Notes[edit]
Amanda Graystone was played by Irish actress Paula Malcomson who originally auditioned for the role of Sister Clarice.
Graystone's career as a plastic surgeon was chosen by show runner Jane Espenson. In the DVD audio commentary for "Gravedancing", Espenson revealed that Graystone's role could come into play in the creation of the "Skinjob" Cylons. In the podcast commentary for the same episode, Paula Malcolmson stated that she believed Amanda hailed from a colony other than Caprica. This assertion is supported by dialogue in "Know Thy Enemy" in which she and Clarice call native Capricans "babies". [1]
Of her character, Malcolmson stated "As an actor you have to sort of put aside your own judgments in terms of whether your character is necessarily good or bad. ...t was tough and I did think about it: particularly that many people would perhaps find Amanda unsympathetic. I just really tried to tap into the character’s loss and pain as well as the fact that she has made mistakes and then go from there, you know?" [2]