// CHARACTER THOMAS TOMONE ( MERVEILLE LUKEBA ) //
Skins Season 3
The idea of having an immigrants teenage character is actually a fantastic idea. Exploring the complicated dynamic between the youth and the parents as they try to make a life for themselves in a country that is not their home. I see it every day as a teacher and tutor. The kids want to embrace the customs of the new country while the parents want to keep the customs of their native. The teachers and the people of status tend to look down on immigrants and think negative things about them. Especially in terms of being unruly and not intelligent. Which is ridiculous because anyone who can survive that amount of change while mastering a new language and trying to make new friends shows how brave and how smart these kids are. The idea of having a character like this in ‘Skins’ is actually fascinating. The execution of this story line though shaky and filled with distractions is still there.
When we meet Thomas we see him struggle on his own; however, he is filled with enthusiasm and excitement. He is happy to be in Bristol and everywhere he goes he greets people with a smile. We also see he loves donuts which he bonds with Pandora over. He in the beginning seems keen on embracing an English lifestyle, an English girl, and an English group of friends. His mother comes over to Bristol later on to find that her son has been corrupted and decides to take him back to the Congo. Though she later changes her mind. His story of being a new immigrant takes a back seat until Series 4. Now the focus is on the new relationships he is or isn’t building.
Skins Season 4
Pandora becomes his girlfriend. They seem like they are both kind and both naive in many ways. However Pandora has a secret that is later revealed that she is cheating on Thomas with Cook. Just like with Emily those who trust the world who later get disappointed. Can become the worst cynics. Only on the surface it seems as if Thomas is handling it fine. He agrees to start over with Pandora and after having a talk with Emily it is shown that Thomas is disappointed but still has feelings for Pandora.
Series 4 the immigrant world comes back into picture. The place he is living is unclean and unsafe. He worries about his siblings. Especially because one of them has fallen ill from the damp hazardous home they live on. His mother still disapproves of his friends and some of the morals of the English. The family goes to a community center for those who are Congan. This episode was suppose to represent Thomas being torn in two directions. One English (his new country) and one Congan (his old country.) He began as an enthusiastic character only he has seen some shady dealings since coming to Bristol. Including how individuals seem to be handling Sophia’s suicide like the club owner and Cook who he suspects dealt the drugs. His English girlfriend cheated on him and so he is starting to lose faith in this new world he embraced. Escaping in his own culture and getting caught up with a beautiful girl that his mother would approve of.
Another thing that happened to Thomas was that he was expelled. David Blood has to keep appearances and Thomas’ education is not important in his big picture plan to save Roundview from itself.
The rest of the series Thomas spends his time a bit lost trying to figure out a way to get on Pandora’s good side while making friends with Katie. Later on we learn he is heading toward America along with Pandora in order to display his talent as a runner.
