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That locker room might've made my father the man he is... but it also made me the woman that I am.
— Nomi Marks to Lito[src]

Nomi Marks, born Michael Marks, portrayed by Jamie Clayton, is a main character in the Netflix series, Sense8. Nomi is a political blogger and hacktivist based in San Francisco. Nomi is a proud transgender woman and lesbian, happily living with her wife Amanita.[1]

Experiencing a sensation and initially believed to be suffering from an ambiguous brain disorder, Nomi escapes alongside her lover, seeking out information on BPO and her new sensate status. Revisited by her friend Bug, she aid her cluster through her knowledge and hacking abilities to uncover the truth.

With her presence known, Nomi also becomes a target for the FBI, notably Agent Jeffrey Bendix, leaving her with the option to hide with Bug and utilize E-Death.

Biography

Early Life

Nomi was born on August 8 through Caesarean section, assigned male at birth and named Michael, the child of Lawrence Marks and Janet Marks. Raised in San Francisco with a sister named Teagan, she experienced early dysphoria, being pressured by her father to grow as a boy. During her time at a swim club, the boys harassed her in the showers, stripping her and scarring her skin from the hot water for her reclusiveness.[2]

After the traumatic moment in her life, she began to undergo transitioning, though her parents were not in support of her choice. During this period, she befriended Bug, developing an interest in hacking. Through her adolescence, she got arrested for misdemeanor electronic intrusion and hacking, even taking blame for Bug's hack into the Pentagon's computer network during the Iraq War.[3]

Completing her physical transitioning, Nomi established a friendship with Amanita Caplan at a local bookstore. Quickly, the two started a romantic relationship and attended their first Pride together. Nomi, having been well-known through her public activist blogs, was harassed for her transgender identity by one of the lesbian women in the park, being defended by Amanita. Moved by the passionate defense, tears well in her eyes from the touching moment of vulnerability.[4]

Season One

Limbic Resonance

Nomi and Neets have sex to ease away the pain from Nomi's headache, which is an effect from being reborn as a sensate. After they were done, they prepare themselves for San Francisco Pride Parade.

Later, Nomi and Amanita are at the San Fransisco Pride Parade. The two were eating and sharing stories about their first pride parade, when two men dressed as fairies at the parade offered them brownies. Amanita thinks it can help Nomi's headache, so she buys it to honor their first Pride Parade and then they delightfully eat it together. Nomi continues their conversation, telling Amanita a story of Nomi's favorite part of their first pride parade.

At their previous Pride festival, Amanita introduced Nomi to a group of her friends with, one of whom, Sam, was harassing Nomi. Amanita defended Nomi so passionately that Nomi started to cry, and when Amanita asked her why she was crying, Nomi admitted that it wasn't because of what the woman said, but that she has never had anyone defend her before. After telling the story, Nomi tells Amanita that was the moment she knew she'd always loved her.

Nomi is seen again with three other people, admiring Amanita's charity work. Nomi tells Sean about her excitement for his new piece. Sean explains that he is actually nervous about it. Later, Nomi and Amanita sit in the theater and watch a dance performance about AIDS in the 1980s. As she watches, the stage went dark and Nomi sees Angelica on the stage, caught in a spotlight. Angelica looks directly at her as everyone applauds, and the vision fades. Nomi realizes that she’s the only one who saw the woman.[4]

I Am Also A We

Nomi and Amanita discuss Nomi's vision of Angelica and Nomi's past as a hacktivist while they walk down an alley. Nomi asks Amanita if she seemed crazy and Amanita recommends that Nomi write about the experience. Nomi updates her video blog, talking about how she used to be afraid of who she was. She says that her mom's favorite saint was Saint Thomas Aquinas. She declares that she is marching for the part of herself that was too afraid to march, and to remember that she is not just a "me", but also a "we". Then she tells Saint Thomas Aquinas to go fuck himself.

Later, Nomi is celebrating in Pride Parade, riding on a motorcycle along with others on Bikes. While she takes pictures, she sees Jonas in the crowd and experiences a flashback to Angelica's suicide, causing her to pass out and fall on the pavement. Riley and Nomi had a brief connection as they both walk down the streets of London as they sing in Icelandic.

Nomi wakes up in the hospital to find her mother and sister standing bedside. Her mother, Janet, and her sister, Teagan, are present as she wakes up. Janet insists on referring to Nomi as "Michael" despite her objection. Janet continues to irritate Nomi as she talks about how dangerous motorcycles are. Dr. Metzger arrives with an MRI image, showing that Nomi's brain has ULFS, and that if left untreated, she will experience extreme hallucinations and synesthesia, loss of identity, and will die within six months. Janet tries to comfort her.

Later, Nomi tries to leave her room but a nurse informs her that she can not. Then Jonas visits Nomi and tells her that Metzger is planning to do a lobotomy, and that she needs to escape as soon as possible. Nomi dismisses this, believing what Metzger said that she will start experiencing hallucinations and synesthesia. Afterwards, when Nomi was alone, Amanita reaches Nomi by telephone. Amanita says that Nomi has been guarded by heavy security. Amanita says that she will burn the building down before she lets anything happen to her. Nomi mentions that she thinks she has been hallucinating Jonas but Amanita looks at Nomi's phone and finds a picture of Jonas, confirming that he's real.[5]

Smart Money Is on the Skinny Bitch

In the hospital, the nurse, along with orderlies, visits Nomi. She insists Nomi to take her medication but Nomi refuses. She informs Nomi that she needs to take the pills as 24 hours later she will go through surgery. Nomi still refuses and the nurse tells her she was instructed to use force if she resists. The orderlies advance on her. Nomi cries for help as she is bounded on her bed. Later, as Nomi was about to be operated, the fire alarm goes off. Metzger orders the other nurse to take her back in the room. Half conscious, Nomi recalls Amanita's promise to burn the hospital before she gets operated.[6]

What's Going On?

Nomi is at her bed, listening to Dr. Metzger. Nomi had a quarrel with Metzger and Metzger claims that Nomi seems to be impatient for her surgery. Nomi denies it but Metzger instructs the nurse to prep her for surgery. Later, the nurse comes in and prepares Nomi for surgery. Nomi pants as she begs them to stop but the nurse refuses, saying it's for her own good. Nomi then yells for help as she is taken away to the O.R. Nomi visits Will in his car, asking for his help.

With the help of Will, Nomi escapes from surgery but still faces the problem of escaping the hospital. The nurse that takes care of Nomi informs a woman about Nomi escaping. The woman sees Nomi and alarms the guards. Moments before being caught, Amanita shows up dressed as a nurse and escorts her. They escape the hospital and rides a taxi back to their home. Nomi has one last singalong visit with Riley, before asking honestly “What’s going on?”.[7]

Art Is Like Religion

In Chicago, Will calls Nomi's mother, Janet. Nomi and Will take each other's place. Nomi listens to the phone call as Janet talks. Janet talks about Nomi's crimes and believes that she developed UFLS after she started taking hormones. During the call, Janet keeps referring to Nomi as Michael and Will corrects her. Amanita asks her what was wrong since she was still reacting to the phone call. Nomi states that when Amanita approached her, she suddenly forgot who she was and that it feels impossible. Amanita says that the chances of someone like herself meeting someone like Nomi felt impossible and recounts their first kiss.

Nomi explains to her that her coffee suddenly tastes like shahi tukda. She wonders if Dr. Metzger was right about the hallucinations. Amanita suggests that there are two possibilities. Either he was telling the truth or he was lying. Nomi and Amanita believe the second possibility, saying that he's lying to Nomi for some reason and that they're going to find out why. Nomi and Amanita's friends meet up with them. They inform them that their apartment is heavily guarded and offers them a place. Nomi acknowledges the trouble but their friends are reminded about the good deed they did for them.

During Kala's wedding, Nomi and Amanita were shown. They return to their apartment to find it trashed.[8]

Demons

Nomi and Amanita visit their apartment to find it trashed. They both search for their possessions, both react distressed sitting on their ruined sofa. Nomi states that what happened to them isn't fair since Nomi didn't do anything and Amanita agrees. Nomi says that what's happening to them isn't going to stop and Amanita looks at Nomi's countenance. Nomi suggests that they make them stop and Amanita says "uh, oh you have that look in your eye". Nomi continues, she proposes that they find a place where they can trust people and fight back. Nomi and Amanita arrive by taxi at the house of Amanita's mother, Grace, and they hug and enter her house.

Nomi and Amanita wake up. Amanita notices Nomi is becoming her usual self again. Nomi says that she doesn't know if she's getting better because she still has her brain or because she saved her. Nomi continues, talking about how Amanita use to sneak out of the window as a teenager to make out with Zuzu. They kiss and start to have intercourse. Nomi gets involved in a sensate orgy. Over breakfast, Nomi, Amanita and Grace are having a discussion about what Nomi is experiencing. Nomi asks why she is connected to other people and not to those who are more in sync with her. Grace suggests that, just like evolution thrives from diversity, Nomi benefits from connecting to people different from her. Nomi wonders if her condition will worsen and whether she will be able to control it. Nomi states that she suddenly feels different emotions without any reason. Amanita says that emotions are connected to the nervous system and that something is happening to Nomi's brain. Nomi says she wants to know if she can control it or at least limit the effect of it like ADD or does it just slowly take over like Alzheimer's. Amanita is worried for her and holds her hand.

Nomi watches Amanita cleaning the dishes. Nomi, feeling the anxiety and worry of Sun and Riley, approaches and hugs Amanita from behind then kisses her. Amanita asks what it was for and Nomi replies that she felt like needing to do it. Amanita says she likes that and they kiss again.[9]

W. W. N. Double D?

Nomi and Amanita are waiting on a San Francisco rooftop. Nomi says that the person they're meeting can level the playing field. Nomi describes the time when, as a juvenile, she took the fall for the person's crimes. She apologizes to Amanita for not telling her it before. The person, Bug, arrives, and momentarily forgets that "Mike" is now Nomi, but then remembers. Bug gets sleazy all over Nomi. Bug apologizes and they turn to business. Bug brings out his hacking equipment, surprising Nomi. Amanita asks if the equipment is illegal, and Bug says that legality is a moving target.

Back at the home of Amanita's mother, Nomi sets up her equipment. Nomi expresses relief that Grace believes her. Grace talks about being a child of the 60s, and being open to the idea of unexplained phenomena. She tells a story of how she once lost Amanita at a park, and she was able to find Amanita by hearing her "vibration". Nomi uses the computer. She shows the travel records for Dr. Metzger to Amanita. She finds that he has recently traveled to London, Istanbul, Switzerland, Seoul and Iceland. From his insurance records, she sees that he has performed the lobotomy operation three times in the Bay Area. Two of the patients died, and the third is Niles Bolger.

Nomi and Amanita arrive at a treatment center to see Niles Bolger. Nomi claims to be his niece. They find Niles, who is in a near-vegetative state with a large scar across his forehead, and watching a movie. Nomi greets him but he is unresponsive. Nomi touches his hands and still gets no response. Nomi runs out of the building. Amanita follows her and asks why she is crying. She explains that she's frightened because she almost had the same fate. They make a promise to never let anyone touch Nomi's brain.

Later, Nomi and Amanita are incognito at the Atlas Cafe, where Metzger routinely stops for coffee. Metzger appears. Nomi clones his phone and starts downloading personal information. Metzger receives a call. The call is short, and Metzger is confused. He leaves and Amanita notices that he looked scared. Nomi looks at the cloned phone and sees that the call came from Dr. Matheson. She calls the number. Dr. Matheson. Dr. Matheson realizes Nomi called him, and looks forward to meeting her. Amanita and Nomi is alarmed that they knew her. Nomi says that Metzger is booked on a plane to Chicago that night, and they make a plan to break into his apartment for information.

At Metzger's apartment, they break down the door and begin snooping. Nomi finds little personal information on Metzger's computer. Amanita finds a picture of Metzger with Cheney and says that he must be evil. Nomi begins copying the hard drive. They hear Metzger come in the door. Nomi and Amanita changes plans. He finds Nomi, and suggests that Nomi returns to the hospital for her treatment. Amanita comes up behind him and threatens him with a mallet and forces him to drop his phone. Nomi informs them that they visited Niles. Metzger says that he already knows, and he's guessing it the reason why his trip to Chicago was cancelled. Nomi says that she talked to a Dr. Matheson, and Metzger becomes very worried, saying, "You've killed us all."

Jonas visits and tells Nomi that she needs to escape, because Whispers is coming. Metzger recognizes the name Jonas. Niles Bolger walks in, wearing a suit and brandishing a gun. Amanita sprays Niles with mace and causes him to drop his gun. Metzger and Niles wrestle. Amanita panics and tells Nomi that they leave. Nomi grabs the USB drive and the girls run into the hallway, and Metzger follow. Niles shoots a resident and Metzger on the shoulder. The girls run into a stairwell and Metzger runs down a different hallway. Niles chooses to follow Metzger. Metzger crawls at the end of the hallway, with a mirror behind him. He begs for his life, referring to Niles as Milton. Nomi and Amanita watch. Niles shoots Metzger in the head and turns the gun on himself. In the mirror, Nomi sees a man, appearing to be controlling the body of Niles. Niles shoots himself in the head.[3]

Personality

nomi is THAT bitchvery sweet

Relationships

Inside the Cluster

  • Will Gorski: Works with Nomi many times leading the Cluster on joint missions, through coordination of their hacking and police work skills. Uses his police skills to help Nomi escape from the hospital.
  • Kala Dandekar:
  • Riley Blue: Sings with Nomi while she is in the Hospital.
  • Capheus Onyango: Assists Nomi is driving a getaway car while she was being chased by the FBI.
  • Sun Bak: Assists Nomi in escaping Dr. Metzger.
  • Wolfgang Bogdanow: When Nomi was speaking at her sister's wedding, he inadvertently took over the speech and threatened those who will hurt Teagan.
  • Lito Rodriguez: Lito and Nomi share their experiences in coming to terms with their identities, especially with regards to sexuality and the societal reaction to coming out. In addition, Lito often unintentionally visits Nomi when he is afraid. Of all of the voices in her head, Nomi jokes that Lito "can be a bit of a handful".

Non-Cluster Sensates:

  • Jonas Maliki: Jonas warns Nomi that Dr. Metzger is going to lobtomize her and that she needs to escape.

Non-Sensates

  • Amanita: Nomi is engaged to Amanita, a pansexual woman. Amanita's mother is a "child of the 60s." Neither Amanita nor Amanita's mother ever question or doubt Nomi's new-found experiences as a sensate, both keen to accept the unknown. During their first Pride Parade together, Nomi was harassed by TERFs (Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminists) and then defended by Amanita. Nomi states that that was the moment she knew she'd always love Amanita. When Nomi is faced with an impending lobotomy in Season one, Amanita stops at nothing to ensure Nomi escapes the hospital. As a couple, they are frequently depicted as having an open, affectionate relationship.
  • Grace: Alongside Amanita, Grace is shown to be accepting of Nomi and provides her much support from BPO and Agent Bendix.
  • Janet Marks: Nomi deeply resents her mother who constantly misgenders her and calls her by her birth name (Michael).
  • Lawrence Marks: Some time during Nomi's childhood (before transitioning), her father did not approve of her playing with dolls and forces her into a boy's swimming club as a learning experience. Experiencing harassment and abuse from the other boys, she eventually quits and decides to transition to a woman. It is implied (from Teagan) that Lawrence perceives Nomi as a narcissist and troublesome, similarly with Janet. After Agent Bendix attempts to arrest Nomi, however, it is shown that Lawrence is adjusting to having Nomi as his daughter.
  • Teagan Marks: Nomi appears to have a healthy relationship with her younger sister. During a speech at Teagan's wedding rehearsal dinner, Nomi recounts that being Teagan's sister was hard, because Teagan was perfect. Teagan and Nomi had gotten into huge fights when they were young, like when Nomi tore her diary to try and provoke her into feeling negative feelings like anger and feeling depressed, so that Teagan was the same as her. Nomi and Teagan's worst fight happened before Nomi's surgery, when Teagan didn't understand why Nomi had to go through surgery, and tried to talk Nomi out of it since she was scared and worried for her. But the day after Nomi had finished her surgery, the first thing she saw and heard was her sister singing her happy birthday with a cupcake.
  • Bug: Upon reconnecting with hacktivist Bug, he immediately sexualizes her. Despite this, they mutually respect and need each other. Bug feels eternally indebted to Nomi for saving him from imprisonment. He supplies her cluster with hacking technology that is not "strictly legal."

Appearances

Skills

  • Hacking: cybercrime skill set - research, data analysis, placing false information, looking for information, copying phone, hiding information, and social engineering (such as knowing how to use people and items to an advantage)
  • Multilingual: Because of her sensate rebirth, Nomi can speak seven different languages; she also mentioned poor French from her days in high school. In Happy F*cking New Year, Bug commented on Nomi viewing Korean news despite never knowing she understood the language.

Media

See more here

"For a long time, I was afraid to be who I am, because I was taught by my parents that there’s something wrong with someone like me. Something offensive, something you would avoid, maybe even pity. Something that you could never love.....I was afraid of this parade because I wanted so badly to be a part of it. So today, I’m marching for that part of me that was once too afraid to march. And for all the people who can’t march, the people living lives like I did… Today I march to remember that I’m not just a me, but I’m also a we. And we march with Pride. So go fuck yourself Aquinas."
--Nomi's online speech before the San Francisco Pride March in I Am Also A We

"I'm crying because no one's ever defended me before."
--Nomi to Amanita in Limbic Resonance

"I'm not the one that's gonna need an ambulance."
--Nomi to Dr. Metzger in W. W. N. Double D?

"That locker room might've made my father the man he is... but it also made me the woman that I am"
--Nomi to Lito in Death Doesn't Let You Say Goodbye

“At a certain point I realized there’s a huge difference between what we work for and what we live for"
--Nomi to Lito in Death Doesn't Let You Say Goodbye

"The real violence...  the violence that I realized was unforgivable...  is the violence that we do to ourselves, when we're too afraid to be who we really are."
--Nomi to Lito in Death Doesn't Let You Say Goodbye

"Labels are the opposite of understanding"
--Nomi in Who Am I?

Trivia

  • The origin of Nomi's new name is in the phrase "know me," probably a reference to the Ancient Greek phrase  Γνῶθι σεαυτόν (Gnothi seauton, 'know thyself'), which is tattooed on her arm. [10][11]
  • Nomi and Amanita are fans of the The Nancy Drew Files book series.
  • Nomi does not know how to drive, mentioned during her escape from Grace's house.

Behind the Scenes

  • Kelly Richardson, Charleen Frembgen, and Amber Whelan was a stunt double for Jamie Clayton in the role of Nomi Marks.
  • Stephanie Johnston was a stand-in for Jamie Clayton in the role of Nomi Marks.

References

Navigation

Sense8 Characters
Groups Biologic Preservation OrganizationAngelica's ClusterAngelica's Firstborn ClusterThe ArchelagoAugust 8 ClusterLila Facchini's ClusterSuperpower GangNew Maniac Mafia
Sensates Sun BakRiley BlueBodhiWolfgang BogdanowNiles BolgerCarol CumberlandKala DandekarLila FacchiniWill GorskiHabibMaitakeJonas MalikiNomi MarksTodd McCarverOld Man of HoyCapheus OnyangoRaoul PasqualeSara PatrellPuckLito RodriguezSutraAngelica TuringWhispersYrsa
Non-Sensates AbrahamAnjaZakia AsalacheSun's AttorneyJoong-Ki BakKang-Dae BakMi-Cha BakBambieJeffrey BendixFelix BernerAnton BogdanowHassan BogdanowSergei BogdanowSteiner BogdanowVolker BohmBugAmanita CaplanDon CarlosCharlieChelseaChoCristinaRichard CroomeDaya DandekarPriya DandekarSanyam DandekarDeshawnDeviDisneyDukeDuncanEleanaElizabethElkeEllenFischerJoaquin FloresFredSebastian FuchsHernando FuentesGithuMichael GorskiGraceGregGunnarHawknerAleksandar HemonBlake HuntingtonInaJacksMarc JacobsJelaAmondi KabakaSilas KabakaAjay KapoorKoloviLinaLudicrous LincolnLolaLúna MagnúsdóttirJanet MarksLawrence MarksTeagan MarksMetzgerMillerMin-JungDavid MitchellDiego MoralesKwon-Ho MunNockerNyxObiriTae ParkWill's PsychologistManendra RasalRajan RasalSahana RasalEstella RodriguezShiroShugsSobczakSoo-JinStilesSvenClete TamarkMagnús ÞórssonYuen Tan-WuTomSun's TrainerTulaDaniela VelazquezVincentKit WranglerGuru YashZywiec
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