Leia Fee wrote:
Nicola wrote...
Or done a runner! Avon trusted Vila alone on Scorpio at least twice. Interesting, that - he didn't trust anyone else like that - why? In 'Cancer' and 'Gold' he trusts Vila to take the ship away and
return in
it. I'd have taken it, bolted for safety, then got Slave to take it back. Why didn't Vila?
I think showing that level of initiative would be difficult for Vila. He may be having a miserable time but at least he's among people he knows and a situation he's familiar with. He does get jumpy when he's left on his own several times and in _City on the Edge of the World_
Yes, he's certainly afraid of being alone. I much prefer it to unpleasant company, but I've known people who stay in abusive relationships because it's preferable to being alone. I can't understand the motives for such self-destructive behaviour, but I think you're right.
Tarrant's threat to throw him off the ship proves sufficient to scare him into going down to Kezarn. I think it's interesting that Tarrant has only been around for a couple of episodes (any guesses on the length of time?)
I assume a year per season, maybe a month or so per ep? But that's only what *I* choose to think. And I've always thought it odd that Avon allowed Tarrant to take charge. Mind you, I did read that the part of Tarrant was intended for an older actor (in his 40s), perhaps as a Blake replacement. So maybe the scripts existed with Tarrant in the dominant role, and they only changed it later.
Vila clearly believes him capable of carrying through on the threat without the others stopping him even though he's been with them for a reasonable length of time (a few years?)
Tarrant says something like "you couldn't stop me and the others wouldn't" so Vila would assume the others had been consulted and were quite happy to dump him. This also explains why he was so mistrustful he wouldn't swallow the tracer Avon gave him. One of the things I like so much about Vila though is that even at this point of mistrust and fear (though he doesn't actually *show* fear this time) he can still crack a joke.
He's says at one point that he stays with Blake because he likes him, and I think (probably against his better judgement) that he did like Avon as well. I imagine he found Avon's increasing nastiness in s4 very difficult to deal with.
Agree totally! Avon and Vila enjoyed playing chess and other games, including their verbal sparring, up to Terminal I'd say. I don't know if I'd go so far as to say they liked each other, or to say they were friends (as a lot of fanfic has them), but they had a certain appreciation and enjoyment of each other's skills. Note that Avon doesn't play chess or any other game at all in season 4. I may be wrong, but I don't remember it.
Nico
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