Claudia said -

Hm. I don't buy that at all. If that's what the actor says he had in mind, I'll accept that, but that's not what comes across on screen to me. To me, he's just in terror.

I didn't get it from the performance either. Though it would be quite a difficult thing to convey in the few seconds Vila is on shot during that part of 'Orbit'.

But I don't think it would be quite out of character. If Vila thought he couldn't possibly survive, so it was 'either we both die, or the other guy survives, but in any case I am finished' he might decide to do something heroic.

After all that is exactly what he did in 'Blake' - sacrifice himself in a very untypical brave act. I think he was able to do it, because he thought he really had no escape, so he had nothing left to lose (I'm talking about in 'Blake'). I imagine Vila was very aware of the chances of survival at any time, and always tried to maximise them. But once those chances hit zero, the calculus of cowardice no longer applied. It happened once, so why not twice?

I agree that who he felt he was sacrificing himself *for* is an added complication, though. That might change everything.

Alison