Ian W wrote: <In this episode Blake is taking command. After telling Avon all about discussing plans, he just decides where they are going on his own. Blake's idea that "If you don't like what he wants to do you can leave" is not particularly democratic!>
<gurgle> Blake wanted freedom and power in the hands on the *honest man*, remember? Unfortunately, precious few of them ever set foot on Zen's flight deck ...
He's autocratic by nature (and probably nurture ... where would *any* of Our Heroes learn what the word democratic actually means?) and a democrat by belief and principle. Once he's *got* control - here - *then* he then seems to encourage discussion and input.
When deciding to rendezvous with the projectile he changes travel plans without consulting the others, again! At the end of the episode Blake already knows to go to Centero without consulting the others
What "influences" Zen after he scans the projectile? This is never explained. It isn't easy to influence Zen, even for ORAC, so what's up? Gan thinks that Zen may have a limiter - so is this el cheapo foreshadowing? Zen burns out the teleport switch, but allows the repair circuits to function. Zen will also not pilot the ship, but allows manual control. I think this is supposed to tell us that much of Liberators function is independent of Zen and it is as much a crew member as them (particularly if you want to have SEVEN). Zen's non-piloting allows Avon to show he is a super-pilot - at least we were spared him being sensitive and caring :-) . Blake and Jenna hugged in the last episode and this time he "touches" her in a rather familiar way before they teleport. This behaviour would get Blake sacked from most jobs :-). Later on, Jenna is unsure about becoming a rebel - so it looks like she is just here to snog Blake. There is also some taking sides here: when Jenna says "nice flying" to Avon he ignores her and she and Blake exchange glances (plus their discussion when first teleported over to the projectile).
The "alien" is clearly a motorhead fan, judging by the moustache! The aliens are also lucky that electrical outlets have not changed over centuries and between civilizations when they power up their craft from the liberator.
Bleeding heart liberal Gan always thinks the best of anyone/thing in this episode: he says the aliens might be frightened, that Zen was always on their side, and that dumping the projectile is murder. And I still can't see the "Gan as mass murderer of women" as suggested/discussed on this list back in May?
Jenna has learned from Blake never to tell your crewmates what is really going on - she doesn't tell them she has been attacked.
The parallel story has an excellent powerplant location, and Vila shows he is useful by opening the door. Oddly, the flutonic generator room looks just like the computer room on the London.
Cally is tough and looks great in her red leather outfit - even her gun is "top notch" (another gratuitous motorhead reference - but from me, not the show) but should really not have been fooled by Blake. I would rather he had talked to her about who he/they were. Nasty Jenna is very bitchy about bringing aliens on board - but I suppose she was almost killed by one earlier - but can't she see the difference between an anti-federation freedom fighter and a heavy rock band lost in space?
Why does Blake call he Liberator "control" when requesting teleport? He never does this again and neither does the rest of the crew. Maybe he hasn't found the Junior Boys Guide to Space Jargon yet.
Hmm.... so many questions.
- Iain
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Sally wrote:
Ian W wrote: <In this episode Blake is taking command. After telling Avon all about discussing plans, he just decides where they are going on his own.
Blake's
idea that "If you don't like what he wants to do you can leave" is not particularly democratic!>
<gurgle> Blake wanted freedom and power in the hands on the *honest man*, remember? Unfortunately, precious few of them ever set foot on Zen's
flight
deck ...
LOL! How true! Do you think this theme - of Blake surrounding himself with dishonest people - is carried all the way into the final episode?
He's autocratic by nature (and probably nurture ... where would *any* of
Our
Heroes learn what the word democratic actually means?) and a democrat by belief and principle. Once he's *got* control - here - *then* he then
seems
to encourage discussion and input.
OK - I agree that I was being sloppy. He isn't a democrat and neither are any of the rest of the crew (as ar as we know), BUT not only does Blake not discuss what the "team" will do next, it is so far from what they were expecting that they appear surprised. This is the odd thing for me - I can see that some one needs to take charge but this doesn't mean that every decision has to be a surprise for the rest of them. Couldn't these potential rebels at least have discussed what bases to attack and why? I don't recall Blake telling them that they were just going to get a ship and hang out in space for a while. Blake was pretty clear about the fact that they were going to be taking part in a rebellion.
As for waht democracy actually means, I think the crew do know based on their knowledge of non-federation worlds where politicians need to get elected (e.g., that bloke in Bounty - er... Sarkoff).
Tying this into your other comments about not being able to plan a war (see SLD).... its true that not all actions in wartime are easy to forsee, but surely this doesn't prevent war leaders from having a basic plan. Specifically, in SLD Blake and the gang could have deciede beforehand who would be on watch, who would guard the prisoners, and particularly, who would set the charges. In addition, all this ad hoc running around almost gets Gan killed by Blake (of course we have to wait a little longer for this really to happen - foreshadowing anyone ;-)) On the other hand, it seems realistic that in SLD they don't know where the cipher room is, and that the cipher equipment is difficult to disconnect.
Lets see if the discussions of what actions to take and Blakes planning efforts improve in future episodes :-^. After all, this was their first reall effort.
-Iain
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Iain Walker -
Sally Manton