One of the interesting things about Avon's character is that it's grounded in deductive non-emotive reasoning, rather like a machine, or "spock" dare I say it.( I always wanted to belt Spock....) The absence of this emotive influence creates the "impression" of Avon's infallibility, or at least everyone else being wrong. The voice of reason as compared to Blakes "fanaticism" Tarrants youthful precipitous action based braun, or Calley's empathy and ability to "feel". Avon: 'Wonderful. We have all the resources of Zen Orac and the Liberator and you "feel" that they are in trouble. You do not feel it, you reason it....'

In S4 we see a shift in Avon's normally steel resolve and logic based methods of conduct to find Blake. I don't for a minute see him as infallible...this wouldn't be logical as he's human. "Brains but no heart", by all means, but not without making mistakes. It was Villa's instinct not to trust Tynus on "Q" base which alerted them to Tynus' betrayal. the fascinating element is his desire to seek out Blake again at considerable risk. The shift that would have been post "Blake" episodes would really have been interesting to see...the vision that Terry Nation and other writers would have had for our group. It certainly looks as though there was an attempt to expand the fight, to include and alliance of sorts and a bigger rebel network against the Ferderation military regime. for a low budget tv series it has wonderful sub strata plots and of course wicked character lines.

someone made the point about Arlen not being a cadet...this makes sense. It takes a lot of training to be an undercover agent and the right psychological profile to "fit in" and inflitrate an organisation successfully. Ask the many damaged undercover police officers involved in cracking gang and drug cultures...I've heard anecdotal stories about New Zealand SAS agents in Ireland were liable for death if caught by the IRA. Spot the accent and particular insult someone from NZ or Australia would belong to a British unit hated....

OFF TOPIC. well the americans/Brits are bombing Kabul...I wonder if the US or the west will ever be the same again? nathan

Nothings so difficult as a beginning/ In poesy, unless perhaps the end. Byron.

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