Sally wrote:

A thought arising from one of the other threads ...

Avon wants the Liberator, right? (Well, *he* doesn't say so, but he implies it fairly strongly in The Web and Pressure Point, and there's that little deal with Blake in Star One, and that *extremely* possessive "this is *my* ship" in Powerplay).

Fairly strongly is putting it mildly - The Liberator is his price for his participation in the attack on control.

But *why* do you think he wants it? What does he think he wants it *for*? It appears that he hasn't given any thought to this, and once he's got it, he - and the rest - muddle around for half a season almost *looking* for something to do with it (IMO). And it's fairly clear he *doesn't* include being leader as part of the package (Kairos just being the most pointed proof of this). Was it just that it's the bestest toy a computer genius could want? Or he just wants it because it's Blake's (viewers may not agree on that <veg> but right or wrong, as far as the *crew* were concerned it was Blake's) and was tied up in his ambivalence towards Blake and the rebellion?

Any opinions on exactly what was going through his mind on this point?

Well he's on the run from the law and the Liberator is faster and more powerful than anything the law has got. Oh and there's a shed load of treasure aboard and avarice is one of Avon's key personality traits :)

I think the problem is, from Avon's point of view, is that the Liberator comes with responsiblities aka the crew which is part of the reason he lets Tarrant take control. After all, in pressure point the conversation between Avon and Blake presupposes that control of the Liberator is something that can be decided between Avon and Blake. (Interestingly Blake hedges. "There's no hurry" He needs Avon's cooperation at this point, but realises that the crew might have something to say). When Avon raises the matter in Star One it becomes clear that the crew do have something to say "We finish what we set out to do. Nothing else is settled".

However, with Blake out of the way, Avon is finally spared the job of going on Blake's various idealistic crusades and is happy to let Tarrant take a degree of command as long as he is allowed to pursue his own interests e.g. Sopron. However, like it or not the Liberator has become extremely desirable to a number of other parties (Servalan, the Alien, Moloch, Ultraworld) which means that Avon is obliged to take steps to protect his property including overruling Tarrant's leadership when that leadership becomes a liability.

A large part of Avon would appear to find the notion of drifting aimlessly round the galaxy with just Orac for company as he nearly decides to do in Horizon. However he is unwilling or unable to summon up the necessary ruthlessness to abandon everyone else and do this.

Stephen.

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Sally wrote:

A thought arising from one of the other threads ...

Avon wants the Liberator, right? (Well, *he* doesn't say so, but he implies it fairly strongly in The Web and Pressure Point, and there's that little deal with Blake in Star One, and that *extremely* possessive "this is *my* ship" in Powerplay).

But *why* do you think he wants it? What does he think he wants it *for*?

Judging by Horizon, he's thinking of "sailing the universe for as long as we like in reasonable safety, provided we keep out of everybody's way and we do not do anything rash." So, keeping safe. No, of course, he'd never stick to it: video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor.