From: baylor@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv
Subject: Re: Re^2: B7: Orbit (SPOILERS) (was "Yet Another Blake's 7 Question"
Date: 9 Sep 92 20:34:14 GMT
Reply-To: baylor@force.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com
Organization: LMSC, Sunnyvale, California

In article <H8BuqB2w165w@cybernet.cse.fau.edu>, ekho@cybernet.cse.fau.edu (amanda rothman) writes:
>grohol@novavax.UUCP (John Grohol) writes:
>
>> ramsey@cua.edu (Betsy Ramsey) writes:
>> [stuff deleted as a pathetic attempt at brevity ;-) ]
>> 
>> Avon only ever saw Vila as an excellent locksmith and in that, a
>> valuable asset to the crew. The fact that he became more of an
>> alcoholic by the end of the 4th season (Vila, that is), probably
>> did nothing to help Avon's already low valuation of Vila's personality.

You do know that at least some of the drunkenness was for pretend,
don't you?

>> 
>> Now Vila, on the other hand, may have thought that he and Avon had had
>> some sort of friendship or something. But again, that was his
>> point of view, not Avon's. And since Avon always held the cards...
>

They did seem to have a basic "buddy movie" type of friendship during
the episode "Gambit." There's also some early 3rd season ep, where
Avon stops Tarrent from threatening Vila, supposedly because Vila is 
of no use when terrified (right!! ::sarcasm::)

>  I am one of those insufferable soft-hearted sods who are of the opinion 
>that Avon _did_ care somewhat for his companions in misery (within 
>reason, of course! ;)  Why else would he have stayed with them at all 
>after finding Orac?  He could have jumped ship at any time with the super 

[rest of good point deleted]

>
>  As to his relationship with Vila, I believe that they are the closet 
>two of all the crew.  Both of them being thieves (of a sort), they 

They ought to be close, at least to the degree that to each one the
existance of the other would affirm that survival is possible. 
Face it! By Orbit, the rest of the "original crew", including Zen,
is missing or dead.

>understand eachother, especially Vila's understanding that Avon will not 
>show sentiment (which he always speaks against) in public.  The badinage 
>between the two are one of my favorite elements in Blakes 7!  And about 
>That Shuttle Episode, it only was a shuttle; there aren't a lot of places 
>to hide on a shuttle which has just been stripped to the gills!  Plus the 
>fact that Avon did not move one piece of metal (such as ventilation shaft 
>covers...) in his search; he just kept calling to Vila in that voice 
>which he would never normally use.  (Until, as mentioned, he found 
>another way to solve the problem without threat to Vila's life)
>
[cut]
>
>  Finally, as to his "relationship" with Servalan, I am of the opinion 
>that her respects her ability and cunning (he stated as much), but as for 
>caring for her (more than the crew?), I find it hard to believe.  If not, 
>he could have jumped ship and gone to be with her instead (although he 
>knows that any safety and/or comfort in that situation would be temporary 
>at best. And they both know it...).

As for Servalan, Avon may admire her abilities, and he certainly lusts
after her body, but surely nobody, including Avon, CARES for her. 
(which may be her problem, but she is certainly about as unlovable
as something with a human genotype can get.)