Blake/Jenna

Blake/Jenna is a pairing in Blake's 7 fandom involving Roj Blake and Jenna Stannis.
One Blake/Jenna shipper described their relationship in the following way:
Another shipper, Sue Clerc, was more critical of how the series portrayed the relationship:
Some Big Finish Blake's 7 audios (Fractures, The Spoils of War) feature the pairing in a more pronounced way than the series.
==Fan Reactions==
==Popularity==
Despite being the second most popular pairing involving Blake and the most popular one involving Jenna, Blake/Jenna is relatively uncommon, and so are the fics that focus primarily and exclusively on it. However, it is often featured as a background or minor (sometimes extremely so) pairing in gen stories and in stories that focus on other pairings, and the line between gen and het is sometimes blurred in fics that center more on Blake and Jenna. 
==Fanfiction and Tropes==
The romantic relationship between Blake and Jenna is generally shown in fanfiction as friendly and respectful, but more fraught with tension than in canon. Jenna is often portrayed in fanfiction (both Blake/Jenna and non-Blake/Jenna stories) as less subtle about her attraction to Blake and more forward in showing her interest in him. 
===Jenna and the Cause===
Some fics explore how Jenna's love for Blake inluences her worldview and her feelings towards the rebellion against the Federation. A popular interpretation shows Jenna being uncertain, attracted to Blake's idealism but not always wholeheartedly believing in it, though wanting to. Some fans see Jenna as an unquestioning, uncritically loyal follower of Blake and believe that she became more idealistic and supported the rebellion only out of love for him; however, other fans disagree with such interpretations, citing the examples that may point to her having some strong moral principles and being interested in the rebellion even before meeting Blake (refusing to smuggle the dangerous drug in Shadow, smuggling the guns for the rebel leader Avalon in Project Avalon), as well as to the scenes where she is critical of Blake's plans. Sally Knyvette, the actress who played Jenna, also shares this view:
Fics that explore Jenna's feelings towards the cause, idealism and Blake include:
* True Believer by babel and other fics by this author
* Starburst by Serenade
* Torn by still_lycoris
===Unrequited Love===
Unrequited love is a relatively popular trope in Blake/Jenna fanfiction. In some fics Blake is shown to be oblivious to Jenna's feelings towards him, in others he deliberately avoids returning them even when he is attracted to Jenna, often because he is too focused on the rebellion and has no time or energy for romantic relationships. Sometimes Jenna gets too exasperated by this apparent lack of response and either calls Blake out on it or gives up altogether.
* A Mistake by babel
* Thoughts on the Fall of Empires by Dormouse
* Not to Know by Harriet Bazley
* Unspoken Conversation by Vanessa Mullen (also features Blake/Avon)
===Post-Star One===
Stories dealing with Jenna and Blake's relationship are often set in the period between the Andromedian War and the end of the series. Because the characters leave Liberator together and Blake in the final episode knows about the circumstances of Jenna's death, some fans speculate that they were together during that period. Generally in post-Star One stories they find each other after the war and become companions, sometimes also lovers, participating in the rebellion together and eventually ending up on Gauda Prime. The common theme in such stories is Jenna getting disappointed in Blake, who becomes more cynical or depressed in comparison with his previous self.
* Five Things That Blake Did Whilst Not Being Dead (and One He Probably Only Imagined He Did) by Lyssie
* Swansong by Harriet Bazley in Horizon #23
* Shooting Stars by Una McCormack (published in Varia Lectio)
* Mistaken and Fallen Star by Willa Shakespeare in What On Earth Happened to You?
* The Art of Driving by Bunn1cula in The House Always Sins
* Fortune's Favour by gaslightgallows (hearts_blood)
===Deathfic===
Deathfic is also quite a popular genre of Blake/Jenna stories. Usually those stories are about Blake reaction to Jenna's death or Jenna thinking about her feelings towards Blake in her final moments.
* Gravity Traps by Bryn Lantry in Power #2
* You Fly, You Die by David Tulley, Alan Stevens
* What Dreams May Come by Natasa Tucev in Chronicles #70
* No Way Back by thisbluespirit
In some fanfics it's Jenna who outlives Blake (they generally present his story of her death as a lie). In those stories she often confronts Avon about his murder of Blake.
* The Light and The Firebrand by babel 
* Investments by Frances Teagle (AKA Vega)
* Fevers to Eat by Mithen
There is a particular subtype of Jenna deathfics that have her die in a different (and usually more horrible) manner than in the canon, usually to give Blake more angst. They usually focus on different pairings, but feature or imply strong relationship between Blake and Jenna.
* Caveat Emptor (Blake/Avon, Avon/Vila) and Head in Hands (Blake/Avon) by M. Fae Glasgow
* Blood Ties (Blake/Avon) by Willa Shakespeare
* Interlude (Blake/Deva) by Catherine Salmon in Southern Lights #9.5
===Kidfic===
Kidfics for this couple are not very common. They generally address the difficulties of bringing up a child while fighting the Federation, or are Post-Gauda Prime fics that feature Blake's and Jenna's child as a character.
* A Taste of Honey, Wayback link (also Blake/Avon, Avon/OMCs) by executrix
* Errors, Deletions and Avon in Probability Square by Kathy Hintze
* A Womb of One's Own in Southern Seven #8 by Rebecca Ann Brothers
* Decisions by Susan
* Halo Slipping Down (Cally & Jenna fic) by ALC Punk
* Blake by Neil Davies1
==As a Background Pairing==
Gen fics and fics focused on other pairings with Blake/Jenna as a background pairing, as well as fics featuring other pairings besides Blake/Jenna, pretty much outnumber those that feature only Blake/Jenna or focus primarily on it.
* Vila Restal's Emails - Season 2 (gen, background Blake/Jenna and Avon/Cally) by Vilakins
* Depression is More than a State of Mind (Historical AU, background Blake/Jenna and Avon/Cally) by Willa Shakespeare
* The French Wench (Historical AU, Blake/Jenna and Avon/Servalan) by executrix
* Clothes Can Make the Man (Blake/Jenna and Avon/Vila, published in The Laughing Mutoid #4) by Tenaya
* Human Survival (Blake/Jenna and Avon/Vila) by Van 
Their relationship is also often addressed in fics that pair one or both of them with other characters. Many Blake/Avon fics mention Jenna's interest in Blake; surprisingly many of them portray Blake and Jenna as lovers:
* Bittersweet by Sebastian and One Night Stand by Sebastian and Nova
* White Mutiny by Vanessa Mullen
* Remembrance in Evasive Maneuvers by Tashery Shannon
* Mender of Bad Souls by Bryn Lantry
* The Long Way Back by Melody C. 
* The Chosen in Forbidden Zone #2 by Delaven and K.N.S.
* Bend Me, Shape Me by Nova
Often Blake/Jenna relationship in such stories are shown in darker light in comparison with both canon and primarily Blake/Jenna fics. Some Blake/other or Jenna/other fics that don't make them lovers nevertheless also explore in depth their relationship (portrayed as romantic love or friendship).
* The Fall of Central (Blake/Avon, Jenna/Servalan) and The Haunting (Blake/OMC, Jenna/Cally, published in The Other Side #4) by Bryn Lantry
In other fics that pair Blake with Avon or other characters Jenna is shown to be jealous of Blake's relationship with his partner, sometimes acting in exaggerated, posessive manner or trying to destroy the relationship in question.
* Take My Heart (Blake/Avon) in Southern Comfort #9.5 by Irish 
* Mindfire (Blake/Avon/Cally) by Ermentrude Postlethwaite-Smythe 
* If Only I Could (Blake/Vila, Blake/Avon and Avon/Jenna) by A. L. Hughes 
* The Blink of an Eye (Blake/Avon) by Jane Baron 
* Divide and Conquer by Willa Shakespeare
Such portrayals are more typical for the older fandom and are regarded by many fans as character bashing (see also the discussion on Checkers). Interestingly, jealousy features less often in the fics that are primarily Blake/Jenna, and is at least as likely to be displayed by Blake as by Jenna (Not to Know by Harriet Bazley, Jenna by Vanessa Mullen). More modern Blake/Avon fics that deal with Blake/Jenna tend to treat Jenna in less negative manner and usually show her getting over Blake quite easily and sometimes getting together with other canonical or original characters. 
Threesome and poly fics featuring Blake and Jenna with other characters, almost exclusively Avon, are rare and tend to be either smut or humor, but more serious examples also exist.
Examples of Blake/Avon/Jenna fics:
* A Walk in the Woods
* Blake’s Rogues by aralias
* Naan of Iron by executrix
* Strategic Engagements, or a Revolutionary New Direction by shimere277
* Circle by Vanessa Mullen in Southern Comfort #10.5
Jenna is often one of the people paired with Blake in (usually but not always humorous) Blake/everyone fics.
* The Late Great Blake, Wayback link by Jonquil East in Liberator Fantasies
* Doing Time by London Bates
* Lies That Bind by sallymn (first published in Freedom City)
* Sexual Revolution by shimere277
==Authors==
Authors who shipped Blake/Jenna or wrote several Blake/Jenna fics:
* babel
* Vanessa Mullen
* Carole Fairman
* CarolMel Ambassador
* Jill Grundfest
* gaslightgallows (hearts_blood)
Other authors who explored both romantic and platonic relationship between Blake and Jenna:
* Natasha
* Harriet Bazley
* Bryn Lantry
* Marian De Haan
* Moon_Disc
* Emmaliza
==Fanart Gallery==
>
File:Horizon12back.jpg|Back cover of Horizon #12, illustration by Fliss Davies for her own Blake/Jenna story "Midnight Blue" published in this issue
File:Powerplay4art3.jpg|Interior art from Powerplay #4, Adrian Morgan's illustration for Love and War by Jeanne Devore
File:Differentdestinies6.jpg|Interior from Different Destinies
File:Roadsnotblake1.jpg|A humorous comic from Roads Not Taken, depicting Blake/Jenna among other B7 pairings
File:BlakexJenna.jpg|An example of a more recent Blake/Jenna fanart by i-fought-space.from a multishipping Valentine's Day post in Drawing Blog of Fun by i-fought-space, February 14, 2016
==Fanvids==
* Ground Beneath Her Feet by zukalis.
==Other Resources==
* Blake/Jenna in the Hermit Pairings Index for adult fanzine stories
* Blake/Jenna in the Hermit Pairings Index for gen fanzine stories
* jenna/blake tag in popcorn-oracle lifejournal, Wayback link. Contains discussions of the shippable moments in the series for this one and other pairings.
* Episode Comments by Sue Clerc at the Adrenaline and Soma Powered Blake's 7 Pages. Episode reviews with discussions of Blake/Jenna and other pairings, character analysis and other themes.
==References==
Category:Het Pairings
Category:Blake's 7 Relationships