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Blake's 7 Online - Horizon, the B7 Appreciation Society :: General :: Blake's 7 Discussion (Classic B7)
 How did you feel when Blake died?
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| pickle |
Posted on 22-09-2009 11:10
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Delta Grade Posts: 35 Joined: 08.09.09 |
I've been hearing some of the reactions people who watched Blake's 7 for the first time had to various events in the show. One girl burst into tears seeing the Liberator blown up at the end of Series 1; another cried herself to sleep for several nights when Zen died. So how on earth did everyone feel when Blake died? I can't empathise directly as the ending was spoiled for me.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLvnvK1b0AI We Don't Want Your Swine Flu Vaccinations |
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| linzibean |
Posted on 22-09-2009 12:40
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 Gamma Grade  Posts: 121 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Well, I was spoiled for the ending but I didn't know the gory details, so to speak. I must admit the whole episode left me rather numb. I didn't feel as sad, strangely, as I did when Zen died. Maybe it's because I already knew what was going to happen, already knew that everyone's cards were marked. Also, In think for me it was the only logical conclusion - they had spent series four systematically killing or leading to the death of any potential ally, and losing almost all advantages they had over the Federation. Avon thinks he has an ace up his sleeve - Blake, the last chance to unite rebellion and take down the Federation. But Blake is a different man now. He's not the man who worked with his close band of followers on the wonderful ship Liberator and hit the Federation where it hurts: he's now a man who doesn't let anyone get so close, tests everyone he comes across in sometimes almost brutal ways, who feels working as a bounty hunter is an acceptable way to recruit to the cause. Things can't return to how they were. For Avon to kill Blake seemed a horrible final irony (but then, I am a Blake/Avon shipper). I still haven't managed to get my review of the episode done! http://linzibean.livejournal.com/ |
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| pickle |
Posted on 22-09-2009 17:21
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Delta Grade Posts: 35 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Thanks lin.... What made me feel so sad was the Blake transformation. I'm sure he was probably more fun to play like that, but it didn't seem like Blake any more. Blake always reminded me of the character in the Aimee Mann song Red Vines, who's too busy looking after everyone form full relationships with them: Well, its always fun and games until Its clear you havent got the skill In keeping the gag from going too far So youre running round the parking lot til every lightning bug is caught Punching some pinholes In the lid of a jar While we wait in the car I don't think it was necessarily a political failure for all 8 or so members of a rebel crew to die in opposition to a Federation of billions. But it was a great personal failure between Avon and Blake (needless to say) and I thoguht that was really sad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLvnvK1b0AI We Don't Want Your Swine Flu Vaccinations |
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| Rod Hannah |
Posted on 22-09-2009 17:58
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 Gamma Grade Posts: 383 Joined: 13.09.09 |
Interesting question. The first time I saw the episode "Blake" I was so young and fairly unfamiliar with him that I think the only thing that affected me was seeing the crew get shot and then apparently, Avon. I knew Avon had done something wrong in shooting the guy with the curly hair, but Blake was pretty much an unknown to me. The ending still had a profound affect on me. I think it really hit home when the announcer said "that is the final in the series, Blake's 7, next week..." or whatever he said. Ever since that moment I knew that Blake's 7 was a special series and when I got hold of video releases I watched them in the context of a tragedy. The second time around I had seen about 50% of the series and got hold of the final episode again through the video release. I watched it and was amazed by the mood (in part I think generated by myself, because I knew what was to come). When Blake was shot again and again, and then finally collapsed, gripping Avon's arms I was really moved. I wouldn't say in a teary manner, but just in that gobsmacked "I still can't believe that happened" kind of way. After repeated viewings, and I'm sure I've seen the episode at least 10 times (and I'm being very conservative there), the impact has lessened, but the intrigue has grown. My favorite essay about what happened on Gauda Prime is one that picks up on a lot of very subtle, unusual things that occurred in the episode and raise the possibility that Blake and Avon were faking the entire shoot out and the Fed guards were also fakes. You have to ignore the fact that Gareth was not going to come back ever again and just treat the explanation as an alternate universe "what if". It's extremely unlikely, but the essay succeeded in making is remotely plausible, which is fun. Overall, to answer your question, I wasn't thrilled about Blake's fall from grace. If we had followed his downward spiral, like we had followed Avon's in S4, then I might not have felt so cheated by all the focus suddenly switching to a bunch of aimless (yet still very cool) characters. But due to Gareth's leaving (and he might not have even despite the Royal Shakespeare company offer, as he had asked David Maloney if he could direct a couple and had been denied) the whole purpose of the series had to be reinvented and I don't think there's a single story in S3 where the crew deliberately set out to do anything with any thematic purpose (except for Avon's desire for revenge, a crew supported murder). I don't mind the villains, but if the point of the series was for the self interested crew members to ultimately realize that they didn't have any choice but to fight, then that doesn't really come across in S3. By S4 they are alternately ambling around or pulling heists, and sometimes taking steps to fight back against the Federation. But they constantly fail, over and over again. By the end of the series, they've lost their base, they are mean as hell to Vila, Avon comes close to murdering him, and they only have a crappy bucket of bolts left for a space ship. Then Avon kills Blakes. Such a pessimistic season could have thrown the audience a little bit of hope that things would pick up in S5. But it feels like there was no real plan beyond S4. I'm sure Boucher's telling the truth that he had a resolution for the S4 cliffhanger ready in case S5 was given the go ahead, but he's left very little to look forward to. To me, the end in the tracking gallery is pretty final. That's how I prefer to view it. Still, I focus my attention primarily on the S1-S2 era and that keeps me happy. |
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| saba |
Posted on 22-09-2009 18:04
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 Alpha Grade  Posts: 1699 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Disbelief.
"...before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird |
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| pickle |
Posted on 22-09-2009 19:31
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Delta Grade Posts: 35 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Rod Hannah wrote: My favorite essay about what happened on Gauda Prime is one that picks up on a lot of very subtle, unusual things that occurred in the episode and raise the possibility that Blake and Avon were faking the entire shoot out and the Fed guards were also fakes. ...Say wha? Overall, to answer your question, I wasn't thrilled about Blake's fall from grace. If we had followed his downward spiral, like we had followed Avon's in S4, then I might not have felt so cheated by all the focus suddenly switching to a bunch of aimless (yet still very cool) characters. But due to Gareth's leaving (and he might not have even despite the Royal Shakespeare company offer, as he had asked David Maloney if he could direct a couple and had been denied) the whole purpose of the series had to be reinvented and I don't think there's a single story in S3 where the crew deliberately set out to do anything with any thematic purpose (except for Avon's desire for revenge, a crew supported murder). Oh what a shame! He would likely have made a fine director. Did he direct other things in the end? I don't mind the villains, but if the point of the series was for the self interested crew members to ultimately realize that they didn't have any choice but to fight, then that doesn't really come across in S3. By S4 they are alternately ambling around or pulling heists, and sometimes taking steps to fight back against the Federation. But they constantly fail, over and over again. By the end of the series, they've lost their base, they are mean as hell to Vila, Avon comes close to murdering him, and they only have a crappy bucket of bolts left for a space ship. Then Avon kills Blakes. Such a pessimistic season could have thrown the audience a little bit of hope that things would pick up in S5. But it feels like there was no real plan beyond S4. I liked "Gold" in itself. But when you think of episodes like this and Orbit as part of an overall arch in the direction of nihilism, it's a little... soul-destroying. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLvnvK1b0AI We Don't Want Your Swine Flu Vaccinations |
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| Rod Hannah |
Posted on 22-09-2009 20:22
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Gamma Grade Posts: 383 Joined: 13.09.09 |
pickle wrote: Rod Hannah wrote: My favorite essay about what happened on Gauda Prime is one that picks up on a lot of very subtle, unusual things that occurred in the episode and raise the possibility that Blake and Avon were faking the entire shoot out and the Fed guards were also fakes. ...Say wha? It's a complicated theory but it actually has an eerie logic to it. It's not perfect, but what it suggests is definitely a S5 I'd sign on to watch! :-D As far as I know the essay doesn't exist online anymore. I have a print out I made of it in the 90s however. I don't fancy typing it out though. Maybe I'll try an OCR PDF scan. pickle wrote: Rod Hannah wrote: Overall, to answer your question, I wasn't thrilled about Blake's fall from grace. If we had followed his downward spiral, like we had followed Avon's in S4, then I might not have felt so cheated by all the focus suddenly switching to a bunch of aimless (yet still very cool) characters. But due to Gareth's leaving (and he might not have even despite the Royal Shakespeare company offer, as he had asked David Maloney if he could direct a couple and had been denied) the whole purpose of the series had to be reinvented and I don't think there's a single story in S3 where the crew deliberately set out to do anything with any thematic purpose (except for Avon's desire for revenge, a crew supported murder). Oh what a shame! He would likely have made a fine director. Did he direct other things in the end? I'm not sure if he did or not. I haven't followed the cast much outside of a few additional performances, like Gareth's role in Children of the Stones and Knights of God. He made the comment about being denied the opportunity to direct B7 in the Cult of Blake's 7 documentary. Oh, and re: Nihilism, yeah, sometimes I can go that route when viewing B7 and its a pretty miserable place. I was talking to Leanne about the genuine potential for the depth of Blake's fall and I think I pissed her off. The series can be viewed in so many ways. Edited by Rod Hannah on 22-09-2009 20:24 |
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| Tarrant On TV |
Posted on 22-09-2009 22:41
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 Gamma Grade Posts: 372 Joined: 08.09.09 |
I felt sad, to put it simply. It was sad that Blake was killed over a misunderstanding. It was sad that no sooner had we got Blake back in the show, we lost him again. It was sad that it was the end of the series. |
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| Tyce |
Posted on 22-09-2009 23:12
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Beta Grade Posts: 891 Joined: 09.09.09 |
Devastated.
I used to have a life.......then I found Horizon! |
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| BradPaula |
Posted on 23-09-2009 02:42
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 Beta Grade Posts: 1410 Joined: 09.09.09 |
I remember looking at my watch. We were 47 minutes into the episode. I was thinking, "Only three minutes left. How are they going to wrap the series up? Then: Shock. Denial. (must have been the clone). Despair. But in listening to the dialogue. Tarrant: He's sold us, Avon, all of us, even you. Avon: Is it true? Have you betrayed us? Have you betrayed me? Blake: Tarrant doesn't understand. Avon: Neither do I... The next day, having only seen it once, I could quote that final dialogue. Great writing. At this point I was thinking, "Blake, if you don't listen and choose your next words carefully, you're going to get shot. Sum Non Expendere, Sum Non Plumbeus, Sum Non Progressus |
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| Lurena |
Posted on 23-09-2009 08:24
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 Alpha Grade Posts: 1626 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Stunned! (please forgive the pun) And in disbelieve of such an ending for a family series. I can feel confused, aghast and sad about it for over a week, even nowadays, but yes, that's emotional me. Honestly, I had to encourage myself to reply on this thread. (from the actor's view, there must have been some humour in creating it as it goes with serious and dark parts to play (Gareth's true final lines, the news paper anouncment: "actor kills wife and gets away with it", a.o., which is a kind of relief to think of when it gets too hard on you) Edited by Lurena on 23-09-2009 08:32 .....I want to tell, but I can't.....  ...I promised.... |
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| Emerald |
Posted on 23-09-2009 11:14
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Ungraded Posts: 9 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Lurena wrote: I can feel confused, aghast and sad about it for over a week, even nowadays, but yes, that's emotional me. I'm glad I'm not the only one. People keep asking me why I'm so quiet lately. |
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| sfordcar |
Posted on 23-09-2009 12:06
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 Delta Grade Posts: 48 Joined: 08.09.09 |
I felt like this is going to be one good final episode! I do admit I was a bit shocked when I first saw it when I was around 7 but I still thought Blake's death seemed right for a last episode.
"The World Is Your Lobser, My Son!" Arthur Daley, Minder. |
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| Web |
Posted on 23-09-2009 15:10
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Delta Grade Posts: 58 Joined: 21.09.09 |
I 'dunno'. I think I missed it for some reason. I might have given up on it because I didn't like the direction it was heading or I might not even have known it was on. I was only about ten at the time and I thought the show was great (with a big 'G' ). I remember my best friend telling me all nonchalant "they were all killed". I was so disappointed that I vowed to never watch that last episode, a vow that I have since broken, of course. A great episode in its own right but not the way I would have ended it. Edited by Web on 23-09-2009 17:54 |
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| BradPaula |
Posted on 24-09-2009 02:51
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Beta Grade Posts: 1410 Joined: 09.09.09 |
I remember getting a coworker to watch the reruns. He was hooked. The day after Blake aired (second time for me) he came into work with his head down. He saw me and asked, "Did you know that was how it ended when you got me to watch?" I said I did. He replied, "You bastard!" I got another coworker hooked with the tapes. He later admitted that he had seen Blake the previous year. It was the only episode he had seen. After watching TWB and Spacefall he was hooked, wanting to see how we got from Spacefall to Blake. Sum Non Expendere, Sum Non Plumbeus, Sum Non Progressus |
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| Tarrant On TV |
Posted on 24-09-2009 12:06
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Gamma Grade Posts: 372 Joined: 08.09.09 |
BradPaula wrote: I remember getting a coworker to watch the reruns. He was hooked. The day after Blake aired (second time for me) he came into work with his head down. He saw me and asked, "Did you know that was how it ended when you got me to watch?" I said I did. He replied, "You bastard!" I got another coworker hooked with the tapes. He later admitted that he had seen Blake the previous year. It was the only episode he had seen. After watching TWB and Spacefall he was hooked, wanting to see how we got from Spacefall to Blake. Indeed, I think that people who watched the show when it originally aired or watched it without knowing the ending will have found it shocking whereas those of us who've always known the outcome tend to want to see how it all happens. In my case, as I watched S4 I became filled with a sense of impending doom as I knew what was coming. |
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| BradPaula |
Posted on 25-09-2009 03:13
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Beta Grade Posts: 1410 Joined: 09.09.09 |
I remember being at a Con in Chicago where Rob Grant talked about the cliffhanger ending to Red Dwarf where everyone had apparently died. "Sorry," he said. "We didn't mean to Blake's 7 everyone." Sum Non Expendere, Sum Non Plumbeus, Sum Non Progressus |
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| pickle |
Posted on 25-09-2009 17:10
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Delta Grade Posts: 35 Joined: 08.09.09 |
I quite liked the use of the one-eye symbolism to denote being under the control of some external influence was carried through from beginning to end. At the start of series 1 it was the context of Blake's mind being manipulated by a machine; at the end, the physical scar over Blake's eye also seemed representative of his spiritual malaise, and the deleterious effect it had on his ability to judge others. Pedant's Corner: Why would highly trained Federation Guards surround a target at point-blank range in attack formation knowing they would all be shot in the cross-fire should hostilities commence, then allow one of the most dangerous criminals in the universe to raise his machine gun at them? *Trainspotting moment over* Rod Hannah wrote: It's a complicated theory but it actually has an eerie logic to it. It's not perfect, but what it suggests is definitely a S5 I'd sign on to watch! :-D As far as I know the essay doesn't exist online anymore. I have a print out I made of it in the 90s however. I don't fancy typing it out though. Maybe I'll try an OCR PDF scan. Perhaps it was This Highly Credible Obituary? http://www.hermit...7&PG=0 Edited by pickle on 26-09-2009 15:33 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLvnvK1b0AI We Don't Want Your Swine Flu Vaccinations |
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| Madeleine |
Posted on 25-09-2009 23:25
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 Gamma Grade Posts: 290 Joined: 08.09.09 |
Ahhhh, pickle, this was a sight for sore eyes. Thanks a million  Honesty, I can't help but wonder why I missed this obituary, haiving read the hermit.org resources through and through. I admit I have never been interested for this particular type of Blake's 7 - related fanfiction, so I never looked properly, but this genre seems to have its gems nevertheless. Kerr Avon, the ultimate INTJ. |
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| clareblues1 |
Posted on 26-09-2009 11:40
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 Beta Grade Posts: 1277 Joined: 08.09.09 |
I felt the death of Blake reflected much more on Avon than anything else. His lack of trusting in someone he'd previously know quite well....he also took Tarrant on his word too...i.e. that he'd become convinced Blake was a bounty hunter...& told Avon as such when it came to the moment... Equally I think Blake was foolish to carry on with the hunter routine once he'd got Tarrant back at the base and realised who he was...had he not done so the entire incident could've been avoided....but then we wouldn't have had the dramatic series closer! "The river tells no lies, though standing on the shore, the dishonest man still hears them" Oma Desala |
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