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This started out as a short piece comparing Blake's leadership style in seasons one and two to Avon's in seasons three and four. It's kinda grown into a lumbering walrus of bits in Blake's Seven that I think echo throughout the series.
I tried to let the men speak for themselves, but as usual, I couldn't keep my gob shut. Please read all my blurber with 'in my opinion' liberally sprinkled on top.
Sifting through the evidence, I've come to the conclusion that I prefer Blake's leadership style, but I would love to share thoughts with people who might have a different perspective.
Vila: You've always explained, given us reasons for things.
Avon: When he had any.
Blake: This time I choose not to.
Jenna: But, Blake, if you.....
Blake: For once just try trusting me.
Cally: What is this priority of his?
Avon: Exactly. He's used a number of ploys to get his own way,
but, 'Just try
trusting me', that's weak, even by his standards.
[Voice from the Past]
Avon: You and the rest of the them owe me.
Tarrant: Do we?
Avon: ...and I am calling in the debt. With or without your
approval it is going to be done.
Tarrant: How do we approve of something we don't know about ?
Avon: You could try trusting me.
Tarrant: All right Avon, we'll try trusting you. Just don't
expect us to make a habit of it.
[Terminal]
The will to win....
Cally: Are you sure that what we're going to do is justified?
Blake: It has to be. Don't you see Cally? If we stop now then all
we have done is senseless killing and destruction. Without purpose,
without reason. We have to win. It's the only way I can be sure that
I was right.
[Star One]
Vila: So lay in a course and let's get the dignified hell out of here.
Tarrant: That isn't the plan anymore, though, is it Avon ?
Avon: I think we can do better.
Vila: Does that mean safer?
Avon: In the end, winning is the only safety.
[Blake]
The women in their lives....
Jenna: Who exactly is Inga?
Blake: She meant a lot to me once.
[Hostage]
Avon: One of his victims was a young woman called Anna Grant.
She was important to me.
[Rumours]
Relations with the crew...
Blake: My crew are with me by their own choice.
Avon: Really? [Duel]
Keiller: Say, Avon, what is this, Old Friend. Can't you keep your
gang under control?
Avon: They're not my gang, Keiller. We are together for mutual
convenience. I imagine that if I double-crossed them, they would try
and kill me. [Gold]
From as early as Cygnus Alpha, Blake was referring to the others as "my crew" and from what we can gleam from Space Command HQ, the Federation very much saw them that way, too (SLD: We'll want to know about Blake, the ship, his crew. Breakdown: Kayn: It's Blake and his crew). Avon never referred to the rest of them as his crew. In fact, the only time the crew are mentioned in S3, they are referred to as Tarrant's (Harvest of Kairos).
Listen, chaps, there's been a change of plan....
Blake: Up until now we're only been a minor irritation to the Federation. I
think it's about time we hurt them.
Jenna: I don't like the sound of that.
Avon: Neither do I. I thought it was agreed we wouldn't do anything without
discussing it thoroughly.
Blake: True. It was also agreed that anybody could opt out at any time. Just
tell me when you want to leave.
Avon: Oh I will. But in the meantime I think we have a right to know what it
is your planning.
Blake: Zen. Set a course for Saurian Major. Speed standard by two.
Zen: Speed and course confirmed.
Avon: That falls a little short of my idea of a thorough discussion.
[Time Squad]
Tarrant: Avon are we still en route for Caliphoron? Are we?
Avon: No.
Tarrant: You've changed course?
Avon: Obviously.
Tarrant: You had no right to do that.
Avon: There was no time for a committee meeting.
Tarrant: You should have told us. If your reasons for changing course were
sound nobody would have given you an argument.
Avon: There's always an argument. My reasons for changing course are sound.
You can take my word for it. [Terminal]
Jenna: Blake, what about Del Ten?
Avon: Why are we diverting to some discarded rock? Any reason, Blake, or
simply a whim, a guessing game, perhaps?
Blake: Priority mission.
Avon: Whose?
Vila: Why?
Avon: Objective?
Blake: I command this ship.
Avon: Do you indeed.
Jenna: You lead. We don't take commands. [Voice]
Tarrant: Zen, reroute to planet Auron.
Avon: Just like that?
Tarrant: A democracy. You're outvoted Avon 3 to 2. [Children]
Am I right in thinking that in S3 & S4 the ship is run much more democratically than in S1 & S2? I can think of several exceptions: Avon insisting that they use the asteroid in Stardrive & change course in Terminal, for example, but on the whole, if a crew member expressed a wish to do something or to go somewhere (for example Cally in Children, Tarrant in Harvest) it was discussed and then decided upon. Blake did discuss plans and destinations with other crew members (Cally in Pressure Point) but in a more covert way. I also get the impression that he had the final decision on whether to do something or not (numerous examples: Cygnus Alpha, SLD, Horizon etc etc). A clear sign of a strong leader.
All in a day's work....
Avon: What now?
Blake: We've got to go down there and rescue the others.
Avon: You're not going to try and land this thing?
Blake: What's the alternative?
Avon: Leave. I'm free and I intend to stay that way. [Cygus Alpha]
Dayna and Tarrant are trapped on Helotrix whilst Federation pursuit ships are closing in on Scorpio's position. Avon refuses to leave them.
Avon: Vila, until we are attacked, we are staying.
Vila: Blake would have been proud of you, you know.
Avon: I know, but then he never was very bright. [Traitor]
Breaking bad news...
a. A death in the family
Vila: Where's Gan?
Blake: Gan's dead. [Pressure Point]
Tarrant: Where is Cally?
Avon: Cally is dead. [Rescue]
Scary, how similar these lines are eh? How differently Blake and Avon went on to deal with the death of a crew member, though. Blake becomes introspective, he expresses guilt. He acknowledges that he is responsible for the lives of the crew and blames himself for Gan's death. When he returns to them he emerges as refocused, passionate, and determined that Gan's death will not be in vain. Avon never mentions Cally's name again.
b. A death in someone else's family
Ensor: Both men dead you say?
Cally: Yes.
Ensor: One of them was my son.
Cally: Yes.
Ensor: It's always too late isn't it? I wonder if he knew how much I
loved him.
Blake: I think he did. [Orac]
Avon: Where are Kasabi and her people?
Gan: They were wiped out in an ambush. This is Kasabi's daughter. Veron, Avon, Vila. Veron was the only survivor.
Avon: I'm sorry. [then to Blake] I knew you were lying. [Pressure Point]
Blake is sympathetic and comforting. Avon's response is direct and heartfelt. There is something to admire in both of their approaches. Avon also says a simple 'I'm sorry' when Hal Mellanby tells him about his torture and subsequent loss of eyesight, but makes a pigs ear of telling Vena that Muller is dead, relying on Soolin to comfort her before he finally snaps at her.
Goals, Goals, Goals...
Jenna: At least you're still alive.
Blake: No! Not until free men can think and speak. Not until power
is back with the honest man. [Space Fall]
Avon: Vila, I won't run. We have to find out what it is they're doing. Why the old colonies are being conquered so easily. Then perhaps we could do something about it. [Traitor]
I prefer Blake's emotion and conviction here. His plan is radical and dangerous, but his reasons are powerful and inspiring. This quote from Traitor was the nearest Avon came to a mission statement. In comparison it seems a bit woolly to me.
I just vant to be alone ...
Blake: I'm not going to minimize the danger. It's a high risk
operation. That's why I'm not going to ask any of you to come with me. [snip]
Jenna: Blake, we've decided to come with you.
Blake: Thank you. I could do with all the help I can get. [Pressure Point]
Blake: I'm going down on my own Avon. It has nothing to do with you. [Trial]
Avon: I'm going down alone.
Tarrant: Not this time.
Avon: This has nothing to do with you...any of you.
Tarrant: That's true.
Dayna: On the other hand, you are something to do with us.
Cally: We've talked about it and discovered we care what happens to you. [Rumours]
Avon: One last thing. I don't need any of you. I needed the Liberator to bring me here so I had no choice but to bring you along, but this is as far as you go. I don't want you with me. I don't want you following me. [Terminal]
I like the way that both men don't automatically assume that the rest of the crew will accept the risks that they do. I prefer the way Blake respects the others decision to accept those risks and the way he makes everybody feel part of the team. In contrast Avon is abusive. He makes the others feel unwanted and foolish for helping.
You know you can always trust me....
Avon: Are you sure you can trust me?
Blake: For as long as we're useful to each other. [Time Squad]
Avon: I have never taken things on trust. [Breakdown]
Blake: Yes, Avon, for what it's worth, I have always trusted you, from the very beginning. [Star One]
Avon: He who trusts can never be betrayed. [Rescue]
Blake: All right, I find it difficult to trust. It's a failing, I admit.... [Blake]
I believe Blake in Star One, I think he did trust Avon from the beginning, maybe not entirely but then in such cases as these a good memory is unpardonable. As someone who has difficulty with trust issues this skill is something I really admire. I think it's a great leadership quality. It saddens me to think that Blake could no longer trust anybody by the time we see him again.
Whoops a daisy ...
Blake: We've done it! We've done it! We've done it! I've done it!
Avon: Blake! There's nothing here. There's nothing here. [Pressure Point]
Orac: All bank notes drawn by the Bank of Zerok will be declared invalid
within seven days and all private transactions will be illegal directly.
The consequences of this are clear.
Tarrant: Yes, they're clear all right. Aren't they, Avon, we just risked our
lives for nothing. [Gold]
Well at least Blake didn't risk the rest of the crew's lives for a fast buck.
Vila
Blake: The obvious place is the safe. Vila, can you crack it? [to Cauder]: If anyone can crack it, he can. [Countdown]
Cally: Why are you suddenly so protective towards Vila?
Avon: He's irritating, but he's useful. We can easily replace a pilot, but a
talented thief is rare. [City]
I recall Blake shouting at Vila to be quiet (ep?), but I can't think of an instance in S1 & S2 where he deliberately put him down. In fact, apart from a few cutting remarks aimed at Avon, I can't remember Blake belittling the rest of the crew at all. I like the way Blake has confidence in his crews' abilities and expects them to do their best (telling Jenna in Space Fall that's she's got just two minutes to learn how to fly the Liberator is probably the best example of this) which in turn gives them confidence and the impetus to go on and do just that. In short, he has a leadership style which makes people feel good about themselves, and makes them feel good about achieving his goals.
Strategy
Tarrant: We need a planet as a home base, somewhere that's not been ruined by the war, and we need recruits. [Volcano]
Avon: How are they doing it?
Vila: I don't know, but maybe we should start running now! I always thought
your idea of having a combat base was crazy. [Traitor]
Deva: I said I would follow you and I will until the Federation's finally
destroyed. But if you're killed, where does that leave us?
Blake: With a base, the beginnings of an army. [Blake]
Interesting to see that Avon and Blake had the same idea of setting up a combat base after Star One was destroyed.
Girls, girls, girls...
Servalan: It is true that Blake has command of a superb space vehicle, but he is just a man, backed by a handful of criminals and that is all. He is not invulnerable, nor is he superhuman. He is just a man who has been extremely lucky to evade capture....so far. [S-L-D]
Servalan: But I don't think of you as an enemy, Avon. I think of you as a future friend. [Aftermath]
Servalan: Without Blake, the Liberator's no immediate threat to our
plans.
Mutoid: No, Madam President.
Servalan: Well, the crew have no political ambitions.
Mutoid: They are merely criminals. [Volcano]
I hadn't realised how meager the interplay between Blake and Servalan is. There is little in the scripts that indicates what he thought of her.
All for one
Avon: Our hero lives.
Tarrant: At least he didn't try to get into a spacesuit.
Avon: I look upon self interest as my great strength. [Dawn]
Avon: Pass out again and I'll leave you, Tarrant.
Tarrant: I'm surprised you came back this time.
Avon: We stand a better chance as a group. [Rescue]
I think these two quotes are indicative of a general shift in Avon from S3 to S4. I can think of a couple of examples of Avon striking out alone in S3: going off on his own in Harvest and Terminal but none from S4. Can anybody else?
Shooting is too good for my enemies....
Raiker: I'm going to kill one of your friends every 30 seconds starting now.
I'll stop when you give yourselves up or I run out of prisoners.
Blake: Raiker, Raiker! Open the door.
Avon: You're throwing away our only chance .
Blake: Open the door. [Space Fall]
Tarrant: No wait, we'll talk about this.
Servalan: There's nothing to talk about, Tarrant. I shall kill your crew one
by one until you instruct Zen to recognize my voice pattern. [snip]
Tarrant: I'd rather accept the business end of a snake. Servalan:
As I thought. Oh well, I shall just have to watch you break.
Carry on guard.
Avon: All right Servalan. If he won't, I will. [Harvest]
The rest of the scene goes on to imply that Avon surrenders the ship in order to save himself. Does anybody really believe this, though? If it was true then why did he request safe teleportation for the whole of the crew?. I see it as a shift. He doesn't understand or accept the responsibility Blake felt for the rest of the prisoners in Space Fall but gradually realises that with Blake gone he must now take on the same responsibility for the crew. I would like to think that at this moment he regretted being so hard on Blake after he had surrendered on The London.
Just an illusion
Blake: No, that thing took an image out of your minds, a memory, and then
projected it back at you as though it were real Jenna: But it didn't
affect you?
Blake: It did, but somehow I knew it wasn't real. [To Avon] Seems I can
recognize dreams. [Space Fall]
Avon [to Anna]: You weren't even real. [Rumours]
If Blake had been around during Rumours I think he and Avon would have had a lot to talk about: dreams worth having, illusions, how to cope with reality.
Their Dark Sides
Avon: Did you see anything while you were down there?
Blake: Not much. [Cygnus Alpha]
Blake: In 25 minutes I'm returning you to your station. If you haven't
completed your work ....
Kayn: Your threats don't bother me in the least, you know.
Blake: ...I shall destroy your hands. [Breakdown]
Jenna: You never said anything about looking at the perimeter from
the inside.
Cally: We must take this risk.
Blake: All right, I don't expect you to welcome the idea. That's why I misled
you just a little. [Pressure Point]
Soolin: So you've let Dayna and Vila walk into a trap.
Avon [flatly]: We need the spacedrive. [Spacedrive]
I've been unfair to Blake here. There are many things Avon does throughout the series I don't like (trying to strangle women (Misson), deliberately withholding vital information (Redemption, Breakdown), being rude to Gan, his callousness in Stardrive) it just that it's impossible to quote all of them.
Good to see ya!
Jenna: Could you kill someone? Face to face I mean.
Avon: I don't know. Could you? [Cygnus Alpha]
Avon: Is it true?
Blake: Avon, it's me, Blake....etc etc. [Blake]
I've just gotta get a message to you....
Cally: Vila, if Gan was here, what would he have asked Orac?
Vila: Something obvious : did Blake leave us any messages?
[Orac displays a recorded message from Blake]
Blake: Thank you. I must confess I wasn't sure whether you'd trust me or even
care enough to ask if there was a message. [Trial]
Avon: I have also recorded a full explanation of everything I am doing. Zen will not issue it until you are in flight. [Terminal]
Interesting to see that Blake tests the crew in this way. He could have easily told Cally that he had left a message for them just before he teleported down but he deliberately chooses not to. Why? What compels him to play with people in this way?
Avon on the other hand is very clear and precise in his instructions. He doesn't play games with the crew.(Is there a quote? Something like 'Don't play games with me Blake?) Resonates nicely with the fatal scene in 'Blake'.
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