Editing Blake's 7 (section)

== Plot summary ==
{{Further|List of Blake's 7 episodes}}
The series is set in a future age of interstellar travel and concerns the exploits of a group of outlaws. [[Gareth Thomas (actor)|Gareth Thomas]] played the eponymous character Roj Blake, a political dissident who is arrested, tried and convicted on false charges, and then deported from [[Earth]] to a prison planet. En route, he and two fellow prisoners, treated as expendable, are sent to board and investigate an abandoned alien spacecraft found drifting in space. They get the ship working, commandeer it, rescue two more prisoners, and are later joined by an alien guerrilla with telepathic abilities. In their attempts to stay ahead of their enemies and inspire others to rebel, they encounter a great variety of cultures on different planets, and are forced to confront human and alien threats. Blake's group suffer losses and casualties, and recruit newer members to join them. They perform a campaign against the totalitarian Terran Federation until an intergalactic war occurs with aliens from the Andromeda galaxy. Blake disappears and [[Kerr Avon]] then leads the group. When their spacecraft is destroyed and another group member is killed, the survivors commandeer another craft (which they enhance with superior technology), and a secret base on a distant planet from which they continue their campaign. In the final episode, Avon finds Blake and, suspecting him of betraying the group, kills him. The group is then shot by Federation guards, who surround Avon in the final scene as shots are heard over the end credits.

=== Series One ===
{{See also|List of Blake's 7 episodes#Series_1_(1978)|l1=Series 1}}

Roj Blake, a worker of high social status classified as "alpha-grade", lives in a domed city. Similar domes house most of the Earth's population. Blake is approached by a group of political dissidents who take him outside the city to meet their leader, Bran Foster. According to Foster, Blake was once the leader of an influential group of political activists opposed to the Federation's Earth Administration. Blake was arrested, brainwashed and coerced into making a confession denouncing the rebellion. His memory of those years was then blocked. Foster wants Blake to rejoin the dissidents. Suddenly, the meeting is interrupted by the arrival of Federation security forces, who shoot and kill the crowd of rebels. Blake, the only survivor, returns to the city, where he begins to remember his past. He is arrested, tried on false charges of child molestation and sentenced to deportation to the prison planet Cygnus Alpha.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Briant, Michael E. (director). (1978) "The Way Back" (Television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 2 January 1978</ref>

Whilst awaiting deportation from Planet Earth, Blake meets thief Vila Restal and smuggler Jenna Stannis. On board the prison ship ''London'', Blake meets convicted murderer Olag Gan and computer engineer and embezzler Kerr Avon. The ''London'' encounters a battle between two alien space fleets and the ''London''{{'}}s crew plot a course to avoid the combat zone and continue their voyage. They encounter a strange alien craft, board it and attempt to salvage it but are thwarted by the alien ship's defence mechanism. The commander of the ''London'' sends the expendable Blake, Avon, and Jenna across to the ship. Blake defeats the defence system when it tries to use memories he recently discovered were false. With Jenna as pilot, the three convicts escape in the alien craft.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Roberts, Pennant (director). (1978) "Space Fall" (Television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 9 January 1978</ref>

Blake and his crew follow the ''London'' to Cygnus Alpha in their captured ship, which they have named ''Liberator''. They retrieve Vila and Gan, while Blake leaves the other prisoners. Blake wants to use ''Liberator'' and its new crew to attack the Federation with the others, especially Avon, as reluctant followers.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Lorrimer, Vere (director). (1978) "Cygnus Alpha" (Television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 16 January 1978</ref> Blake's first target is a communications station on the planet Saurian Major. Blake infiltrates the station and is assisted by Cally, a telepathic guerrilla soldier from the planet Auron. Blake invites Cally to join the crew. With this new arrival, and including ''Liberator''{{'}}s computer, Zen, ''Liberator'' has a crew of seven.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Roberts, Pennant (director). (1978) "Time Squad" (Television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 23 January 1978</ref>

As Blake's attacks against the Federation become bolder, he has less success. Political pressure grows on the Administration with planetary commanders threatening to leave the Federation because of its inability to protect them from Blake's attacks. Rumours abound about Blake's heroism and other rebel groups use his name for their actions. Supreme Commander Servalan appoints Space Commander Travis, who has a vendetta against Blake, to eliminate Blake and capture ''Liberator''. Servalan often co-opts Travis for her personal projects and uses Blake as a cover for her own activities. When Travis repeatedly fails to eliminate Blake, Servalan does not assign the task to another officer and does not use more resources to eliminate him.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Lorrimer, Vere (director). (1978) "Seek-Locate-Destroy" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 6 February 1978</ref>

Blake meets a man named Ensor and discovers a plot by Servalan and Travis to seize a powerful computer named Orac, which is capable of communicating with any computer that uses a component called a Tariel Cell. Blake's crew suffers from radiation sickness but capture the device before Servalan arrives. Blake offers to perform the operation to save Ensor's life aboard the ''Liberator'' but Ensor dies when the power cells for his artificial heart are depleted before they are able to reach ''Liberator''. Aboard the ship, Orac predicts the craft's destruction in the near future.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Lorrimer, Vere (director). (1978) "Orac" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 27 March 1978</ref>

=== Series Two ===
{{See also|List of Blake's 7 episodes#Series_2_(1979)|l1=Series 2}}
[[File:BlakeLiberator.jpg|right|thumb|250px|''Liberator'', the alien starship used by Blake and his crew for series 1 to 3]]
The ''Liberator'' is recaptured by the people that built it and Orac's prophecy is fulfilled when it destroys an identical space vehicle.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Lorrimer, Vere (director). (1979) "Redemption" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 1 September 1979</ref> Blake wants to attack the heart of the Federation and he targets the main computer control facility on Earth. Avon agrees to help on the condition that Blake gives him ''Liberator'' when the Federation has been destroyed. Blake, Avon, Vila and Gan reach the control facility and find an empty room. Travis reveals that the computer facility was secretly relocated years before and the old location was left as a decoy. Blake and his crew escape but Travis throws a grenade in the confined area and Gan is killed by falling rubble.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Spenton-Foster, George (director). (1979) "Pressure Point" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 9 February 1979</ref>

After Gan's death, Blake considers the future of the rebellion, and Travis is convicted of war crimes by a Federation [[court martial]] at Space Command Headquarters aboard a space station. Blake decides to restore his group's reputation and attacks the space station but Travis escapes and continues his vendetta against Blake.<ref>Boucher, Chris (writer) & Martinus, Derek (director). (1979) "Trial" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 13 February 1979</ref> Blake seeks the new location of the computer control facility. He learns that it is named ''Star One''.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Lorrimer, Vere (director). (1979) "Countdown" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 6 March 1979</ref> When ''Star One'' begins to malfunction, Servalan also becomes desperate to find its location. The facility's failure causes many problems in the Federation. ''Star One'' controls a large defensive barrier that has prevented extra-galactic incursions. Blake discovers ''Star One''{{'}}s location and finds that, with help from Travis, aliens from the [[Andromeda Galaxy]] have infiltrated it. Vila discovers a fleet of alien spacecraft beyond the barrier. Travis partially disables the barrier. Blake and his crew overcome the aliens at ''Star One'' and kill Travis but the gap in the barrier allows the aliens to invade. Jenna calls for help from the Federation, where Servalan has conducted a military coup, imposed [[martial law]] and declared herself President. Servalan dispatches the Federation's battle fleets to repel the invaders, who begin to breach the barrier. With Blake badly wounded, ''Liberator'' by Avon's direction, alone until Servalan's battle fleets arrive, fights against the aliens.<ref>Boucher, Chris (writer) & Maloney, David (director&nbsp;— uncredited). (1979) "Star One" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 3 April 1979</ref>

=== Series Three ===
{{See also|List of Blake's 7 episodes#Series_3_(1980)|l1=Series 3}}
''Liberator'' is severely damaged during the battle with the Andromedans, forcing the crew to abandon ship whilst Zen carries out repairs. The Federation defeats the alien invaders but the cost considerably reduces its influence in the galaxy.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Lorrimer, Vere (director). (1980) "Aftermath" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 7 January 1980</ref> Blake and Jenna go missing and Avon becomes the new leader. Two new additions, weapons expert Dayna Mellanby and mercenary Del Tarrant, join the crew.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Maloney, David (director&nbsp;— uncredited). (1980) "Powerplay" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 7 January 1980</ref> Avon is less inclined than Blake to attack the Federation but Servalan realises that if she captures ''Liberator'', the Federation will quickly restore its former power.<ref>Prior, Allan (writer) & McCarthy, Desmond (director). (1980) "Volcano" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 14 January 1980</ref>

Servalan attempts to create [[cloning|clones]] of herself, but is thwarted when the embryos are destroyed.<ref>Parkes, Roger (writer) & Morgan, Andrew (director). (1980) "Children of Auron" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 19 February 1980</ref> Avon decides to find the Federation agent who killed Anna Grant, his former lover. The group interrupts an attempt to eliminate Servalan and Avon discovers that Anna is alive and was previously a Federation agent named Bartolemew. Anna tries to shoot Avon in the back but Avon kills her and frees Servalan.<ref>Boucher, Chris (writer) & Cumming, Fiona (director). (1980) "Rumours of Death" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 25 February 1980</ref> Servalan lures Avon into a trap using a faked message from Blake. Servalan finally captures ''Liberator'' and maroons the crew on an artificial planet named Terminal but does not know that ''Liberator'' has been irreparably damaged after flying through a cloud of corrosive fluid particles. As Servalan leaves Terminal, the ship explodes and Servalan is apparently killed as she attempts to escape by teleporting away.<ref>Nation, Terry (writer) & Ridge, Mary (director). (1980) "Terminal" (television series episode). In Maloney, David (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 31 March 1980</ref>

=== Series Four ===
{{See also|List of Blake's 7 episodes#Series_4_(1981)|l1=Series 4}}
[[File:B7Scorpio.jpeg|right|thumb|250px|''Scorpio'', the Wanderer class cargo ship used for series 4.]]
Booby traps, set by Servalan in her underground complex on Terminal, explode and Cally is killed. Avon, Tarrant, Vila and Dayna escape with Orac and are rescued by Dorian, a salvage operator. Dorian takes the crew in his spacecraft, ''Scorpio'', to his base on the planet Xenon, where they meet his partner, Soolin. Dorian plans to drain the crew's [[energy (esotericism)|life-force]] and take Orac but is foiled by Vila.<ref>Boucher, Chris (writer) & Ridge, Mary (director). (1981) "Rescue" (television series episode). In Lorrimer, Vere (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 28 September 1981</ref> Avon completes a new teleport system for ''Scorpio'' using the technology left behind by Dorian. Soolin joins the crew and they commandeer ''Scorpio'' and occupy the Xenon base. Avon gains control of Slave, ''Scorpio''{{'}}s main computer.<ref>Steed, Ben (writer) & Ridge, Mary (director). (1981) "Power" (television series episode). In Lorrimer, Vere (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 5 October 1981</ref>

The crew acquires an experimental new [[Faster-than-light|stardrive]] that vastly increases ''Scorpio''{{'}}s speed, making it even faster than ''Liberator''.<ref>Follet, Jim (writer) & Proudfoot, David Sullivan (director). (1981) "Stardrive" (television series episode). In Lorrimer, Vere (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 19 October 1981</ref> The ''Scorpio'' crew become concerned about the speed at which the Federation is reclaiming its former territory and discover that Servalan survived the destruction of ''Liberator''. Deposed as President of the Federation, she is using the pseudonym Commissioner Sleer and is enacting a pacification programme using a drug named Pylene-50. The ''Scorpio'' crew gain the formula for an antidote to Pylene-50 but this cannot reverse the drug's effects. Avon finds a way to synthesise the antidote and the crew attempt to create an alliance between independent worlds to resist the Federation and get the resources and manpower to mass-produce the Pylene-50 antidote. One of the alliance members, Zukan, betrays the alliance to Servalan and detonates explosives on Xenon base, which is damaged and the ''Scorpio'' crew are forced to abandon it.<ref>Masters, Simon (writer) & Ritelis, Viktors (director). (1981) "Warlord" (television series episode). In Lorrimer, Vere (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 14 December 1981</ref>

Avon tells the rest of the group that Orac has traced Blake to Gauda Prime, an agricultural planet. Blake is masquerading as a [[bounty hunter]]; his latest quarry is Arlen, whom he hopes to recruit for his rebellion. ''Scorpio'' approaches Gauda Prime and is attacked. The crew, except Tarrant, use the teleport to abandon the damaged craft. Slave is damaged, Tarrant remains aboard to pilot ''Scorpio'' and is injured during a crash landing. Blake arrives, rescues and takes Tarrant to his base and purportedly captures Tarrant as bounty. Tarrant thinks that Blake has betrayed the group, and Blake lets Tarrant escape. Tarrant is nearly killed by Blake's colleagues when Avon and his crew save him, giving credence to Tarrant's accusation that Blake has betrayed them to the Federation. Becoming very suspicious of Blake, Avon kills him. Arlen reveals that she is a Federation officer and Federation guards arrive. Tarrant, Soolin, Vila, and Dayna are shot by Federation troops, who slowly surround Avon with their weapons pointed at him. Avon steps over Blake's body, raises his gun and smiles. Shots are heard over the end credits.<ref>Boucher, Chris (writer) & Ridge, Mary (director). (1981) "Blake" (television series episode). In Lorrimer, Vere (producer), ''Blake's 7'', London: BBC, 21 December 1981</ref>