Blake's 7 Quotations

Quotes for the science fiction television series Blake's 7.

The Way Back

Blake: There can be no justification for deliberate murder.

Vila: Easy! Take it easy! I hate personal violence, especially when I'm the person.

Vila: I'm a thief. Other people's property comes naturally to me!

Space Fall

Avon: Listen to me. Wealth is the only reality. And the only way to obtain wealth is to take it away from somebody else. Wake up, Blake! You may not be tranquilised any longer, but you're still dreaming.

Vila: Nervous? I'm not nervous. Just... poised for action, that's all.

Blake: What went wrong?

Avon: I relied on other people.

(regarding a hypothetical betrayal by Avon)

Jenna: He fixes the log, the crew dump us, pocket the profit, and set him free.

Vila: That's immoral. The cold-hearted murdering -- let's kill him now before he can do it.

Vila: No, I can't go in there, I've got a condition - a fear of enclosed spaces. There's a name for it...

Jenna: Cowardice?

Jenna: How do you feel?

Blake: Sick.

Avon: So you should. What a fiasco. You could take over the ship, you said, if I did my bit. Well, I did my bit, and what happened? Your troops bumble around looking for someone to surrender to, and when they've succeded, you follow suit.

Cygnus Alpha

Avon asks Zen about the Teleport system:

Zen: Wisdom must be gathered, not given.

Avon: Don't philosophise at me, you electronic moron!

Jenna: You wouldn't be trying to get rid of me, would you?

Avon: I have to get rid of Blake first. You're next on my list.

Jenna: That would have been very disarming, if I didn't know that you meant it.

Time Squad

Blake: Seven of us can run this ship properly.

Vila: Six, surely.

Blake: You forgot Zen.

Avon: You're not counting that machine as a member of the crew.

Blake: Oh, what do you say to that, Zen?

Zen: Please state course and speed.

Blake: Very diplomatic. Set a course for Centero, speed standard by two.

Zen: Confirmed.

Blake: Except that we're not going to hide. Very soon now the Federation ships will know exactly where we are. Or at least where we've been.

Vila: I don't follow you.

Avon: Oh, but you do. And that's the problem.

The Web

Avon saves Blake from an explosion:

Blake: Thank you... why?

Avon: Automatic reaction, I'm as surprised as you are.

Blake: I'm not surprised.

Avon: I'll tell you a fact of life, Blake! Change is inevitable!

Blake: Why else do we fight, Avon?

Seek-Locate-Destroy

Vila: I can open any lock if I'm scared enough.

Blake: Are you scared enough for that one?

Vila: What do you think?

Vila: Hello there. How are you? Excuse me wandering about your premises but I wonder if you can help me. I'm an escaped prisoner. I was a thief but recently I've become interested in sabotage, in a small way you understand, nothing too ambitious, I hate vulgarity, don't you? Anyway, I've come to blow something up. What do you think will be most suitable?

Blake: You don't matter enough to kill, Travis.

Cally: They're taking too long.

Avon: That's the trouble with heroics, they seldom run to schedule.

Mission to Destiny

Cally: My people have a saying: A man who trusts can never be betrayed, only mistaken.

Avon: Life expectancy must be fairly short among your people.

Cally: Blake will return...

Avon: You can bet your life on it. In fact, you've just bet both our lives on it.

Cally: I thought you mistrusted instinct?

Avon: I do. So I am probably wrong.

Duel

Blake: on Travis: How do you demonstrate the death of a friend to a man who hasn't got any?

Blake: Have you got any better ideas?

Avon: As a matter of fact, no, I haven't.

Blake: Does that mean you agree?

Avon: Do I have a choice?

Blake: Yes.

Avon: Then I agree.

Vila: Have you thought of another plan?

Avon: Yes. I'm going to get some sleep.

Vila: How can you sleep with all this happening?

Avon: With all what happening? Blake is sitting up in a tree, Travis is sitting up in another tree. Unless they're planning to throw nuts at one another, I don't see much of a fight developing before it gets light.

Gan: You're never involved, are you Avon? You ever cared for anyone?

Vila: Except yourself?

Avon: I have never understood why it should be necessary to become irrational in order to prove that you care, or, indeed, why it should be necessary to prove it at all. [Exits]

Vila: Was that an insult or did I miss something?

Cally: You missed something.

Avon: Logic says we're dead.

Blake: Logic has never defined what dead is.

Project Avalon

Blake: Avalon has started resistance movements in a dozen Federation planets.

Avon: Another idealist, poor but honest. I shall look forward to our meeting with eager anticipation.

Breakdown

Jenna: They don't like humanoids in general and in particular, homo sapiens.

Avon: That puts their intelligence beyond doubt.

Avon: I'm finished. Staying with you requires a degree of stupidity of which I no longer feel capable.

Blake: No, you're just being modest.

(XK-72 has been destroyed by pursuit ships)

Avon: Say goodbye to one bolthole.

Blake: That wasn't funny, Avon.

Avon: It wasn't meant to be.

Bounty

Vila: I'm entitled to my opinion.

Avon: It is your assumption that we are entitled to it as well that is irritating.

Vila: I don't want data, I want to know what's happening.

Zen: It will be necessary for you to make a personal investigation.

Vila: Oh, you're a big help. Personal investigation... Personal investigation... The next time Avon wants to make a personal investigation on how you work I shall make a personal point of handing him the instruments. Personally.

(Vila fails to remove an explosive collar from Blake's neck)

Vila: I told you I couldn't do it!

Avon: I believed you all along.

Vila: Nobody can open it!

Avon: I thought you could open anything - that's always been one of your more modest claims.

Avon: None of us showed conspicuous intelligence on this occasion.

Orac

Vila: Die? I can't do that!

Avon: I'm afraid you can. It's the one talent we all share, even you.

Orac: You are carrying weapons. You will remove them.

Blake: We'd prefer to keep them with us.

Orac: You will remove them!

Blake: No.

(Orac fires at the ground in front of them)

Blake: We will remove them.

Avon: Can you stand?

Vila: Why would I want to?

Ensor: I dissaprove of weapons.

Blake: So do I, but I dissaprove of dying even more.

(Avon shoots Travis in the hand just as he is about to fire)

Blake: Good shot, Avon.

Avon: I was aiming for his head.

Orac: Modesty would be dishonesty.

Redemption

Blake: Avon - concentrate on Zen. Give priority to the detectors and the navigation systems. And then see if you can get us some scans.

Avon: Is that all? What shall I do with the other hand?

Vila: When you get Zen working, ask him to prescribe something for a headache, will you? I've got this shocking pain right behind the eyes.

Avon: Have you considered amputation?

Vila: If it ever comes to a showdown, my money's on Blake. Well, half of it. I'll put the other half on Avon.

Weapon

Avon: We do not know what IMIPAK is.

Blake: Exactly. The least we've got to do is find out what it does.

Vila: Why have we? I can live without it.

Blake: It's just conceivable that you can't.

Avon: Unless of course you want your last words to be, "So that's IMIPAK."

Avon:Auron may be different, Cally, but on Earth it is considered ill-mannered to kill your friends while committing suicide.

Cally: Sooner or later, Blake is going to attack Federation Central Control on Earth itself.

Vila: Later. Much later.

Avon: And alone, probably.

Jenna: I doubt that.

Gan: He wouldn't be alone if you just left him, Avon.

Avon: You would stay with him?

Gan: Yes.

Avon (smirks): Virtually alone, then.

Avon: It is a triple-A security installation.

Vila: We have got into those before.

Avon: Usually with your screams of protest ringing in our ears. Are you telling me you're in favour of this idea?

Vila: No! Not exactly...I just don't think it's stupid. Perhaps...maybe I'm on your side, Cally.

Blake: It's not a question of sides, Vila.

Avon (to Vila): No, it's a question of intelligence. So your opinion has very little relevance.

Horizon

Cally: You're not going to follow the freighter all the way to Horizon?

Blake: Why not? I'm curious.

Avon: Oh, you are curious. Well, I'm glad we have a worthwhile purpose.

Blake: Doesn't it interest you a little?

Avon: No! There's nothing out there - we are on the edge. Even Zen has nothing on it. That could mean anything - an experimental warzone - anything.

Blake: That freighter's gone to Horizon for some good reason.

Avon: Which is more than you can say for us.

Vila: Why don't you go?

Avon: You are expendable.

Vila: And you're not?

Avon: No, I am not. I am not expendable, I'm not stupid, and I'm not going.

Ro: I rule this planet.

Blake: Do you? I thought it was a Federation colony.

Ro: I dislike the word "colony."

Blake: Which word would you prefer?

Ro: I rule here, and you're my prisoners.

Blake: I dislike the word "prisoner."

Avon: Orac, have you obtained any further information on the planet Horizon?

Orac: No.

Avon: Why not?

Orac: Is that a serious question?

Avon: No.

Orac: Please do not waste my time.

Killer

Vila:When Avon holds out a hand in friendship, watch the other one. That's the one with the hammer.

Vila: I hope you can trust him.

Avon: I told you, he's a friend of mine.

Vila: Yes, I always knew you had a friend. I used to say to people, "I bet Avon's got a friend...somewhere in the galaxy."

Avon: And you were right. That must be a novel experience for you.

Star One

Avon:As far as I'm concerned you can destroy whatever you like. You can stir up a thousand revolutions. You can wade in blood up to your armpits. Oh, and you can lead the rabble to victory -- whatever that may mean. Just so long as there's an end to it. When Star One is gone, it is finished, Blake. And I want it finished! I want it over and done with, I want to be free!

Aftermath

Avon: Well, I hope she's not totally insane. Under the circumstances that could be a little bit embarrassing.

Avon: It's a great pity you and I have always been on opposite sides, Servalan.

Servalan: You have one other quality I admire. Very much.

Avon: Yes?

Servalan: You are infinitely corruptible. You'd sell out anybody, wouldn't you?

Avon: I don't know. I never really had an offer I felt was worthy of me.

Avon: The sky's our only limit? I'd be dead in a week.

Powerplay

Vila: It's not that I'm I coward or anything, it's just that I have a very low pain threshold. Hardly a threshold at all, actually.

Dayna: And once we're out?

Avon: This is my ship.

(Avon and Dayna find a guard with a knife in his back)

Avon: That's a difficult way to commit suicide.

Dayna: Perhaps he was cleaning it and it went off.

Dayna: Avon, why do you keep everything to yourself? Why so secretive?

Avon: Perhaps I'm shy.

Tarrant: Oh, don't blame yourself.

Avon: I'll try not to.

Tarrant: I imagine you've been under considerable stress.

Avon: I had hoped for a more inspiring epitaph.

Avon: That one is Cally; I shall introduce her more formally when she wakes up. This one is Vila; I should really introduce him now, he's at his best when he's unconscious.

Cally (to Vila): Given the choice, would you rather be a load of spare parts down there?

Avon: Or one spare part up here?

Volcano

Tarrant: It all seems quiet enough, Cally, if you don't count the volcano. I should let Orac take over. I think it's going to be some time before we find these friends of Dayna's.

Cally: All right, but keep in touch. Heroic rescues can be embarrassing if you're not actually in danger.

Cally: And what about Dayna? Don't you trust her either?

Vila: Dayna's a… different case entirely.

Cally: Well, she's pretty, for one thing.

Vila: Pretty? Yes, I suppose she is. I hadn't really noticed.

Avon: We've seen you not really noticing. Frequently.

(Vila and Cally are unable to contact Avon on the surface)

Vila: Communications blindspot… or maybe he landed in the volcano.

Cally: No, I think he's all right.

Vila: Yes, of course he's all right. There isn't a volcano alive that would dare to swallow Avon.

Cally: Vila, be quiet.

Vila: He's cold enough to put out the fire, anyway.

Dawn of the Gods

Tarrant: One day, Avon, I may have to kill you.

Avon (smiles): It has been tried.

Vila (Waking up with Avon looking down at him): I'm in Hell... and it's full of Avons.

The Harvest of Kairos

Servalan: But first, there is the matter of that degrading and primitive act you subjected me to in the control room... I should like you to do it again.

Servalan: So tell me, Zen, how does one operate this craft?

Zen: One manipulates the controls and the craft functions accordingly.

Vila: Are you sure you can dock this thing?

Tarrant: I hadn't really considered it.

Vila: What?

Tarrant: I thought we'd be dead by now.

City at the Edge of the World

Vila: All my life, for as long as I can remember, there's been people like you.

Tarrant: And I thought I was unique.

Vila: You're not even unusual, Tarrant.

Avon (on Vila): I don't know how you persuaded him to go, Tarrant.

Tarrant: I appealed to his better nature.

Avon: He hasn't got one. Leave him alone in future.

Tarrant: Or?

Avon: Do you want me to threaten you?

Tarrant: Why not. I haven't had a good laugh in ages.

Avon: Sensible. You could die laughing.

Cally (on Vila): He was terrified. So terrified he might just get himself killed, because it's easier than going on.

Tarrant: I'll take that risk.

Cally: It isn't yours to take.

Vila: I'll get you for this, Tarrant! I'll tear your arm off and beat you to death with the wet end! I'll get you for this!

Bayban the Butcher: My mother used to say "Babe" -- she called me Babe -- "babe", she said, "Live every hour as though it were your last." I'll be back in an hour.

Avon: The point is that Vila won't trust you whereas he will trust Cally and me.

Tarrant: Cally yes, but why you?

Avon: Because he knows what I think about him.

Tarrant: You despise him.

Avon: Right. But at least I'm consistent about it.

Vila: I don't believe in suicide, it stunts your growth!

Cally: Vila, we thought we'd lost you!

Avon: …but every silver lining has a cloud.

Vila: I'd say you'd got that wrong, except I know you didn't.

Kerril: Are you coming with me?

Vila: I can't.

Kerril: Why not? It's a chance to be free, you saw that place, it's beautiful.

Vila: But there's nothing there worth stealing!

Children of Auron

Cally: Why Earth?

Tarrant: Why not?

Vila: The Himalayas are quite tall at this time of year.

Vila: And the Aurons punished you for your defiance, didn't they?

Tarrant: Were you exiled?

Cally: Yes. Why d'you imagine I've never gone back? (Looking at Avon) Affection for him?

Tarrant: Democracy. You're outvoted, Avon. Three to two.

Vila: Four to one. I like to stay with the winners whenever possible.

Rumours of Death

Shrinker: Why? I don't even ... I never saw him before. What have I ever done to him?

Dayna: You killed someone he loved.

Vila: And there aren't many of them about. Avon's not a very lovable man, in case you hadn't noticed.

Shrinker: Who was it?

(Tarrant, Dayna and Vila begin to circle Shrinker)

Tarrant: Did they give you names when they gave you your orders?

Dayna: And even if they did, could you put a face to the name? One screaming face among so many screaming faces?

Vila: Did they beg, Shrinker? Did they plead? No, Shrinker, please, Shrinker?

Tarrant: Can you remember how they cried, what they cried? Can you separate the voices now?

Dayna: Or is it just one long, satisfying scream?

Avon: Of all the things I am, I never recognized the fool.

Sarcophagus

Avon: Auron.

Cally: Yes, Auron. It's pointless to think about it. I'll never see it again.

Avon: That's why you've been shut in here for ten hours, thinking about Auron and how you'll never see it again?

Cally: That's why.

Avon: I wish I could promise you that the sparkling company on the flight deck would take you out of yourself.

Cally: I'm all right.

Avon: No you're not. But you will be. Regret is part of being alive. But keep it a small part.

Cally: As you do?

Avon: (Smiles) Demonstrably.

Tarrant: Ah, Cally - I've been going over that theory of yours about the teleport bracelets boosting each other. As you're aware, it doesn't make sense.

Cally: You have a better one?

Tarrant: There was some kind of power source on that alien ship that you were telepathically receptive to. When the teleport failed, you were able to use that source to get yourself out, and to get Avon and Vila out with you.

Cally (sarcastically): I seem to be more clever than I thought I was!

Tarrant: What I really want to know is why you're being so bashful. (serious) What are you hiding, and why?

Avon: Shut up, Tarrant.

Tarrant (angrily): Did you say something to--

Avon: I said, shut up. I apologise for not realising you are deaf.

Tarrant (to Avon): When you found me on the Liberator, it was quite a blow. And every time you look at me it hits you harder, doesn't it? I'm faster than you and I'm sharper. As far as it goes, I've made a success of my life. But you? The only big thing you ever tried to do you failed at. The greatest computer swindle of all time… but you couldn't quite pull it off, could you? If it hadn't been for Blake you'd be rotting on Cygnus Alpha right now. No, you failed, Avon. But I win. Not just at games. At life.

Avon: You also talk too much.

Tarrant: Be thankful I'm restricting myself to talk.

Avon: Well now, that's fascinating. You mean you can do something else?

Deyna: We need sleep, all of us. Even you need sleep, Tarrant.

Tarrant: And it'll all look better in the morning.

Avon: If it does, you can assume you're on the wrong ship.

Alien/Cally: I thought you were the clever one. You're a fool, like Tarrant! The pain Tarrant is experiencing ... visualise that pain and much more. You're as close to death as you have ever been. Think about human death, Avon, irrevocable...

Avon: I have thought about it, what's keeping you?

Alien/Cally: What did you say?

Avon: You claim you can kill me. You'd better get on with it. Make me die. There's nothing else you can make me do.

Ultraworld

Tarrant: Touch of conscience?

Avon: More like insanity. You really believe in taking risks, don't you?

Tarrant: Calculated ones.

Avon: Calculated on what? Your fingers?

Vila: Come out, come out, wherever you are... help... I'm being got at...

Avon: Tell me, Orac, how precisely did Vila confuse and distract Ultraworld?

Orac: Quite simple. With a series of random and illogical brain impulses. The planet was programmed to assimilate orderly coherent thought patterns. Anything else confused it.

Vila: Eh?

Avon: You mean Vila spouted nonsense.

Vila: I resent that!

Avon: Oh, I wouldn't if I were you. Orac is saying that a logical, rational intelligence is no match for yours.

Moloch

Vila: I tell you, she's mad! She's finally gone over the top! Well, that's an interesting viewpoint, Vila. Yes, isn't it? Came from talking to myself. Fascinating. And do you have any other theories about... paranoids?

(Tarrant threatens Vila at gunpoint)

Vila: If it comes down to that, Tarrant, there isn't really a lot of point, is there?

(The Liberator is being attacked by three of Servalan's ships)

Dayna: Do we fight?

Avon: Certainly not, we run.

Death-Watch

Avon: Put it on the main screen.

Orac: I must point out that this is a gross misuse and an absurd waste of my capabilities.

Avon: Put it on the main screen.

Orac: I will do it only under protest.

Avon: You can do it any way you like, just so long as you put it on the main screen.

Vila: Couldn't you re-design him as something useful, like a drinks dispenser? Or an empty space! I think he'd look really good as an empty space.

Vila (on Servalan): Her idea of chivalry is never to shoot a blind man in the back.

Dayna: That's very true, Vila.

Vila: Wonderful. And for my next trick I shall swallow my other foot.

Servalan: I don't think of you as an enemy, Avon. I see you as a... future friend.

Avon: Tarrant. I presume you have no tedious scruples about cheating and lying.

Tarrant: None at all.

Avon: (smiles) Oh good.

Terminal

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.

Tarrant: Oh, come on, Avon. Look, we've been through a lot together. We've always been at risk; we've always taken chances. But we've survived because we worked as a team. So what is it you have to do that makes this so different?

Avon: This happens to be my problem. None of you are involved.

Dayna: But we are involved. However much you like to pretend you're a loner, you're not really. We depend on each other; I wouldn't be alive now if it wasn't for you, and I'm sure that's true of everybody else. So why not trust us?

Vila: Look, you don't have to give reasons. You don't even have to explain. Whatever it is, we'll back you up.

Cally: Or, if you want one of your own cold, rational explanations, we can't afford to lose you.

Avon (poker-faced): Sentiment breeds weakness. Let it get a hold of you and you are dead.

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. Understand this: anyone who does follow me, I'll kill them.

(Tarrant and Cally are teleporting down despite Avon's orders)

Vila: What're you going to do if he spots you?

Tarrant: Duck.

Blake: It must have been so dull, having no-one to argue with.

Avon: Well now, there were times when your simpleminded certainties might have been refreshing.

Blake: Careful, Avon! Your sentiment is showing.

Headhunter

(After Muller has seemingly been killed)

Avon: Set up a decent orbit and you can teleport down.

Tarrant: Muller can`t !

Avon: Well we`ll give him a refund on his ticket. -

Orbit

(regarding ejecting weight from a shuttle to make it light enough to reach orbit)

Avon: Not enough! Not nearly enough! Dammit, what weighs seventy kilos?

Orac: Vila weighs seventy-three kilos, Avon.

Avon: Vila, are you here? I need your help.

Blake

Avon:Have you betrayed us? Have you betrayed *me*?

Blake:Nobody's indispensible."

Blake:I find it hard to trust, it's a failing I admit!

Blake:Oh, most of it wasn't on Earth, not what happened to me!

Avon:Idealism is a wonderful thing, all you need is someone rational to put it to proper use.

Vila:I'm completely harmless and armless.

Quoternity