So while Annette was watching countless episodes of canned laughter on the TV, I decided to watch more of Blake’s 7 on Youtube. I discovered that I had all but, watched the whole series for a second time around and thought I knew how the last scene played out.
Now I had remembered a great deal of the previous episodes where the visual reminders had sparked hidden memories of past storylines and I had long since held a strong resentment at the way the BBC ended the show, with its Butch Cassidy style mass shootout killing all.
As I recollected the events, Blake had been convinced that Servalan was really on the side of good and he tricked the surviving rebels (now led by Avon) to the surface of Gauda Prime to re-unite them all and explain his disapearance. Of course as soon as Servalan walks in Avon let loose blasting first Blake and then several Federation troopers as a free for all ensues. Finally there is only Avon left standing and Servalan (now joined by yet more troopers). Servalan invites Avon to join her and rule the Federation together, whereupon he laughs and start shooting before being wasted himself. End credits.
I would have bet my life that I had seen the episode as described briefley above and I recalled vividly the final showdown. However, it seems I was completely wrong. Servalan was never in the final episode ( I have double checked to see if an alternative ending had been filmed) and apart from Avon bumping off Roj Blake, the rest was a pretty stright forward blood bath shoot out.
This makes me wonder how much of my previous die hard beliefs have actually happened. After all, my entire life has not been documented and loaded up to youtube for me to check. I suppose it has little consequences as the memories are still in there somewhere. Aren’t we supposed to review all our past deeds before drowning, in the hope that the brain can find us a way out of the final mess?
Until then I will try to remember that trying to breath under water is not a good idea 😉