Recap / Blakes Seven S 1 E 5 The Web

Cally identifies the ship's Butt-Monkey

Written by Terry Nation.
Directed by Michael E. Briant.
Airdate: 30 January 1978.

Cally's mind is taken over by aliens who trap the Liberator in a giant web in space. The aliens want the Liberator's help in replenishing their power cells, but doing so will result in the genocide of the hostile local inhabitants.

This episode has the following tropes:

• Alien Possession: Cally is used to sabotage the Liberator, then Jenna to relay a message from Saymon. Novara and Geela turn out to be little more than puppets operated by Saymon.
• And the Adventure Continues: At the end of the episode, Blake orders Zen to set course for Centero once they've evaded the patrol.
• An Offer You Can't Refuse: The Liberator can't get free of the Web without a fungicide beam that's powered by the cells they must provide.
• Beauty Is Bad: The beautiful siblings are portrayed as monstrous in comparison to the Decima.
• Bridal Carry: Gan carrying Cally off the flight deck.
• Broken Record: The Voice of the Legion keeps repeating the phrase "They must come to us...they must..."
• Cobweb Jungle: The planet and the space surrounding it are covered in a fungal web from an experiment that went out of control.
• Costume Porn: Cally's combat fatigues and the prison clothes worn by the others have been replaced with the contents of the Liberator's Unlimited Wardrobe.
• Descriptively-Named Species: Justified Trope as the Decimas are genetically engineered to carry out ten functions, an upgrade from the previous four-function version.
• Designated Victim: The first of several episodes where Cally has her mind taken over by aliens.
• Diving Save: Avon pulls Blake to safety when the bomb is about to explode.
• Double Meaning: Avon's comment that change is inevitable, while ostensibly about the Decimas who Turned Against Their Masters, is actually referring to his expressed desire to usurp Blake as captain of the Liberator.
• Due to the Dead: Blake watches grimly as a Decima mourns his friend, callously electrocuted by Novara.
  Novara: The attack was a diversion so they could move their dead.
  Geela: Stupid creatures. Taking of life seems to affect them. Almost as if they had emotions.
• Fanservice:
  • Blake is showing some man cleavage when Jenna wakes him up.
  • Geela in her skintight trousers, especially when she follows Blake out of the compound.
• A Friend in Need: Despite their Teeth-Clenched Teamwork, Avon and Blake leap to the others' defence when their life is threatened.
• From Bad to Worse: While the Liberator is trapped in the Web, their detectors reveal a squadron of Federation pursuit ships heading in their direction.
• Geeky Turn-On: After Cally expresses an interest in Avon's work, the two exchange a Held Gaze. Pity she was possessed at the time.
• Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: While the men struggle with a processed Cally, Jenna runs up and gives her a slap. That works.
• Girly Run: Avon and Blake running down corridors on the Liberator.
• Gone Horribly Wrong: The Web and the Decimas.
• Human Aliens: Novara says their aim is to eliminate the ageing process in "humans", despite them originally coming from Auron.
• Idiot Ball: The doorway to the laboratory is left open so the Decima can sneak in. It would be excusable if a captive Blake and Avon had done this deliberately, but that's not apparent.
• If I Do Not Return: Avon asks what should he do if Blake doesn't return from the planet. On being told that he should take the Liberator and get the others out of there, Avon gives a sinister smile.
• It's the Only Way to Be Sure: To eliminate the rebellious strain of Decima, the Lost intend to release a burst of radiation that will kill them.
• The Lancer
  Blake: I'll bear that in mind.
  Avon: Don't worry. I'll remind you.
• Layman's Terms
  Blake: Navigation computer to evasive action strategy. Key course and speed to optimum escape probability. (weary Face Palm) Basically; lose them, Zen.
• Literal-Minded: The automatic repair systems can't stop the Time Bomb because the ship hasn't been damaged until the bomb explodes. Zen refuses to reprogram them as it's against his core directives not to interfere in the activities of its crew (as Cally placed the bomb).
• Little People: The Decima are a four-foot high Servant Race on a planet covered in five-foot high bracken.
• Mad Scientist: The Lost are carrying out illegal genetic engineering experiments which, as per tradition, turn against them.
• Man in a Rubber Suit: The Decimas are played by little people including Deep Roy who would appear in several more episodes of the series.
• Negative Space Wedgie: Webs IN SPACE!
• Not Herself: Cally talks in a Creepy Monotone and is in apparent ignorance of the severe burn injuries she received while sabotaging the Liberator.
• Not so Dire: Twice we see and Impending Doom P.O.V. of someone sneaking up on Blake, only for it turn out to not be an enemy:
  • A Decima creeps up behind Blake when he first arrives on the planet. Blake whirls and points his gun, but the alien just pleads with Blake to help them.
  • Something appears to be creeping up on Blake in the forest, only it turns out to be Avon.
• Not With the Safety On, You Won't: The crew attempt to fire the neutron blasters for the first time, only to find they need to put the flare shield up first.
• The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: Our heroes watch in horror and distaste as the Decimas smash up the Mad Scientist Laboratory and trample Novara and Geela to death.
  Avon: These are what you wanted to protect?
  Blake: They're fighting for their lives!
  Avon: Who isn't.
• Self-Healing Phlebotinum
  • Avon demonstrates the ability of the Liberator automatics to repair Explosive Instrumentation.
  • The Liberator tries to blast its way out of the Web, only for the strands to repair themselves.
  • Blake gets his hand cut by a Decima spear, but the injury is made good as new by an enzyme placed on the injury.
• Servant Race: The Decimas and, it turns out, Novara and Geela were all genetically created as servants of the Lost. As the Decimas intelligence was increased so they could handle more tasks, a rebellious strain evolved that Turned Against Their Masters.
• Ship Tease: Avon is visibly thrown when Cally flirtatiously expresses an interest in his work, though he shows anger afterwards when he realises he's been deceived as to her purpose.
• Space Clothes: Novara and his sister Geela wear clothes of silver tinfoil.
• The Starscream
  Avon: There's always a market for technology like this.
  Gan: I don't think Blake would agree to that.
  Avon: There will come a time when he won't be making the decisions. (Psychotic Smirk)
• Static Stun Gun: A lethal shock prod is used to kill the Decima and torture Avon.
• Stripped to the Bone: The bodies of Geela and Novara as Saymon dies.
• Tap on the Head: Cally knocks out Vila. I guess she really didn't like his outfit.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Anti-Hero Avon chafes over working under the idealistic Blake, and is clearly longing for the day when he'll be in charge.
• Three Laws-Compliant: Averted; Zen can't defuse the bomb because it can't interfere in the affairs of its crew, therefore violating the First Law against allowing a human to be harmed by inaction.
• True Companions: After 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: (uneasy look)
• Voices Are Mental: We hear Saymon's voice through Jenna's vocal cords.
• Was Once a Man:
  Saymon: You must excuse me. I have not spoken with these lips in a long time. My name is Saymon. That is the name by which this body was once known. I am a corporate identity. We exist through this body.
  Blake: We?
  * We Need a Distraction: On seeing Gan sneaking up behind Cally, the others start talking to her and moving closer so her attention will be fixed on them.
• What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Saymon has no problem committing genocide as they created the Decima as laboratory experiments.
• Would Hit a Girl: When Cally is overpowered, Jenna slaps her while Avon seizes her by the throat and is visibly hostile to her afterwards, in contrast to the others sympathy. In this and future episodes, Avon shows violent aggression to women who he discovers are trying to manipulate him.