Betty Ragan wrote:

Sally Manton wrote:

...

It's also very forced, which prompts me to suggest - since

we *can't* simply

...

cite Bad Writer Syndrome - that it's more for a reaction

for each other's

...

benefit, as part of the sort-of-mending-fences 'pax' thing

indicated by

...

Avon's open-hand gesture, than anything to do with Vila.

I've *always* interpreted that scene that way. For one thing, any issues of appropriateness or hurtfulness-to-Vila aside, Avon's comment *isn't* particularly witty or amusing, certainly not enough to deserve that kind of a reaction on its own merits. But it serves as an excuse for Blake and Avon to indulge in that shared moment of laughter. I don't think it *is* about Vila at all: it's about Blake and Avon negotiating a badly-needed emotional rapprochement in one of the few ways they're actually capable of doing so. IMHO, of course.

I'd agree - it's a way of defusing tension between Blake and Avon, and I suppose a Delta's feelings aren't that important to anyone else anyway, and at this point Vila's very resilient. I don't think anyone but Cally, a couple of times, ever considered Vila's feelings. And even she joins in the inexcusable Vila-bashing after Chenga which I'm sure made Tarrant and Dayna despise him from then on. I've never forgiven Avon for that - insulting Vila while he was unconscious, then again later - obviously the two latest Alphas on board would consider him fair game after that.

I think the worst B7 example of what I call the 'tinkly bits' (based on the tinkly music that Star Trek TOS used to indicate a bit of comic relief) is at the end of 'Children of Auron'. An entire race has been almost destroyed and Avon cracks that terrible joke and they all laugh. I just cringed.

<< DAYNA: What about Cally? Do you think she'll want to go with them? AVON: Cally will stay with us. We are closer to her than they are. Besides, a nursery of five thousand, would you want to go with them? [all laugh, Dayna passes tray, Vila and Tarrant take wafers]

...

OK, it relieved tension but in such bad taste! At least poor Vila wasn't the target that time.

Nico

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