Line #67 Recap/BlakesSevenS4E6Headhunter


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/blakes_7_headhunter.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:They had one job. ONE JOB.]]
3	[[AC:Written by Roger Parkes.\
4	Directed by Mary Ridge.\
5	Airdate: 2 November 1981.]]
6
7	\
8
9	->''"WHERE IS ORAC?"''
10
11	Vila and Tarrant arrive on Pharos to pick up Dr. Muller, a brilliant cyberneticist that Avon hopes to recruit to their cause. Once aboard Scorpio, Muller reacts violently to a mysterious box Tarrant brings back with them. Vila tries to subdue Muller but ends up killing him when he strikes him with a wrench. Muller's body is put into a cryogenic capsule, but soon Scorpio loses power and life support. While the ship is stranded in orbit of Xenon, Tarrant and Vila are rescued by the others, but Muller, who was thought to be dead, has disappeared. It is soon learned that "Muller" is really an unstoppable android who killed his creator and took his severed head to trick everyone. The robot sneaks down to the base and plans to somehow "merge" with Orac, hoping their combined AI powers will make them invincible. The only solution to stop it may be the contents of the strange box – the android's real head.
12	----
13	!!This episode has the following tropes:
14
15	* ActionFashionista:
16	** While [[SkewedPriorities being chased around Xenon Base by a mad Muller]], Avon [[NeverSplitTheParty leaves Vila alone]] so he can change from his rescue suit into his studded black leather outfit.
17	** Soolin has braided her hair, but at least that happened before things got exciting.
18	* ActionFigureSpeech: The android starts MilkingTheGiantCow after its head gets knocked off.
19	* AIIsACrapshoot
20	* AlmostOutOfOxygen: Orac puts ''Scorpio'' into LockDown to prevent Muller from escaping. It responds by shutting down life support, but fortunately the crew get into rescue suits in time. Avon then has to break quarantine to rescue them, as the suits have limited oxygen supply.
21	* AnswerCut:
22	-->'''Vila:''' Yes ''sir!''\
23	'''Slave:''' ''(grudgingly)'' Sir!\
24	'''Vila:''' What's got into Slave?\
25	''(cut to Muller in the medicapsule)''
26	* {{Autodoc}}: The medicapsule, which is also used for [[HumanPopsicle cryogenic suspension]] in the hope Muller can be revived back at Xenon Base.
27	* TheBait: Orac is used to [[LuredIntoATrap lure the android onto the bridge]], which has been [[ShockAndAwe wired up to a generator plant.]] Good thing [[RagnarokProofing it was still working]] after that [[Recap/BlakesSevenS4E2Power nuclear war and Luddite]] YearZero.
28	* BBCQuarry: Averted; this part of Xenon is a nice woodland (Box Hill in Surrey).
29	* BearHug[=/=]DeadlyHug: Muller to Tarrant, and later his mistress (fatally).
30	* BerserkButton: Muller when he sees Tarrant has brought up the black box.
31	* BigElectricSwitch: Required when you have a Frankenstein's monster InSpace, but seeing as it's used to turn on an antique generator plant instead of a MadScientistLaboratory the trope is entirely justified.
32	* BlastingItOutOfTheirHands: The android does this by overloading the circuits on the handguns.
33	* BorrowedCatchphrase: While NotHimself, Slave uses Zen's "Confirmed" instead of his sycophantic "Yes, Master."
34	* BreakOutTheMuseumPiece: A hydroelectric plant that can't be affected by the android is used to electrocute him.
35	* BrokenRecord: ''"ORRRACC!"''
36	* CallBack: Muller was a student of [[Recap/BlakesSevenS1E13Orac Ensor, the creator of Orac]].
37	* CassandraTruth: Orac tries to warn everyone of the impending danger, but as the computer can't specify ''what'' the danger is, no-one is willing to listen. When Orac starts to get more specific, Soolin is willing to do so.
38	* CleavageWindow: And Vena has the chest for it.
39	* ColdEquation: Averted; as Orac can't specify what the danger is, Avon refuses to leave Tarrant and Vila to die on ''Scorpio''.
40	* ComplainingAboutRescuesTheyDontLike: Tarrant regarding Vila knocking out Muller. "That's a very valuable head you hit!"
41	* CowTools: Vila runs various beeping and whirring gadgets over the box until it opens.
42	* CranialProcessingUnit: The killer android keeps coming after our heroes even after a RoboticReveal involving his head getting knocked off. Turns out the head was [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters that of its creator]], and the android's real head was a RestrainingBolt so it wouldn't KillAllHumans.
43	* DestructionEqualsOffSwitch: Avon destroys a doorlock console to slow down the android.
44	* DeusEstMachina
45	-->'''Avon:''' You plan to unite with Orac.\
46	'''Android:''' One being.\
47	'''Vila:''' [[AllYourPowersCombined That could be a lot of power.]]\
48	'''Android:''' To you, it will be God!
49	* DoesNotKnowHisOwnStrength: Muller breaks off the teleport handle trying to force Tarrant to take the box back. It's actually a {{blooper}}, but makes sense when we discover what Muller really is.
50	* DramaticThunder with ScreenShake [[WeNeedADistraction every time Vila tries to open the box]].
51	* EvilIsHammy: And talks in HulkSpeak. The android becomes more articulate after losing his fake head, but compensates by [[ActionFigureSpeech gesturing with every word]].
52	* ExplosiveInstrumentation: When Tarrant and Avon use the BigElectricSwitch, the antique circuits burst into flame.
53	* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: The Seven lose another scientist and potential weapon to fight the Federation, though on this occasion it's hard to blame them. [[YouFool Unless you're Avon.]]
54	* GoryDiscretionShot: Muller's headless body is lying under a table.
55	* HairFlip: Vena ''[[{{Camp}} and Avon]]'' do this after taking off their rescue helmets.
56	* HesDeadJim: Averted with Muller, who's put in the medicapsule to confirm this. Played straight with Vena, though as an unstoppable killer is standing over her body, we can forgive our heroes for not going over to take her pulse.
57	* HulkSpeak: Muller, presumably because the android would be limited in the amount of vocal articulation it could make through a surgically-attached human head. Once the android loses the head it becomes a lot more fluent (though no less hammy).
58	* InTheHood: Muller, [[YouCanLeaveYourHatOn which is probably for the best]].
59	* JustFollowingOrders
60	-->'''Orac:''' I am obliged to do as you tell me, even though I know it to be wrong.\
61	'''Avon:''' Only following orders? That's not very original, Orac.\
62	'''Orac:''' There is nothing very original about domination, as you will discover.
63	* {{Lockdown}}: Orac insists that no-one comes down from ''Scorpio'' until the problem is identified. So the android turns off life support, forcing them to turn on the teleport to rescue their colleagues.
64	* LuddWasRight as usual. Surely everyone knows that the moment you create an android it goes mad, kills its creator and tries to take over the galaxy?
65	* MoralityChip: The box contains the android's head, which holds an inhibitor unit.
66	* NotAMorningPerson: Vila
67	* NotHimself: Slave and Orac when they've been taken over by the android.
68	* NotQuiteDead: Muller
69	* NotSoDire: Vila hears approaching footsteps and hides in the cupboard. He's rather embarrassed when Soolin opens the door.
70	-->'''Soolin:''' Is this a private game or can anyone play?\
71	'''Vila:''' We've been looking for you.\
72	'''Soolin:''' [[DeadpanSnarker In there?]]
73	* NotSoStoic: Even Soolin can't repress a girly scream when [[CatScare Vila bumps into her in the dark]] while they're hiding from a mad headless android.
74	* OffWithHisHead: Poor Muller. At least [[BloodlessCarnage it was bloodless]].
75	* OminousCube: The dreaded black box.
76	* OurGraphicsWillSuckInTheFuture: Thanks to the computer technology of TheEighties not being up to scratch, it takes seven seconds to count down from four.
77	* OutOfCharacterAlert: InUniverse with Vila.
78	-->'''Tarrant:''' [Avon] probably just wanted to get you away from the base, to avoid more bother over Muller's lady.\
79	'''Vila:''' I was a perfect gentleman towards her!\
80	'''Tarrant:''' That's what bothered us.
81	** The usually servile Slave's curt response to every inquiry by the crew.
82	**
83	-->'''Orac:''' It would be prudent to worry about the details now.\
84	'''Avon:''' When did you start offering gratuitous advice?
85	* PunctuatedForEmphasis: "WHERE...IS...ORAC?!"
86	* RaygunGothic: The rescue suits with their gold trim, finned helmets and [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace open necks]].
87	* RedHerring: Tarrant has to [[CuriosityKilledTheCast repeatedly warn Vila not to open]] the [[DarkIsNotEvil black box]] that Muller was so afraid of. Turns out the threat isn't there. Muller's head isn't in the box either -- the android's head is.
88	* ResistanceIsFutile so JoinOrDie
89	* RoboticReveal: When Muller gets back on his feet after losing his head.
90	* RobotsAreJustBetter: The android is rampaging through the base looking for [[MagicalComputer Orac]] who begs to be shut down before this happens, as with [[AllYourPowersCombined their combined powers]] they could dominate and eventually make extinct all organic humanoid life.
91	* ServileSnarker: Orac gets in the last word.
92	-->'''Orac:''' Yes...Master!
93	* ShouldersOfDoom: Particularly noticeable when the android loses its head. Perhaps it's going to rest Orac on top of them?
94	* StickyBomb: Though according to the blooper real, the actors had trouble making them stick.
95	* StuffBlowingUp: Deciding there's NoKillLikeOverkill, Dayna attaches three [[StickyBomb magnetic bombs]] to the android and watches the subsequent pyrotechnic display with appreciation.
96	* SuddenlyShouting: Avon has to teleport to ''Scorpio'' to rescue his friends who are AlmostOutOfOxygen, but Orac has [[LockDown shut down the teleport]] to prevent the android escaping.
97	-->'''Avon:''' Restore the teleport to normal function.\
98	'''Orac:''' I urge you--\
99	'''Avon:''' ''RESTORE the teleport!''
100	* TakeItToTheBridge
101	* TapOnTheHead: Zigzagged; Tarrant [[PistolWhipping pistol-whips]] [[YouAreNumberSix Technician 241]] unconscious with no visible consequences. Then Vila hits Muller across the shoulders with a WrenchWhack and apparently kills him.
102	* TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow: Avon risks his life placing the inhibitor head on the android, as he's [[JustThinkOfThePotential eager to use it as a weapon]]. After he gets knocked unconscious, the others decide WeAreNotGoingThroughThatAgain and blow the android up.
103	* TurnedAgainstTheirMasters
104	-->'''Orac:''' All organic humanoid life faces [[DeusEstMachina domination]], and [[KillAllHumans eventual extinction!]]
105	* UnusualEuphemism: Vena's relationship with Muller is more...recreational.
106	* WhamLine: Tarrant does a TeleportationRescue only for Vila to accidentally kill Muller when he attacks Tarrant for bringing the black box with him. Meanwhile back in Muller's laboratory...
107	-->'''Technician:''' Muller's dead.\
108	'''Security Central:''' Dead?\
109	'''Technician:''' At least it could be Muller.\
110	'''Security Central:''' Clarify that.\
111	'''Technician:''' The head's not there.\
112	'''Security Central:''' What?\
113	'''Technician:''' His corpse. It's got no head.
114	* WhoWouldBeStupidEnough to try putting the android's head back on.
115	-->'''Avon:''' It will be Vila, or it will be me.\
116	'''Vila:''' It'll be you!
117	* WorldOfSnark:
118	** Avon...
119	-->"Tarrant, what have you got up there apart from yourself, a halfwit and a corpse?"
120	** Tarrant...
121	-->'''Vila:''' A little hard work never hurt anyone.\
122	'''Tarrant:''' How would you know?
123	** A NotHimself Orac tries to tempt Soolin.
124	-->'''Orac:''' Join us, Soolin. We can fulfil [[YourHeartsDesire your every desire]].\
125	'''Soolin:''' [Turning Orac off] You wouldn't know where to start.
126	** And finally Orac.
127	-->'''Avon:''' {{You fool}}! It's [[EvilLuddite superstitious half-wits]] like you who hold back every advance we make.\
128	'''Orac:''' And arrogance, Avon, like yours and Muller's which threaten to destroy--\
129	'''Avon:''' [[BigShutUp Shut up!]]\
130	'''Orac:''' Yes...Master!

Context Recap / BlakesSevenS4E6Headhunter