History Recap / BlakesSevenS1E8Duel

On a world destroyed by war, two powerful aliens force Blake and Travis to fight a duel to the death.

* GhostPlanet: The inhabitants fought a ForeverWar, eventually building a weapon powerful enough to destroy their enemy, [[PyrrhicVictory only for the radiation to kill off everyone else]].

-->'''Blake:''' I get the distinct feeling I offended Zen's professional pride then.
-->'''Avon:''' It's just a machine, Blake.
-->'''Vila:''' [[TheSpock And he should know.]]

-->'''Travis:''' I'm aware of your need for blood serum.
-->'''Mutoid:''' Most are, but few accept it for what it is -- a functional convenience. Opponents of mutoid modification call us vampires.

-->'''Giroc:''' Why didn't you kill him?
-->'''Blake:''' Too weak? Or maybe I didn't entirely trust your motives. Besides, as long as he's alive, he'll be the one chasing me. And I know I can beat him.
-->'''Giroc:''' [Laughs] At least you're not stupid.
-->'''Blake:''' Another reason why I didn't kill Travis -- [[IfYouKillHimYouWillBeJustLikeHim I would have enjoyed it]].
-->'''Sinofar:''' Perhaps there was nothing for you to learn.

-->'''Vila:''' How can you doubt me?
-->'''Blake:''' It isn't easy, but somehow I manage it.

-->'''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.

-->'''Travis:''' Your failure cost me Blake.
-->'''Mutoid:''' {{I warned you}} that my function would be impaired, Commander.
-->'''Travis:''' Well, perhaps the court martial will take that into account, but I doubt it. Tell me, what happens to a mutoid that's dismissed the service?
-->'''Mutoid:''' [[SlaveMooks We exist only to serve.]]
-->'''Travis:''' Oh? Then you'll probably [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness cease to exist]].

Directed by Douglas Camfield.\\

* DuelToTheDeath

* FireForgedFriends: Averted; a mutoid is chosen as a 'friend' to experience death with Travis. Travis does make an effort to bond with her, but it doesn't work and the episode ends on him stating that she will be court-martialed for her failure and likely disposed of.

* SimpleStaff: In the end, Travis and Blake go at each other with sharpened quarterstaffs.

-->'''Mutoid:''' I warned you that my function would be impaired, Commander.

-->'''Travis:''' Oh? Then you'll probably cease to exist.

* NotSoDifferent:
** At the end of the episode having learned nothing from these events, Travis is stated to be no different from the race that destroyed their own planet.
** Like Travis, Keera is a cyborg who defines their entire existence through their service to the Federation.

* SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale: Travis exalts that the other Federation patrols have pushed the Liberator into this galaxy. One assumes he meant solar system.

* WholePlotReference: The episode was inspired by the ''Series/StarTrek'' episode [[Recap/StarTrekS1E18Arena "Arena"]].

* ExpositionDiagram: Blake uses a light pen on a notepad connected to Zen's interface as TheBigBoard, to show the others what his battle strategy is.

* AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: Averted; the Keeper (Giroc) says that the Guardian (Sinofar) can do this for both of them, but she believes they must atone for the destruction of their world by inspiring other races to put aside their violent ways. When Giroc exalts over Travis' determination to continue with his pointless vendetta, Sinofar states it is that which keeps them both prisoners on their dead world.