Discussion Post for 4.11 - Orbit - General

Dec 07, 2013 12:01

This is the general discussion post for the episode 4.11 - Orbit. Spoilers for the whole series are allowed.

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corvuscornix December 14 2013, 03:26:30 UTC
For once, a view of a planet from space that seems like it could actually match the surface conditions ( ... )

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emmzzi December 14 2013, 11:00:07 UTC
I had not thought that Avon believes he may be hunted! And yet Vila never would. Judging all by his own low standards!

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corvuscornix December 15 2013, 16:07:37 UTC
And yet Vila never would
Not for the reasons Avon does, no. But in pure self-defense I would have thought him capable of it (at least to try to disarm Avon, if nothing else.) Which makes it even worse that he just curls up and hides instead. It reminds me of his reaction to Tarrant's threats in 'City': the moment he's told that his friends don't care for him, he just seems to give up. I can't help thinking it's the same thing here - that if it had been a stranger, he would have tried to fight back. But the fact that it's his *friend* simply hits straight at his most vulnerable spot, disabling him.

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awdureslf December 17 2013, 20:55:30 UTC
That's a good point actually. It's not as if Vila has never had someone chasing after him with a gun before either and he usually, in spite of a certain amount of flap and panic, manges to come up with something. It seems unlikely he'd have hesitated to at least have a go at coshing some other enemy with the whojamaflip he got sent off to dispose of.

But he runs and hides, instantly. Absolutely instantly to be so far ahead. Avon only dithers for seconds for all his face wringing.

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awdureslf December 14 2013, 22:22:28 UTC
Avon is not good at predicting others or empathising and you do get the distinct impression he half expected Vila to be waiting somewhere to "get him first".

I love the drama of it all and they both play it well, Avon coming over as completely, almost insanel,y conflicted and Vila in utter horrified terror.

On a purely practical note I wish they was some clear plot reason for persisting with an inadequate climb performance! They outright say at one point that there's ten minutes flight time remaining ( half of Egrorian's predicted fuel endurance) then Vila adds that it would take five minutes to fall back down. Umm - so enough time to fly back down to the ground then? A line of handwaving would have ruled it out without making it look like a massive oversight.

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corvuscornix December 15 2013, 16:14:18 UTC
Avon coming over as completely, almost insanel,y conflicted
It is some very nice characterisation isn't it, especially when considering his later breakdown in 'Blake'.

A line of handwaving would have ruled it out
When it comes to Avon and Vila I suppose you could argue that they might be too panicked to think clearly, making them dismiss Malodaar as the hostile enemy ground that they are trying to escape from. But from the POV of Egrorian's planning it out it makes little sense, yes. Could have used some handwaving about the shuttle only being possible to land on it's assigned landing pad maybe; or there not being enough fuel for braking or something. (Physics? what physics?)

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