Quantum Jump (1982) Review

 

The implications of Quantum Jump are greater than the story. 

WRITTEN BY

No specific credit.

PLOT

Dayna is captured by the Federation. Faced with losing all of the valuable information in her head to Servalan's interrogators, Avon modifies the Scorpio to enable it to time travel. Returning to yesterday, the crew set out on a rescue mission... 

ANALYSIS

Who could've guessed there's time travel in Blake's 7??? My mind is blown. I don't know whether to call it preposterous or the greatest development in the franchise since Avon assumed the captaincy. Much like with Sabotage!, they don't really delve into the ramifications of their discovery, but I can't even say it's wasted like it was in that story, because Quantum Jump suddenly ends right after doing what it says in the title. It's as if the writer had more planned, but had to cut out the ending due to keep within the limits of his word count. 

As a result, the majority of the story is actually a gritty morality play involving Avon's choice to sacrifice Dayna's life in favor of keeping the base secure. The discussion he has with the crew is surprisingly tense, and I half-expected Tarrant or Vila to shoot him throughout the scene. Never has Avon's command seemed as brittle as it is here, when it becomes clear that he is willing to let any one of them die without even considering a rescue attempt. They're obviously fed up with him, and he is tired of justifying himself. It's wonderfully written and dramatic, albeit incredibly depressing at the same time, particularly if you're fond of the more likable Avon. 

So where does time travel come in? Well, it's basically a "cheat" at the end of the story to get Dayna back without further problems. But I suspect there has to be something more behind it. Surely, there could be less complicated ways to save Dayna from Servalan within a paragraph. Perhaps she keeps a second bracelet on her leg or maybe Avon trades her a copy of Orac for Dayna(it's not as if these stories haven't directly copied plot points from the TV episodes before). The inclusion of something as radical as time-jumping can't just have happened on a whim... right?

My personal pet theory is that the writer, whether consciously or otherwise, wrote a longer story than was intended, and it had to be cut down(that, or the entire story is the 1982 equivalent of clickbait). There really isn't anything resembling a satisfying resolution. The crew prevent Dayna from being kidnapped and... what? The alternate timeline ship is still out there. Are there just two Scorpios now? Did it dissipate into the ether afterwards? What's stopping Avon from trying this trick on another occasion? 

To tell you the truth, I kinda love the idea that there's another Scorpio out there, and that they went off to have their own adventures without the 'main crew' ever finding out. But it's certainly bonkers and much like with the Matracon(see: Interception and Wanderlust), I dare to suggest they'll never address it. In which case, I have to admit I'm very disappointed, because a time-travelling Blake's 7 adventure should be a much bigger romp. 

CHARACTERS

I was never the biggest fan of Tarrant, but I'll always respect how he changed over time, and how the fandom's perception of him changed. Tarrant started out as an unlovable rogue, a bully trying to force his way into a tight-knit crew. Yet in 1982 when this was written, shortly after the series ended, Tarrant had clearly become something of an anchor. Soolin was too new, Dayna was too cocky, Vila was... well, Vila. And Avon had begun suffering his mental breakdown. 

Tarrant and Avon have locked horns on many occasions, but at some point, Tarrant stopped being wrong and Avon stopped being right. And this is one of the best examples of that. What Avon did to Dayna is truly abhorrent, probably worse than his attempt on Vila(at least in Orbit, you can argue that he was forced into it). So it's come to where we root for Tarrant simply because he isn't a complete monster. Given that we're dealing with time travel here, I wouldn't have minded exploring an alternate history where the crew finally had enough of Avon and sought to separate themselves from him, under Tarrant's leadership. 

It's especially heartbreaking to read Vila's perspective, and how he has come to outright loathe Avon's presence, whilst trusting Tarrant's. Tarrant's! The man tried to kill him in Series C, yet now he's a positive alternative to Avon, whom Vila has known and shown camaraderie with for years. I'm not sure whether this is set after Orbit or not, but I'd like to think so. It's just miserable the way their relationship has corroded. But oh-so-deliciously enjoyable from a dramatic standpoint.

Whilst Dayna is the focal point of the story, I can't really say it shows her in a particularly good light. Why'd she go tromping about on the surface of Xenon anyway? The story establishes that there is a good reason, and Vila knows it, but as far as I can tell, it's never actually revealed why(another clue that there may have been a deleted ending?). It just makes her look daft as a result. 

Oh, and Soolin is there. 

NOTES

• This two-part story was originally published in the Blake's 7 Marvel Monthly issues 12 and 13. 
• How were the bounty hunters able to track the crew to Xenon? And if they were, how come they didn't know where the silo was? And why would Servalan send some bounty hunters anyway, instead of just nuking the useless planet?
• The bounty hunters, by the way, were really irritating characters. They were basically just the trolls from The Hobbit, but without the wit. 
• According to Dayna, "all bounty hunters smell the same". Met her share of them, has she? When?
• How on earth is Avon able to listen in on the bounty hunters' conversation through Dayna's bracelet? He claims that it's because he converted the Scorpio's transmitter into a receiver, but... the Scorpio and the bracelet are already two-way radios! And the only reason they could receive was if Dayna activated her bracelet and was broadcasting. If she wasn't, then there's nothing to receive. And if she was, then Avon wouldn't have had to do any converting to begin with. 
• Lol at Avon trying to murder Dayna by reversing the polarity of her bracelet.
• The 'securer' has to be the dumbest name for handcuffs I've ever heard. 
• The surviving bounty hunter randomly yelling "you're all bitches!!" at Dayna and Servalan was a work of art in of itself.
• I adored Orac and Slave's little verbal competition. It's honestly a lot better than their brief interaction in Blake. 
• Avon is able to tell that the ship is travelling backwards because Orac is talking backwards. But if he is, why isn't the crew?

INFORMATION!

• Whilst running Avon's simulation, Tarrant engages the photonic drive collected in Stardrive. 
• Avon fears that Dayna may provide information to Servalan about Xenon Base, just like he did in Animals. 

BEST QUOTE AVON QUOTE

"What's the matter with you?! Someone announced free drinks?" - Avon, after Vila bumps into him.

CONCLUSION

Never forget... the other Scorpio is still out there...