I think you’re right – I am unfair on Blake. It’s interesting that you point out how rarely he deceived them yet it clearly made an impression on me because I already disliked him. I think I’ve found it easier since Blake left to look on him more favourably, but I was on Avon’s side from almost the beginning and it always coloured my attitude to Blake when he was around. However, I never saw the ship as his to chuck people off and felt that as Avon and Jenna had both arrived on it first together with him, they at the very least had an equal stake in it, and nonetheless thought decisions should be based on a majority in the crew.

In Trial, he keeps a secret, but nobody is at risk. In Voice From The Past, he is under hypnosis.

At one point(I believe in Time Squad), he tells Avon that anyone can leave the ship if they’re not willing to participate in the freedom fighting, but it’s clearly said with the impression that the majority are behind him, and that Avon’s continued arguments and potential sabotage would hold them back. As such, it would be better for both sides if he left. Would Blake actually try to put him off the ship by force? I’m not so sure.

My point is that I feel you’re a bit unfair to Blake. He is forced to surround himself with common criminals, and obviously feels that his cause is a bit more important than their petty thieving and smuggling. But all things considered, he shows remarkable restraint with them at times. He had a genuinely reasonable case to put Vila off the ship when the latter snuck into Space City. Or when Avon and Vila left the Liberator hanging in space with nobody in charge in Gambit. Or when Avon brought Servalan to Exbar in Hostage. Nobody told him about those risks with his life.