Servalan
Encyclopedia
Servalan is a fictional character
in the BBC
science fiction
television series Blake's 7
, played by Jacqueline Pearce
(in the new B7 audio series, Servalan is played by Daniela Nardini
). She was the principal villain of the series. Her creator Terry Nation
originally intended her to make a single appearance but she finally appeared in all four series, the only guest character to do so.
, in charge of the Federation's military force. She is principally concerned with organising efforts to destroy Blake and crush resistance to the Federation's rule. She is quickly revealed to be a cold, calculating, ruthless sociopath who is not above using her sex appeal and charm to get what she wants. Over the course of the series, she goes so far as to sacrifice entire planets to advance her ambitions.
Just before the Andromedan Invasion, as Star One begins to fail, she stages a military coup and becomes President of the Federation. After the Intergalactic War
, she begins concentrating her efforts on capturing the powerful Liberator
in order to cement her position. However, her rule is unstable. At least one coup ("Rumours of Death") almost topples her. During this time, she develops an intriguing adversarial chemistry with Avon, who respects her ruthlessness but distrusts her. They spend the second half of the series alternately flirting and trying to kill each other.
After successfully capturing the Liberator at Terminal, only to have to abandon it shortly after due to structural failure, she is deposed and becomes a fugitive from Federation justice. She builds power again under the alias Commissioner Sleer, killing at least 29 people to protect herself and her identity as Commissioner Sleer, including the blind Ardus. She was not seen in the series finale and was presumably still rebuilding her power base.
that she had one romantic interest in her life, Don Keller. When he left her in their youth, "power became my lover" and she began her ascent up the Federation ranks. Tarrant and Servalan have a minor romantic fling; however, this lasts only as long as it takes for Servalan to discover how to survive their predicament.
Avon has a contentious relationship with Servalan in season three. During the episode "Aftermath", Servalan offers Avon the chance to rule the Federation by her side; however, regardless of whether she is serious or not, Avon pointedly refuses, shoving her to the ground during their embrace and stating "I'd be dead within a week". In the episode "Death-Watch", the two meet on a neutral planet, and after discussing Servalan's latest scheme, embrace and kiss passionately (Servalan also remarks that she viewed Avon not as an enemy, but as a future ally). In the episode "Rumours of Death", Avon takes pity upon Servalan, who is chained to a wall; similarly, it is she who reveals to him the truth about Anna Grant. However, these brief moments do not diminish the attempts of Servalan to kill Avon and the rest of the crew (although, at one point in season four, she purchases Avon as a slave, grossly outbidding anyone else's offer).
Although they do not interact romantically during the episode "Weapon", Servalan appears to be quite pleased with the farewell message she receives from the "puppetmaster" Carnell, when he describes her as the "sexiest" commanding officer he had ever met. Similarly, at different times during the first two seasons, it is implied that Servalan enjoyed dalliances with some of the younger men on her staff. She was also intrigued by the former Space Captain Jarvik ("Harvest of Kairos") both because of his ambition and his rough treatment of her.
noncanonical "Afterlife," she is shot to death by a resistance fighter.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Blake's 7
Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC for its BBC1 channel. The series was created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer and creator of the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. Four series of Blake's 7 were produced and broadcast between 1978...
, played by Jacqueline Pearce
Jacqueline Pearce
Jacqueline Pearce is a British actress.-Career:Jacqueline Pearce trained at the British stage school RADA and at Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio in Los Angeles....
(in the new B7 audio series, Servalan is played by Daniela Nardini
Daniela Nardini
Daniela Nardini is a Scottish actress of Italian ancestry, best known for playing Anna Forbes in the BBC Two television series This Life. The role earned her a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1998 and also earned her a Scottish BAFTA...
). She was the principal villain of the series. Her creator Terry Nation
Terry Nation
Terry Nation was a Welsh screenwriter and novelist.He is probably best known for creating the villainous Daleks in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who...
originally intended her to make a single appearance but she finally appeared in all four series, the only guest character to do so.
History
Servalan first appears as the Supreme Commander of the Terran FederationTerran Federation (Blake's 7)
The Terran Federation, sometimes simply called The Federation, is the primary stellar government featured in the British Blake's 7 science-fiction television series of the late 1970s...
, in charge of the Federation's military force. She is principally concerned with organising efforts to destroy Blake and crush resistance to the Federation's rule. She is quickly revealed to be a cold, calculating, ruthless sociopath who is not above using her sex appeal and charm to get what she wants. Over the course of the series, she goes so far as to sacrifice entire planets to advance her ambitions.
Just before the Andromedan Invasion, as Star One begins to fail, she stages a military coup and becomes President of the Federation. After the Intergalactic War
Intergalactic War (Blake's 7)
The Intergalactic War is a fictional event in the Blake's 7 science fiction television series. Linking the second and third season, it represented a culmination of the second series' Star One plot thread....
, she begins concentrating her efforts on capturing the powerful Liberator
Liberator (Blake's 7)
The spaceship Liberator is a fictional starship featured in the first three seasons of the BBC television series Blake's 7.-Background:...
in order to cement her position. However, her rule is unstable. At least one coup ("Rumours of Death") almost topples her. During this time, she develops an intriguing adversarial chemistry with Avon, who respects her ruthlessness but distrusts her. They spend the second half of the series alternately flirting and trying to kill each other.
After successfully capturing the Liberator at Terminal, only to have to abandon it shortly after due to structural failure, she is deposed and becomes a fugitive from Federation justice. She builds power again under the alias Commissioner Sleer, killing at least 29 people to protect herself and her identity as Commissioner Sleer, including the blind Ardus. She was not seen in the series finale and was presumably still rebuilding her power base.
Personal life
During the episode "Sand", Servalan reveals to TarrantDel Tarrant
Del Tarrant is a fictional character from the British science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Steven Pacey.Del Tarrant was a skilled pilot, trained in the Federation Space Academy, who stole a pursuit ship and began running contraband in the outer planets and getting involved in...
that she had one romantic interest in her life, Don Keller. When he left her in their youth, "power became my lover" and she began her ascent up the Federation ranks. Tarrant and Servalan have a minor romantic fling; however, this lasts only as long as it takes for Servalan to discover how to survive their predicament.
Avon has a contentious relationship with Servalan in season three. During the episode "Aftermath", Servalan offers Avon the chance to rule the Federation by her side; however, regardless of whether she is serious or not, Avon pointedly refuses, shoving her to the ground during their embrace and stating "I'd be dead within a week". In the episode "Death-Watch", the two meet on a neutral planet, and after discussing Servalan's latest scheme, embrace and kiss passionately (Servalan also remarks that she viewed Avon not as an enemy, but as a future ally). In the episode "Rumours of Death", Avon takes pity upon Servalan, who is chained to a wall; similarly, it is she who reveals to him the truth about Anna Grant. However, these brief moments do not diminish the attempts of Servalan to kill Avon and the rest of the crew (although, at one point in season four, she purchases Avon as a slave, grossly outbidding anyone else's offer).
Although they do not interact romantically during the episode "Weapon", Servalan appears to be quite pleased with the farewell message she receives from the "puppetmaster" Carnell, when he describes her as the "sexiest" commanding officer he had ever met. Similarly, at different times during the first two seasons, it is implied that Servalan enjoyed dalliances with some of the younger men on her staff. She was also intrigued by the former Space Captain Jarvik ("Harvest of Kairos") both because of his ambition and his rough treatment of her.
Non-canon Fiction
In Tony Attwood'sTony Attwood (writer)
Tony Attwood is an expert in direct mail, who previously worked as a teacher and lecturer, and has written over 80 books on education...
noncanonical "Afterlife," she is shot to death by a resistance fighter.