Zen (Blake's 7)
Encyclopedia
Zen is a fictional character
from the British
science fiction
television
series Blake's 7
. The voice of Zen was provided by the late Peter Tuddenham
(in the new B7 audio series, Zen is voiced by Alistair Lock). .
Zen was the master computer aboard the Liberator
(formerly Deep Space Vehicle 2), the highly advanced spacecraft used by Blake
and the others initially to escape from and then attack the Federation. Zen's history, like that of the Liberator itself, is unknown prior to its first appearance. It specifically refused to answer questions about the previous crew of the Liberator. It was constructed by "The System" ("Redemption"), which also installed a series of over-rides to take external control of the ship if necessary. Its visual interface was a large brown dome toward the front of the bridge with lights that flashed as it spoke; it was suggested in "Cygnus Alpha" that this 'visual reference point' was created by Zen to aid the crew after they asked it to show itself. Zen would simply make computer noises in place of speaking when overridden by The System.
Zen was capable of flying and fighting the Liberator on its own, with the notable exception of being unable to operate the teleport controls. It had banks of auxiliary computers that could be brought on-line when requested. These included navigation computers, which could pilot the Liberator to any known destination, and battle computers, that could formulate strategy, pilot the ship and operate the weapon systems during combat, even successfully fighting off a number of Federation pursuit ships without crew input ("Volcano"). Zen could also force the auto-repair systems to prioritize certain systems.
Zen had a chamber underneath its main dome that could perform instantaneous analysis of substances, such as the virus in "Project Avalon" or the drug in "Shadow". It also had access to more sophisticated analysis equipment, as demonstrated in its frantic attempts to find a solution to the corrosive space particles in "Terminal". Zen also had some crude telepathic ability. It operated a defense system against intruders that would use images of loved ones to draw them to their deaths. It could also form a temporary telepathic link with new crew - taking the name "Liberator" from Jenna's
mind, for example.
Although open to instruction, Zen projected a dour, non-committal personality all of its own. In some of the early episodes, Zen would reply to certain questions with the phrase "That information is not available" and it was left open as to whether Zen was secretly executing its own agenda or genuinely couldn't help. In the episodes "Time Squad" and "Breakdown", Zen refused to help the crew carry out actions it believed endangered the ship, and even though it could not control the Teleport, it disabled the system by causing a circuit burnout. Zen did not display these characteristics from season two, possibly due to being re-programmed by Orac in the episode "Redemption".
Zen's massive database was a paradox within itself. The Federation was totally unaware of Liberators origins (The System), yet Zen was able to provide information on Federation Planets, colonies, space ship designs and history, but it was unable (or unwilling) to recognise the two Drones from The System (Redemption) despite their architecture being of its own kind.
After the crew were forced to abandon the Liberator temporarily due to being badly damaged in the Intergalactic War, Zen was ordered to take commands only from the voice prints of certain members of the crew. The psychic defence barrier seen in Space Fall, was deactivated when Avon
commanded Zen to allow an unrecognised ship to dock, which most likely contained Klegg and his troops. When Tarrant
and Dayna
joined the crew, their voice prints were added. Servalan
's voice print was also added when she managed to take over the Liberator temporarily (The Harvest of Kairos), but it was removed when the crew re-took control.
Zen was destroyed with the Liberator in the episode "Terminal" (aired March 31, 1980). In the episode, Zen was more self-aware and "human" than previously thought, apologising for its failure to repair the Liberator, its last words being "I have failed you. I am sorry. I ..." Vila noted that this was the first and only time that Zen ever referred directly to itself.
It is likely that any other Deep Space Vehicles constructed by The System had Zen-like computers of their own.
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...
from the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
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...
. The voice of Zen was provided by the late Peter Tuddenham
Peter Tuddenham
Peter Tuddenham was a British actor, best known for providing the voices of Zen, Orac and Slave, computers on the science fiction TV show Blake's 7....
(in the new B7 audio series, Zen is voiced by Alistair Lock). .
Zen was the master computer aboard the 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:...
(formerly Deep Space Vehicle 2), the highly advanced spacecraft used by Blake
Roj Blake
Roj Blake is a fictional character from the British science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Gareth Thomas ....
and the others initially to escape from and then attack the Federation. Zen's history, like that of the Liberator itself, is unknown prior to its first appearance. It specifically refused to answer questions about the previous crew of the Liberator. It was constructed by "The System" ("Redemption"), which also installed a series of over-rides to take external control of the ship if necessary. Its visual interface was a large brown dome toward the front of the bridge with lights that flashed as it spoke; it was suggested in "Cygnus Alpha" that this 'visual reference point' was created by Zen to aid the crew after they asked it to show itself. Zen would simply make computer noises in place of speaking when overridden by The System.
Zen was capable of flying and fighting the Liberator on its own, with the notable exception of being unable to operate the teleport controls. It had banks of auxiliary computers that could be brought on-line when requested. These included navigation computers, which could pilot the Liberator to any known destination, and battle computers, that could formulate strategy, pilot the ship and operate the weapon systems during combat, even successfully fighting off a number of Federation pursuit ships without crew input ("Volcano"). Zen could also force the auto-repair systems to prioritize certain systems.
Zen had a chamber underneath its main dome that could perform instantaneous analysis of substances, such as the virus in "Project Avalon" or the drug in "Shadow". It also had access to more sophisticated analysis equipment, as demonstrated in its frantic attempts to find a solution to the corrosive space particles in "Terminal". Zen also had some crude telepathic ability. It operated a defense system against intruders that would use images of loved ones to draw them to their deaths. It could also form a temporary telepathic link with new crew - taking the name "Liberator" from Jenna's
Jenna Stannis
Jenna Stannis is a fictional character from the British science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Sally Knyvette. The role of Jenna Stannis has recently been revived in the Blake's 7 audio plays where she is played by Carrie Dobro....
mind, for example.
Although open to instruction, Zen projected a dour, non-committal personality all of its own. In some of the early episodes, Zen would reply to certain questions with the phrase "That information is not available" and it was left open as to whether Zen was secretly executing its own agenda or genuinely couldn't help. In the episodes "Time Squad" and "Breakdown", Zen refused to help the crew carry out actions it believed endangered the ship, and even though it could not control the Teleport, it disabled the system by causing a circuit burnout. Zen did not display these characteristics from season two, possibly due to being re-programmed by Orac in the episode "Redemption".
Zen's massive database was a paradox within itself. The Federation was totally unaware of Liberators origins (The System), yet Zen was able to provide information on Federation Planets, colonies, space ship designs and history, but it was unable (or unwilling) to recognise the two Drones from The System (Redemption) despite their architecture being of its own kind.
After the crew were forced to abandon the Liberator temporarily due to being badly damaged in the Intergalactic War, Zen was ordered to take commands only from the voice prints of certain members of the crew. The psychic defence barrier seen in Space Fall, was deactivated when Avon
Kerr Avon
Kerr Avon is a fictional character from the British science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Paul Darrow...
commanded Zen to allow an unrecognised ship to dock, which most likely contained Klegg and his troops. When Tarrant
Del 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...
and Dayna
Dayna Mellanby
Dayna Mellanby is a fictional character in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Josette Simon.Dayna Mellanby was the daughter of former resistance leader Hal Mellanby, who fled from Earth with his infant daughter to escape security forces after his movement collapsed...
joined the crew, their voice prints were added. Servalan
Servalan
Servalan is a fictional character in the BBC science fiction television series Blake's 7, played by Jacqueline Pearce . She was the principal villain of the series...
's voice print was also added when she managed to take over the Liberator temporarily (The Harvest of Kairos), but it was removed when the crew re-took control.
Zen was destroyed with the Liberator in the episode "Terminal" (aired March 31, 1980). In the episode, Zen was more self-aware and "human" than previously thought, apologising for its failure to repair the Liberator, its last words being "I have failed you. I am sorry. I ..." Vila noted that this was the first and only time that Zen ever referred directly to itself.
It is likely that any other Deep Space Vehicles constructed by The System had Zen-like computers of their own.