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.

A member of the elite Alpha class, Jenna was a beautiful but cynical smuggler/self-styled "free trader". She clearly had some involvement with resistance groups as she had once met the resistance fighter Avalon. She was captured by the Federation and sentenced to be transported to the prison colony on Cygnus Alpha. However, she befriended Blake, assisted in a mutiny on the transport ship and escaped with him and Avon aboard the Liberator.

A talented pilot, Jenna initially took charge of all navigation duties aboard the Liberator. She was the only crew member capable of flying the ship when Zen was inoperative or unwilling to do so.

Jenna was cynical and untrusting, but could also be kind and affectionate with a good sense of humour. She was very intelligent, in keeping with her grade rating, and seemed to enjoy baiting Avon and Vila. While Jenna was never completely devoted to Blake's ideals, she was loyal to him and they had a strong mutual affection (she was chosen by Sinofar in Duel to demonstrate the death of a friend to Blake and was jealous of Inga in Hostage). She was also more ethical than the other crew. When she was a free trader, for example, she refused to run drugs. Her beauty brought her to the attention of a number of dangerous people (Spacefall), but she used her looks to her advantage on occasion (The Keeper).

Jenna disappeared with Blake during the Intergalactic War at the end of the second serial. The only report Zen heard was that she was on a hospital ship. In the series finale, Blake told Tarrant that Jenna returned to smuggling and died heroically - self-destructing her ship and taking "half a squadron of gunships" with her. It is presumed this story was true, although it is probable that Blake is simply dropping her name into the conversation to judge Tarrant's reaction. Blake uses many ploys and deceptions in order to work out whom he can trust, and watches Tarrant very closely in the said scene.

In "Jenna's Story" by Steve Lyons (The Liberator Chronicles, Volume 6, performed by Sally Knyvette), it is revealed that Jenna is indeed dead, killed when the ship she was piloting was destroyed.^[1] The story details the events from Jenna's escape from the Liberator during the Galactic War and her determination to continue Blake's fight against the Federation up until the moment of her death.

Filming

Sally Knyvette wore extra hair in the first season to make her blonde hair appear fuller. She was allowed to use her normal hairstyle in the second season.

References