Vargas (Blake's 7)

Vargas was the main antagonist of the Blake's 7 episode "Cygnus Alpha". He was portrayed by Brian Blessed, whose other roles include Cecil Clayton in Disney's Tarzan, El Supremo in Freddie as F.R.O.7, the Nekross King in Wizards vs Aliens and Mr. Avericci in Archie's Weird Mysteries.

Biography
Vargas was descended from the original prisoners on the Cygnus Alpha penal colony. His great-great-grandfather had helped establish a community among the convicts and, in order to stop new arrivals from disrupting things, had formed a religion. This religion was based on a lie: All new arrivals were told that they suffered from a disease, the Curse of Cygnus, and needed constant supplies of a drug in order to survive. In fact, they were given a mild poison that cleared itself.

By Blake's time, Vargas was the effective ruler of the planet and its five hundred inhabitants. He quickly inducted the new arrivals from the prison ship London, but when Blake was captured while trying to free and recruit them for his crew, Vargas saw an opportunity to extend his power. He intended to gain control of the Liberator and use it to extend his religion, and thus his sphere of influence, beyond the planet. Blake refused to take him back to the ship however. Vargas took Blake's gun and teleport bracelet, being impressed by the destructive power of the former, and had him tortured.

With his first efforts having failed, Vargas attempted to turn the new arrivals against Blake, refusing them access to the supposed drug and ordering one of them sacrificed in order to force Blake's hands. Blake turned the tables and convinced some of the prisoners to join him in using the sacrifice as cover for an escape attempt. A fight broke out, during which both some of the escapees and some of Vargas' followers were killed. Since Vargas was still wearing a teleport bracelet, he was teleported up to the Liberator along with Blake, Vila and Gan. He tried to gain control of the ship, threatening the crew at gunpoint, but was killed when Blake teleported him into space.