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Bray has taken it upon himself to look after Trudy,
to find a safe place to for her to live and have her baby. He
believes their best chance is in the City, a day's walk from
the home where Trudy lived with her parents.
Setting off at dawn they walk along the coast. Before nightfall
Bray leaves Trudy at the end of a tunnel where she can stay
hidden while he finds somewhere safe.
Bray watches the City streets from the rooftops. Below him the
Locos' police car patrols the streets, picking up strays to
make into slaves. When the Street is quiet, Bray descends to
ground level. Soon he finds what he is looking for. It is a
way in to the Mall through its sewers.
Some in the Mall, especially Paul, sense or hear an intruder.
Lex and Ryan give chase, but Bray is smarter than they are and
hides under a bridge before doubling back. With his would-be
pursuers heading off on a wild goose chase, Bray introduces
himself to Amber, Jack & Dal. By the time Lex and Ryan come
back, Bray has been accepted as a member of the tribe.
Lex does his utmost to have Bray thrown out, but he is in a
minority of one, and doesn't get his way. |
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| Bray adopts "Headspace" as his personal
living space - a store that sold hats, sunglasses etc etc. He
is the only one who prefers a hammock to a bed, though this
might be from the practical consideration that the room is extremely
narrow. It is likely that he took this room soon after he arrived,
though we don't actually see him there until Ep.18 when he is
meditating in front of a candle. One wonders if Dwayne accidentally
got hold of Tai-San's script. We never see him meditating again,
and there's no hint ever that Bray is sympathetic to Tai-San's
Oriental spirituality. In fact just the opposite. |
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Right from the start Bray is something of a loner
- aloof, coming and going as he pleases, without any explanation.
The very next morning after Bray has been accepted into the
tribe, they find him gone, along with much of their meager food
rations. Lex's opinion of him would seem to be borne out, and
he predicts that Bray will be back with others, maybe the Locos.
Bray does indeed come back, but only with Trudy - heavily pregnant.
In a world of uncertainty, a baby to look after is the last
thing they all need. Lex makes his point very clear, and when
a vote is taken, it is decided that Bray must find somewhere
else for her.
On their way out, Trudy's waters break. This changes everything.
No one but Lex is willing to throw Trudy on the street. Not
now.
Amber is generally in charge of organizing everyone, for there's
much to do. But much to everyone's surprise, it is Bray who
actually delivers the baby. He seems to know more about the
subject than anyone.
Trudy gives birth to a girl, yet almost as soon as it is born
Bray disappears. Everyone assumes he has abandoned Trudy and
his baby. |
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| In fact Bray has been very pragmatic; the baby will
need nappies (diapers), formula milk and a bottle. Bray finds all
these in a warehouse. But when he gets back to the Mall, Amber is
furious. Trudy is gravely ill, and Dal is risking his life to fetch
antibiotics from his father's surgery. |
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The next day Bray goes out again. No one knows
why or where. By chance Cloe spots him whilst out with Bluebell,
and he's talking with Zoot, the leader of the Locos. Cloe runs
and hides from Bray. He must surely be a bad man if he's a friend
of Zoot? Bray makes her promise to keep it a secret, and in
return he'll keep quiet about Bluebell. Otherwise Lex will want
to kill and cook her. It's a deal!
When they get back Amber is far more angry than before, interrogating
him about his comings and goings. He lies that he has been searching
for medical supplies. Amber doesn't buy it. |
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Dal returns with antibiotics and Trudy makes a
full recovery, finally waking up in Ep.7. Bray hopes she will
agree to meet Zoot, for it is his baby. That's why Bray was
talking to him at the railyard.
Lex picks a moment when Trudy is alone and gives her 2 days
to leave the Mall, even though she is still very weak. This
is what decides Trudy into meeting with Zoot.
In the dead of night Bray escorts Zoot through the sewers, then
fetches Trudy. Zoot had come to see Trudy; learning he has a
daughter knocks him off-guard. Bray tries to persuade him to
forget being a warrior, and to look after his family at the
Mall. |
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| In the meantime Patsy and Paul have woken Lex. He and
Ryan investigate and attack, both Bray and Zoot. |
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Zoot runs up the stairs and hides. Bray, Lex and
Ryan follow. While Ryan restrains Bray, Lex punches him repeatedly
in the guts, accusing him of being a traitor. Zoot comes out
of hiding to defend Bray. In a freak accident he falls over
the balcony to his death below.
When everyone hears that Zoot had come to see Trudy - and his
daughter - things start to fall in place. Lex checks the sewers
and has to agree that Zoot came alone and unarmed. Trudy confirms
that Bray was trying to make Zoot leave the Locos to look after
his family.
Sympathy and opinion swing toward Bray, and Lex is very much
out on his own. |
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Early the following morning Bray, Trudy, Amber,
Jack and Dal set out for the nearest graveyard with Zoot's body.
They go heavily disguised, as a precaution in case they are
seen. But the graveyard is already occupied by hordes of living
Demon Dogz. Jack suggests burial at sea instead.
Bray wants to give Zoot a Warrior's funeral, and to set fire
to the boat. Trudy agrees that Zoot would like that. In saying
his last good-bye Bray reveals that Zoot was formerly Martin,
his own younger brother. Until now only Trudy had known this. |
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| Bray's main care and concern over the weeks is
Trudy. Suffering from post natal depression, she makes everyone's
life hell. Furthermore she has never really bonded with her
baby, and hasn't yet even given her a name. Salene tries to
help out, and Trudy certainly needs her help; but Trudy also
sees her as a threat, coming between herself and Bray. In part,
this is true, Salene does like Bray. Lex stirs things. He never
did like Trudy. One day he leaves a very badly written jibe
scrawled over Amber's chores roster. Salene takes it very personally,
not understanding it was aimed at Trudy. Bray has no doubts
who wrote it and the fight that has been waiting to happen finally
happens - almost. |
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Somehow, the topic of discipline comes up, and
the need for a strong leader. Lex has himself in mind of course.
Amber wants a choice, and sees Bray as the obvious alternative.
Bray isn't interested. Amber is furious with Bray that he will
do nothing to stop Lex doing as he pleases, bullying everyone
to get his way.
Bray sees Amber as the obvious choice for leader. She takes
on the challenge and informs Lex. He refuses to fight a girl!
Amber enlightens him, there's to be an election, not a fight! |
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Bray of course does his best to persuade people to vote
for Amber. Likewise Lex uses bribery and blackmail to win votes for
himself. But Amber herself also asks people to vote for Lex. Her reason:
she guesses that if Lex becomes Leader, he will soon get bored and
hand it over to someone else. But if he loses, he will be on Amber's
case forever.
So when the vote is taken, it is hardly surprising that Lex wins.
Lex's immediate task as leader is to put Jack on trial for hoarding
food. Amber recognizes that Jack is a valuable member of the Tribe
and they cannot afford to lose him. Bray on the other hand (along
with Ryan, Zandra and others) thinks he should be thrown out. In the
event Lex ensures that Jack is found not guilty, but only because
Jack threatens to expose Lex's own water stash.. |
Leader Lex makes life hard for the girls by giving
them all the chores. But he makes life even harder for Bray,
giving him all the guard duty. When Bray ignores the assignment,
Lex ensures that Bray gets no food, not even to take to Trudy.
Amber acts as go-between, and Bray agrees to do double guard-duty
in return for Trudy's food. Fortunately for Bray, Salene gives
him enough for both himself and Trudy. |
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| The
Hunt for Bluebell - Ep.12 |
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On the very night when the girls gather in Zandra's
room to agree a no-work protest against Lex's authoritarian
leadership, an unearthly sound carries through the Mall. Lex
orders all the guys to fall in line with him to investigate.
Bray refuses, laughs about it, as does Trudy. Amber guesses
they know what it is. Indeed Bray does. He knows it is nothing
more sinister that Cloe's calf, Bluebell. But he's not telling!
When the truth is known, Amber reprimands both of them, for
allowing everyone to get in a panic while Lex humiliated himself.
She raises the question of their future in the tribe.
Later, first Trudy, then Bray approach Amber in her room. Trudy
agrees to look after her baby better, and to give her a name.
Bray and Amber talk easily and freely, about leaders in general,
and Lex in particular. Amber is certain that Lex will soon crack
under the strain. The conversation is friendly, and hints at
how things might develop between them in the future.
The girls prepare a special feast to mark the naming of Trudy's
baby. All the boys willing to share the chores are invited.
In practice that's all of them except Lex. For the first time
ever, both Bray and Trudy are there, at the table. Ryan cuts
the pie, and Trudy announces the name - BRADY. |
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