The Joy Of Six

    While watching 'the Prisoner,' we enjoy watching No.6 attempting to escape The Village, and struggle with the controls of the helicopter as it suddenly turns and flies back to land on the lawn by the sea wall. We feel his anger as he is herded away by the Village Guardian. We share his realisation when Big Ben chimes eight, and his disappointment to find he is still in The Village! And there really was no way No.6 could have known that Susan died a year ago. But it was worth a try, impersonating Curtis the way he did, and almost got away with it. However there are only so many ways to try and escape The Village, over or through the mountains is impossible, so the sea-going raft was a good idea. It was actually going back to his home in London that made it all too easy for them to bring the Prisoner back to The Village. But I suppose its like No.2 said, he'll eventually go home {back to his room} its the only place he can ever go.

    Watching No.6 get the upper hand on No.2 is always worth watching. The trouble with No.2 is he quite often suffers from over confidence, and gets too excited when he thinks he's about to discover something. Well he did discover something, that No.6 wasn't selling out, he really was going on holiday! And that time when No.6 pulled the wool over No.2's eyes. No.2 wanted No.6 to tell him the reason behind his resignation. Yet No.6 came up with the idea that No.2 must have other people with secrets, and that if No.6 were to confess openly to everyone, it might inspire others to speak out also. And in thinking he was within an ace of victory, No.2 fell for No.6's suggestion hook, line, and sinker. And standing before the entire community, it is an enthusiastic No.2 that leads the applause, until, that is, when the Village clock strikes four.............

    As the avenger we applaud his private war against No.2, who had driven poor No.73 to suicide, having slashed both her wrists some time before she jumped from the hospital window. No.2 tells No.6 that he's going to hammer him, that he'll break No.6. Well No.2 may be a professional sadist, but better men than him have tried to break No.6, and yet there he is, carrying out meaningless acts of Jamming against No.2. Playing on his paranoia, the fear of his masters, and of failure, of what might happen to him due to any failure in him! And yet at the end of 'Hammer Into Anvil' I still cannot help but feel sorry for No.2, No.6's methods can be rather brutal at times!

    When No.6 isn't attempting escapes, more often than not he is busy poking his nose into things that do not concern him, as with the General and Speedlearn. I imagine No.2 having been given a second term of office felt rather confident seeing as how he was to have no direct contact with No.6, and despite the question over No.2's health. But once No.2 involves himself it can have only one ending, failure on the part of No.2. But up until the question of WHY? we enjoy No.2 and No.6 resuming their previous acquaintance. It's all a question of confidence you see, confidence in the General, confidence in the Educational Board, and when No.12 gives a complete breakdown of the entire operation, that too is in confidence of course. Speedlearn's basis is the students confidence in a tried and trusted professor, and the Professor's confidence in science. And No.2 of course once again suffers from another bout of over-confidence!

    No.6 is a born survivor, we saw that when he was all at sea that time aboard his raft. And his instinct for survival is never more put to the test than against the girl who was Death! There is danger from an exploding cricket ball! He's poisoned at his local public house. Trapped in a steam box at Benny's Turkish Baths. Goes three rounds with The Killer! Given the run-a-round at the funfair, where in the Tunnel of Love the girl tries to blow him up for a second time. Survives a bout of dangerous driving during a car chase. Is shot at, threatened with death from electrified metal spikes, and by miniature mines. Then there's the danger of death by cyanide gas when he's trapped like a rat in the Candlestick Makers! He's shot at again when at the controls of a mechanical loader, had hand grenades thrown at him, and suffered mortar fire! But is it No.6's survival skills we enjoy, or the fact that the girl runs him close to death?

    And finally as we come to the end, realising that the Prisoner is never going to escape clutches of The Village, there is the joy in knowing that we can put the Prisoner-No.6 through it all over again any time we choose. Depending on how sadistic we are feeling!

Be seeing you