History Recap / AsterixInBelgium

* FriendlyEnemy: When the Gauls trash a Roman camp to prove they are equally brave as the Belgians Obelix smashes one Roman soldier to the ground. When Asterix, Obelix and Vitalstatistix return the Belgians appear not to be very impressed about the fact that the entire camp has been demolished by just three Gauls. Vitalstatistix flies into a rage and starts arguing with the Belgian chief. Out of nowhere the smashed down Roman soldier agrees with Vitalstatistix and sides with him in the argument. Then it turns out the Belgian chief was just pulling Vitalstatistix' leg and everyone start introducing themselves to each other, including the Roman soldier. What makes this scene especially funny is that both the Gauls and Belgians seem to ignore the Roman and only Asterix notices him when he leaves at the end.

* NeverHeardThatOneBefore: The Romans are sick to death of Belgian jokes (in France, Belgians are an AcceptableTarget to the point where most jokes featuring them share a punchline with DumbBlonde jokes).

* BigEater: The Belgians are depicted as being this, with long banquets full of food and drink.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: When Caesar is confronted by the three chiefs in the end. (He has that in common [[Recap/AsterixAndCleopatra with Cleopatra]].)

* FoodPorn: Taken UpToEleven, with every meal in the Belgian village being a banquet as lavish as the ones that the Gauls have at the ending of each album.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/asterixinbelgium.jpg]]

** Thomson and Thomson from the world famous Belgian comic strip series Franchise/{{Tintin}} appear.

* CueTheRain: The rain has a meta function, as a memorial to Goscinny, who [[DieDuringProduction died partway through the volume]].

* NotSoDifferent: The Belgians are dressed mostly the same as the Gauls. They also eat a lot and enjoy beating up Romans. Even Obelix notices that the Belgian village "is very much like ours" and later expresses fondness over the country and its people. Later, when Vitalstatistix and Beefix, ask Caesar which one of them is the "bravest" the Roman general shouts that he doesn't know, doesn't care and feels they are both equally "nutty". This makes both chiefs laugh and fraternize.

* CueTheRain: The rain has a meta function, as a memorial to Goscinny, who [[AuthorExistenceFailure died partway through the volume]].

* CatapultToGlory: Caesar decides to use catapults to fight off the Belgians. This is, by the way, the only time he uses this idea when fighting opposing armies in the comics. Seeing how successful the plan is you wonder why he doesn't use it more often.

** It's historically true that UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar did indeed claim that the "Belgians were the bravest of all Gauls." It's stated in his Literature/CommentariesOnTheGallicWar. However he was referring to the Celtic tribe the Belgae and not the actual Belgians, because Belgium was only founded in 1830. Though the Belgae did live in modern day Belgium the Roman colony "Belgica" actually also comprised a huge southern part part of the modern day Netherlands (below the Rhine) and a large chunk of modern Northern France too. This makes Obelix' fondness of the Belgians and the remark that their village is very much like theirs a case of FridgeBrilliance, since at the time they were practically part of the same Roman colony!

* AuthorExistenceFailure[=/=]CueTheRain: The rain has a meta function, as a memorial to Goscinny, who died partway through the volume.

* FaceDeathWithDignity: When Caesar is confronted by the three chiefs in the end. (He has that in common [[Recap/AsterixAndCleopatra with his wife]].)

* FriendlyEnemy: When the Gauls trash a Roman camp to prove they are equally brave as the Belgians Obelix smashes one Roman soldier to the ground. When Asterix, Obelix and Vitalstatistix return the Belgians appear not to be very impressed about the fact that the entire camp has been demolished by just three Gauls. Vitalstatistix flies into a rage and starts arguing with the Belgian chief. Out of nowhere the smashed down Roman soldier agrees with Vitalstatistix and sides with him in the argument. Then it turns out the Belgian chief was just pulling Vitalstatistix' leg and they start introducing themselves to each other, which the Roman soldier also starts doing. What makes this scene especially funny is that both the Gauls and Belgians seem to ignore the Roman and only Asterix notices him when he leaves at the end.

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Julius Caesar is speaking in the Senate and a scribe writes down everything he says. When another senator tries to start a debate about the local brassica ("cabbage") a messenger arrives from Belgium and asks permission to enter. Caesar allows this, which causes the senator that start a tirade on why the brassica topic is far more important to discuss. Caesar snaps back at him: "Stuff your brassica!". The scribe is then informed by the tribune: "Better leave that line out, for future generations may ask questions about Caesar's reputation." When Caesar hears that a revolt has broken out in Belgica he decides to leave immediately and says: "I shall go, I see and I shall conquer." To which the tribune says to the scribe: [[ExactWords "You may write that one down!"]]

- -> “These Belgians are Crazy!”

----

When the Gauls hear that Caesar stated the Belgians were the bravest enemies he's ever faced- which was an actual quote by Caesar, by the way- Vitalstatistix, Asterix and Obelix go to Belgium to defend the Gaul's honour. There, they meet the clans of Belgians, led by the chiefs Beefix and Brawnix. They propose a competition, razing Roman camps and telling the Romans who beat them to make the Romans decide for themselves which side is fiercer.

* ContinuityNod: The legionaries at the first camp flattened by the three Armoricans upon their arrival in Belgian are members of the 1st Legion, 3rd Cohort, 2nd Maniple, 1st Century - the same division to which Asterix and Obelix were assigned in ''Recap/AsterixTheLegionary''.

For the twenty-fourth ''Asterix'' book, Goscinny and Uderzo's satirical eyes turn to France's [[northern neighbour]]. It is the last book Creator/ReneGoscinny was involved in, as he died during its making. WordOfGod says that this is why the skies are constantly overcast once the Gauls reach Belgium (in particular, the rain that begins falling on p.29 marks the point at which Goscinny died).

For the twenty-fourth ''Asterix'' book, Goscinny and Uderzo's satirical eyes turn to France's northern neighbour, Belgium.

The last book that Creator/ReneGoscinny was involved in the production of (he died during production). WordOfGod says that this is why the skies are constantly overcast once the Gauls reach Belgium (in particular, the rain that begins falling on p.29 marks the point at which Goscinny died).