History Recap / BlackadderSS1TheCavalierYears

** Blackadder laments being on the wrong side of the only civil war in English history. There had actually been several prior ones, including ones between King Stephen and Empress Matilda, Henry VI and Edward IV, and of particular note, the one between Richard III and Henry VII -- which formed the basis of the first ''Blackadder'' series.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Played for laughs when Creator/StephenFry plays the king like a [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything modern media-friendly royal]] instead of the kind of man who would start a civil war and chop peoples heads off.

-->'''Blackadder''': We will enter a hideous age of Puritanism: they'll close all the theatres, lace handkerchiefs for men will be illegal, and I won't be able to find a friendly face to sit on this side of Boulogne.

* LastStand: At the end, with Blackadder Hall surrounded by Roundhead soldiers, it seems Edmund will go out with one of these, since it's what a man of honour would do. [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere Of course, being a Blackadder, he never had any honour to begin with]]...

-->'''Blackadder''': Baldrick? That little job that fell into your lap, it wasn't, by any chance, something to do with something to do with an axe, a basket, a little black mask, and the King of England?

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Charles I gives Blackadder custody of his infant son and heir, the future Charles II. Historically, Charles II was 19 and had long since fled to the continent by the time his father was executed.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Creator/StephenFry's performance as UsefulNotes/CharlesI is basically a [[UsefulNotes/TheBritishRoyalFamily Prince Charles]] impression.

* BrickJoke: When Blackadder hears Baldrick's [[RunningGag cunning plan]] to save King Charles (namely balancing a pumpkin on the King's head and cutting that off), he rather accurately says that when he holds it up and shouts "This is the head of a traitor", the crowd will likely yell back "No, it's not! It's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it!". When Blackadder later has to use the plan (rather than explain to the King that he only showed up to rob Charles blind before the execution), three guesses what the crowd shouts out?

* IronicEcho: When Blackadder hears Baldrick's [[RunningGag cunning plan]] to save King Charles (namely balancing a pumpkin on the King's head and cutting that off), he rather accurately says that when he holds it up and shouts "This is the head of a traitor", the crowd will likely yell back "No, it's not! It's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it!". When Blackadder later has to use the plan (rather than explain to the King that he only showed up to rob Charles blind before the execution), three guesses what the crowd shouts out?

A fifteen-minute special made for Comic Relief, it focuses on Sir Edmund Blackadder, a Stuart-era member of the family and member of the Royalist cause. With the English Civil War lost, Edmund, as a known Cavalier, along with his ever-faithful/eternally put-upon dogsbody Baldrick must find a way to keep the defeated King Charles I alive and simultaneously keep his own head on his shoulders.

-->'''Edmund''': I just don't understand it. Where on Earth did they find a man so utterly without heart and soul, so low and degraded as to accept the job of beheading the King of England?! ''[his own words sink in]'' Baldrick?

* LastStand: At the end, with Blackadder Hall surrounded by Roundhead soldiers, it seems Edmund will go out with one of these, since it's what a man of honour would do. [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere Of course, being a Blackadder, he never had honour to begin with]].
-->'''Edmund''': At times like this, Baldrick, there is no choice for a man of honour. He must stand and fight and die in defence of his future sovereign... [[BaitAndSwitch Fortunately, I am NOT a man of honour]]. ''[Blackadder tosses the baby to Baldrick, then pulls off his fake beard and wig to reveal a blond, clean-shaven face; he now looks like a Roundhead. At that moment, Cromwell bursts in]'' Thank God you've come! ''[points to Baldrick]'' Seize the Royalist scum!

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Creator/StephenFry's performance as UsefulNotes/CharlesI is basically a UsefulNotes/PrinceCharles impression.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Charles I gives Blackadder custody of his infant son, the future Charles II. Historically, Charles II was 19 and had long since fled to the continent by the time his father was executed.

-->'''Blackadder''': We will enter a hideous age of Puritanism: they'll close all the theatres, lace handkerchiefs for men will be illegal, and I won't find a friendly face to sit on this side of Boulogne!
* IronicEcho: When Blackadder hears Baldrick's [[RunningGag cunning plan]] to save King Charles (namely balancing a pumpkin on the King's head and cutting that off), he rather accurately says that when he holds it up and shouts "Here is the head of a traitor", the crowd will likely yell back "No it's not, it's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it!". When Blackadder later has to use the plan (rather than explain to the King that he only showed up to rob Charles blind before the execution), three guesses what the crowd shouts out?

-->'''Edmund''': At times like this, Baldrick, there is no choice for a man of honour. He must stand, and fight, and die, in defence of his future sovereign...[[BaitAndSwitch Fortunately, I'm NOT a man of honour]]! ''[Blackadder tosses the baby to Baldrick, then pulls off his fake beard and wig to reveal a blond, clean-shaven face; he now looks like a Roundhead. At that moment, Cromwell bursts in]'' Thank God you've come! ''[points to Baldrick]'' Seize the Royalist scum!

A 15 minute special made for Comic Relief, it focuses on Lord Edmund Blackadder, a Stuart-era member of the family and member of the Royalist cause. With the English Civil War lost, Edmund, as a known Cavalier, along with his ever-faithful/eternally put-upon dogsbody Baldrick must find a way to keep the defeated King Charles I alive and simultaneously keep his own head on his shoulders.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Averted. Initially, Blackadder is appalled Baldrick took the job of beheading the King, but abruptly changes his mind when he discovers how much Baldrick is being paid to do it.

-->'''Edmund''': I just don't understand it. Where on Earth did they find a man so utterly without heart and soul, so low and degraded as to accept the job of beheading the King of England?! ''[his own words sink in]'' ...Baldrick?
* FateWorseThanDeath: What Blackadder considers living in Puritan England.

* IronicEcho: When Blackadder hears Baldrick's [[RunningGag cunning plan]] to save King Charles (namely balancing a pumpkin on the King's head and cutting that off), he rather accurately says that when he holds it up and shouts "Here is the head of a traitor", the crowd will likely yell back "No it's not, it's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it!". When Blackadder later has to use the plan (rather than explain to the King he only showed up to rob Charles blind before the execution), three guesses what the crowd shouts out?

* UpperClassTwit: King Charles I (played by Creator/StephenFry) is very much this.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: [[spoiler: Charles I gives Blackadder custody of his infant son, the future Charles II. Historically, Charles II was 19 and had long since fled to the continent by the time his father was executed]].
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Averted. [[spoiler: Initially, Blackadder is appalled Baldrick took the job of beheading the King, but abruptly changes his mind when he discovers how much Baldrick is being paid to do it]].

-->'''Edmund''': I just don't understand it. Where on Earth did they find a man so utterly without heart and soul, so low and degraded as to accept the job of beheading the King of England?! ''[his own words sink in]''...[[spoiler: Baldrick?]]

* IronicEcho: When Blackadder hears Baldrick's [[RunningGag cunning plan]] [[spoiler: to save King Charles (namely balancing a pumpkin on the King's head and cutting that off), he rather accurately says that when he holds it up and shouts "Here is the head of a traitor", the crowd will likely yell back "No it's not, it's a huge pumpkin with a pathetic moustache drawn on it!". When Blackadder later has to use the plan (rather than explain to the King he only showed up to rob Charles blind before the execution), three guesses what the crowd shouts out?]]
* LastStand: [[spoiler: At the end, with Blackadder Hall surrounded by Roundhead soldiers, it seems Edmund will go out with one of these, since it's what a man of honour would do. [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere Of course, being a Blackadder, he never had honour to begin with]].]]
-->'''Edmund''': [[spoiler: At times like this, Baldrick, there is no choice for a man of honour. He must stand, and fight, and die, in defence of his future sovereign...[[BaitAndSwitch Fortunately, I'm NOT a man of honour]]! ''[Blackadder tosses the baby to Baldrick, then pulls off his fake beard and wig to reveal a blond, clean-shaven face; he now looks like a Roundhead. At that moment, Cromwell bursts in]'' Thank God you've come! ''[points to Baldrick]'' Seize the Royalist scum!]]

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Stephen Fry's performance as Charles I is basically a Prince Charles impression.
* UpperClassTwit: King Charles I (played by Stephen Fry) is very much this.

-->'''Edmund''': [[spoiler: At times like this, Baldrick, there is no choice for a man of honour. He must stand, and fight, and die, in defence of his future sovereign...Fortunately, I'm NOT a man of honour! ''[Blackadder tosses the baby to Baldrick, then pulls off his fake beard and wig to reveal a blond, clean-shaven face; he now looks like a Roundhead. At that moment, Cromwell bursts in]'' Thank God you've come! ''[points to Baldrick]'' Seize the Royalist scum!]]