History TearJerker / BlackAdder

--> '''Blackadder:''' ...I mean, who would've noticed another madman 'round here?

* When [[YankTheDogsChain the guns fall silent and they think they are going to be ok]].

** When Darling said he'd never get to return to his old life and marry Doris, his girlfriend back home. Typically a series antagonists actions are motivated by hopes of gaining substantial wealth and/or power, whereas you come to realise that Darling wasn't primarily seeking either of these per se, he just wants to play cricket and marry the woman he loves.

** When Darling said he'd never get to return to his old life and marry Doris, his girlfriend back home.

[[caption-width-right:350:"I'm scared, sir."]]

** When Darling said he'd never get to return to his old life and marry Doris.
-->'''Darling:''' Made a note in my diary on the way here. Simply says: 'Bugger'.

* George's gung-ho facade finally cracks as the soldiers prepare to go over the top; after spending the whole series with a flamboyantly upbeat attitude and eagerness for battle, he's the first person to admit, in a sincere non-joking way -- unlike how the faster-on-the-uptake Blackadder had been doing the whole time -- that he doesn't want to die. ''[[StepfordSmiler And he's smiling while he says it]].''

** George's slow realisation that he's the last of his old Tiddlywinks club still alive. The most horrifying part is that things like that ''actually happened'' -- groups of young men (known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pals_battalion "Pals Battalions"]]) would be encouraged to all join up together as friends; the idea of war was put to them as being like some sort of jolly, laddish escapade, like a friendly football game. Of course, once they got there, the reality was very different--and since often they would consist of a major portion of the men from individual towns, villages, neighbourhoods, and communities, those would be left immediately devastated back in Britain if (or when) most or all of them suffered heavy casualties. It's also pretty much the first time we get to see George's almost relentless cheeriness begin to crack.

* When [[YankTheDogsChain the guns fall silent and they think they are going to be ok.]]

* George's gung-ho facade finally cracks as the soldiers prepare to go over the top; after spending the whole series with a flamboyantly upbeat attitude and eagerness for battle, he's the first person to admit, in a sincere non-joking way (unlike how Blackadder had been doing the whole time), that he doesn't want to die. ''And he's smiling while he says it.''

* When they leave the dugout to Stand To, Blackadder has come to accept that he, finally, will die. He's not panicking as he was with the firing squad, [[FaceDeathWithDignity he's not making sarcastic remarks, he's calm and somewhat detached]]. He knows what's going to happen, and he's ready for it. If he really wanted to get out of it, he could have thought of something, even in those few seconds; he could have used the splinter on Baldrick's ladder, he could have had a heart attack, ''something''. But no, he doesn't. While only Blackadder III achieved his goals, only Captain Blackadder came to terms with failure.

** Blackadder hears out one last plan from Baldrick and, instead of insulting it, says "Well, I'm afraid it'll have to wait..." He doesn't actually hear it out; there isn't time. But he ''does'' say that whatever it is would have been better than his plan of pretending to be mad.

* After years of fighting an utterly pointless war and almost getting out of it, Blackadder, Baldrick, Lieutenant George, Captain Darling and hundreds of other men go over the top of the trenches, set to an incredibly poignant version of the theme music. They don't visibly ''die'', but just fade away to be replaced by a modern day shot of a poppy field overdubbed with birdsong.
** Especially poignant considering the fact that poppies are the traditional flower to remember WWI. After the fighting, especially at Flanders' Field, the earth was so stirred up by the men fighting and charging across it that poppy seeds, which had been laying dormant, bloomed all over it. Just to see how something so horrible can produce something so beautiful ... which still isn't worth the price we paid for it. That a ''comedy'' show can make this point in a couple of fade-out frames is nothing short of amazing.

** Notably when he lists off the things he thought he was going to do, such as going back to work at [[InherentlyFunnyWords Pratt]] & Sons or keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen there's laughter. When he mentions marrying Doris, there's nothing.
** Take a look at Darling in the background just before they get ready to make the step. He's on the verge of tears throughout the whole thing and clearly scared beyond what words can describe.

** George's slow realisation that he's the last of his old Tiddlywinks club still alive. The most horrifying part is that things like that ''actually happened''--groups of young men (known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pals_battalion "Pals Battalions"]]) would be encouraged to all join up together as friends; the idea of war was put to them as being like some sort of jolly, laddish escapade, like a friendly football game. Of course, once they got there, the reality was very different--and since often they would consist of a major portion of the men from individual towns, villages, neighbourhoods, and communities, those would be left immediately devastated back in Britain if (or when) most or all of them suffered heavy casualties. It's also pretty much the first time we get to see George's almost relentless cheeriness begin to crack.

** It was also one hell of a gutpunch for the fans. Sure, Edmund was a sniveling, scheming, DirtyCoward VillainProtagonist...but he was ''our'' sniveling, scheming, DirtyCoward VillainProtagonist.

--> '''Blackadder:''' ...After all, who'd notice another madman 'round here?

** Blackadder hears out one last plan from Baldrick and, instead of insulting it, says "Well, it'll have to wait..." He doesn't actually hear it out; there isn't time. But he ''does'' say that whatever it is would have been better than his plan of pretending to be mad.

** Such is the power of this episode, that it aired on Remembrance Day with no complaints.

Notably when he lists off the things he thought he was going to do, such as going back to work at [[InherentlyFunnyWords Pratt]] & Sons or keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen there's laughter. When he mentions marrying Doris, there's nothing.

* When Darling said he'd never get to return to his old life and marry Doris.
-->'''Darling:''' Made a note in my diary on the way here. Simply says: 'Bugger'.
** Notably when he lists off the things he thought he was going to do, such as going back to work at [[InherentlyFunnyWords Pratt]] & Sons or keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen there's laughter. When he mentions marrying Doris, there's nothing.

* Blackadder hears out one last plan from Baldrick and, instead of insulting it, says "Well, it'll have to wait..." He doesn't actually hear it out; there isn't time. But he ''does'' say that whatever it is would have been better than his plan of pretending to be mad.

** When they leave the dugout to Stand To, Blackadder has come to accept that he, finally, will die. He's not panicking as he was with the firing squad, [[FaceDeathWithDignity he's not making sarcastic remarks, he's calm and somewhat detached]]. He knows what's going to happen, and he's ready for it. If he really wanted to get out of it, he could have thought of something, even in those few seconds; he could have used the splinter on Baldrick's ladder, he could have had a heart attack, ''something''. But no, he doesn't. While only Blackadder III achieved his goals, only Captain Blackadder came to terms with failure.
** Blackadder, a character defined by his [[ItsAllAboutMe total apathy for anyone other than himself]], [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness wishing everyone good luck]] just before they charge. That his FamousLastWords weren't a joke or a snide remark, but the first and perhaps only ones he ever spoken with [[SincerityMode empathy for other human beings]], says all that needs to be said about what he's thinking right now.
* George's slow realisation that he's the last of his old Tiddlywinks club still alive. The most horrifying part is that things like that ''actually happened''--groups of young men (known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pals_battalion "Pals Battalions"]]) would be encouraged to all join up together as friends; the idea of war was put to them as being like some sort of jolly, laddish escapade, like a friendly football game. Of course, once they got there, the reality was very different--and since often they would consist of a major portion of the men from individual towns, villages, neighbourhoods, and communities, those would be left immediately devastated back in Britain if (or when) most or all of them suffered heavy casualties. It's also pretty much the first time we get to see George's almost relentless cheeriness begin to crack.
* Such is the power of this episode, that it aired on Remembrance Day with no complaints.
* The story behind the infamous ending is also rather sad. It was the only take of the scene done because Creator/RowanAtkinson and the rest of the cast were so overcome with grief, knowing that the inhumanity they were reenacting was real, that they couldn't bear to try it again when it didn't come out quite right.

** Notably when he lists off the things he thought he was going to do, such as going back to work or keep wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen there's laughter. When he mentions marrying Doris, there's nothing.

* A small one from the ''Blackadder II'' episode "Money" when he has his HeroicBSOD after Baldrick informs him he can't run away from the monks is one of the few times he's in genuine despair.

* Though honestly it can't hold a candle to the end of ''Blackadder Goes Forth'', the ending of the original series was also quite bitter and poignant. Though intercut with silly jokes till the end, it shows Edmund dying alone after his family and the entire court are poisoned to death. Firstly, not only is Edmund maimed and on the verge of death, but he also hears his father for once calling him by name and showing him some care and paying his respects, the lack of this affection being actually one of the reasons for his choices. Then as he lays dying by his own stupidity, a montage shows some family moments from past episodes and makes clear that it has all passed forever.

* A small one from Blackadder II 'money' when he has his herioc b.s.o.d after baldrick informs him he can't run away from the monks is one of the few times he's in genuine despair.
-->'''Blackadder''': when I die Baldrick, do you think people will remember me?.

** Blackadder's [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness surprisingly]] [[SincerityMode emotional]] "Good luck, everyone." His FamousLastWords weren't a joke or a snide remark, but the first and only ones he ever spoke with empathy for other human beings.

** When Blackadder said 'good luck, everyone' in that... ''emotional'' manner. Not only he did restrain himself from making some jokes when the others told him that they were scared- he did actually say ''Good luck, everyone''. Black-bloody-adder, for God sake, he was concerned about somebody else! Extra-poignant is the fact that ''those were his last words.''

'''Blackadder''': when I die baldrick, do you think people will remember me?.//

* The story behind the infamous ending is also rather sad. It was the only take of the scene done because Rowen Atkinson and the rest of the cast were so overcome with grief, knowing that the inhumanity they were reenacting was real, that they couldn't bear to try it again when it didn't come out quite right.

** When they leave the dugout to Stand To, Blackadder has come to accept that he, finally, will die. He's not panicking as he was with the firing squad, he's not making sarcastic remarks, he's calm and somewhat detached. He knows what's going to happen, and he's ready for it. If he really wanted to get out of it, he could have thought of something, even in those few seconds; he could have used the splinter on Baldrick's ladder, he could have had a heart attack, ''something''. But no, he doesn't. While only Blackadder III achieved his goals, only Captain Blackadder came to terms with failure.