History YMMV / Flashman

** Flashman meeting Ilderim again in ''in The Great Game'', especially as Flasy thought that Ilderim had died after the events of the first book. Additionally, Ilderim's very high opinion if Flashman has hardly changed at all, and the ex-Afgan noble serves admirably and actively as Flashy's BattleButler for the rest of the book.

** Is the movie version of ''Royal Flash'' a funny comedy that makes acceptable deviations from the source material? Or a wretched bastardization of Flashman's character, replacing his wit and sarcasm with overwrought slapstick? Both sides at least concur Creator/MalcolmMcDowell was less-than-ideal casting ([=McDowell=] himself agrees).

* HeartwarmingMoments:

*** Crosses the line into funny when he leads them to a march at tea time... while singing some very dirty army songs that end up embarrassing Elspeth and her guests.
*** Even better is the aftermath: the kids are punished and sent to bed early without any sweets... but Flashy later steals some from the cupboard and smuggles them to their rooms. He then proceeds to regale them with the tale of how he met John Brown... which manages to bore the little ones to sleep midway through.

** Despite claiming he didn't rape anyone after Nareeman, Flashman also rapes the SexSlave he's given in ''Flash for Freedom!'' - not only is she a slave and unable to consent due to the power differential, she's also explicitly not into it; Flashman mentions that he couldn't get her to respond either by sweet-talking her or with a whip. However given how slavery is portrayed in the book this is likely DeliberateValuesDissonance.

* HearwarmingMoments:

* TearJerker: Flashman tends to weep for his completely deserved miseries in nearly every book, but sometimes something awful enough happens to jolt even him. In ''Flashman and the Great Game'', Flashman actually weeps when he learns that [[spoiler:Scud East died a horrible death]], though he swiftly starts sobbing for himself again. He's also stunned senseless when he learns that poor loyal [[spoiler:Ilderim Khan]] was killed by the Sepoys. In the same book he is sickened and grieved by the slaughter of the British household he's been serving as a native butler and their neighbors.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Flashman first started out as the antagonist in ''Literature/TomBrownsSchooldays''. In this version, he's more of a VillainProtagonist.

* WTHCastingAgency: Creator/OliverReed, who does resemble Flashman, was not cast in the lead role in the film, but Otto von Bismark. Instead, Creator/MalcolmMcDowell was cast.

* AcceptableEthnicTargets: The Russians, especially Count Ignatieff is shown as this.

* AcceptableTargets: The Russians, especially Count Ignatieff is shown as this.

** For the books: is ''Flashman and the Tiger'' (the 11th book, a collection of three short novellas) an enjoyable deviation from formula, or the series' ruining moment? The third story's Literature/SherlockHolmes cameo in particular is considered either brilliant or inexcusable, with little middle ground.

** [[TheCaligula Emperor Theodore of Abyssinia]], the BigBad of ''Flashman on the March'' has two potential line-crosses. The first is the destruction of an Abyssinian city because it was grander than his palace, during which the offending temple is torn down and Theodore himself personally crucifies many people for the "crime" of being in the city. The other is the Islamgee massacre, during which Theodore hacks a random prisoner to death just because he's angry and then orders all the prisoners, [[WouldHurtAChild including children imprisoned for being related to criminals]], to be hurled over the cliff. Ultimately, the massacre only stops because it's getting dark.

** Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi allows the Indian mutineers in ''Flashman and the Great Game'' to slaughter the entire British garrison, [[WouldHurtAChild includin the children]]. Whilst [[AmbiguousSituation it's ambiguous how involved she is in the Mutiny]], she does still knowingly allow the massacre to occur. This also applies to the leaders of the Mutiny for carrying out this and similar atrocities.

* TearJerker: Flashman tends to weep for his completely deserved miseries in nearly every book, but sometimes something awful enough happens to jolt even him. In ''Flashman and the Great Game'', Flashman actually weeps when he learns that [[spoiler:Scud East died a horrible death]], though he swiftly starts sobbing for himself again. He's also stunned senseless when he learns that poor loyal Ilderim Khan was killed by the Sepoys. In the same book he is sickened and grieved by the slaughter of the British household he's been serving as a native butler and their neighbors.

** Despite claiming he didn't rape anyone after Nareeman, Flashman also rapes the SexSlave he's given in ''Flash for Freedom!'' - not only is she a slave and unable to consent due to the power differential, she's also explicitly not into it; Flashman mentions that he couldn't get her to respond either by sweet-talking her or with a whip.

* PlayingAgainstType: Rare conventionally comedic role for Creator/MalcolmMcDowell who is more noted for ironic BlackComedy.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Flashman first started out as the antagonist in ''Literature/TomBrownsSchooldays''. In this version, he's more of a VillainProtagonist / MagnificentBastard.

* TearJerker: Flashman tends to weep for his completely undeserved miseries in nearly every book, but sometimes something awful enough happens to jolt even him. In ''Flashman and the Great Game'', Flashman actually weeps when he learns that [[spoiler:Scud East died a horrible death]], though he swiftly starts sobbing for himself again. He's also stunned senseless when he learns that poor loyal Ilderim Khan was killed by the Sepoys. In the same book he is sickened and grieved by the slaughter of the British household he's been serving as a native butler and their neighbors.