History Recap / AsterixInBelgium

On the way from the battlefield, he again meets the three chiefs, who ask him for his decision there and then. Caesar replies that he does not care - they are all crazy! - and leaves. [[OncePerEpisode Then there is a banquet, of course.]]

** The Belgian banquet near the end is a parody of Flemish painter Creator/PieterBruegelTheElder 's painting "Peasant Wedding".

** Thompson and Thomson from the ComicBook/{{Tintin}} series make an appearance.

** It's historically true that Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar 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!

** Several references to the Battle of Waterloo, since Waterloo is located in Belgium. The giant battle near the end is a direct parody, with Caesar as Napoleon, Beefix as Wellington and Asterix in the role of Blücher who came to Wellington's aid in the nick of time, causing Napoleon to lose. The accompanying text on the parchments is a reference to French author Creator/VictorHugo's text "Les Châtiments" about the battle. In the English version the text is replaced by quotes from Creator/LordByron (many from his poem [[http://www.poetry-archive.com/b/the_eve_of_waterloo.html "The Eve of Waterloo"]]), Creator/JohnMilton ("Chaos umpire sits" and "With ruin upon ruin, rout on rout, confusion worse confounded" from ''Literature/ParadiseLost'') and Creator/WilliamShakespeare ("But yesterday, the word of Caesar might have stood against the might of the world" and "let slip the dog[s] of war" from, fittingly, ''Theatre/JuliusCaesar'', albeit after Caesar's assassination).

** Caesar's army arriving on the battlefield by horse is a parody of a painting by Ernest Meissonier showing Napoleon campaigning in France. [[http://asterix.openscroll.org/books/asterix_in_belgium.html]]

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.

** Several references to the Battle of Waterloo, since Waterloo is located in Belgium. The giant battle near the end is a direct parody, with Caesar as Napoleon, Beefix as Wellington and Asterix in the role of Blücher who came to Wellington's aid in the nick of time, causing Napoleon to lose. The accompanying text on the parchments is a reference to French author Creator/VictorHugo's text "Les Châtiments" about the battle. In the English version the text is replaced by quotes from Creator/LordByron, Creator/JohnMilton and Creator/WilliamShakespeare.

On the way from the battlefield, he again meets the three chiefs, who ask him for his decision there and then. Caesar replies that he does not care: They are all crazy! and leaves. [[OncePerEpisode Then there is a banquet, of course.]]

* ArtisticLicenseGeography: The Belgian landscape is depicted as being flat, which is TruthInTelevision, though the way it is portrayed here is a huge exaggeration. Everything is shown as one large grass field without any other vegetation in it! One gag has Asterix, Obelix and Vitalstatistix running towards one tiny forest in the middle of this monotonous landscape. In reality Belgium does have trees, hills and even a few small mountains in the Ardennes. Many Belgian readers have pointed out that the way Belgium's flatness is portrayed here looks more like some parts of the Netherlands.
** Though the way Belgium's landscape is portrayed in this album can be interpreted as a caricature following the RuleOfFunny one scene is clearly an honest mistake. We see the pirates sail past the Belgian shore which is again shown as grassy ground. In reality the Belgian shore is one long sandy beach.
* ArtisticLicenseHistory: It's historically true that Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar 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" was actually also comprised of 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!

** Walloon actress, singer and comedian Annie Cordy is cast as Beefix' wife. Also note that this joke will only be noticed in the francophone world, because in Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium) Cordy is virtually obscure compared to her superstar status in Wallony.
* 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 succesfully the plan is you wonder why he doesn't use it more often.

* NationalStereotypes: The Belgians are depicted as jolly and petulant people who enjoy having a laugh, a drink and some tasty food. The bilingual communities are addressed too in the original French version where both leaders fight over an ox tongue, causing Beefix' wife to note: "Ils ont toujours une problème de langue." (:"They always have a problem over tongue", with the double meaning of "tongue" and "language" for the word "langue".)
* NegativeContinuity: If this story is to be believed, the Belgians are invincible and Belgium is far from becoming a part of the Roman empire. But in ''The Mansion of the Gods'' and ''The Laurel Wreath'', Belgian POW slaves seem to be common in the empire, and in ''Asterix The Legionary'', a Belgian is one of the volunteers for the Roman army along with Asterix and Obelix.

** When Beefix describes "his flat country" in the original French version he quotes a line from the refrain of Belgian singer Music/JacquesBrel 's song "Le Plat Pays".

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Julius Caesar is speeching 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!"]]

The last book that 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.

* PunnyName: The Roman prefect in Belgium is named Wolfgangamadeus, after Creator/WolfgangAmadeusMozart. One of the other soldiers is named Saintlouisblues, after the jazz standard ''St. Louis Blues''.

* NegativeContinuity: If this story is to be believed, the Belgians are invincible and Belgium is far from becoming a part of the Roman empire. But in ''The Mansion of the Gods'' and ''The Laurel Wreath'', Belgian POW slaves seems to be common in the empire, and in ''Asterix The Legionary'', a Belgian is one of the volunteers for the Roman army along with Asterix and Obelix.

** Thompson and Thomson from the ComicStrip/{{Tintin}} series make an appearance.

* PunnyName: The Roman prefect in Belgium is named Wolfgangamadeus, after Creator/WolfgangAmadeusMozart.

** Allusions to Belgian fries, mussels, Brussels sprouts, waterzooi, Manneken Pis, lace from Bruges and Brussels, Belgium being the head of the European Economic Community (the line: "There's a small economic community further up."), the Atomium, {{Tintin}}, cyclist Eddy Merckx, Creator/PieterBruegelTheElder,... are made. The jokes told about Belgians at the start of the story is also a reference. In modern times Belgians are frequently ridiculed by their neighbouring countries in jokes that target their stupidity, rather than their bravery as shown in this story.

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Julius Caesar is speeching 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!"]]
* TintinShoutOut: Thompson and Thomson from ''ComicStrip/{{Tintin}}'' have a cameo.

** When Beefix describes "his flat country" in the original French version he quotes a line from the refrain of Belgian singer Creator/JacquesBrel 's song "Le Plat Pays".

* SomethingOnlyTheyWouldSay: Julius Caesar is speeching 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 you 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!"]]

* ArtisticLicense/{{History}}: Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar 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" was actually also comprised of 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!

* ArtisticLicense/{{Geography}} The Belgian landscape is depicted as being flat, which is TruthInTelevision, though the way it is portrayed here is a huge exaggeration. Everything is shown as one large grass field without any other vegetation in it! One gag has Asterix, Obelix and Vitalstatistix running towards one tiny forest in the middle of this monotonous landscape. In reality Belgium does have trees, hills and even a few small mountains in the Ardennes. Many Belgian readers have pointed out that the way Belgium's flatness is portrayed here looks more like some parts of the Netherlands.

* ArtisticLicense:{{Geography}}: The Belgian landscape is depicted as being flat, which is TruthInTelevision, though the way it is portrayed here is a huge exaggeration. Everything is shown as one large grass field without any other vegetation in it! One gag has Asterix, Obelix and Vitalstatistix running towards one tiny forest in the middle of this monotonous landscape. In reality Belgium does have trees, hills and even a few small mountains in the Ardennes. Many Belgian readers have pointed out that the way Belgium's flatness is portrayed here looks more like some parts of the Netherlands.

* ArtisticLicense:{{History}}: Creator/GaiusJuliusCaesar 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" was actually also comprised of 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!

* 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 barbarians in the comics. Seeing how succesfully the plan is you wonder why he doesn't use it more often.

** Allusions to Belgian fries, mussels, Brussels sprouts, waterzooi, Manneken Pis, lace from Bruges and Brussels, the Atomium, {{Tintin}}, cyclist Eddy Merckx, Creator/PieterBruegelTheElder,... are made.

** Several references to the Battle of Waterloo, since Waterloo is located in Belgium. The giant battle near the end is a direct parody, with Caesar as Napoleon, Beefix as Wellington and Asterix in the role of Blücher who came to Wellington's aid in the nick of time, causing Napoleon to lose. The accompanying text on the parchments is a reference to French author Creator/VictorHugo's text "Les Châtiments" about the battle. In the English version the text is replaced by quotes from Creator/LordByron and Creator/WilliamShakespeare.

* GeniusBonus: Some of the references are less known than others. That is, if you're not familiar with Belgium history and culture.

* ReferenceOverdosed: The authors have tried to cram in every possible reference to Belgium they could think of.
* PunnyName: The Roman prefect in Belgium is named Wolfgangamadeus, after Creator/WolfgangAmadeusMozart.

When the Gauls hear that Caesar stated the Belgians were the bravest enemies he's ever faced, 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.

* GeniusBonus: Some of the references are less known than others.
* ReferenceOverdosed: Belgian comics, Belgian tourist attractions, Belgian art...
** Several references to Napoleon, since Waterloo is in Belgium.
* ShoutOut: To Franchise/{{Tintin}}, amongst others.

* ShoutOut: To {{Tintin}}, amongst others.