History WMG / Blackadder

* Prior to the outbreak of the war they both enjoyed cushy jobs as high level junior officers. However, war broke out and the two were forced to compete for the "honor" of commanding a front line infantry company. Both Blackadder and Darling sought to double cross each other in order to avoid getting an infantry assignment and became enemies as a result. Blackadder's plan to seem incompetent actually impressed Melchett who then sought to "humiliate" Darling by making him his aide.
* Darling is implied to have been a civilian before the war by stating that he'd like to go back to work for Pratt and Sons, whereas Blackadder is a career soldier who took part in wars in Africa.

* The Barons kids moved to London at some point, the same area as Lord flashearts' with one of Flashearts taking a shine to a baldrick, culminating in the cowardly, stupid Richard Richard and Edward Elizabeth Hitler of Series/{{Bottom}} fame.

*** Are there any wound stripes on Darling's uniform?

* He was evidently General Melchett's clerk throughout 1917, but he has no actual reason not to be in the trenches. However, the twitch could be caused by a trauma caused earlier in the war. It could be that he was in the same position as Blackadder but something terrible happened while in the trenches (enemy attack, surviving going over the top etc.) leaving him with a twitch and trauma, causing him to become a pencil-pusher for Melchett due to him being incapable of fighting. [[spoiler:Of course, this doesn't save him in the end though...]]

*** The medals don't prove anything. Staff officers would receive medals with more regularity than front line troops (I recommend reading Tommy by Richard Holmes as he covers this). George's MC was probably won fairly. Foreign medals were issued amongst the Entente forces on a quota basis and units were able to put forward troops without citation. It's not unconceivable that Darling was a combatant at some point but Tim McInnerny has stated that his twitch was caused by a life time of having the piss taken out of him because of his surname.

[[WMG: The Blackadders share a world with the operas of Theatre/GilbertAndSullivan]]

[[WMG: The Blackadders share a world with the operas of Theater/GilbertAndSullivan]]

* The Barons kids moved to London at some point, the same area as Lord flashearts' with one of Flashearts taking a shine to a baldrick, culminating in the cowardly, stupid Richard Richard and Edward Elizabeth Hitler of Series/{{Bottom}}

* The Barons kids moved to London at some point, the same area as Lord flashearts' with one of Flashearts taking a shine to a baldrick, culminating in the cowardly, stupid Richard Richard and Edward Elizabeth Hitler of [[Main/Bottom Bottom]] fame

* The Barons kids moved to London at some point, the same area as Lord flashearts' with one of Flashearts taking a shine to a baldrick, culminating in the cowardly, stupid Richard Richard and Edward Elizabeth Hitler of [[Series/Bottom]] fame

* And he's abusive towards his companion, Baldrick.

As well as characters being descended from others played by the same person, they're interrelated. It does take place over a few hundred years (nearly a thousand if you include Blaccadicus and Baldricus in the Roman era). So character traits in different, non-equivalent characters are just recessive genes coming out - Prince Edmund takes after the Baldrick side of his family, and his Baldrick vice versa. Captain Darling is descended from Percy, but also has some Melchett ancestors making him naturally hostile to any Blackadders (He might also have some Blackadder in him, given he's the only other one with any brains or cunning). The real Prince Regent, and Lt. George in ''Goes Forth'', are descended from Prince Ludwig, but also distantly related to Lord Percy, which is why he's also not to bright and ends up attached to a Blackadder.

As well as characters being descended from others played by the same person, they're interrelated. It does take place over a few hundred years (nearly a thousand if you include Blaccadicus and Baldricus in the Roman era). So character traits in different, non-equivalent characters are just recessive genes coming out - Prince Edmund takes after the Baldrick side of his family, and his Baldrick vice versa. Captain Darling is descended from Percy, but also has some Melchett ancestors making him naturally hostile to Blackadders (He might also have some Blackadder in him, given he's the only other one with any brains). Lt. George in ''Goes Forth'' is descended from the real Prince Regent (and via him, Prince Ludwig), but he's also distantly related to Lord Percy, which is why he's also... not the smartest.

** I'd second that. Darling has a Military Cross on him, which is awarded for 'acts of exemplary gallantry'. George has both a Military Cross and a Croix de Guerre, but then, the boy is too daft to recognize danger most of the time. I could believe George perhaps having gotten those for some of Melchett's 'special missions' perhaps.

* George seems to have inherieted a bit of Ludwig's indestructibility. [[spoiler: After all, he was seemingly fine after his gunshot wound, until he realized that a normal man [[NormallyIWouldBeDeadNow should be dead]] or at least bleeding out.]]

* He was evidently General Melchett's clerk throughout 1917, but he has no actual reason not to be in the trenches. However, the twitch could be caused by a trauma caused earlier in the war. It could be that he was in the same position as Blackadder but something terrible happened while inthe trenches (enemy attack, surviving going over the top etc.) leaving him with a twitch and trauma, causing him to become a pencil-pusher for Melchett due to him being incapable of fighting. [[spoiler:Of course, this doesn't save him in the end though...]]

* "The Queen of Spain's Beard" is set in 1492, Edmund dies in 1498 - plenty of time to find a wench with whom to propagate (Rowan Atkinson's choice of words, in an interview promoting the second series in 1986).

** However, and while this is pure conjecture as my knowledge of English history is flimsy at best, wouldn't a child of that clan receive an education and position of believed to be a direct descendant of Blackadder I? While they probably didn't give a toss about any illegitimate Scots, the Tudor house was a union of the Yorks and Lancashires, after all. They had to care about a decendant of one of those houses. So, in order to give him a better life, and possibly get rid of this wastrel, his clan passed him of as the legitimate heir, etc. etc. . Genealogy at the time was open to suggestion, and the balladeer was probably working from informed knowledge, which would also perhaps explain the many, many anachronisms and historical inaccuracies: the balladeer is at a Ren Faire and making it all up as he goes along. III and IV are, possibly, the result of Wangst after he was booed off stage.

The revolutionary general Edmund and Baldrick were captured by was a ancestor of Arnold Rimmer (they're both played by Chris Barrie) and the tales of him palling around with Napoleon contributed to both his hero worship of Napoleon and his feelings of inferiority. Also Lister is part of a branch of the Baldrick family that exibits the general filthiness but initial intelligence of the clan.

Ok so he is wet, but he is also reasonably crafty at times and has the Blackadder wit. Inspector Grim is descended from the Darling line, see his attitude to his superiors.

[[WMG: Ebeneezer Blackadder is Captain Blackadder's father.]]

Presumably, Ebenezer named his son after his Elizabethan and Georgian ancestors. As for what Captain Edmund is more sympathetic than the others, it may be a side-effect of Ebeneezer not being used to being a meanie.

** Either that, or he is Lieutenant George's ancestor. Part of the family moved to America some time after WWI and Gregory somehow inherited all the families brain cells...

[[WMG: Lord Flashheart's Ancestor Is Mad Gerald.]]

Now I haven't actually seen the first series, but in the second and fourth, it's purely context that makes Blackadder act in the way he does - starting with series 4, we see Blackadder in a trench during world war one -- this situation would put anyone in a bad mood, and if you're stuck with the jarringly optimistic George and the total moron Baldrick, as well as a military leader as poor as Melchett commanding you, this isn't exactly going to fill you with love and respect for your fellow man.

In series 2, Blackadder lives in total fear of Melchett winning Queenies favour permanently and getting him put to death; furthermore, he can't seem to shake off Percy. This means he acts horrible TO Melchett and Percy, but notice when he talks to other people - for example, Mr and Mrs Ploppy in the jail. Despite their inherent disgustingness, he is perfectly polite to them, because they don't irritate him.

* Mr. Bean is indeed a member of the Blackadder lineage but the whole truth is a little more horrifying. His father was a Blackadder and his mother was a Baldrick. He retained most of his Father's looks with a few of his Mother's more dorky genes thrown in. He retained much of his paternal ancestors intellect and cunning but again it was muted by his mother's genes. He also picked up his mother's ancestors social awkwardness and their tendencies to make somewhat complex yet poorly conceived "cunning plans" This is why this version of Blackadder has no Baldrick, he is both. And Darling's decedent drives a blue car with three wheels.

The season end mentions that that episode is set in 1916, HOWEVER the Charlie Chaplin episode states at the end that the U.S. has just entered the war, an event that didn't happen untill 1917 therefore the Charlie Chaplin episode happened after and they all survived going over the top.

Ok so he is wet, but he is also reasonably crafty at times and has the Blackadder wit. Inspector Grim is decended from the Darling line, see his attitude to his superiors.
* Likewise [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x2FQvZHrVs Brigadier Blaster-Sump]] (DAMN YOU!) decends from the Clan Melchett.

''Blackadder Christmas Special'' must take place between 10/02/1840 and 14/12/1861, because Queen Victoria and Prince Albert are married. ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' ends in 1917, and cannot start any earlier than 28/07/1914. Captain Blackadder looks to be no more than 45, meaning he was probably not born any earlier than 1869. We know from the visions that Ebeneezer will have descendants, and if he becomes a big meanie in the aftermath of being visited by the spirit of Christmas, then he has at least eight years to amass a fortune and have a kid, and probably more. As for what sort of woman would be willing to marry him, money is a great aphrodisiac.

Presumably, Ebeneezer named his son after his Elizabethan and Georgian ancestors. As for what Captain Edmund is more sympathetic than the others, it may be a side-effect of Ebeneezer not being used to being a meanie.

[[WMG: The Blackadder and Flasheart lines eventually mixed, the results being (in the far future...)]]
...Literature/CiaphasCain, a man with Captian Blackadder's views of war and Flasheart's flair for capturing the hearts of the soldiers.

It's hard to explain what happened to create Ebeneezer, since 3 seemingly won, but I'd assume that somehow 3 failed and the family stayed poor, but reached the middle class. Ebenezer was horrified by 3's behavior, and so he tried to be really good instead, but it didn't work- he was taken advantage of like 1, but when he turned evil, wasn't smart about it either.

** Ebeneezer could theoretically be Blackadder III's bastard son, so maybe he was discouraged that after all his father' cunning plans and evilness, Prince George was still remembered as a fat useless git, so he decided to try a completly different route and tried to be good.

Wolsey is the Blackadder prevnting Henry (George) from causing mayhem, causing the country to go bankrupt, or getting them killed (for example Henry's constant want to invade France, and the few times he actually DID invade France).
* Very nearly canon actually. According to ''[[http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackadder-Whole-Dynasty-John-Lloyd/dp/0140280359 Blackadder: The Whole Damn Dynasty]]'' Lord Blackadder's father actually ''was'' a Wolsey-like Cardinal Blackadder who among other things persuaded the increasingly senile and short sighted Henry VIII to marry Baldrick in a skirt (or 'Catherine Parr' as history ended up calling 'her'.)

Blackadder was killed in the duel and the Blackadder line continued through an illigtimate son, hence Captain Blackadder's reduced fortunes. The ending we saw was the revised timeline created by the Back and Forth Blackadder, who saw to it that his ancestor survived and became king, setting the scene for his own place on the throne. Edmund-pretending-to-be-the-prince eventually sent for said illigitimate son, not trusting anyone but a Blackadder as his heir and passing the boy off as his son from the rose bush. Blackadder Goes Forth still happened as we saw, but Captain Blackadder got more respect for being related to the king.

[[WMG: The time travelling Blackadder got his Elizebethan ancestor to marry the Queen]]

* The two Anglo-Saxon Edmunds aren't counted in the English regnal numbering, which started fresh from 1066. Otherwise Edwards I to VIII would be called Edwards IV to XI. Edmund is a popular name in the Blackadder family, so it's not surprising there were two Edmunds in the Royal House of Blackadder before the 1999 one - it's just surprising there weren't more!

[[WMG: After the events of Blackadder Goes Forth, (where they survive going over the top) Blackadder has a child, as does Baldrick. Those two children are Mr. Bean's parents.]]
Mr. Bean inherits his Grandfathers' features but not his personality. While Blackadder was the dignified manager of imbeciles, crossing with the Baldrick bloodline caused Bean to have the mind of a child, he also comes up with a few cunning plans.

* They are both played by Rik Mayall, after all. Most likely, after Phillip of Burgundy was killed, a female relation took pity on poor Gerald in his cell and nursed him back to health and a modicum of sanity...then married him in order to keep the family line going. The combination of Burgundy's swashbuckling nature and Gerald's stamina (what else could you call the ability to cackle for months at a time?) gave rise to the Flashheart bloodline.

* Mentions of a "chocolate chastity belt" and the appearance of a poodle in the late 15th Century are just the tip of the iceberg.


[[WMG: Percy II's linage ended with him because...]]

* Prior to the outbreak of the war they both enjoyed cushy jobs as high level junior officers. However, war broke out and the two were forced to compete for the "honor" of commanding a front line infantry company. Both Blackadder and Darling sought to double cross each other in order to avoid getting an infantry assignment and became enemies as a resutl. Blackadder's plan to seem incompetent actually impressed Melchett who then sought to "humiliate" Darling by making him his aide.

Think about it. Evil master who fails at his goals and has a moustache? Check. Short bumbling sidekick who screws up every task and is constantl beat up as retribution? Check again. I'll even go so far as to say Dr. Erhardt was the new Percy.

Now I haven't actually seen the first series, but in the second and fourth, it's purely context that makes Blackadder act in the way he does - starting with series 4, we see Blackadder in a trench during world war one - this situation would put anyone in a bad mood, and if you're stuck with the jarringly optimistic George and the total moron Baldrick, as well as a military leader as poor as Melchett commanding you, this isn't exactly going to fill you with love and respect for your fellow man.

Furthermore, he seems to actually have some faith and respect for Baldrick in series 2. At least twice he gets Baldrick to beat people up for money, showing he believes Baldrick can carry out a simple task. Despite the fact that he still does some douchey things to Baldrick, I think this is more releasing anger from other people onto him - if you actually watch the series, you'll notice that he never actually DOES many bad things to Baldrick, other than insult his intelligence. He even tries to teach him maths in one episode, showing that he doesn't see him as a total lost cause. Compare this to the way the third and fourth Blackadders hit Baldrick on a regular basis for little or no reason - we can clearly see that Blackadder, in series 2, actually considers Baldrick a friend.

The way she interacts with her-telling child stories like fond old memories, giving her cutie terms of estrangements, not to mention Nursie knew Elizabeth from babyhood and watched her grow up, taking care of her as a nurse, I'm not quite sure if Elizabeth also views Nurise as a mom. But I do think she in the very least keeps her close to her heart-she sits next to her, never threatened to execute her(despite Elizabeth not even viewing execution as being a bad thing) and she was furious when she thought Blackadder killed her and wanted to execute him, mind you like I said Elizabeth views executions as a fun thing-most of the time it's a "I want to execute you~" or in the very least a minor thing, but this time she was honest to God mad.

[[WMG: At some point before "Goodbyee", Private S. Baldrick had the chance to shoot a German messanger, but let him get away.]]

As no one else would want to breed with such a disgusting family, it would explain why their intelligence has decreased so spectacularly over the generations.

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